The SOL had some noteworthy performances on day two of the Penn Relays Friday. Topping the list was North Penn’s 4x400 relay that posted the top time in Pennsylvania this year.
By DENNY DYROFF
PHILADELPHIA - Now in her fourth year of competing at the Penn Relays, North Penn’s Phoebe Clowser knew that Friday’s race would be her last ever taste of competition at the annual international mega-meet at the University of Pennsylvania’s Franklin Field.
Obviously, Clowser wanted to close out her Penn Relays history on a high note -- and that’s just what she did.
Clowser ran the second leg on the Maidens’ 4x800-meter team that competed in the prestigious Championship of America final Friday afternoon. The foursome of Ariana Gardizy (2:19.60), Clowser (2:15.34), Uche Nwogwugwu (2:15.33) and Mikaela Vlasic (2:11.79) combined for an impressive time of 9:02.06.
Their time was fast enough to give them a fourth-place finish in a race that was overflowing with talented teams. And, it was the fastest time in Pennsylvania this year.
Shenendehowa (Clifton Park, NY) crossed first at 9:00.79 followed by Mamaroneck (Mamaroneck, NY) at 9:01.69 and Holmwood Tech (Christiana, Jamaica). 9:01.76. Edwin Allen (Clarendon, Jamaica) finished fifth behind North Penn at 9:03.20.
“We made it to the Championship of America finals last year and finished eighth so this was a really big accomplishment,” said Clowser. “It was really exciting to make it again.”
In 2015, North Penn finished eighth when Ali Valenti (2:21.43), Stephanie Bresadola (2:20.39), Mikaela Vlasic (2:20.74), Phoebe Clowser (2:19.01) posted a time of 9:21.55.
Gardizy, a freshman, got her first taste of the magical experience of competing in a big race at the Penn Relays on Thursday when the Maidens finished third in their “Large School 4x800 ” race with a time of 9:13.59.
That was the race that sent them to Friday’s CofA race. It was good experience for Gardizy but it didn’t make Friday’s race any less nerve-wracking for the North Penn ninth-grader.
“I was so scared,” said Gardizy. “Right after the gun went off, it was crazy. It all went off so quickly and then everyone just cut into the fourth lane. The first lap was really fast and the girl in front was really, really fast. I made the mistake of sticking to the rail.”
Clowser, who has accepted a track scholarship from Illinois State University, said, “Yesterday, we had a bobble with the baton. So, I was really nervous for the handoff with so many people coming in. I just focused on getting the baton. I knew the second lap had to be my fastest so I didn’t want to kill myself in the beginning. When I handed off, I was coming in with a lot of runners.”
Nwogwugwu, a junior who is North Penn’s top 400 runner, got the baton in seventh and quickly moved up.
“It was O.K.,” said Nwogwugwu. “I like chasing. I just go out hard. Phoebe came in with a lot of people. It was really hectic. There were so many girls. I just grabbed the baton from her hand and got out of there. I started picking off people after the first 100. My finish was better than yesterday.”
Nwogwugwu ran well enough to take the Maidens from seventh to third.
“I have a hard time taking it out fast but they took me out fast today,” said Vlasic, a junior. “I was third when I got the baton. A couple people passed me but I got them back. In the last lap, you have to give it all you got. The last 200 was really fast. I could tell everyone was dying.
“In the last 150, we were all so close. Then, when you hear the people in the stands cheering, you know you have to go. It was fun to compete with the best. And, it’s awesome when you know you gave everything you had.”
This North Penn foursome just keeps turning in impressive performances. In the indoor season, they won the gold medal at the state championship meet and then set a state record of 9:05 at the National Championships at the Armory in New York.
The Maidens still have several goals for the season -- like a District 1 gold medal, a state championship and maybe even the PIAA record.
In track, there are times when you don’t necessarily have to win the gold medal to be a winner. North Penn proved that in the CofA 4x800 Friday and Cheltenham’s girls proved it with their race in the Championship of America 4x100.
The foursome of Bria Barnes, Brielle Lewis, Alexis Crosby and Chanel Brissett posted a time of 46.48 to place 
fourth in the CofA final. The Panthers were the only Pennsylvania squad in the eight-team field that includes five Jamaican squads (Holmwood Tech, Edwin Allen, Excelsior, St. Catherine and Green Island), a team from the Bahamas (St. Augustine’s) and a team from Virginia (Nansemond River).
Edwin Allen snagged the big prize with a time of 45.73 followed by St. Catherine (46.11), Nansemond River (46.26) and Cheltenham. Holmwood Tech was fifth at 46.68 followed by Green Island (47.67) and St. Augustine’s (47.85). Excelsior did not finish.
“I got out well and just focused on staying with everyone,” said Barnes, a freshman. “The handoff between Brielle and me was pretty good.”
Lewis, a sophomore said, “I was just trying to stay with the group. It was pretty crowded. I got into my stride pretty well and my pass was good.”
The Panthers’ handoffs left a little to be desired in Thursday’s race but they were on point Friday.
