Haddonfield boys redeem themselves in Relays DMR

Even if Haddonfield High School was having itself a day, the Penn Relays reminded the team how great the competition can be.

Third through fifth place - Concord-Carlisle (Mass.), River Dell Regional, and Haddonfield - in the distance medley Championship of America race was decided by fractions of a second - 10 minutes, 10.33 seconds, 10:10.36 and 10:10.62.

It was even closer for winner Loudon Valley (Va.), in 10:00.003, and runner-up La Salle Academy (R.I.), in 10:00.004.

The difference between those two groups was much larger.

"It's crazy watching those teams. We're running a great race, and they're 10 seconds ahead of us," said Austin Stoner, who ran the 800-meter leg for Haddonfield in 1:55.59. "It's pretty crazy just to be a part of a relay with that kind of finish that fast."

To Haddonfield's credit, its time was impressive, too. The group, which also included Derek Gess (3:10.84 for 1,200 meters), Luke Colehower (50.06 for 400), and Greg Pelose (4:14.13 for 1,600), finished just one second off the school record.

The Bulldawgs learned from what they called a lackluster showing at last year's Relays. This year, they remained composed, especially during a frantic first leg that featured runners stumbling over one another.

Stoner, a senior, also overcame the fact that he had been racing for only a week since returning from an injury.

"It's great to have him back on the squad. He came back really strong," Pelose said. "It's nice to get a little redemption from last year."

After two years of sitting in the stands at the Penn Relays because of not hitting the qualifying time, Cherry Hill East senior Aaron Groff finally found himself on the track at Franklin Field Friday.

He made his moment, or moments, count in the 3,000 championship. His mind-set: stay clear up top.

"Especially in the early stages of the race, I just tried to not kind of not exactly zone out, but not overthink things and just run smoothly," said Groff, who ran a personal-record time of 8:27.07 to finish seventh.

The Penn recruit was in with the pack following a quick start but gradually began to go ahead and overtake runners at each straightaway.

It was a combination of a sure-fire strategy and looks at the big-screen feed, and pursuit of eventual winner Eric van der Els of McMahon (Conn.). The two had some history coming in. Groff came up short to Els at indoor nationals in the 5K. He was right there with him again Friday.

"I saw him all of sudden just go and pass kids like crazy. I think at that point, just being with him, I just kind of naturally started to move," Groff said of Els, who won in 8:20.11. "With about two laps to go, I realized a lot of these kids are hurting. I could really move up."

In other action, Rancocas Valley's Robert Marks had a distance of 183 feet in the javelin throw for ninth place.

In the 4x100 large- schools race, Pennsauken placed ninth in 42.97 to qualify for the 4x100 consolation Saturday at 1:55 p.m. The team of Nazhir Russell, Marquan Jones, Ryan Wemegah, and Martin Booker Jr. earned another day at the Relays.

One event before that, Deptford took 18th at 43.20 in the 4x100 small- schools race, and Camden was 28th in 43.51.

Julian Giovanetti of Haddon Township came in 14th in the discus throw championship with a throw of 146 feet, 11 inches.