EAST ORANGE – Cory Poole and his East Orange Campus High School boys’ 4×400-meter relay teammates enjoyed a stellar day at the 122nd Penn Relays at Franklin Field in Philadelphia, Pa. on Saturday, April 30.
Poole, a junior, finished fourth in his heat and fifth overall in the 400-meter intermediate hurdles in 53.38, the No. 1 time in the state this season.
Poole then anchored the 4×400-meter relay to a first-place finish in its heat with a split of 47.71 and an overall time of 3:17.22, which was the ninth fastest time overall and the third fastest among American teams. The field included 574 teams.
Sophomore Immyouri Etienne ran the leadoff in 51.26, followed by the Lindo brothers, sophomore Akeem Lindo in 48.09 and junior Willesley Lindo in 50.17, and Poole.
The Jaguars missed the Championship of America race by just .28. The top eight teams made it to the Championship of America race.
Poole last summer was a member of the U.S. team that competed in the World Youth Championships.
The Jaguars have progressed from their finishes at the Penn Relays. Last season at the Penn Relays, the EOCHS boys’ 4×400 took second. Two years ago, they took third.
“We came to Penn Relays with one goal and the goal was to drop a fast time as well as have fun and be competitive,” said EOCHS boys’ head coach Lance Wigfall.
Wigfall said he and his coaching staff have focused on specific events at different meets this season.
“For (them) to run 3:17 for the first time running together as unit, it was great,” Wigfall said.
On the girls’ side for EOCHS, seniors Mary Pierre-Louis and Adelia Francis, sophomore Kevaray Gillette and freshman Mellica Gordon enjoyed excellent performances in the 4×100 and 4×400 on the first day of the Penn Relays on Thursday, April 28, clocking personal bests in both events.
In the 4×400, they won their heat in 4:09.29. They took second in the 4×100 heat in 50.01. In both events, Pierre-Louis ran the leadoff leg, followed by Gordon, Francis and Gillette.
“Those performances were pretty amazing,” said EOCHS assistant coach Rolanda Bruce. “They just put everything on the track that we worked on during the week. We prepared for it any way we can and I just told them to put everything on the track. I told them, ‘we run twice in one day and just do what you need to do.’ ”
The Jaguars will gear up for the Essex County Relays on Friday, May 6, at Livingston High School.
“Right now, it’s all about staying healthy and staying focused,” Wigfall said. “The goal from the coaches to the athletes is to be smart and be patient. With patience, we are right on time with everything.”
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