Rancocas Valley’s 4-by-8 ran 7:59.90 at the 168th Street Armory Wednesday night, the No. 6 time in the country this year, and qualified for the 3,200-meter relay at next month’s 111th annual Millrose Games.
It will be the Red Devils’ first trip ever to the Millrose Games in the 4-by-8. R.V.’s 4-by-4 made the trip last year.
Micah Wood led off with a 2:00.0 carry, followed by Vincent Brown (2:02.7), Jake Tyndale (1:58.5) and Ian Moore (1:58.6).
Rancocas Valley’s previous indoor school record was 8:04.10, when the Red Devils won the Varsity Classic at the Armory in 2015.
R.V.’s time is No. 6 nationally this year, No. 2 in New Jersey and No. 1 in South Jersey, with four of those top six times coming from the Millrose Trials.
Rancocas Valley finished fourth behind Northport, N.Y. [7:55.79], St. Benedict’s of Newark [7:57.32] and Pennsbury of Fairless Hills [7:57.41].
The Millrose Games are scheduled for Feb. 3 back at the Armory. This is the meet’s seventh year at the Armory after 98 years at Madison Square Garden. From 1908 through 1913 the meet was held at a Manhattan armory.
R.V.’s time is No. 6 in Burlington County history and fastest in six years:
7:43.64 … Cherokee, 2012
7:51.78 … Cherokee, 2000
7:52.95 … Willingboro, 2003
7:53.64 … Willingboro, 2002
7:57.5h … Willingboro, 1983
7:59.90 … Rancocas Valley, 2018
8:02.47 … Cherokee, 2011
8:04.10 … Rancocas Valley, 2015
8:06.58 … Cherokee, 2009
8:07.5h … Shawnee, 2000
I don’t have a complete South Jersey all-time sub-8 list, but this should be fairly complete. There are probably some times missing in the 7:56-7:59 range from the 1980s and 1990s.
7:43.64 … Cherokee, 2012
7:45.55 … Pleasantville, 2013
7:48.92 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2017
7:51.43 … Washington Twp., 2009
7:51.78 … Cherokee, 2000
7:52.77 … Pleasantville, 2006
7:52.95 … Willingboro, 2003
7:53.64 … Willingboro, 2002
7:54.76 … Pleasantville, 2007
7:55.40 … Washington Twp., 2008
7:55.44 … Haddonfield, 2010
7:57.29 … Oakrest, 2009
7:57.5h … Willingboro, 1983
7:58.08 … Egg Harbor Twp., 2016
7:59.05 … Pleasantville, 2015
7:59.51 … Pleasantville, 2012
7:59.84 … Kingsway, 2014
7:59.90 … Rancocas Valley, 2018
7:59.91 … Kingsway, 2013
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 