The Scoop: National-Caliber Performances At Penn Relays

The Penn Relays were lit. Here's the summary of all the national-caliber action that went down:  

1. Green Hope's boys put on a show in the 4x800. If you remember in the fall, Green Hope travelled to Van Cortlandt Park for the Manhattan Invitational and it didn't quite go, well ... as planned (third). But hey, second chances are what life's all about, right! Well, Green Hope certainly didn't disappoint this time around. The boys from Cary, North Carolina, absolutely dominated in the 4x800, earning a new US No. 1 time in 7:39.28. Wadsworth (OH) High produced a US No. 2 time of 7:44.01 and Lake Braddock (VA) High's boys were No. 5 nationally in 7:46.38. 

2. Same story on the girls side. Neumann Goretti (PA) High's girls produced the country's first time under 9-minutes this season in their US No. 1 8:57.09, which outpaced an early favorite in Shenendehowa (NY) High, which finished with a US No. 3 time of 9:03.62. Padua Academy's (DE) squad ran a US No. 4 effort in 9:04.63. 

3. One of the most impressive relay performances came by virtue of Hopewell Valley (NJ), a boys squad led by Aaron Oldfield, who set a new Penn Relays record in the DMR of 9:57.77. The program was one of two to go under 10 minutes. Saint Anthony's (NY) was the other, going a US No. 2 mark of 9:59.87. Loudoun Valley (VA) was third in 10:04.49 and Northport (NY) was sixth nationally in 10:10.02. 

4. The powerhouse Bullis School (MD) girls team ran well in the 4x400, taking a title in 3:41.51 and the nation's fifth-best time. But senior Masai Russell came away with even more hardware. The Tennessee recruit smoked the field in the 400mH in a US No. 1 effort of 58.49 seconds, which now gives her two No. 1s in the 300mH and 400mH. 

5. Western Branch (VA) High's girls have been running brilliantly since the winter, but the Bruins finally earned their first US No. 1 of 2018, winning the 4x100 in 45.46 seconds. 

6. No surprise here. Exeter (NH) High's Jacqueline Gaughan, perhaps the most low-key distance star out there, won the girls 3000m in 9:34.41, racking up another US No. 1 mark. 

7. In the throwing events, Mifflin County (PA) High's Skylar Ciccolini bombed a nation-leading javelin mark of 172-2, while Berwick (PA) High's Payden Montana posted the country's top shot put mark in 50-7. 

8. Let's not forget about the Saratoga Springs' girls. The squad earned a DMR title for the Empire State in 11:59.41, a US No. 14 mark, with junior Kelsey Chmiel splitting a 4:49 1600m on the anchor. 

9. The Garden States Devin Hart, of Pt. Pleasant Boro (NJ), went a US No. 2 time in the 3000m of 8:22.24, following closely by Wilmington Friends (DE) High junior Connor Nisbet in 8:27.68.