Winslow and Pennsauken could very well make Penn Relays history this weekend at Franklin Field.
Winslow ran 3:43.38 in the 1,600-meter relay when they placed 3rd at Boston Nationals, a South Jersey indoor record and 6th-fastest in state history.
Pennsauken ran 3:44.97 Saturday at the Woodbury Relays, 6th-fastest in South Jersey history outdoors.
They’re two of the fastest in the country and they’ll race each other at 5:03 p.m. Thursday in the South Jersey Large-School Relay, with both hoping to qualify for the Championship of America. The nine-fastest schools in all the 4-by-4 class races throughout the day advance to the Championship race, scheduled for 4:55 p.m. Friday.
There are also consolation races, but for Winslow and Pennsauken the goal is reaching the Championship of America and racing the Jamaicans and other top U.S. schools.
Only eight South Jersey schools have reached the Championship of America since its inception in 1980, including Clayton in 2022, Timber Creek in 2024 and Winslow in 2025. Two South Jersey schools have never qualified in the same year.
Willingboro won the 1999 race in the pouring rain in 3:45.74, but the fastest South Jersey time in a Championship of America was recorded by Clayton, when the Clippers placed 6th in 2022 with a 3:44.67.
Here’s a glance at South Jersey girls in the Championship of America 4-by-4:
1993
Camden, scratched
1994
3:50.79 … Camden, 6th [Chantell Parks, Tynisha Revels, Aishia Lawson, Medina Salaa],
1995
3:45.41 … Camden., 4th [Tynisha Revels, Medina Salaam, Aishia Lawson, Alishia Lawson]
1999
3:45.74 … Willingboro, 1st [Takia Canty, Shakirah Rutherford, Latasha Taylor, Danielle Myricks]
2002
3:53.65 … Willingboro, 8th [Channel Hamilton, Halimah Bashir, Rhea Mann, Okechi Ogbuokiri]
2022
3:44.67 … Clayton, 6th [Arianna Sharpe, Ariel Sharpe, Amirah Sharpe, Kelsey Thomas]
2024
3:46.95 … Timber Creek, 6th [Nyla Jones, Naylah Jones, Taylor Gaines, Ryan Jennings]
2025
3:48.28 … Winslow Twp., 8th [Amariah Arango, Jasmine Jackson, Skhye Seamon, Cinniya Robinson]
The fastest time ever by a South Jersey school at Penn was Winslow’s 3:43.46 last year when they won the South Jersey Large-School race. Pennsauken was 2nd in that race in 3:50.21, the fastest they’ve ever run at Penn.
Winslow is expected to use sophomore Amariah Arango, junior Cinniya Robinson, senior Olivia Okaro and sophomore Jasmine Jackson. The Eagles are so deep they ran 3:52.63 at Woodbury Saturday without any of the four girls who are expected to race Thursday.
Pennsauken will use a likely lineup of senior Sanaya Dupree, sophomore Hope Edwards, senior Summer Schaeffer and three-time national champion Sianni Wynn on the anchor.
Making this even more interesting is that Union Catholic, which ran 3:39.03 at Arcadia last week, is a near lock to reach the CoA race. There’s never been a girls Championship of America 4-by-4 with three New Jersey schools.
There have been four years where two made it: 1986 (Trenton, Shabazz), 2022 (Clayton, Scotch Plains-Fanwood), 2024 (Union Catholic, Timber Creek) and 2025 (Union Catholic, Winslow).
The only times two New Jersey schools have placed in the top six are 1986, when Trenton was 4th and Shabazz 5th, and 2024, when Union Catholic was 3rd and Timber Creek 6th.
Kingsway is another school to keep an eye on at Penn. The Dragons are No. 3 with their 3:54.58 at Woodbury, and they’ll also be in the Large-School race Thursday with a likely lineup of Noemi Haller, Norah Brown, Kenya Nobles and Talia Griscom.
Kingsway’s fastest race ever at Penn was a 3:55.34 in the 2013 Philadelphia Area race with Loren Harris , Christy Pentz, Jacklyn Heineman and Thaila Cooper. Kingsway ran 2-100ths-of-a-second off that time last year in the Large-School race with Brown, Camryn Stanard, Jonnelle Lewis and Haller. Kingsway won the South Jersey Small-School race at Penn in 2012 with Vanessa Danltruche, Cassie Hagstoz, Arianna Waller and Thalia Cooper
How did I spend all day Monday? Putting together this list of every sub-4 race ever run by South Jersey schools in any race at the Penn Relays. Here is everyone under 3:55. Look for this list to grow on Thursday and perhaps Friday. Additions and corrections, you know the drill! Lemme know in the comment section!
