Penn Relays Preview: A PA-Centric Look at the Weekend

The defending champ returns to the this event this year. And that, of course, is Springside Chestnut Hill's Brooklynn Broadwater. Broadwater has already gotten off to a hot start this 2016 outdoor season. Broadwater put up a couple of sick times in the hurdles in consecutive weeks. At the Neshaminy Track Classic, she won in a current US#3 time of 58.95 in the 400 hurdles. Then just days later at Abington in the 300 hurdles, Broadwater was just .65 off Leah Nugent's state record in the event, running a 41.75.

Broadwater has the experience of being a defending champion at Penn and has absolutely smashed the times she ran last year. But she'll have to deal with plenty of national talent on Thursday morning.

Brandee' Johnson of Virginia ran 40.87 in the 300 hurdles earlier this month at the Texas Relays.  Johnson also ran a US#4 1:00.43 in the 400 meter hurdles at the Taco Bell Classic. North Carolina's Anna Cockrell ran a 57.77 at the Taco Bell Classic, which is the current US#1 over the 400 meter hurdles.

Broadwater will benefit from the fact that Franklin Field is in her backyard in Philadelphia and Johnson and Cockrell will have to travel, but nonetheless, this will be an interesting race for sure.

Also in the field from Pennsylvania is South Western's Lynne Mooradian (PA#2 300mH), Dieruff's Mahendra McWhite (PA#10 300mH), and Methacton's Caroline Duffy are also in the field. Mooradian in particular will be one to watch after a huge PR in the 300 hurdles at Shippensburg last weekend.

Penn Wood's Terri Turner and her Penn Wood team will look to qualify for Friday's CoA in the 4x800 (Photo by Patty Morgan)

High School Girls' 4x800 Small Schools - Event 103 (Thursday 10:30 AM)

Penn Wood leads the charge for the host state in the small school girls' 4x800. They are yet to run a hot 4x800, but they certainly have the pieces to do so as evidenced from a successful indoor season where they ran a 9:18 season best.

Villa Joseph Marie ran a very solid PA#4 9:30.67 at the BAL Invite a few weeks ago and should be one to watch. The Strath Haven girls are fresh off a win at the Great Valley Relays last weekend.  Always strong Cardinal O'Hara, with Olivia Arizin, could definitely contend as well. Also in the field from PA is PA#20 Shikellamy and PA#22 Penncrest.

High School Girls' 4x800 Small Schools - Event 104 (Thursday 10:40 AM)

In the second heat of the small school girls' 4x800, there's some more good PA representation. Great Valley, led by Anna Willig has the potential for a big race. They ran well at indoor states, competing closely with eventual state record-breaking North Penn. Great Valley ran 9:20 indoors.

The Academy of Notre Dame, with PA#2 individual in the 800, Mikayla Schneider, should factor in, as should PA#15 Owen J. Roberts (which ran that time back on March 24) with Allison Brunton and Hershey, who sits at PA#9.

North Penn will be a serious contender for Penn Relays glory in the 4x800 (Photo by Patty Morgan)

High School Girls' 4x800 Large Schools - Event 105 (Thursday 10:50 AM)

In the first section of the large schools, 4x800, Perkiomen Valley heads the PA class of teams. The Vikings took third place in the event at indoor states. They haven't gone after a 4x800 yet this outdoor season, but they should be ready to go Thursday.

Fourth at indoor was Pennridge. They ran a PA#17 9:39 at the CB West Relays last week and are prepared for more in this heat this weekend. PA#14 Downingtown East rounds out the field in this race from PA.

High School Girls' 4x800 Large Schools - Event 106 (Thursday 11:00 AM)

North Penn will be the team to watch on Thursday morning as they look to get themselves into the COA. They ran 9:05 indoors and will certainly be a factor come Thursday. They are currently PA#2 in the event.

