PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - Distance powers Christian Brothers Academy and Westfield squared off in an epic Jersey duel in the boys distance medley relay Championship of America race at Friday's 128th Penn Relays at Franklin Field.
Trading the lead after the first two legs, CBA and Westfield quickly turned the DMR into a two-team race, which wasn't decided until CBA"s Joe Barrett closed it out with a 4:12.33 anchor carry to hold off Westfield and give the Colts a red hot victory in 10:01.47. Westfield, with Avery Keith anchoring in 4:12.65, was second in 10:03.62. Ridgefield of Connecticut, who ran 10:01.13 to nip Westfield to win the New Balance National DMR title in March, scratched from the race.
CBA's 10:01.47 broke the Shore Conference record and is No. 9 in NJ history. Westfield's 10:03.62 is No. 15 in NJ history.
CBA's victory gives the Colts four C of A DMR titles, which is tied for the second most in meet history. Only Bishop Loughlin of New York, who have captured 8 DMR titles, have won more C of A DMR's than CBA. CBA's other three titles came in 1985, 1988, and 2011.
"When you run for CBA, you know how important it is to win wheels here,'' said Barrett, a junior who recently committed to the University of North Carolina. "It's something all of our alums worked for and are proud of, so we all have a responsibility to continue the great legacy that all the CBA runners before us built. We had so many alums here today, showing their support. So to get this win here means everything to us. This is for everyone who has ever worn a CBA uniform.''
Barrett said he challenged himself during his carry.
CBA and Westfield were side-by-side at the first hand off after CBA senior Jack Falkowski ran 3:03.36 and Alex Valencia ran 3:03.62 on the 1,200 leg. Westfield took the lead on the 400 leg when Emanuel Gayanilo ran 49.37. CBA's Ethan Fianko went 50.32 for CBA to keep the Colts right on Westfield's heels.
On the 800 leg, CBA senior Conor Clifford, who split 1:55.48, made a huge surge with 150 to go on his carry to give CBA a 10-meter lead. Then Barrett took care of business and maintained that lead as he was able to match Keith's surges and secure the hard-fought NJ battle.
"I knew that the best way to win this race was to give Joe as big of a lead as I could,'' said Clifford. "We knew that if Joe was in front he'd keep us there. With the wheel on the line, there was no way Joe wasn't bring it home for us.''