NJ's Top Performances All-Time At The Penn Relays

Photo courtesy of the Roselle Catholic

1965: Roselle Catholic's Double

The Roselle Catholic boys, coached by the legendary Frank Gagliano, became the first NJ team to win two Championship of America races (4x800/ DMR) in the same year. In the DMR, Bob Hoffman, Bill Klimas, Rich Schaffer and Mike Garvey (4:21.5) combined to win in 10:26.2. The 4x800 lineup consisted of Peter Billia (1:59.8), Jim McCue (1:59.9), Hoffman (1:57.8), and Garvey (1:56.0).

Photo courtesy of Marty Liquori

1967: Liquori's Gem Gives Essex Catholic National Record

Fifth-six years ago, Marty Liquori made up a 35-yard deficit when he dropped a 4:04.4 anchor to bring Essex Catholic across first in the Distance Medley Championship of America in 10:05.6, a meet and national record at the time.  Liquori's split stood as the fastest at Penn for 30 Years until Ireland's Garreth Turnbull ran a 4:02.9 anchor in 1997.

Liquori, who also split a then meet record 1:49.5 on the runner-up 4x800 in 1967, was named the Outstanding Relay Athlete of the Meet. Liquori's 4:04.4 is currently No. 4 in meet history, and his 1:49.5 is No. 7 all-time. Liquori was inducted into the Wall of Fame in 1994, the first year it was established. 

Keith Davis anchored Lincoln to a then meet and state record victory in 3:15.4 in the 4x400 Championship of America. Davis also brought Lincoln's 4x100 home first in the Championship of America in a then state record 42.1. Davis was chosen as the Outstanding Relay Performer of the meet.

Joining Davis on the 4x400 for Lincoln were Sixto Dolmo (50.7), Aubrey Frierson (48.9), Larry Ross (47.5) and Davis (48.3) . Lincoln's 4x100 consisted of Charles Wells, Dolmo,  Edward Jones, and Davis.

Photo courtesy of Vince Cartier 

1971 Scotch Plains-Fanwood Captures DMR

1977: Feel The Byrne  

Kevin Byrne, who got the baton in 15th place, blasted a 4:04.1, No. 5 in meet history, to bring Paramus Catholic across in third in the DMR. Byrne was named the Outstanding Athlete of the meet for running events.

Photo courtesy of the Penn Relays

1978: McKithen And Trenton Run Wild 

Forty-five years ago, Aubrey McKithen and his Trenton teammates turned in one of the greatest performances in meet history when they pulled off arguably the most amazing relay feat in NJ history at the 1978 Carnival.

The day after finishing second in the DMR, Trenton pulled off a 4x400/4x800 double the ages.

It began on Saturday morning when   

He ran a 48.2 on the 4x400 and anchored the 4x800 in 1:58.6 as Trenton won both Championship of America races. That's not all! McKithen also anchored Trenton's distance medley relay, which finished second.

Trenton actually broke the meet and NJ record of 3:12.2 in their 4x400 qualifying race and then won the final in 3:13.1, as three of the runners doubled back after their meet-record breaking 7:39.5 in the 4x800. Trenton's 4x800 record stood for nine years, and the 4x400 record lasted until 1985.

The 4x400 consisted of Fred Gore (49.6), Ron Singletary (47.0), McKithen and Darrell Jeffress (47.4). The order in the 4x800 was Andy Bing (1:57.0), Gore (1:55.5),  Jeffress (1:552.), and McKithen.

 The Trenton boys were on the track again just two hours later with Ron Singletary replacing Bing in the lineup. Gore led off in 49.6, Singletary blasted the race open with a 47.0, McKithen ran 48.2 and Jeffress closed in 47.4. The result was another meet record of 3:12.2. (Both Trenton times were also state records, the 3200 mark still stands)

McKithen was inducted into the Wall of Fame in 2012, and Trenton's 4x400 was inducted in 2018.

Before she was a four-time Olympian, Joetta Clark won the 1,500 at both the 1978 and 1980 Penn Relays while running for Columbia High School. In 1978, Clark ran 5:04.4, and then in 1980 she ran 4:27.4, the eighth fastest time in meet history.

