New Jersey’s top track and field athletes took the annual trip to the City of Brotherly Love for one of the most prestigious events on the calendar. 2025 marked another incredible weekend for the Garden State at the 129th edition of the Penn Relays!
Union Catholic and Christian Brothers Academy delivered the performances of the weekend on Friday afternoon at Franklin Field. The Union Catholic team of Sophia Thompson, Taylor Aska, Jimmiea King, and Paige Sheppard dominated the field in the Championship of America Girls Distance Medley Relay, setting a new Penn Relays and state record (11:24.53) to take home the championship. Oak Knoll, Ocean City, and West Windsor-Plainsboro North finished seventh, eighth, and tenth respectively.
CBA followed that up with a come-from-behind victory in the Championship of America Boys Distance Medley Relay. North Carolina commit Joe Barrett broke free on the final lap to give the Colts their second-straight Penn Relay wheel in the event, and the fifth overall in the event. The team of Ryan Schmitt, Evan Fianko, Wyatt Falkowski, and Barrett finished with a total time of 9:59.17. Bernards (6th), Haddonfield (7th), Westfield (8th), and Randolph (10th) rounded out the top-ten finishers in the event.
Livingston’s Jessica Oji gave New Jersey another repeat performance in the High School Girls Shot Put finals. The UPenn commit won earned back-to-back titles and set the third-highest mark in the event.
JSZ’s James Mooney and Tyler Mroz have the story from the University of Pennsylvania:
Jersey Sports Zone’s coverage of Union Catholic is made possible by Trinitas Regional Medical Center in Elizabeth.
Jersey Sports Zone’s coverage of Livingston is brought to you by Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston.
