DARRYL A. REAVES
- mercertrackhall
- Sep 20, 2025
- 1 min read
Updated: Sep 26, 2025
Steinert High School 1980 -- Hurdles & Sprints
A three-sport standout who also made his mark in football and basketball, Steinert’s Darryl Reaves earned this honor by being one of the best hurdlers (particularly the intermediate hurdles) in Mercer County history.
In the late 1970’s, Reaves was dominant in the 300-meter intermediate hurdles but saved his best efforts for 1980 (his senior season) when New Jersey made the transition over to the 400 hurdles. Undefeated in dual meet action, Reaves won the Group IV state title. But at a time of year when many competitors were getting tired, Reaves was only warming up.
At the Eastern States Championships, Reaves blazed to a Mercer County record time of 53 seconds (at that point the third-fastest time in the country and fastest in New Jersey). A week later, the Spartan flew out to Sacramento, California for the Golden West Invitational and finished fifth in 52.8 to qualify for U.S. Junior Nationals.
Reaves graduated Steinert with at least a piece of four school records: in the 110 hurdles, 400 hurdles, as a leg on the school’s 4x400 and incredibly as part of their 4x800.
He continued to set records as part of the University of Virginia’s men’s track team, helping to set a school mark in the 4x400 and most impressively followed that by serving his country for six years in the United States Marines Corps.