All-Time South Jersey Penn Relays 4×4 List
3:43.46 … Winslow Twp., 2025, South Jersey Large School [1st]
3:44.67 … Clayton, 2022 Championship of America [6th]
3:45.41 … Camden, 1995 Championship of America [4th]
3:45.74 … Willingboro, 1999 Championship of America [1st]
3:45.94 … Camden, 1995 South Jersey [1st]
3:46.18 … Willingboro, 2000 Philadelphia Area [1st]
3:47.30 … Willingboro, 2003 South Jersey Large School [1st]
3:47.39 … Clayton, 2022 South Jersey Small School [1st]
3:48.08 … Winslow Twp., 2017 Philadelphia Area [3rd]
3:48.80 … Willingboro, 1999 South Jersey Large School [1st]
3:49.30 … Winslow Twp., 2004 Philadelphia Area [1st]
3:49.46 … Eastern, 2003 South Jersey Large School [2]
3:49.74 … Eastern, 2003 Philadelphia Area [1st]
3:49.97 … Lenape, 2015 Philadelphia Area [3rd]
3:49.53 … Willingboro, 1998 Philadelphia Area [1st]
3:50.21 … Pennsauken, 2025 South Jersey Large School [2nd]
3:50.22 … Willingboro, 2025 Philadelphia Championship [2nd]
3:50.24 … Camden, 2009 Philadelphia Area [2nd]
3:50.45 … Camden, 1994 South Jersey [1st]
3:50.60 … Woodrow Wilson, 2005 Philadelphia Area [1st]
3:50.79 … Camden, 1994 Championship of America [5th]
3:50.81 … Woodrow Wilson, 2006 South Jersey Large School [1st]
3:51.17 … Willingboro, 2025 South Jersey Small-School [1st]
3:51.45 … Willingboro, 2002 South Jersey Large School [1st]
3:51.45 … Camden, 2006 Philadelphia Area [2nd]
3:51.70 … Winslow Twp., 2022 Philadelphia Area [1st]
3:51.76 … Rancocas Valley, 2019 South Jersey Large School [1st]
3:51.80 … Woodrow Wilson, 2001 South Jersey Large School [1st]
3:51.84 … Winslow Twp., 2017 South Jersey Large School [1st]
3:52.03 … Willingboro, 2001 South Jersey Large School [2nd]
3:52.71 … Woodrow Wilson, 2006 Philadelphia Area [3rd]
3:52.88 … Washington Twp., 2007 Philadelphia Area [1st]
3:53.15 … Willingboro, 2000 South Jersey Large School [1st]
3:53.16 … Woodrow Wilson, 2001 Philadelphia Area [3rd]
3:53.21 … Camden, 2006 South Jersey Large School [2nd]
3:53.26 … Lenape, 2014 Philadelphia Area [2nd]
3:53.55 … Willingboro 1998 South Jersey [1st]
3:53.59 … Camden, 1993 Class Race [1st]
3:53.65 … Willingboro, 2002 Championship of America [8th]
3:53.71 … Washington Twp., 1998 Philadelphia Area [2nd]
3:53.73 … Winslow Twp., 2018 Philadelphia Area [5th]
3:53.83 … Rancocas Valley, 2022 Philadelphia Area [2nd]
3:53.88 … Camden, 2008 South Jersey Large School [1st]
3:54.06 … Winslow Twp., 2006 Philadelphia Area [4th]
3:54.12 … Lenape, 2017 Philadelphia Area [5th]
3:54.12 … Cherokee, 2013 Philadelphia Area [3rd]
3:54.16 … Winslow Twp., 2016 Philadelphia Area [5th]
3:54.21 … Woodrow Wilson, 2008 South Jersey Large School [2nd]
3:54.53 … Winslow Twp., 2012 South Jersey Large School [1st]
3:54.61 … Winslow Twp., 2004 South Jersey Large School [1st]
3:54.74 … Delsea, 2011 Philadelphia Area [2nd]
3:54.82 … Willingboro, 2010 South Jersey Small School [1st]
3:54.98 … Cherokee, 2013 South Jersey Large School [1st]
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 