Photo courtesy of Plainfield High School

1980-81: Plainfield Rules The 4x400 

The Plainfield girls broke the state and meet records twice in the 4x400 in 1980. The Cardinals ran 3:46.3 in its heat, and then broke the NJ and meet record again with its wining time of 3:44.3 in the Championship of America race.

Plainfield successfully defended its C of A 4x400 title by running 3:51.4 in 1981 to become the only N.J. girls team to win two C of A races in the 4x400.

In 1980, Plainfield's foursome consisted of Tracey Carter (56.4), Gayle Counts (57.0), Dorian St. Gray (55.3) and Tracy Nelson (55.6). In 1981, Lisa St. Clair (59.5), Wanda Jackson (59.3, Carter (54.8) and Nelson (57.8) shared the baton.

Photo courtesy of the Penn Relays

1981: The Carol Lewis Show

Carol Lewis won her fourth-straight long jump title by soaring a then meet record 20-9.25, and ran on the only NJ girls team to ever win the Championship of America 4x100. Lewis was named the Most Outstanding Female High School Athlete of the meet for the second straight year.

The 20-9.25 by Lewis mark stood as the meet record for 18 years. In the 4x100, Lewis teamed with Pam Young, Monica Mayes, and Michele Glover to win in 47.63. Lewis was inducted into the Wall of Fame in 2003. 

Photo courtesy of the Penn Relays 

1983: Waldron's Record Sparks Bernards

Meg Waldron split a then meet record 2:08.3 to finish off a 9:03.4 victory for the Bernards girls in the 1983 Championship of America 4x800 relay. The first three legs for Bernards were handled by Tasha Knox (2:18.2), Jenny Rahn (2:19.6), and  Amy Meyer (2:17.3).

Photo courtesy of the Penn Relays

1983: Willingboro Edges Bernards In Epic DMR /Also Wins 4x800

Forty years later, this all-time classic still has people shaking their heads in awe.

Willingboro and Bernards had a DMR battle for the ages as both team stopped the clock at 10:00.9 to smash the meet and state records. When the dust settled, Willingboro, behind Outstanding Athlete of the Meet Vance Watson, was awarded the heart-pounding victory in one of the greatest finishes in meet history. 

Watson anchored the DMR for the Boro with a 4:08.6 carry and just outleaned John Carlotti of Bernards (4:06.4).The time of 10:00.9 stood as the meet record for 16 years. The first three legs for Willingboro were run by Jeff Bradford (3:06.2), Eric Moore (49.3), and Herb Gordon (1:56.8).

Willingboro also won the 4x800 as Bradford (1:58.5), More (1:55.9), Gordon (1:52.8), and Watson (1:53.8) combined to run 7:40.99.

Photo courtesy of CBA

1985: CBA Ties In DMR Classic 

Christian Brothers and Mount St. Michael of the Bronx hooked up in classic DMR duel that was ruled a tie after both teams crossed in 10:07.9. CBA's splits were 3:07.6 for Bill Barrett, 50.5 for Rich O"Day, 1:55.9 for Jim Hickey, and 4:13.9 for Bill Kolb.

A three-time winner of the girls' high jump, Smolin was selected as the Outstanding High School Girls' Athlete in 1983 when she won her first championship with a meet record 5-10 ¼, and added a fourth place in the long jump. In 1984, she cleared 5-10 ½ for another meet record, which remained for six years. She won her third title in 1985 by clearing 5-10.

Smolin was inducted into the Wall of Fame in 2011.

 1993: Sims Makes History

Nicole Sims of Plainfield became the first and only girl to ever win the shot put four straight years when she launched the shot 46-3.50 in 1993. Sims is one of only three athletes (boy or girl) from the U.S. to win an individual high school event four times. The other two are also from New Jersey-Carol Lewis of Willingboro in the long jump (1978-81), and Nick Vena of Morristown in the shot put (2008-11). The only other 4-time high school champ is Carlos Mattis of Kingston College in Jamaica, who won the triple jump from 2002-05.

1993: Keino Sizzles

Bob Keino of Ridgewood ran anchor splits of 1:52.6 in the 4x800 and 4:08.2 in the DMR to earn the Outstanding High School Relay Athlete of the Meet award.

