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Track and field: South Jersey athletes to watch at Penn Relays

Phil Anastasia previews some of the top local teams, runners and throwers.

Here are some South Jersey athletes at the 123rd annual Penn Relays track and field carnival, which starts in earnest on Thursday and runs through Saturday at historic Franklin Field on the University of Pennsylvania campus:

Relays

Egg Harbor Township has run 3:18.45 in the 4x400 and 7:48.92 in the 4x800, so the Eagles could make their mark in both events.

Deptford (42.36) and Pennsauken (42.67), who battled big-time at the Woodbury Relays on Saturday, are teams to watch in the 4x100.

On a side note, watch out for Jamaica's Calabar in the relays this weekend. At the island championships earlier this spring, Calabar ran 39.43 (yes, 39.43) in the 4x100 and 3:08.72 in the 4x400.

With warm weather, a huge crowd and great competition, it will be fascinating to see what those guys can do this weekend at Penn.

Individual events

The javelin should feature three local athletes as Holy Spirit's Cade Antonucci, who has thrown 206-10, Rancocas Valley's Nick Mirabelli (206-8) and Timber Creek's Alex Georgiou have qualified.

Collingswood's Adam Hunt, who threw 164-3 at the Woodbury Relays and has a PR of 176-6, has qualifed in the discus and Winslow Township's Jamil Adams has made the field in the 400 hurdles.

Relays

Seneca (9:24.66) and Shawnee (9:24.44) have teams to watch in the 4x800.

Winslow Township has run 3:51.49 in the 4x400 and 47.44 in the 4x100 and the Eagles also could make their mark in both races with junior star Shakira Dancy on the anchor.

Sterling (12:04.62) is a team to watch in the distance medley.

Individual events

Haddonfield's Briana Gess and Kingsway's Rachel Vick both qualified for the mile, while Mainland's Alyssa Aldridge is a runner to watch in the 3000 meters.

The javelin on the girls' side is similar to the event on the boys' side, with heavy South Jersey flavor in qualifiers Danielle Steff and Julianne Foering of Rancocas Valley along with Brielle Smith of Oakcrest and Alexa Gardner of Hammonton. Smith won the event on Saturday at Woodbury with a throw of 134-6.

Winslow Township's Tionna Tobias, who won at Woodbury with a leap of 18-4.5, has qualified in the long jump and Tiarra Hooker of Tiumber Creek has made the field in the high jump.

Vineland's Najeaya Singleton is an athlete to watch in the shot put and Palmyra's Tomara Carmichael, who threw 126-8 at Woodbury, has made the field in the discus.

Sterling's Sydney Coppolino and Absegami's Joshonda Johnson have qualified in the 400 hurdles.