If you score 41 points in your county or conference meet, that’s pretty darn good. You’ll probably finish top three. If you can score 41 points at sectionals, you’re going to be one of the top teams as well. Score 41 at states you’ll probably win or come close.
If you score 41 points at nationals? Then you’re Pennsauken.
There is no team scoring at West Philly Nationals, but if there were Pennsauken would have left Franklin Field with 41 points. Which is insane.
One thing the track world learned last weekend is that Pennsauken is much more than Sianni Wynn. She’s one of the best in New Jersey history, but her supporting cast was fantastic over the weekend.
Wynn did her usual thing, earning four All-America honors by winning the 100, placing 3rd in the 200 and anchoring the winning 800-meter relay and 2nd-place 400-meter relay.
But you’re not running 45.65 or 1:35.21 with just one fast girl.
Pennsauken won the 4-by-2 with junior Summer Schaeffer, senior Sanaya Dupree and sophomore Hope Edwards setting up Wynn and took 2nd in the 4-by-1 with Schaeffer, Sanaya and Olivia Dupree and Wynn.
Edwards also took 3rd in the 400-meter hurdles in 58.72, 8th-fastest in state history and 3rd-fastest ever by a New Jersey sophomore. That’s good for six team points.
Finally, Pennsauken proved how deep and talented it is by taking 6th place in the 1,600-meter relay without Wynn. That’s 6th place in a national meet with a 53-second 400-meter runner not in the lineup..
Schaeffer led off, followed by Edwards, Olivia Dupree and sophomore Rai’ana Rucker, who anchored in 56.74. How many schools can run 3:48.20 with a 53-second leg cheering them on from the stands? That’s a truly remarkable achievement.
Every athlete Pennsauken entered in the meet went home with at least one All-America certificate – four for Wynn, three each for Schaeffer and Edwards, two for Sanaya, two for Olivia and one for Rucker.
And Schaeffer, Edwards and Rucker are all back in 2027.
Add it up: 16 points for Wynn, 19 in the relays and six for Edwards? That’s 41 points, and that’s remarkable.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 