Photo courtesy of the Penn Relays

1995:  Elmuccio's Kick Gives Westfield DMR Title

Westfield sophomore Matt Elmuccio, who grabbed the baton in eighth place and five seconds behind the leader, split 4:11.5 and outkicked Alexander Greaux of Puerto Rico to bring Westfield across first in the DMR in 10:14.08. Westfield's first three legs were run by Lawrence Ho (3:15.0), John O'Brien (51.4), and Ted Kilcommons (1:56.2).

The next day, Elmuccio anchored Westfield to a fourth in the 4x800 in the Championship of America race with a 1:52.6 carry. The Penn Relays no longer allows teams to run  both the 4x800 an DMR.

DID YOU KNOW?: With its DMR title, Westfield became the first and only NJ school to win both the DMR and the 4x100. In 1978, the Blue Devils won the 4x100 when Allen Smith, Frank Kelly, Brion Gray, and Butch Woolfolk combined to run 42.11. Woolfolk went on to become a star running back at Michigan and in the NFL.

1998: Cummings Soars To Record

Carlene Cummings of Englewood soared a then meet record 42-2 3/4 to win the triple jump. Her mark stood as the state record for 15 years and the Penn Relays record for nine years. Cummings was named the Outstanding Athlete for individual events.

1998: Air Jordan

Robert Jordan of Millville cleared 7-2.25 to win the high jump, which is tied for No. 2 in meet history and tied for No. 1 among U.S. jumpers in meet history. Jordan was chosen as the Most Outstanding Athlete for individual events.

1998: Barber Twins help Montclair Smash 2 State Records

The foursome of twins Mikele (anchor leg), Me'Lisa Barber (leadoff leg), Chantel Coppedge and Aleah Williams finished third in the Championship of America 4x400 in a then state record 3:41.03, and also placed second in the Championship of America 4x100 in 45.50, which is still the state record.

Photo courtesy of the Penn Relays

2001: Donohue's Dominance

Erin Donohue of Haddonfield won the mile in 4:54.15 as a senior in 2001, and then went on to become only one of four American women to capture Penn Relays championships at the high school, college and professional levels.

In total, Donohue has eight wins at Penn- the high school mile, five distance relays with the University of North Carolina, and the invitational mile twice. Donohue, a 2008 U.S. Olympian in the 1,500, was part of all three wins when UNC pulled off the distance triple in 2003.

Donohue was a member of the Penn Relays Wall of Fame Class of 2020. Since that meet was cancelled, she was honored along with the rest of the Wall of Fame Class of 2020 at 2022 meet.

2001: Ruff And Camden Rock Philly

Camden's Dwight Ruff won the 400 hurdles in a still-standing meet record 50.47, the state record at the time, and he also split 47.2 on Camden's Championship of America winning 4x400 team that ran 3:11.30, the state record at the time. The other three legs on Camden's 4x400 were Maurice Young (49.3), Jade Smith (47.5) and John Morris (47.3).

Later that year, Ruff dropped his state record down to 50.37 in the 400 hurdles, which wasn't broken for 14 years, and he ran on Camden's 4x400 that ran 3:09.91, which still stands as the state record. 

Anthony Miles of Winslow won the long jump with a 24-6.50, and led Winslow's 4x100 and 4x400 teams to second-place finishes in the Championship of America races. Miles, the last NJ boy to win the LJ at Penn, was chosen as the Most Outstanding Athlete of the Meet in the individual events.

2003: Red Bank's Redemption

Red Bank, which finished second to Boys and Girls of Brooklyn, N.Y in the DMR in 2002, came back to win the distance medley Championship of America in 2003 in 11:46.59. Amanda Trotter (3:34.6 for 1,200), Beth Mayer (61.8), Christina Nelson (2:20.3) and Katy Trotter (4:49.0 for 1,600) shared the baton.

2004: McCoy's Magic 

Reuben McCoy split 46.0 on the anchor leg to finish off a 3:13.71 victory in the boys 4x400 Championship of America for Winslow. McCoy was named the Most Outstanding Athlete for relay events.

