Heights Penn Relays Field Qualifier reset for Sunday
Some of New Jersey’s best field events will get one last chance to qualify for or improve their positions at the seven high school field events contested at the Penn Relays, April 25-27 at Franklin Field in Philadelphia.
Hasbrouck Heights will now host the annual Penn Relays Field Event Qualifier Sunday, starting at 1 p.m. at Depken Field.
The deadline for improving marks is Monday, April 8 by 5 p.m. but a typographic mistake on the Penn Relays website had meet director and Hasbrouck Heights head coach Rob Brady scrambling after he initially moved the meet from Thursday, April 4 because of the bad weather this week. He confirmed the meet’s move to Sunday earlier Thursday.
Nearly 20 teams have already entered the meet with some of the top field athletes in the state scheduled to compete, including defending state champion Layla Giordano of Old Tappan (girls shot and discus), and indoor state champ Liam Paneque of Demarest (boys long jump). Bergen County discus record holder and All-American Benji Shue of Bergen Catholic will not be there as he is competing Saturday at the Arcadia Invitational in California.
Penn Relays field standards and potential North Jersey qualifiers to date
Here are the minimum standards to be considered for selection for the Penn Relays individual events, which usually consist of 18 to 20 athletes in each event. Reaching the standards does NOT guarantee an invitation. Athletes selected will be confirmed Tuesday, April 9 at 5 p.m. All performances must be from the 2023-24 school year except the discus and javelin which can be from last spring’s performances. Competitors
will only be invited in one event. North Jersey qualifiers and their best performances are also listed below: BOYS
Shot put (55-4): Benji Shue, Bergen Catholic (62-8 3/4); Jack Small, Old Tappan (56-4).
Discus (160-9): Benji Shue, Bergen Catholic (20010); Henry Struble, Pequannock (163-7); Bradley Weiner, Ramsey (162-7 1/4). Javelin (177-2): none.
High jump (6-5): Jordan Russell, Weehawken (6-7); Liam Paneque, Demarest (6-5).
Long jump (22-4): Liam Paneque, Demarest
(23-2).
Triple jump (46-3 1/4): Liam Paneque, Demarest
(46-3 1/4).
Pole vault (14-6): Owen Keating, Pompton Lakes (15-0); Ben Mandler, Pascack Hills (14-6). GIRLS
Shot put (40-0): Layla Giordano, Old Tappan (41-7
1/4).
Discus (123-0): Layla Giordano, Old Tappan (170-4); Julia Sobilo, IHA (128-2).
Javelin (121-5): Evelyn Roman, IHA, (121-6).
High jump (5-4): Julia Tozduman, Lyndhurst, MacKenzie Beazley, Passaic Valley and Brooke Wichmann, Westwood (5-4).
Long jump (18-0): Grace McQueeney, River Dell
(18-4).
Triple jump: (37-9): none.
Pole vault (11-6): Jamie Kim, Old Tappan (11-6).
Other Potential Penn Relays Qualifiers
While all teams that apply for the 4x-100 and 4-x-400 relays are generally invited, there are four premium distance events with required and difficult entry standards which do not guarantee admission. Deadline for improving marks for the mile and 3,000 meters is April 9, and for the 4-x-800 relay and distance medley is April 16. Here are the standards and potential North Jersey entrants as of this date: BOYS
1 mile run (4:18.00): Luke Pash, Ridgewood
(4:14.97 1,600).
3,000 meters (8:40.00; 9:22.00 2 mile): Luke
Pash, Ridgewood (8:59.77 3,200). 4-x-800 relay (8:08.0 large schools; 8:12.0
small schools): Ridgewood (8:00.43); Demarest (8:01.12); River Dell (8:10.83).
Distance medley (10:35): Ridgewood (10:16.28). GIRLS
1 mile run (5:00.00): none.
3,000 meters (10:08.00; 2 mile run 10:57.00): none. 4-x-800 relay (9:40 large schools; 9:50 small schools): Ridgewood (9:26.04); Ramsey (9:42.74). Distance medley (12:34.00): none.