 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 | 115th Penn Relays
Thu.-Sat., April 23-25, 2009
Franklin Field, Philadelphia PA
|
PENN RELAYS DAY 3 NOTES
PHILADELPHIA, April 25, 2009 – Tyquan Brown said it was time for Neptune NJ to make a statement.
``We wanted people to know where Neptune, New Jersey is,’ said Brown, Neptune’s sizzling anchorman on the sprint relays. ``And the only way to do that is to run fast here.’’
Thanks largely to Brown, Neptune is indeed back on the national track map after its performance in the 4x100 yesterday and Brown’s sizzling carry in the 4x400 at the 115th Penn Relays at Franklin Field.
Neptune, competing in the Small School 4x100 final (its first final at Penn since the late 1970’s), ran a Shore Conference record 41.82, tied for No. 20 in state history, to place fourth in front of 47,904 sun-cooked fans.
Brown also split 47.8, the top New Jersey 400 split of the day among the more than 1,000 runners that competed in the 4x400 heats. Neptune finished fourth in its heat in 3:21.11.
In the 4x100, Brown, a senior, was joined by sophomore Karon McDaniel, senior Michael Peavy, and sophomore Charles Davis.
Neptune, which re-broke its own Shore Conference record of 42.17 that it set at the New York Relays last week, qualified for the final by running 42.30 in its heat on Friday, the fourth fastest among American teams and the 14th fastest overall out of 520 teams.
Neptune missed the eight-team Championship of America race by .13 seconds.
``We came here looking to make the Championship of America race, but to get back to a final here and finally get under 42 is something we are very proud of,’’ Brown said. ``And after we tweak some things, we’ll be shooting to get under 41.’’
Rahway NJ didn’t get quite get the Championship of America berth it was hoping for in the boys 4x400, but it certainly turned in a memorable performance despite missing one of its top guns.
Rahway, running minus the injured Chris Whyte (he hurt his foot after falling earlier in the day in the 400 hurdles), nearly managed to get into the C of A race after finishing fourth in its heat in 3:17.59.
That was the 12th fastest time of the meet among the more than 1,000 teams that competed and the sixth fastest among American teams.
The top eight teams made the C of A race with the final qualifier, Altoona PA, running 3:15.77. So Rahway missed the C of A race by less than two seconds.
Rahway received splits of 50.7 from Russell Jenkins, 49.7 from Ricky Draughn, 48.6 from Chris Brown and 48.6 for Whyte’s replacement, Pierre Darisme. Brown and Darisme’s splits were personal bests.
``We’re disappointed that we didn’t get to run our top lineup, but very proud to run our best time under the circumstances with everyone running their personal bests,’’ Chris Brown said.
The top 20 fastest New Jersey boys 4x400 relays were Rahway (3:17.59), Timber Creek (3:19.35), Columbia of Maplewood (3:19.54), Lawrenceville (3:19.60), Union (3:20.31), Snyder (3:20.59), Irvington (3:20.96), Neptune (3:21.11), Washington Township (3:22.16), Rancocas Valley (3:22.60), St. Peter’s Prep of Jersey City (3:22.95), Pope John of Sparta (3:23.25), Plainfield (3:24.09), Camden (3:24.10), Burlington Twp. (3:24.23), West Side (3:24.32), St. John Vianney of Holmdel (3:24.45), Trenton (3:24.61), St. Benedict’s Prep of Newark (3:24.66) and Westfield (3:24.82).
The last two state New Jersey Meet of Champions winners in the 400 meters flashed their speed yesterday at Penn.
Andrew Burt of Lacey, the NJSIAA indoor M of C 400 winner last month, anchored in 48.4. Isaiah Gill of Plainfield, the M
of C outdoor 400 winner last spring, split the second leg in 48.9.
Because the mile relay is held in such high regard at the Penn Relays, each high school team which wins a 4x400 heat is awarded an eight-inch bronze plaque. New Jersey heat winners were Pope John (3:23.25), Westfield (3:24.82), Union Catholic of Scotch Plains (3:24.89), Vineland (3:25.01), Woodbridge (3:25.91), Hunterdon Central (3:26.16), Msgr. Donovan (3:26.81), Hopewell Valley (3:27.25), St. Patrick’s of Elizabeth (3:30.15), Notre Dame of Lawrenceville (3:30.57), and Penns Grove of Carney’s Point (3:31.52). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
