Girls' 4x800m Relay Preview
The girls 4x800 meter relay will start things off on Sunday, with the first event of the day. And as always the field is jam-packed with some of the nation's top 3,200 meter relay squads.
Neumann Goretti enters at PA No. 1 and the Saints will be looking to defend their indoor state crown after capturing the win last winter before winning the national title in state record-setting fashion. It's a different look team than last year, but it's still a talented quartet that will be favored to take the title.
NG went 9:16.97 for third place at the Millrose Games. The Central Bucks West girls took fifth at Millrose in 9:20.36, so West will be looking to reverse its fortune against Neumann Goretti this time around. CBW is fresh of winning the DVGTCA MOC title and has a wealth of middle distance talent to put on the line. Expect them to be right near the front.
Penn Charter, the reigning state champions in the DMR, will go after the 4x8 on Sunday (in addition to the DMR later in the day). PC made a big statement with a 9:19.28 and PA No. 2 effort at the Philly Public League Invite in a runaway effort. With plenty of company in this field, expect Penn Charter to drop some serious time and compete for the victory.
Pennridge has had a great season in the 4x8, dropping a 9:23 at Kevin Dare for a dominant victory. Now the Rams return to Penn State, looking for more. They took eighth at Millrose, so there is plenty of big meet experience behind this group. Friends' Central, meanwhile, has a season best of 9:28 that came on Lehigh's flat track. This team is loaded in the middle distance events and will certainly be a factor with the lead pack.
Little separates the next echelon of squads that includes Carnival champs Northeastern (flat track 9:40.00), DVGTCA MOC runners-up Penncrest (flat track 9:42.08), Unionville (9:41.25), State College Area (9:42.62), and TSTCA champs Bethel Park (9:42.77). All will be in the mix for medals in this extremely deep field.
Event 1 Girls 4x800 Meter Relay ============================================================ =================== Meet Record: 9:09.52 3/1/2014 Strath Haven, Strath Haven B Irons, J Kenney, A Wilson, K Miller 9:55.38 SGQ State Guideline School ============================== ============================== =================== 1 Academy of Notre Dame 2 Baldwin 3 Bethel Park 4 Central Bucks West 5 Council Rock North 6 Downingtown West 7 Episcopal Academy 8 Friends' Central 9 Neumann Goretti 10 North Penn 11 Northeastern 12 Penn Charter 13 Penncrest 14 Pennridge 15 Pennsbury 16 Radnor 17 Saint Joseph's Catholic Academ 18 State College Area High School 19 Strath Haven 20 Unionville 21 West Chester Henderson