Paul VI capped an outstanding two days in Toms River with a 3:53.43 win in the 1,600-meter relay at the South Jersey Parochial A sectionals.
Senior Carly Schmidt, junior Blair Daniel, sophomore Abigail Lutz and junior Aliya Rae Garozzo beat New Jersey #1 Union Catholic by more than half a second. Union Catholic ran 3:54.17.
Paul VI ran within a second of the school record of 3:52.49 they set at New Balance Nationals last June.
PVI’s time is No. 3 in South Jersey this year, behind only Winslow and Rancocas Valley, who ran 3:51.70 and 3:51.76 in different races at the Penn Relays.
Daniel also ran on Paul VI’s 400-meter relay team, which ran 48.72 and placed a close second to Union Catholic. Senior Keyann’a Watkins, junior Skyler Harris and senior Aaliyah Vandergrift also ran on that team.
Paul VI already ranks No. 9 in the state and No. 5 in South Jersey with a 48.62 at the Olympic Conference meet earlier this month at Washington Township.
Garozzo also won the 100-meter hurdles in 14.45 after a career-best 14.29 in the trials. That’s No. 5 in the state this year and No. 4 among South Jersey hurdlers. Her previous PR was 14.38.
Garozzo won the intermediates in 1:02.15 on Monday.
Junior Kambi Walker (5-4, second in HJ) and Vandergrift (35-1 1/2, 3rd in TJ) also had top-three finishes for Paul VI. Vandergrift had placed third in the 100 on Monday. Junior Maura McGowan won the javelin Monday with a personal-best 108-6, and the 4-by-8 team of seniors Julia Bruno, Amelia Smith and Miranda Zevallos along with Lutz took second in the 4-by-8 in 10:03.55.
Paul VI scored 102 points in the two-day meet, finishing second only to Union Catholic, the top-ranked team in New Jersey.
