From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank

Sophomore Riley Tolson and juniors Alana Clevenger, Lillian Flora and Carly Godfrey ran the 3^rd-fastest distance medley in South Jersey history Friday at the 130^th running of the Penn Relays.

Godfrey’s 4:54.06 anchor leg brought Ocean City up from 6^th to 4^th place and got the Red Raiders across the line with a Cape May County record.

Tolson led off in 3:42.02 for 1,200 meters and got Ocean City into the lead group from the start. Clevenger split 61.34 and Flora ran 2:19.24 to keep the Red Raiders near the front, and Godfrey finished the race off in style with a personal-best 1,600 split.

Ocean City broke the county record and school record of 11:58.64 set last year by Ocean City with Chloe Care on the 1,200, Clevenger on the 400, Godfrey running the 800 and Maeve Smith anchoring.

The only faster times in South Jersey history were recorded by Lenape’s 11:53.15 with Camille Franklin, Ana de las Heras, Emily McGee and Natalie Ocasio at 2012 Greensboro Nationals and Cherokee’s 11:54.4 with Megan Niglio, Madison Van Haren, Kelsey Niglio and Kerry O’Day in 2023 at West Philly Nationals.

So Ocean City ran within 3 ½ seconds of the South Jersey record.

All-Time South Jersey Distance Medley List
11:53.15 … Lenape, 2012
11:54.48 … Cherokee, 2023
11;56.65 … Ocean City, 2026
11:58.48 … Cherokee, 2023
11:58.64 … Ocean City, 2025
12:00.47 … Haddonfield, 2021
12:00.64 … Ocean City, 2004
12:02.34 … Haddonfield 2000
12:02.37 … Haddonfield, 2014
12:04.39 … Lenape, 2010
12:05.01 … Cherokee, 2024
12:05.39 … Ocean City 2005
12:05.98 … Sterling, 2017
12:06.73 … Ocean City 1994
12:07.21 … Lenape 2008
12:07.43 … Cherokee, 2022
12:08.61 … Ocean City, 2014
12:10.75 … Sterling, 2016
12:10.76 … Lenape, 2017
12:11.70 … Ocean City, 2024
12:12.24 … Millville, 2009
12:13.08 … Cherokee, 2026
12:13.16 … Bishop Eustace, 2011
12:14.05 … Cherry Hill East, 2007
12:14.24 … Highland, 2004
12:14.61 … Lenape, 2013
12:15.42 … Ocean City, 2015
12:16.79 … Lenape, 2015
12:18.27 … Bishop Eustace, 1995
12:18.29 … Shawnee, 2012
12:19.26 … Woodrow Wilson, 2001
12:19.41 … Rancocas Valley, 2011
12:19.46 … Ocean City, 2013
12:19.60 … Shawnee, 2015
12:19.79 … Haddonfield, 2015

All-Time South Jersey Distance Medley List
11:12.20 … Union Catholic, 2025
11:24.26 … Union Catholic, 2026
11:32.29 … Red Bank Catholic, 2011
11:37.86 … Red Bank, 2003
11:40.81 … Southern Regional, 2007
11:42.16 … Roxbury, 2008
11:42.17 … Red Bank, 2002
11:45.54 … Southern Regional, 2006
11:47.67 … Southern Regional, 2008
11:47.95 … Voorhees, 2002
11:48.04 … Columbia, 1997
11:49.73 … Randolph, 2019
11:50.03 … Roxbury, 2006
11:50.73 … Ridgewood, 2012
11:50.7h … Summit, 1981
11:51.76 … Voorhees, 2007
11:52.24 … Bernards, 2012
11:53.13 … West Windsor-Plainsboro South, 2015
11:53.15 … Lenape, 2012
11:54.22 … Ridgewood, 2019
11:54.48 … Cherokee, 2023
11:54.9h … Summit, 1982
11:55.13 … Randolph, 2010
11:55.41 … Red Bank, 2001
11:55.49 … West Windsor-Plainsboro North, 2025
11:55.55 … Red Bank Catholic, 2012
11:56.10 … Mount St. Dominic, 2013
11:56.65 … Ocean City, 2026
11:56.60 … Southern Regional, 2004
11:56.69 … Ramapo, 2007
11:56.98 … Ridgewood, 2026
11:57.10 … Union Catholic, 2024
11:57.17 … Metuchen, 2022
11:57.56 … Ridge, 2026
11:57.85 … Northern Highlands, 2015
11:57.88 … Roxbury, 2007
11:57.96 … Bernards, 2013
11:58.08 … Oak Knoll School, 2025
11:58.33 … North Hunterdon, 2017
11:58.4h … North Hunterdon, 1987
11:58.43 … Randolph, 2007
11:58.64 … Ocean City, 2025
11:58.74 … Southern Regional, 2009
11:59.6h … Ridgewood, 1982
11:59.78 … Mendham, 2012