Moments after she won the 400-meter race at New Jersey's Meet of Champions in June, Seneca High's Michelle Brown was optimistic about coming summer track meets.

"I don't think I hit my peak yet," said Brown, who won in 53.72 seconds to become the fastest quarter-miler in New Jersey. The junior said she could run a 53 low.

At the U.S. World Youth Championships trials Wednesday at Eastern Michigan University, Brown was clocked in 53.14 in the 400 to place second and qualify for the IAAF World Youth Championships July 8-12 in Bressanone, Italy.

Brown, who is accustomed to leading the pack in the final stretch, had Ebony Eutsey to chase yesterday in Ypsilanti. Eutsey, the 2009 Nike Outdoor National champion from Miami, won in 52.78.

Brown's automatic time was 53.132, a fraction of a second faster than Briana Nelson from South Carolina, who was clocked in 53.140.

If Brown, a 17-year-old from Shamong, does well in Italy, she could be entered in the National Junior Olympic meet, July 28 to Aug. 2, at North Carolina State.

Wood named at Pennsville. Ryan Wood has been named the head football coach at Pennsville, replacing John Cooksey.

Wood is the former head baseball coach at the school, a position he gave up after the 2008 season. He was an assistant football coach last year at Pennsville.

Cooksey, who served 12 seasons, had earlier resigned but said that he would like to be an assistant coach. Pennsville athletic director Jamie Thomas said that Cooksey would indeed serve as an assistant.

The Eagles were 6-4 and earned a playoff berth last season. Pennsville has been .500 or better the last three seasons, the first time the school has accomplished this feat since having winning records from 1984 to 1986.

Contact staff writer Bill Iezzi

at 856-779-3826

or biezzi@phillynews.com.