Neumann-Goretti girls are disappointed with third, and Haddonfield is happy with fifth in Penn Relays 4x800

Beneath the stands atop Franklin Field during Friday afternoon’s soggy edition of the 125th Penn Relays, two girls’ 4x800-meter relay teams were separated by about 15 feet in physical proximity, almost 15 seconds on a stopwatch and perhaps 15 miles in expectations.

That explains the scene after Neumann-Goretti’s experienced girls’ squad was disappointed to finish third, while Haddonfield’s quartet of sophomores took fifth, earning a medal, mettle and more moisture — albeit the joyous kind — on a day lengthened by two rain delays.

Haddonfield track coach Jason Russo, tears clinging to the corner’s of his eyes, waited for his crew by a brick wall along the concrete concourse athletes must use to exit Franklin Field after completion of their races.

Seconds earlier, three sullen Neumann-Goretti Saints trudged along the same wall, stopping just beyond Russo to wait for a teammate who had stopped to take off her soaked shoes. The event started about an hour after its 1:05 p.m. scheduled start time because of severe rain earlier in the morning.

Last year at the Penn Relays, the Saints set a school record of 8 minuttes, 57.09 seconds and finished second overall.

This year, despite the graduation of his standout daughter, Sydni Townsend, who now stars at the University of Pittsburgh, Saints’ coach Lincoln Townsend said that the team wanted to win the event outright.

Via phone after Friday’s race, Townsend also said the girls were disappointed by Friday’s finish but added that they would learn from the experience.

Junior Kami Joi Hickson anchored the Saints and ran the third fastest split (2:12.12) in the entire event.

(Sanaiya Watts passes the baton to Hickson below).

Last month, Neumann-Goretti won the New Balance indoor national championship and set a Pennsylvania state record of 9:02.17.

Jamaica’s Edwin Allen, however, took first Friday, finishing at 8:54.02. Union Catholic was second in 9:00.36 as the best American finisher.

On Friday, the same Saints squad that won the indoor national championship -- Dasia Wilson, Makayla Perry, Sanaiya Watts and Hickson -- finished at 9:03.07.

About 15 seconds later (9:18.37), Haddonfield’s Sarah Naticchia (2:17.53), Lindsay Colflesh (2:21.40), Payton Weiner (2:19.48) and Allison Colflesh (2:19.97) celebrated together near the finish line.

The team of sophomores, which includes the twin Colflesh sisters, eventually made their way to Russo, who couldn’t help but give them what they wanted.

“We go into every race saying we want to make Coach Russo cry,” said Naticchia, who joined the track team this season. “And every time we do it, it’s just the best accomplishment in the world.”

“When they [race] like that,” Russo said, “I have a tough time keeping it in. That’s just my nature. I’m a softy.”

His team was anything but.

“They’re learning," he said, “but they can go out and race tough, like seasoned vets, and what more can you ask for than that?”

Friday marked the quartet’s third 4x800 competition of the week, including Thursday’s preliminary and a regular-season conference meet on Tuesday.

“Today, knowing that they were tired, that they were excited to be here and go against the best not only in this country but in other countries, and to finish fifth is special,” he said, tears returning to his eyes. “That’s beyond toughness.”

In other events, Jonah Hoey of Bishop Shanahan was third in the mile in 4:19.17, and Martin Riddell of Haddonfield was 14th in the 3,000 in 8:41.69. Cole Peterlin of Perkiomen Valley was ninth in the high jump at 6-3½.

Ricky Ortega of Coatesville was sixth in the javelin throw at 190-4, and teammate Aaron Young was 12th at 169-7. Devon Tate of Lower Merion was 13th at 165-4.

In the boys’ shot put, Olatide Abinusawa of Germantown Academy was eighth with a throw of 56-11.

Keep an eye on tomorrow

In a field of 96 relay teams on Friday, Coatesville’s boys’ 4x100 team logged the third-fastest time at 41:55 seconds, besting everyone except Jamaica’s Kingston College (41.05) and St. Jago (41.40). The boys’ 4x100 championship of America is scheduled for Saturday at 2:04 p.m.