Eight South Jersey relay teams learned Monday they’ve earned lanes in the 126th Penn Relays next weekend at Franklin Field.
Acceptances for the invitational 3,200-meter relays and distance medley were announced Monday, one day after the deadline to qualify.
Penn accepts 35 boys and girls teams for two races in the small-school 4-by-8s and 35 more for two large-school races. The 11 fastest of the 70 schools in four races competein the Championship of America. The girls 3,200-meter relays are scheduled for Thursday morning at Penn, with the two small-school races at 9 a.m. and the large-school sections at 9:25 a.m. The boys 3,200-meter relays are scheduled for Friday morning, with the small-school races at 9 a.m. and the large-school races at 9:25 a.m.
The DMRs are one-race finals with 16 schools accepted for each race. The girls race is scheduled for 4:40 p.m. Thursday with the boys race at 4:25 p.m. Friday.
For the full 2022 Penn Relays schedule click here.
For the full list of individual and relay acceptances, click here.
Here’s a look at the South Jersey acceptances. Click the subhead for the official list of entries for that race.
GIRLS DISTANCE MEDLEY
Kingsway: The Dragons qualified for Penn with its 12:43.02 at the state Group 4 relays at the Bubble back in January. Kingsway hasn’t run a DMR since, but with junior anchor Aubrey Pierontoni, who ran 5:00.17 indoors at the Meet of Champions, Kingsway has untapped DMR potential. Junior Nicole Lipieta, who has run a 5:06 mile, is expected to run the 1,200, with senior Sumayyah Turner on the 400 and sophomore Cassidy Dunk the 800.
BOYS 3,200-METER RELAY
Large School
Pennsauken: The Indians nailed their qualifier Saturday when junior Premier Wynn, sophomore Ladanian McGrath and juniors Joel Oquendo and Bryce Tucker ran 8:06.83 at Fast Times at Cherokee High, the fastest time in the state this year. Pennsauken has a great chance to erase the school record of 8:03.33 set by Elijah Swain, Charles Brewer, Donovan Torres and Eric Butler at the 2011 Carl Lewis Relays in Willingboro.
Cherokee: The Chiefs finished just behind Pennsauken Saturday in 8:07.58 – No. 2 in the state this year – without one of their regulars, and the likely lineup at Penn will be sophomore Nick Kuenkel and juniors Thomas Bromley, Conor Jacob and Patrick Ditmars.
Small School
Cinnaminson: The Pirates have known they’re headed to Penn for a while. They knocked out their qualifier indoors at Armory Nationals, where they ran 8:07.47. While 8:06 or 8:07 usually doesn’t get you into the Large-School race, it’s a safe time for a Group 2 school trying to get into the Small-School division. Juniors Matt McCarron, Derek Coceano, Tyler Schill and Alex Boyko are expected to run for Cinnaminson.
GIRLS 3,200-METER RELAY
Large School
Cherokee: The Chiefs were U.S. No. 7 indoors with their 9:07.27 for 4th place at Armory Nationals, so they sure didn’t have to sweat out Monday’s deadline. Junior Kelsey Niglio, sophomore Kerry O’Day, freshman Megan Niglio and senior Nicole Clifford will race for Cherokee. The Chiefs will have one of the faster anchors in the field in Clifford, who ran 4:53.85 back in February to win the state Group 4 title at the Bubble.
Cherry Hill East: The Cougars, with freshman Kiley Walsh, senior Madison McNiff, junior Alexis Tepper and senior Michelle Barry, qualified with their 9:49.64 at Armory Nationals in February. They haven’t run a DMR since, so look for that time to come down signficantly. Tepper, East’s likely anchor, ran 2:19.12 at the Bubble in February.
Winslow Township: Winslow qualified in the same race as Cherokee and Cherry Hill East, with senior Victoria Campbell, senior Charly Dutton, junior Alana Henry and freshman Ava Milner running 9:55.42.
Small School
Haddonfield: Senior Jessica Goode, sophomores Audrey Naticchia and Anne Earp and junior Thea Spellmeyer ran 9:45.30 at Ocean Breeze Nationals indoors, punching their ticket to Penn.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 