Even without one of its top runners, Kingsway ran the fastest 4-by-8 in the nation Saturday, tearing up the Armory track with a blistering 7:52.76 at the Dr. Sander Invitational.
Senior Stone Caraccio uncorked a 1:53.36 anchor after carries by seniors Chris Nelson (2:03.19) and Ethan Bentley (1:58.82) and sophomore Kyle Rakitis (1:57.47) as Kingsway won by 30 meters over West Springfield (Mass.), which was second in 7:57.18.
Nelson was filling in for sophomore Jeff Heineman, who is sick, and did a great job keeping Kingsway in contact with the leaders until the first handoff.
Kingsway, which had run 7:55.30 at the Millrose Trials, moved into the No. 6 spot in South Jersey history and ran with.1 1/2 seconds of the Gloucester County record of 7:51.43, set by Washington Township in 2009 at the National Scholastic Championships on the same Armory track.
Kingsway’s previous indoor school record was that 7:55.30 from earlier this month.
That was No. 1 on the MileSplit U.S. performance list until Richard Montgomery High of Rockville, Md., ran 7:55.06 last weekend at the VA Showcase at the new facility at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va.
ALL-TIME S.J. INDOOR 3,200-METER RELAY LIST
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
7:52.76 … Kingsway, 2020
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
7:57.28 … Rancocas Valley, 2018
7:57.29 … Oakrest, 2009
7;57.56 … Haddonfield, 2019
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
7:59.91 … Kingsway, 2013
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 