The Penn Relays. One of the most decorated Track and Field meets in the country. Since 1895, the Penn Relays have been run annually at the University of Pennsylvania’s Franklin Field in Philadelphia. The competition brings together the best Track and Field athletes from many different states. It gives blooming high school runners a chance to compete on a national stage at their highest level. And the Blue Devils did just that.
The meet was split among Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Friday had fantastic weather, perfect for some record breaking. The boys’ 4×100 meter relay consisting of Neil Weiss, Noah Petrassi, Christian Sanford and Rowan McMahill posted a time of 43.65 seconds. The time is the fifth-best 4×100 relay in school history.
The Blue Devils’ distance medley relay was a high point of Friday. Senior Alex Valencia started off the race in the 1200 meter spot, followed by junior Manny Gayanilo with the 400 meter, then junior Ryan Daly in the 800 meter and topped off by senior Avery Keith with the 1600 meter. In the DMR Championship of America, this group had an outstanding performance, placing second and breaking a school record with a time of 10 minutes and 3.62 seconds. Valencia’s 1200 meter leg was third all time for Westfield, and Gayanilo and Keith’s legs were both personal bests. The aura surrounding the Penn Relays propelled them forward to compete to their highest potential.
Head coach Chris Tafelski said, “The DMR time was a Westfield record by ten seconds. The DMR is the most exclusive high school race at Penn, only 15 schools are accepted. We chose that race over the 4×800 relay because it would provide the best competition and the most prized title from the meet. It was definitely the high risk, high reward choice. To win the DMR at Penn is an extraordinarily rare accomplishment. We are fortunate to have won it once before, in 1995. We have been second two other times before this year: in 1981, and in 1996. Last year we finished fourth. For a public school to qualify for this event so often over the last few decades speaks to the rich history of Westfield track.”
“Coming so close to winning is disappointing, but it also reminds you how lucky and successful you’ve been to come away disappointed with a second place finish in the DMR at Penn,” said Tafelski.
Also on Friday, the girls group did some history making of their own. The 4×100 meter relay of seniors Sean O’Brien, Gabby Demeter, Darcy Scheiner and Maura Hyland placed ninth in the 4×100 Northeast Championship with a time of 49.29 seconds. This was the first time in school history that a relay has qualified for the Northeast Championship at the Penn Relays. The 4×400 meter relay of Scheiner, Demeter, O’Brien and Alexis Ray posted a season best. It was a good day for the Blue Devils.
On Saturday the weather cooled down slightly. However, it did not stop the boys 4×400 meter relay of Gayanilo, Petrassi, Daly and McMahill from placing first in their heat with a time of 3:22.68, the eighth fastest time in school history.
Leaving fans unsurprised, both the boys and girls made history with the whole country watching. They return to Gary Kehler Stadium victorious and ready to dominate the New Jersey competition as we near championship meet season.
Tafelski said, “For all of these relays, to hit these marks in late April, when the season continues until late June, bodes very well for what lies ahead. For a number of our guys this weekend, it was only their second or third meet of the season. We have a long way to go, and a lot of exciting challenges that lie ahead.”