The first three legs for Winslow were run by Keith Tharington, Frank Jackson, and Brandon Grantham. 

Ashley Higginson of Colts Neck became first and only girl from New Jersey to win the Penn Relays 3,000 two straight years when she won in 9:37.91, No. 9 in Penn Relays history at the time and No. 2 in state history at the time.

2007: Forys Finishes With A Fury

Craig Forys of Colts Neck, who got the baton in ninth place and 100 meters behind the leader, split 4:04.2, No. 6 in meet history, to rally his team to a second place finish in the DMR, just .50 behind Coatesville of Pa.

Photo courtesy of Southern Regional

2007: Southern Rolls 

Jillian Smith (3:33.5), Jessica Bergin (60.0), and Chelsea Cox (2:21.3) built a big lead, and Danielle Tauro finished it off with a 4:50.7 anchor to bring Southern across first in the DMR in 11:45.54. 

2008: Upset Special

Roxbury scored a huge upset when Lauren Penney (3:37.8), Mary Migton (59.8), Ariann Neutts (2:10.0), and Ashley Cromartie (4:54.6) combined to win the DMR in 11:42.16, No. 9 in Penn Relays history. And Jillian Smith of fourth-place Southern, the defending champs, ripped a 4:42.2 anchor carry, the fastest high school girls split in meet history at the time. Smith's record stood for eight years.

Photo courtesy of Morris Hills 

2009: Morris Hills vs. Albemarle 

2010: Schellberg Rocks The Mile

Pat Schellberg of Delbarton won the mile in a then-meet record 4:08.07. Schellberg was named the Outstanding Athlete of the meet for individual events. His meet record lasted three years.

Photo courtesy of the Penn Relays

2011: King Of The Ring 

Nick Vena of Morristown won his fourth straight shot put title with a 72-9.25, the state and meet record at the time. Vena is still the only high school boy to win the same event four years in a row at Penn, and he finished his a career with a state record 75-10.25.

Vena, a 2-time Outstanding Field Event Athlete of the Meet award winner, held the Penn Relays record until 2016 when Adam Geist of Knox High School in Pennsylvania won with a throw of 73-0.75. Geist broke the meet record again in 2017 with a 74-9. 

Junior Edward Cheserek was in ninth place and 10.1 seconds behind the leader (George Kelly of CBA) before splitting 4:06.2 to rally St. Benedict's Prep to the DMR victory in 10:07.76. Cheserek was chosen as the Outstanding Male Athlete of the meet for relay races. The first three legs for St. Benedict's were run by Darien Edwards (3:09.2), Naija Omari (487), and Kalonji Foster (2:03.7). 

2012: Mattis Repeats 

Sam Mattis of East Brunswick, a 2020 US Olympian, won the boys discus for the second straight year with a 211-11, the No. 6 throw in meet history and the No. 1 throw among U.S. athletes in meet history. Mattis, still the state record holder in the discus (218-4), was chosen as the Outstanding High School Boys Athlete of the Meet for individual events.

2013: Malone's Big Mile

Although Ben Malone of Pascack Valley didn't win the mile, his runner-up time of 4:05.59 is still the second fastest in meet history and is now No. 5 in NJ history. Only Marty Liquori (Essex Catholic), Edward Cheserek (St. Benedict's),  Robby Andrews (Manalapan), and Sean Dolan (Hopewell Valley) have run faster than Malone in the mile in NJ outdoor history.

Photo courtesy of the Penn Relays 

2013: Clark Twins Go Sub 1:50

Jacob Clark anchored Pleasantville to the boys 4x800 Championship of America title with a 1:49.17 split, a virtual tie with the great Alan Webb (1:49.1 in 2001) for the second fastest split in Penn Relays history.

2013: Oliva "The Baconator'' Baker - Part 1

Columbia junior Olivia "The Baconator'' Baker, faced with a deficit of nearly seven seconds, completed a breathtaking anchor leg when she ran down Ashanni Robb of two-time defending champion Edwin Allen of Jamaica with about 50 meters left and brought the Cougars across the line first in the 4x800 Championship of America race in 8:56.37. Baker split 2:09.90. The first three legs were handled by Kenya Gaston (2:18.1), Imani Coleman (2:13.2), and Shanika Dessin (2:15.2).

