She threw the shot on her high school track team and could outrun the boys, but she was overpowered and killed in her Magnolia, N.J., home by an intruder who stabbed her more than 20 times.

She did not die easily.

Jennifer Persia fought her attacker in the living room, the kitchen and at the bottom of the stairs leading to the second floor. She sustained numerous wounds in her hands as she apparently warded off blows. She was strangled and struck on the head. And she may have injured her killer.

The body of the 16-year-old girl was found Monday by her parents about 8:30 p.m. in the living room of their white house on an out-of-the-way cul-de-sac just off the White Horse Pike in central Camden County.

The popular sophomore at Sterling High School in Somerdale had been attacked with a small weapon, possibly a pocketknife, said Camden County Prosecutor Edward F. Borden Jr.

"She put up a tremendous struggle," Borden said.

The teenager was seen sitting on the front steps of the home in the 100 block of Jefferson Avenue about two hours before her body was discovered, police said.

An autopsy performed yesterday at the Camden County Medical Examiner's Office showed that Persia had more than 20 stab wounds in her neck and chest.

Robert Segal, who conducted the autopsy, reported that Persia died from the stab wounds and also from the twisting of an unknown binding around her neck. She might have been struck on the head by a heavy glass beer mug that was found broken at the scene, investigators said.

Persia had not been sexually assaulted, Borden said.

Borden said she might have used the beer mug, whose pieces were smeared with blood, to smash her assailant. The prosecutor said the intruder could be injured. He asked people to report anyone with unexplainable wounds or cuts to authorities.

The motive for the slaying that shook the small, middle-class community may have been the theft of about $200 worth of coins in four plastic food containers, investigators said.

Borden said the containers were stolen from a shelf in the first-floor bedroom of the victim's mother and stepfather, Georgia and Mickey MacNeir.

Most of the stolen coins were Susan B. Anthony silver dollars, with a few $5 pieces mixed in, authorities said.

The family moved to New Jersey from Delaware County in the Pennsylvania suburbs five years ago, and relatives from as far as Upper Darby were at the home yesterday consoling family members and helping investigators reconstruct the girl's last hours.

Borden said Persia attended practice with her track team at 9 a.m. at the school, which was closed for the spring holiday, and returned home by noon. Her mother, who was at work, called her at 3 p.m. to chat. A girlfriend, whose name was withheld, talked with Persia about 5:30 p.m. Borden declined to give specifics of the conversation.

The nearest house to the MacNeir home is about 25 yards away, investigators said. There were no reports from anyone who heard any disturbance.

"There was no forced entry to the home," Borden said. "We don't know if she knew the person and let them in or if she had the inside door open because it was a warm day."

At a news conference yesterday in Camden, Borden said investigators were following the likelihood that the assailant was not a boyfriend or a member of the family.

"We're all in complete shock that someone would do something like that to her," said Kevin Alexander, 15, a neighbor and a classmate at Sterling High.

Teenagers, who have the week off, gathered throughout the day yesterday before the taped-off crime scene at Persia's home. They shared memories and hugs while about two dozen police recruits in blue uniforms searched nearby yards for evidence.

Many of the young people said they had known Persia since her family moved to New Jersey from Upper Darby. As a fifth grader entering Magnolia Elementary School, friends said, Persia was so shy that her mother had to introduce her to the other children gathered outside the school.

But by the time she entered high school, her friends said, she had gained confidence and was very active. She carried a flag in the color guard, played saxophone in the concert band and competed for the track team.

Stephanie Vaughan, 15, cried softly yesterday as she remembered treating Persia to pizza and mint chocolate chip ice cream on her birthday March 5 at Mama Nuccio's Pizzaria near the high school. She said Persia was thrilled that one of her friends would take her out to eat.

"She doesn't like to eat in front of other people," Vaughan said. "But it's OK in front of me."

Persia's favorite color was purple, her friends said. She even loved purple cabbage in her salads.

The boys of Sterling High had a track meet yesterday, even though school was shut.

Mike Rudolph, 16, a sophomore, was wearing a black ribbon on his track jersey, in memory of his friend, as he waited for his event to begin. He had written her initials in purple across the ribbon.

"She was a nice all-around girl," he said. "It didn't seem like that could happen to her."

Jim Gallagher, Persia's track coach, said she had earned a varsity letter as a freshman.

 Almost 20 years later and NOTHING!!!