Track: North Jersey notebook from Day 1 of the 2022 Penn Relays
Ramapo and Northern Highlands in lockstep
The symmetry between the Northern Highlands and Ramapo girls 4-x-400 relay teams over the last decade has been remarkable.
In Bergen County history, 12 teams have broken 3:55 in history for the meet's traditional final event, five times by Northern Highlands since 2012 (including the 2013 Bergen record of 3:51.44) and five times by Ramapo during the same time span.
Northern Highlands has won a medal in the event at the State Meet of Champions five times in the last decade, and Ramapo has won four (including fourth last year).
Nowhere however is the symmetry more apparent than in the Thursday afternoon's races at the Penn Relays each April.
The Ramapo team of Julia Wowkun, Kendall Schmitt, Carli Silverman and Izzie Anzaldo won the 2:16 p.m. race Thursday in 4:03.69, winning a coveted Penn Relays mini-wheel plaque for the third time in the last four meets (Penn was cancelled because of the pandemic in 2020 and 2021).
Two races later the Northern Highlands quartet of Hailey Pataki, Molly Bennett, Anna Bryan-Jones and Alexa Birch won its heat in 4:04.18, taking its second plaque during the same time.
In 2017, Northern Highlands won its heat in 3:57.88. Three races later, Ramapo won its heat in 3:57.13. In 2019, Ramapo won its heat in 4:00.58. Three races later Northern Highlands was second in its heat in 4:01.62.
In 2018, the only time the two teams met at Penn, Ramapo was third in 3:58.72 and Northern Highlands was fourth in 4:00.04. Ironically it's the only time in the last nine State Meet of Champion races neither team medalled.
"Who would have it any other way?,'' said Ramapo coach Bill Manzo. "Both teams make each other better every time they race.''
Highlands coach Tom Viscardi agrees. "It comes down to tradition for both of us and each of our teams show a lot of pride in helping the rivalry continue. The kids constantly push each other.''
Thursday they also sat behind each other and enjoyed each other's success.
"It's nice to root for each other,'' said Viscardi, whose team figures to face Manzo's at least four times in the next six weeks, starting with the Big North Freedom meet at Ridgewood Wednesday.
Sullivan enjoys herself and throws well
Casey Sullivan takes everything in stride. The Demarest senior won the State Meet of Champions in her first season of throwing last spring and until an untimely hip injury in March seemed on her way to add the indoor crown in her first winter season.
She snapped back from her loss at states to make All-American with a indoor personal best a week later and Thursday, in her first serious meet of the season, was third in the shot put with a season's best throw of 43-4 1/4.
"I'm here to have fun but it's also the first time this spring I'm able to compete against some of the best girls in the state, the East and Jamaica,'' said Sullivan, who had two other throws of nearly 43 feet in the series. "I'm trying to do all the little things right: staying healthy, getting to bed on time, eating smartly and getting my protein (hint: she likes chicken; any kind of chicken).''
And she and teammate Niki Woods, the javelin winner, found ways to watch each other, even though their events were going at the same time.
"Niki was up on a hill so she could see me throw, but I had to sneak away between trials and finals and then after I finished, one of the officials saw me running towards the throwing area and yelled at me to come back and get my medal.''
"I yelled back 'I've got to go see my girl make her last two throws. I'll be back.''
He waited.
Highlights from a busy Day 1
The Paramus Catholic 4-x-100 relay team of Gina Rubio, Fiona Carter, Brianna DeSanto and Sydney Dungey was the fastest of more than two dozen North Jersey teams, running 49.93 and earning a bid to Friday's 4:08 p.m. Northeast final.
Woods, Sullivan and 3,000 meter race winner Angelina Perez of Lakeland were the only medal winners in the 10 featured events, but others recorded solid performances in their events.
The Ridgewood distance medley team of Cellina Rabolli, Olivia Grace, AnnaMarie Tretola and Lucia Rabolli had a season's best of 12:14.49, but finished sixth, two spots out of a medal. Grace had an impressive 400 leg of 57.89, fourth best carry of the race.
Christina Allen of River Dell never caught her stride in the girls mile, but rallied with a 71.46 final quarter for a 10th place finish 4:59.34.
The Ramapo quartet of Wowkun, Bianca Wertheimer, Carly Griffin and Brianna Braver was fifth in its heat of the 4-x-800 in 9:50.74. River Dell's team of Ava Ebneter, Alex Grivas, Isabella Gabay and Rachel Mills was 15th in the same heat in 10:10.43.
IHA's Leanna Johnston ran 10:09.37 in the 3,000, a school record and the ninth fastest time in Bergen history in the seldom-raced event, finishing 15th.
Hackensack's Ciara Brown was 13th in the shot put, throwing 37-4, while Jessica Ricco of Pascack Valley was 14th in the long jump (16-3 1/4), Norina Khanzada of Tenafly tied for 10th in the high jump (5-1 1/4) and Talia Hutchinson of Ridgewood tied for 9th in the pole vault (11-3 3/4).
Ramapo's Anzaldo ran 56.48 for her 400 split, the fourth fastest of the day for a New Jersey girl.
Fair Lawn's Hailey Romero (6th, 129-1), Rachel Schmitt (7th, 127-4) and Melissa Viellette (13th, 111-3) and Paramus Catholic's Tyaja Thomas (9th, 124-8) all threw the javelin in addition to event winner Niki Woods of Demarest.
