Penn Relays: Rumson-Fair Haven girls blaze top NJ time; Ajee' Wilson wins with style
PHILADELPHIA – You enter the Penn Relays to test yourself against the best.
The Rumson-Fair Haven girls track & field team passed the test with flying colors.
The Bulldogs excelled in three events at Franklin Field, looking very much like a contender to repeat as NJSIAA Group 2 champions in June. Perhaps their most impressive performance came in the 4x400; they posted the top New Jersey time of the meet, a 3:55.23 that ranked 15th among 452 entrants.
“That was definitely crazy,” anchor Clemmie Lilley said. “I came off the turn and saw the clock said 3:45 and I was just amazed. We have big hopes. People performed well today, but we know we have room to improve.”
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Lilley’s split of 55.7 was a personal best and lightning fast for a sophomore – especially in drizzly and cold conditions. Teammates Megan Burns (1:02.6 split), Reese Malone (57.5) and Ryan Malone (59.3) also held up their ends of the bargain.
Lilley returned to the track a few hours later for the girls 4x800 Championship of America final, helping Rumson-Fair Haven finish 11th in 9:22. She split 2:16.8 and was joined by Isabella Rodriguez (2:24), Julia Shanes (2:20) and Sarah Grace Butler (2:20). Union Catholic won the race in a blazing 8:44, the second-fastest American schoolgirl time ever.
In Friday’s 4x100, the Bulldogs’ time of 50.14 was the fastest among Shore Conference attendees. It all bodes well for Friday’s Monmouth County Relays and beyond.
“We have such high standards," Lilley said. "We all push each other to be better, so the sky’s the limit.”
Here were the top Shore Conference girls 4x400 times: Rumson-Fair Haven 3:55.23; Manasquan 4:10.78; Shore Regional 4:13.29; Ocean Township 4:19.62; Ranney 4:20.15.
Ajee’ Wilson victorious
In late April of 2010, Ajee’ Wilson came to the Penn Relays as a teen with a dream, watching track’s superstars from afar and wondering how good she could be.
On Saturday at Franklin Field, the eyes of a new generation of teenage hopefuls were fixed on the former Neptune High School superstar, and the two-time Olympian gave them a show. She summoned a big finishing kick to win the women’s Olympic Development 600 meters in 1:24.45.
“You never know where running, this sport, will take you,” Wilson said. “I remember being a freshman and a sophomore coming to Penn Relays and sitting in the nosebleeds on Saturdays and cheering for Allyson Felix and Sanya Richards. It doesn’t seem that long ago, but it was.”
Wilson is building toward a third Olympic bid next summer, and sees racing the unusual distance of 600 meters as a sharpening tool.
“I’m definitely a strength-based 800 runner, but I definitely want to get my footspeed up,” she explained. “Doing races like this along with some of the training I’m doing is going to help that.”
Her footspeed looked pretty good down the stretch Saturday and she kicked past runner-up Natoya Goule of Jamaica by half a second. It’s the latest Penn Relays highlight by a New Jersey great. Olympic gold medalists Sydney McLaughlin and Athing Mu have toed the line here in recent years.
“It’s always super great to see Jersey represent, especially since we always get talked about so badly,” she said with a chuckle. “I don’t know why. Everybody talks trash on my Jersey but it’s the best place ever.”
It certainly produces world-class runners.
“It’s always awesome to be a part of that group,” Wilson said. “I’m proud to be part of the strong Jersey track class.”
Rutgers highlights
As usual, Rutgers sent a contingent to the meet. Sophomore Sincere Robinson placed fourth in the men’s long jump (24-2.25), junior Joshua Mather took fourth in the men’s javelin (225-0), junior Kristina Tossas placed fifth in the women’s long jump (19-11) and senior Jasmine Van Note – a Sayreville High School grad – finished sixth in the women’s shot put (52-6.75).
Jerry Carino has covered the New Jersey sports scene since 1996. Contact him at jcarino@gannettnj.com.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Penn Relays: Rumson-Fair Haven girls run top NJ time; Ajee Wilson wins
