Rancocas Valley stayed at home for the Meet of Champions instead of racing at New Balance Nationals, and the Red Devils emerged with a triumph in the 800-meter relay.
Seniors Anabella Chin, Jya Marshall and Olivia Smith and junior Kasey White ran 49.86 and won by 1-100th of a second over North Hunterdon.
North Hunterdon ran 49.87 in the second of three sections, and R.V. ran in the final race and crossed the line 1-100th of a second faster.
It was R.V.’s first Meet of Champions win in the 400-meter relay and second MoC relay title. The Red Devils won the 4-by-4 in 2019.
R.V. ran a season-best 48.65 to win Group 4 states last weekend.
It was a tricky race for the Rancocas Valley girls because they knew they had to run faster than 49.87, but they were in a race with nobody to push them.
The Red Devils won the “seeded” race by over a second.
Rancocas Valley is the first South Jersey school to win the Meet of Champions 4-by-100 since Winslow Township in 2016 and the first Burlington County school since Michelle Glover and Willingboro won it in 1980. (It wasn’t held from 1981 through 2009.)
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 