Christ the King Regional School is back on top at the Penn Relays.
The school’s girls 4×100 relay team captured gold at the 126th running of the Penn Relays April 29 at Franklin Field in Philadelphia. The team of Sophia Kalaustian, Hayden Hall, Dylan Hall and Yasmin Willie recorded a time of 56.40 to edge out the field of Camden Diocese competitors on the University of Pennsylvania’s campus, adding another trophy to the Haddonfield school’s crowded trophy case.
“The girls trained really hard for this,” said Christ the King first year track and cross-country coach Kirk Earney. “They were really excited about participating, and once they actually won, they were really, really excited.”
The Penn Relays annually attracts an estimated 15,000 athletes for three days of approximately 300 track and field events. The signature showcase was canceled the last two years because of the pandemic but returned to its normal spot in late April this year.
The Christ the King girls actually defended their championship, as the team of Bella Miller, Lilli Santomauro, Sydney Urbach and Anne Earp won it in 2019 in a time of 54.84. But after a two-year break, this was the first opportunity for any of this year’s squad to participate at Penn.
“We have two seniors on our [relay] team,” Earney said. “And not having Penn Relays for two years, they were in fifth grade the last time we went. So they were just happy to be able to compete in their last year and be on a winning relay team.”
Kalaustian and Hayden Hall are eighth-graders this year. Willie and Hayden Hall’s sister Dylan are sixth-graders. A third Hall sister, Curran, is a high school sophomore at Merion Mercy Academy in Philadelphia and helps coach the team at Christ the King. It made it extra special for a trio of siblings to taste victory together. Moreover, it will certainly give the team some momentum heading into big league events down the stretch.
“They’re still on a high,” Earney said. “They are going to race a few of the same teams again in the league championship. Saint Rose was our closest competitor, and we’ll see them again.”
Haddon Heights’ Saint Rose of Lima girls finished less than half a second behind with a time of 56.81. Catholic Partnership finished third, Saint Margaret Regional School of Woodbury Heights took fourth, and Guardian Angels rounded out the top-five.
The Christ the King girls earned a plaque for winning the race. It’s something their coach attempted to win at Haddon Township High School in the 1990s.
“We didn’t win though,” Earney said. “It was very cool to be back there and get a win with this team.”
Christ the King competed in both the boys and girls 4×100 relay events, and the boys team of Kiernan Berna, Christian Rodriguez, Joey Dever and A.J. Blum posted a time of 54.87, which earned them a fifth-place spot.
“The boys worked hard as well,” said Earney. “They had a little bit of a fumbling exchange where they lost a few seconds, but overall they did well. I’m really proud of both teams.”
The boys race was won by Catholic Partnership; Resurrection Catholic School’s team (Cherry Hill) of Christopher Monaghan, Blane Amerman, Jack Galetta and Hayden Ciullo finished second with a time of 52.27. Paulsboro’s Guardian Angels Regional School took third place, and Our Lady of Mount Carmel Regional School in Berlin grabbed fourth.
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