4-x-100 and 4-x-400 results
In addition to wins by Ramapo and Northern Highlands, six North Jersey teams earned 4-x-400 medals.
All were excited by (for the most part) their first Penn Relays experience.
Mahwah (team of senior Carissa Weber, junior Ally Klanke, senior Megan Dursema, soph Siena Kannenberg): The Thunderbirds came from behind late to run 4:18.17 and nearly caught Hillsborough for the win, finishing second.
"It's the biggest meet I've ever run in,'' said Weber, who'll run at Sacred Heart. "It was so exciting to be part of.'' "I'm already thinking about next year,'' said Kannenberg, who split 60.48 as the Thunderbirds had their second big 4-x-400 in a week after running second out of the unseeded heat in Division B last week, helping River Dell win the title.
Fair Lawn (seniors Isabella Pollock, Renee Mercado, Michelle Mercado, soph Abigail Choi): With Pollock contributing a personal best 62.03 leadoff, the Cutters stayed in the top three almost the entire race and finished third in the same heat as Mahwah, running 4:19.00. "I was trying to stay up there on the last leg,'' said Choi. "I knew the girl (from Egg Harbor Twp.) was right on me. This was the hardest race I was ever in but it was also the best.''
Old Tappan (soph. Abigail Dennis, junior Katie Meeks, seniors Alicia Acosta and Cara Hlboki): The Golden Knights got a great second leg from Meeks to take the lead and the Cornell-bound Hliboki split 60.20 on the anchor to secure the second place finish in 4:10.81.
"I wasn't feeling confident before the race but in the last 200, things sort of got in a blur and I woke up and was excited to sprint at the end,'' said Meeks.
"I came here as a freshman with three seniors and ran here, so I tried to take the girls under my wing so we could all enjoy the experience,'' added Hliboki.
River Dell (senior Alex Grivas, juniors Lizzy Puentes, Izzy Schneider and Sarah Cookson): Christina Allen was getting ready for her race in the girls championship later in the day, but she was hardly missed as the Golden Hawks took the silver medals, running 4:17.05 in their heat.
"We left school at about 5:30 in the morning so we could get here in time for the 4-x-800,'' said Grivas, who handled the always difficult leadoff chores. "Was it worth it? Honestly, yes. It was a lot of fun and we all loved the experience.''
Hasbrouck Heights (Lexy Samperi, Dea Jera, Amber Barrios, Morgan Gagliano): Barrios showed she's well on the way to recovery from an unfortunate injury that cost her the last month of her indoor season, by running 61.80 as the Aviators ran 4:17.05 for a set of second place medals.
"As a freshman I came down here and I got really nervous before my race, but my teammates helped me enjoy the experience and we had a lot of fun,'' said Barrios, who will run at Lehigh next year. "This year, I wanted to help my teammates enjoy the experience and was so happy to be back here. This meet being back really restored a great sense of normalcy back to the sport.''
Holy Angels (Eliza Hoover, Gina Certo, Alexandra Darmanian, Giovanna Corbisiero): First medalists of the day were second in 4:19.02
North Jersey results in the 4-x-100: (place in heat, time)
Paramus Catholic (3rd, 49.93)
IHA (1st, 50.38)
Old Tappan (1st, 50.79)
Teaneck (1st, 51.11)
Ridgewood (3rd, 51.25)
Bergen Tech (4th, 51.54)
Northern Highlands (4th, 52.02)
Wayne Valley (2nd, 52.14)
Hasbrouck Heights (8th, 52.44)
Waldwick (4th, 52.53)
Pascack Hills (4th, 52.58)
Emerson (6th, 52.69)
Holy Angels (4th, 53.15)
River Dell (2nd, 53.18)
Ramapo (7th, 53.58)
Hackensack (7th, 54.26)
Park Ridge (4th, 54.27)
Tenafly (2nd, 54.56)
Fair Lawn (7th, 54.66)
West Milford (7th, 57.76)
Ramsey (9th, 58.01)
Passaic Valley (9th, 59.18)
4-x-400 results:
Ramapo (1st, 4:03.69)
Northern Highlands (2nd, 4:04.18)
Old Tappan (2nd, 4:10.32)
Ridgewood (9th, 4:14.06)
Hasbrouck Heights (2nd, 4:15.07)
River Dell (2nd, 4:17.05)
IHA (7th, 4:17.92)
Mahwah (2nd, 4:18.17)
Fair Lawn (3rd, 4:19.00)
Holy Angels (2nd, 4:19.52)
Wayne Valley (6th, 4:20.62)
Passaic Valley (7th, 4:20.88)
Ramsey (6th, 4:21.27)
Demarest (9th, 4:21.58)
Park Ridge (9th, 4:22.48)
Lakeland (8th, 4:24.15)
Fort Lee (7th, 4:26.77)
Tenafly (10th, 4:29.09)
West Milford (12th, 4:41.30)
Paul Schwartz has been covering track and field for NorthJersey.com. since they ran on cinders. For full access to live scores, breaking news and analysis from our Varsity Aces team, subscribe today. To get breaking news directly to your inbox, sign up for our newsletter and download our app.
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This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ track: North Jersey notebook from Day 1 of the 2022 Penn Relays