Wilson (3) is PA#3 after a great start to their season at the Oxenreider Relays where they ran 9:27. They'll certainly be looking for a shot an entry to the next day. PA#5 Central Bucks West, led up top by recent indoor champ Maddie Villalba, should factor in. So will Ridley, which dropped a sick PA#7 at Delcos a few weeks ago.

PA#13 State College and PA#16 Coatesville makes up the field of next day hopefuls.

Amazingly, here's a photo with all five PA Penn Relays 3000m entries from indoor states (Photo by Ethan Rissell)

High School Girls' 3000m Championship Presented by US Marines - Event 161 (Thursday, 6:05 PM)

The Keystone State has plenty of representation in the championship 3000 meters, set for Thursday evening.

First, let's start with the national contenders. Virginia's Weini Kelati has had a monster season, complete with a Foot Locker Nationals title and a big indoor season, where she claimed the NBNI crowns over both 5000 meters  (16:08) and two miles (10:02). Then there's Libby Davidson, also from Virginia, who took sixth at Foot Locker Nationals and finished second to Kelati in the two mile at indoor nats.

New York's Jessica Lawson, New York's Diana Vizza, and Connecticut's Hannah DeBalsi will be among some of the other national faces to watch for.

Abbe Goldstein of Germantown Academy hasn't raced yet this outdoor season, but the junior will definitely be a factor on Thursday. In her last race, she took fifth in the NBNI two mile (won by Kelati) in 10:20.55. En route, Goldstein split a 9:38.34 for 3000 meters. That should put her in the conversation for a big race. Look for Goldstein to hang with the leaders on Thursday.

After a great duel at indoor states in the 3K, Scranton Prep's Erin Feeney and Downingtown West's Aislinn Devlin are in the field, too. Feeney won that battle with Devlin at indoor states, but Devlin got the best of her at nationals. Like Goldstein, both are expected to mix it up up front on Thursday.

Also from Germantown Academy and in the field is Maggie Hallahan. Hallahan is fresh off a breakout indoor campaign, where she took fifth in the 3K at states and ran a 10:04 3000 meters at nationals. Dallas' Ally Rome is in the field, too. Rome will likely have sub-10 on her mind after clocking a 10:00.62 at indoor states in February.

Cumberland Valley's Mady Clahane raced the 3000 last year, but she'll contest the mile this year 

High School Girls' Mile Run Championship - Event 162 (Thursday, 6:15 PM)

The lone PA representative is Cumberland Valley's Mady Clahane. Clahane has had a busy indoor season thus far. Her best 1600 came in a duel meet against Carlisle, where she ran a 5:08.20. Last year, she ran the 3000m at Penn, placing eighth. The senior has that experience and will look to turn it into something on Thursday evening.

Get ready for Sargent vs. Wilkinson round two! (Photo by Don Rich)

High School Girls' Distance Medley Championship of America Presented by Athletics Eco-Reps and Green Campus Partnership - Event 163 (Thursday, 6:20 PM)

Highlighting the final high school event of the day are a handful of strong Pennsylvania individuals, who gave up on a chance to compete individually on Thursday for the sake of the team in the DMR. Friends' Central, Pennsbury, and Unionville are in the fields.

Friends' Central and Pennsbury will see each other for the first time in the DMR since their epic (to put it lightly) battle at indoor states. Pennsbury's Olivia Sargent held off a hard-charging Gabrielle Wilkinson of Friends' Central for the win. The battle will be on once more between these two strong relay teams.

Unionville will be an interesting team to watch. They are fresh off a couple monster performances at West Chester Henderson's Warrior Invitational last Friday night. Unionville walked away with a pair of PA#1s. One came from Kacie Breeding (4:57.09 1600m) and the other came from Anna Juul (2:11.88 800m). We don't know yet what the order will be, but they have the strength to contend surely.

Lake Braddock from Virginia come in as the favorites. Star Kate Murphy, who has run a 4:39 mile indoors, leads them up front. Saratoga Springs (NY) and Palos Verdes (CA) should also be big factors in the race.