Columbia became the first NJ team to win the 4x800 at Penn since Bernards captured the title in 1983.

2014: Oliva "The Baconator'' Baker - Part 2

Olivia "The Baconator" Baker did it again!!!

This time, the senior topped what she did the year before with an electrifying2:02.55 on the anchor meet record split of 2:02.55 on the anchor to bring Columbia from way back to first-place for the second straight year!!! Columbia won with a state record time of 8:45.37, No. 2 in U.S. high school history. Baker was named the Most Outstanding Athlete of the Meet for the second straight year.

The first three legs for Columbia were run by Aigner Bobbitt (2:17.21), Imani Coleman (2:11.82), and Emilie Cowan (2:13.79). Baker and Coleman also ran on the winning 4x800 in 2013.

2014: Air Orji

Before Keturah Orji became the greatest women's triple jumper in U.S. history, she won the TJ at Penn as a senior at Mount Olive by leaping a wind-aided 43-10.25, the top jump in meet history. Orji, the American record holder in the TJ and a two-time U.S. Olympian, was chosen as the Outstanding Athlete of the Meet for individual events.

2015: Dunbar Breaks State And Meet Record

Junior Nickolette Dunbar of Whippany won the shot put by unloading a 50-8, which was the meet and state record at the time. Dunbar's 50-8 smashed the 35-year-old record of 50-0.75 set un 1985 by Elaine Sobansky of Trinity in Pa. 

2016: Wilson Smashes Records In Shot 

For the second straight year, the state and meet records were broken in the girls shot put. This time, it was junior Alyssa Wilson of Donovan Catholic who took center stage in the circle.

Wilson sent the shot 51-6.50 for the win to break the state and meet records that Nickolette Dunbar of Whippany Park set the year before. Dunbar finished second with a 50-8, and Westwood's Jess Molina broke the Bergen County record with a 48-0 to complete the 1-2-3 NJ sweep.

2016: Syd The Kid, Part 1 

Union Catholic junior Sydney McLaughlin, who would make the US Olympic team a few months later at the age of 16, split 52.15, the eighth fastest time in meet history, when she passed two teams and led Union Catholic to third-place and the top-American finish in 3:42.59. 

Photo courtesy of the Penn Relays

2017: Syd The Kid, Part 2 

Sydney McLaughlin passed three teams and ran the fastest 400 split in meet history (50.37) to bring Union Catholic across the line third in 3:38.92 in the 4x400 Championship of America. To put that into further context, only nine collegians have run a faster split at the Penn Relays. 

McLaughlin, who last summer smashed the world record when she struck gold in the 400 hurdles at the Olympics in Tokyo, broke her own record of 50.78 that she set the day before in the heats. McLaughlin, who took more than a second off the previous record of 51.5 by Chrisann Gordon of Holmwood Tech in 2013, was named the Girls High School Athlete of the Meet for relay events.

Khamil Evans, Amaya Chadwick and Cassandra Lamadieu all ran personal bests for UC before handing off to McLaughlin in the final.

Photo courtesy of Hopewell Valley 

2018: DMR Masterpiece

Hopewell Valley's distance medley relay quartet of Teddy Meredith (3:02.69), Amos Barnes (50.96), Tim Dolan (1:56.56), and Sean Dolan (4:07.57) won the Championship of America broke the meet record in the DMR by stopping the clock at 9:57.77, a new meet record!  The old record of 9:59.66 was set in 2001 by South Lakes of Virginia, which was anchored by the legendary Alan Webb.

Steve Dolan, Tim and Sean's father, is the Director of Track and Field for the University of Pennsylvania and this year is his second year as the Meet Director of the Penn Relays. 

2018: Hart Of A Champion

Devin Hart of Point Pleasant Boro became the fastest 3K runner ever at Penn when he won that race in 8:22.24. Hart is the first winner of the Garden State since  Murad Campbell of Overbrook won his second straight title in 1999. Campbell's winning time of 8:22.89 in '99 was the fastest NJ time run at Penn before Hart.