Day Filled With Ups and Downs at Penn Relays

PHILADELPHIA—It was the perfect day for a track meet, as the best from all over the world met at Franklin Field in Philadelphia for the mecca of all track meets, The Penn Relays.  North Jersey high schools were well-represented on the first day, which showcased high school girls' events.

The Hoboken High School girls team of Deidamia Estrella, Dayanara Morales, Diamond Gonzalez and Kaylah Linton competed in the 4x100m and 4x400m relays.

The Hoboken 4x100m team of Deidamia Estrella, Dayanara Morales, Diamond Gonzalez and Kaylah Linton ran a time of 57.9s.

"It was exciting," said Estrella.  "I was a little nervous, but you get on the track and you do your thing.  It feels great to be here.  It's my first time and I really like it."

"I felt I did good and I did my best," said Morales. "It was an adrenaline rush.  I'm excited.  I can't believe I'm here.  It's like a dream.  Just competing with people from all around the United States, from all around the world, it makes you want to be better."

"It felt good.  What I started off I felt kind of nervous, but as I started running it went away," said Gonzalez.  "It feels amazing to be here.  I'm a freshman so it's a really big deal to me.  This is my first time running here ever."

"I feel I did my best and I ran a good race," said Linton. "Words cannot describe how I feel right now.  You could give me a dictionary and there would be no words to describe how I am feeling.  But they're good words.  It's like a dream I don't want to wake up from."

Hoboken had a tough second race.  Everything seemed to start out okay but the smallest of miscalculations led to a disqualification.  The girls recognized the moment for what it was, a learning experience.

"I was a little nervous in the beginning," said Estrella. "It started out okay. And then I don't know what happened."

Estrella went out hard in the race and faded a little on the straightaway.  Once Gonzalez got stared, Estrella was not able to catch her.

"I was kind of nervous," said Gonzalez. "I started going a little too early and she wasn't ready to give me the baton yet.  I had passed the line before she gave me the baton.  If she hadn't screamed my name I might never have gotten it."

The girls knew they had been disqualified, but they also knew that they had to finish the race no matter what.

"It distracted me a little bit," said Morales. "I wanted to go back.  It's hard to explain how I was feeling.  I knew it happened but I still had to run.  It's still my time, my race."

Hoboken will compete again tomorrow in the high school boys 4x400m relay.

Other local teams:

4x800, Small Schools Division:

Summit (Katie Watson, Isabella Yozzi, Rebecca Cummins and Kearsley Olcott) 9:45:31.

4x800, Large Schools Division:

Columbia (TyVonna Johnson, Adebunmi Gbadebo, Jade Johnson, and Brittney Jackson) 9:11:47 which was the third fastest overall time.  Columbia will compete in the High School Girls Championship of America 4x800m race today.

Pole Vault:

Kayla Polcari of Ridgewood: 3.6m (3rd)

Chelsea Hartigan of Ramapo: 3.5m (6th)

4x100m, Small Schools Division

Indian Hills (Gianna Ditommaso, Dana Maloney, Sarah Kneip and Katie Johnson) 54.8s. 

4x100m, Large School Division

Westfield (Ashley Edwards, Hannah Kronick, Alex Hawkins, and Katie Ponce) 54.05s.

Columbia (Whitney Jackson, Jasmine Carter, Ambur Ballew and Kayann Richards) 47.28s

Ridge (Courtney Wu, Maggie Hanna, Samantha Menza and Jackie Madden) 50.95s

Ridgewood 4x100m team ran a time of 53.13

Triple Jump:

Kelly Burke of Cranford: 12.08m

4x400m, Small Schools Division:

Westfield (Katie Ponce, Sophia DeVita, Kelly Irving, and Ashley Edwards)

Indian Hills (Katie Johnson, Nikki Felice, Sarah Polansky, and Kayla Savage) DNF

Summit (Nicola Hallenborg, Kearsley Olcott, Katie Watson, Rebecca Cummings) 4:22.54

Cranford (Kate Evans, Megan Schetelich, Devon Cacchione, Rebecca Shimonov) 4:17.17.

4x400m, Large Schools Division:

Ridgewood (Sarah Devita, Charlotte Criqui, Macaela McPadden, Victoria Oliva) 4:11.50.

Ridge (Meredith Bozzi, Jackie Madden, Courtney Wu, Allison Hodges) 4:01.84

Columbia (TyVonna Johnson, Kelsey Jackson, Brittney Jackson, Kayann Richards) 3:43.72- Columbia is in the Championship of America tomorrow evening.