Track: North Jersey Individuals at the Penn Relays: Top 10

Paul Schwartz NorthJersey.com • Apr 23, 2024

Photo Credits: Peter Ackerman NorthJersey.com

The Penn Relays began inviting selected high school individuals to compete in certain individual events in 1959. At one point there were 10 individual events for both boys and girls , the seven traditional high school field events (shot, discus, javelin, high jump, long jump, triple jump and pole vault), the mile (or 1500) and the 3,000 meters and the 400 hurdles. The latter event, which for many years was the first event held on the Opening Thursday, was discontinued when the Penn Relays returned after a two-year COVID mandated absence in 2022.

Pascack Valley pole vaulter John Langram was the first of 279 North Jersey boys to compete (others were selected but opted not to attend) when he finished tied for fourth in 1962, clearing 11-6. When the girls finally got their own events, in 1977, it took until 1981 when another PV athlete, Mary Ellen McGowan was fourth in 1,500 in 4:35.4, for North Jersey to have an individual girl compete at Penn. To date 212 North Jersey girls have competed.

To date, just 10 North Jersey boys have won a Championship event at Penn: the late Steve Adams of St. Joseph (1970 shot); Roger Jones of Ramsey (1977 mile); Steve Schadler of Bergenfield (1984 1,500); David Beason of Kennedy (1987 high jump); Rich Robinson of St. Joseph (1989 high jump); Darius Pemberton of Hackensack (1992 triple jump); Anthony Hayne of Ridgefield Park (1992 javelin); Bob Keino of Ridgewood (1994 3,000); George Abyad of Passaic Valley (2007 discus) and Kaleb Zuidema of Midland Park (2010 javelin).

They’re joined by six girls: Jasmin Jones of Hackensack (1986 1,500); Robin Lowe of Passaic (1994 shot put), Carlene Cummings of Dwight Morrow (1998 triple jump), Kelly Fazekas of Demarest (2003 shot put), Angelina Perez of Lakeland (2022 3,000) and Niki Woods of Demarest (2022 javelin).

Here are the top 10 performances by North Jersey athletes in the individual events at the Penn Relays:

NameSchoolYearDistance
Layla GiordanoOld Tappan2023145-4
Alana PantaleWayne Valley2010130-11
Jessica FazekasDemarest2001129-5
Jazmin FenlatorWayne Valley2003128-8
Alana PantaleWayne Valley2009123-5
Sarah SlowikowskiDemarest2023122-11
Jessica FazekasDemarest2002118-8
Monique MightyHackensack2001118-7
Stephanie EasseWayne Valley2013116-3
Alana PantaleWayne Valley2008112-5

Source Link: https://www.northjersey.com/story/sports/high-school/track/2024/04/23/nj-track-north-jersey-individuals-at-the-penn-relays/73407521007/

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