Pennsauken finished a magical indoor season with 3rd place and All-America honors Sunday in the 1,600-meter relay at Boston Indoor Nationals, the final race of the year.
Freshman KaRon Ali, junior Ladanian McGrath and seniors Premier Wynn and Bryce Tucker ran 3:17.10 and finished behind only Seton Hall Prep of West Orange, which broke its own state record of 3:15.73 with a 3:14.53 – No. 5 in U.S. history – and Cuthbertson High of Waxhaw, N.C., which ran 3:16.27.
They were the 2nd All-America honors of the weekend for Wynn and Tucker.
Pennsauken had run 3:15.83 – No. 11 in U.S. history – in edging Seton Hall Prep at the Meet of Champions last Sunday at Ocean Breeze. Sunday’s 12th and final section of the 4-by-4 featured the four-fastest teams in the country – Montverde (Fla.) Academy [3:15.31], Seton Hall Prep, Pennsauken and IMG Academy of Bradenton, Fla. [3:16.55].
Cuthbertson won the 11th section in 3:16.27, and Seton Hall and Pennsauken went 1-2 in the final race, although Cuthbertson’s time held up for second place. Toms River North placed 4th in 3:17.19, No. 13 in state history and a 1-3-4 New Jersey finish.
Seton Hall Prep was DQ’d when an official ruled that their 3rd runner interfered with Monteverde on the second lap of their 400-meter legs, but the Pirates were reinstated about an hour later after successfully appealing the ruling.
Ali opened with a 51.59 for Pennsauken, followed by McGrant at 50.82. Wynn followed with a 47.42 split and Tucker anchored in 47.27.
All in all, it was a remarkable weekend for Pennsauken.
In the sprint medley, with juniors Elijah Jennings and Bronze Whitmore along with Wynn and Tucker, Pennsauken ran 3:29.31 for 2nd place and No. 3 in South Jersey history an No. 14 in state history and All-America honor for juniors Elijah Jennings and Bronze Whitmore as well as Wynn and Tucker.
In the 800-meter relay, the Indians ran 1:28.77 with Ali, Whitmore, Jennings and Wynn, Pennsauken placed 11th with the 7th-fastest time in South Jersey history and No. 18 in state history.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 