Penn Relays Thursday: Orji’s TJ, West Springfield VA’s DMR top U.S. leaders

by Steve Underwood

U.S.-leading victories!

  • US#1 (all-cond.) meet record 43-10.5w (+2.5) girls’ triple jump by Keturah Orji (Mt. Olive, NJ senior).  All five of Orji’s jumps would have won, including her legal US#1 42-5.5 (+1.7w).  Javonne Antoine (Elizabeth Seton, MD senior), an NSAF Caribbean Scholastic Invite alum, was 2nd with all-cond. US#3 41-7.5(+2.1w) and Funlayo Oluwole (Western Branch, VA junior) 3rd with US#10 39-7.5.
  • US#1 11:53.07 girls’ distance medley relay by West Springfield, VA, the 2014 NBNI and 2013 NBNO champs.  They came from way behind and won by more than eight seconds on the strength of Caroline Alcorta’s 4:46 anchor.  Haddonfield Memorial NJ at 12:02.37 held off Northern Highlands NJ at 12:02.79 and Randolph NJ at 12:03.07 for 2nd.
More top performances
  • 59.58 girls’ 400m hurdles by Andrenette Knight (Vere Tech, JAM), winning the 2nd section for 1st overall, beating Emma Gallagher (Garden City, NY junior) at US#6 1:01.61 (5th).  US#1 1:00.02 for Morgan Harvey (North Hunterdon, NJ senior) in the 1st section for 2nd overall, outkicking Long Beach Poly CA senior teammates Ebony Crear US#3 1:01.47 and Kymber Payne US#4 1:01.48.
  • US#2 4:45.34 girls’ mile by Amelia Paladino (University, WV), kicking past Ellie Gonzalez (Catholic HS, MD senior), who was 2nd with a US#3 PR 4:47.26.  Kennedy Weisner (Elk County Catholic, PA senior) was 3rd in 4:50.96, just nipping Malia Ellington (Davidson, NC junior) 4:51.16 and Marissa Sheva (Pennridge, PA junior) 4:51.22.
  • 20-4.5w(+6.6) girls’ long jump by Claudette Allen (Edwin Allen, JAM), who also cleared a wind-legal (+0.0) 20-3.  US#4 20-2.25 (+0.0w) for Kayla Richardson (Columbia, NJ senior) in 2nd, getting a big PR on her final jump.
  • US#6 9:34.57 girls’ 3,000m run by Hannah Debalsi (Staples, CT), pulling away in the first half of the race.  US#8 9:37.57 by Hannah Christen (Lake Braddock, VA senior) in a terrific 3-way battle for 2nd ahead of Regan Rome (Dallas, PA senior) #9 9:37.57 and Paige Stoner (Pottsville Area, PA) #10 9:37.71.
  • 45.66 girls’ 4x100m relay by Edwin Allen JAM in race 108-5, pacing qualifiers into Friday’s final.  They were nearly a second faster than #2 qualifier Wolmer’s Girls, which won 108-28 with 46.36.  Third overall and top U.S. qualifier was Long Beach Poly CA, which won 108-12 with 46.50 (off their US#2 45.66 best).  Two other U.S. teams made the final: Cheltenham PA at 47.17 and New Rochelle NY at 47.18.
  • 3:41.29 girls’ 4x400m relay by Edwin Allen JAM in race 144-1, leading qualifying into Friday’s final.  In race 141-1, Holmwood Tech 3:41.63, St. Jago 3:42.48 and St. Elizabeth Tech 3:44.61 took the top three spots, giving Jamaica the top 4 qualifiers to the final.  In race 142-1, Long Beach Poly CA 3:45.20 held off Columbia NJ 3:45.74 – despite Olivia Baker’s best-of-day 52.93 anchor – as they advanced as the 5th and 6th qualifiers.  Woodbridge VA was the third U.S. team to the final at 3:49.79.
  • 9:09.23 girls’ 4x800 relay by Edwin Allen JAM in race 105-1, qualifying first into Friday’s final.  Great Valley PA won race 104-1 with US#4 9:11.26 – second overall – and Holmwood Tech JAM with their 9:12.30 winner in race 103-1 was 3rd overall.  Ten of the 12 finalists were U.S. squads, with Central Bucks South PA US#5 9:12.57, defending champ Columbia NJ US#6 9:12.71 (without Baker), Blacksburg VA US#7 9:14.03 and NBNI champ Freehold Twp NJ 9:14.62 among the fastest.
  • 5-10.5 girls’ high jump by Krista-Gay Taylor (Alpha Academy, JAM), beating defending champ Cyre Virgo (Fleetwood, PA junior) at 5-8.75.  Abby Jones (Franklin Area, PA junior) also cleared 5-8.75 for 3rd (on misses).
  • 155-10 girls’ discus by Rochelle Frazer (Edwin Allen, JAM), nipping Shadae Lawrence (Hydel, JAM) 155-8.  The top U.S. placer was Taylor Hojnacki (Central Bucks South, PA) in 3rd with 146-7
Best of the rest on the field
  • 143-4 girls’ javelin by Shelby Freedman (Danville, PA senior), defeating Chrissy Glasmann (Park City, UT junior) at 139-6 and Cerah Moren (Pitman, CA frosh) at 138-10.
  • 45-3.5 girls’ shot put by Kailyn Clancy (California Area, PA senior), edging Claudia Ababio (Clarksburg, MD senior) at 45-3.  In 3rd was Courtney McCartney (Selinsgrove Area, PA junior) at 44-4.
  • 12-3.5 girls’ pole vault by Olivia Gruver (Franklin, MD junior), beating Kennedy Shank (Dillsburg Northern, PA junior), also 12-3.5, on misses.  Four others cleared 11-11.75, with Bridget Guy (Hempfield Area, PA senior) taking 3rd on misses.

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