Cherokee’s 4-by-8 team that will race at Penn later thks week got in a fast final tuneup at the Blue Devil Relays Saturday, with all four Chiefs running between 1:59 and 2:01.
Junior Conor Jacob won the race in 1:59.43, sophomore Nick Kuenkel was 3rd with a personal-best 1:59.83, junior Thomas Bromley placed 4th with a PR 2:00.22 and senior Lucas Hatch ran a PR 2:01.26 for 5th.
Cherokee’s four half-milers were broken up only by Rahwah junior Damani Brown, who placed 2nd in 1:59.46.
Their times add up to 8:00.74. Cherokee’s fastest 4-by-8 this year is an 8:07.58 at Fast Times at Cherokee High earlier this month.
Another Cherokee runner, sophomore Robert Poplau, ran a lifetime-best 2:00.8 in a dual meet earlier this month, so Cherokee now has five of the top eight 800 runners in South Jersey this year. Pennsauken has the three others.
Cherokee junior Patrick Ditmars ran 1:59.88 indoors at the Bubble but hasn’t raced an 800 yet outdoors, so there’s plenty to choose from.
Cherokee and Pennsauken will both race the 3,200-meter relay at Penn. They’re both in the first of two large-school races scheduled for 9:25 a.m. Friday.
Cherokee last raced the 4-by-8 at Penn in 2012, when it placed 9th in the Championship of America race in 7:49.85.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 