The Pennsauken girls are officially the fastest in state history.
In one of the greatest performances ever by a South Jersey relay team, junior Summer Schaeffer and seniors Sanaya Dupree, Olivia Dupree and Sianni Wynn ran 45.30 in the 400-meter relay Friday to place 3rd in the Championship of America race at the 130th Penn Relays at Franklin Field.
They broke the state record of 45.48 set by Union Catholic on the same track at 2024 West Philly Nationals and broke the South Jersey record of 45.68 they set on Thursday at Penn to qualify for the presetigious Championship of America race.
Pennsauken finished behind only two Jamaican Schools. Edwin Allen of Clarendon, Jamaica, won the race in 44.13, and St. Jago of St. Catherine, Jamaica, was 2nd in 45.08. Pennsauken’s time is 10th-fastest in the U.S. this year, according to the MileSplit national database.
Pennsauken and Winslow both race in the Championship of America 1,600-meter relay later Friday.
A few minutes before Pennsauken’s historic race, Winslow won the Northeast Championship race in 46.39, 9th-fastest in state history. Winslow, with sophomore Amariah Arango, senior Olivia Okaro, junior Cinniya Robinson and sophomore Jasmine Jackson, broke the meet record of 47.12 set last year by J.P. McCaskey High of Lancaster, Pa. Their time is 4th-fastest in South Jersey history.
Winslow and Union Catholic got the stick neck and neck on the third handoff, but Jackson ran away from U.C.’s anchor to give Winslow the title.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 