“Our handoffs weren’t good yesterday,” said Crosby, a sophomore. “They were a lot better today. I had an amazing handoff with Brielle. Because we were on the inside lane, our coach said we had to catch people -- so I did. Me and Chanel -- that was another amazing handoff. It was like one motion and she was gone.”
Brissett, a junior, said, “We had a great handoff. When I got the handoff, I knew it was time to go. We knew we had to run our fastest.”
The Panthers’ foursome may be young but it doesn’t lack the winning components -- speed, attitude, power and confidence.
“Running against great competition like this gets us pumped up,” said Brissett. “It makes us push more. There may have been all these great teams but we were in it to win. We had our season best time but we know we can go faster.
“Today’s results really boosted our confidence. It took it from here (hand at her waist) to here (hand above her head). But, we already knew that we can run with anyone. Actually, we don’t care about the competition. We just run against the clock.”
On Friday, the Panthers and the Maidens were winners without placing first. Norristown High’s girls were also winners -- and they won their race.
The Eagles won their High School Girls’ 4x100 Large Schools heat on Thursday at 47.66 with the quartet of Jonae Cook, Siani Sanders, Shelia Day and Jayana Webb.
The same foursome came back with another victory in Friday’s High School Girls' 4x100 Large Schools final with a time of 47.31. Grass field (Chesapeake, VA) was second at 47.56 followed by Warren G. Harding (Warren, OH) at 48.01 and Pennridge at 48.23.
“It was nerve-wracking today,” said Cook, a sophomore. “I got out well and had good acceleration. Then, my handoff was fine.”
Sanders, a freshman, said, “Jonae and I had a good handoff. It wasn’t really crowded. I was in second when I handed off to Sheila -- right there with the Virginia girl (Grassfield’s Lauryn Ghee).”
Day, a junior, said, “”The handoff from Siani was good. Passing it off to Jayana could have been a little better -- but I managed to give it to her.”
Webb, a sophomore, was in agreement.
“The handoff could have been better,” said Webb. ‘It was really crowded. I got it in fourth and managed to get to first. It felt really good.”
Pennridge, which took first in its heat Thursday at 48.38 with the team of Holly Harbeck, Jessica Milligan, Zoe Williams and Kouri Peace, came back with a 48.23 on Friday.
All three teams -- Cheltenham, Norristown and Pennridge -- also qualified to run in Saturday’s High School Girls’ 4x100 Tri-State along with Central Bucks South and Pennsbury.
C.B. South (Amanda Carr, Jasmine Noble, Steph Hiltpold, Lydia Fielding) was second in its heat Thursday at 48.58 (behind Edwin Allen) while Pennsbury (Taylor Allen, Nissia Boone, Worada Sanghanphat, Dasia Pressley) won its heat at 49.03.
On boys’ action at Friday’s Penn Relays, five SOL teams competed in the High School Boys’ 4x800 Large Schools races -- Central Bucks West, Central Bucks East, Upper Dublin, North Penn and Council Rock North.
In the first heat, Central Bucks West took third at 7:49.00 with the quartet of Carter Zerweck (1:58.15), Jake Claricurzio (1:56.66), Teagan Fortna (1:58.70), and Rock Fortna (1:55.49) while Central Bucks East was 10that 8:03.28.
Also, Upper Dublin placed 12th at 8:06.62 with the team of George Weems (2:03.07), Troy Green (2:00.90), Riley Hannon (2:02.12), and Kyle McMullen (2:00.53).
In the other heat, North Penn was sixth at 7:56.32 with the foursome of Dante' Watson (1:59.58), Elgin Horton (1:58.48), Joe Spallinger (2:00.76) and Daniel Santiago (1:57.51) while Council Rock North was seventh at 7:57.55 with Bryan Keller (1:58.78), Matt Haldeman (2:00.01), Sam Earley (2:01.04), and Ben Heintz (1:57.74).
In the High School Boys’ 4x100 Small Schools (Heats), Wissahickon (Rahsheed Wright, Darien Williams, Ethan Dolberry-Wescott, Sam Kane ) placed 14th overall after finishing second in its heat at 43.04 -- behind Jamaica’s St. Elizabeth Tech at 41.35.
In the High School Boys’4x100 Large Schools (Heats), Pennridge (Carson VanHart, Owen Eisen, Matt Firuta, Josh Pinkney) placed 14th overall after winning its heat at 43.28.
Suburban One League’s individual competitors Friday were Central Bucks East’s Jake Brophy, who finished 12thin the 3000 with a time of 8:30.11; Hatboro-Horsham’s Thomas Haas, who placed 17thin javelin at 50.05m (164-2); and Wissahickon’s Yondell Dudley, who took 14th in shot put at 16.14m (52-11.5).
In the High School Boys’4x100 Small Schools (Heats), Wissahickon (Rahsheed Wright, Darien Williams, Ethan Dolberry-Wescott, Sam Kane) placed 14th overall after finishing second in its heat at 43.04 -- behind Jamaica’s St. Elizabeth Tech at 41.35.
In the High School Boys’4x100 Large Schools (Heats), Pennridge (Carson VanHart, Owen Eisen, Matt Firuta, Josh Pinkney) placed 14th overall after winning its heat at 43.28.
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