Montverde Academy runs 3:31.68 to edge Bullis School in 3:32.29 in exceptional 4x400 final, Oregon Distance Project prevails against Ridgefield by 9:44.30 to 9:44.44 margin in dramatic DMR battle and Cuthbertson adds girls outdoor DMR all-time mark of 11:20.44 to indoor record 11:17.50 from March; Bullis triumphs in boys 4x400 in 3:09.43 and girls 4x100 shuttle hurdles in 56.47, with Brown, Cox, Hilby, Odey-Jordan, Raye and Wilmes earning individual titles

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Photos by John Nepolitan

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – The greatest girls 4x400-meter relay showdown in U.S. prep history.

The deepest boys high school distance medley relay race, highlighted by one of the most thrilling finishes ever showcased at New Balance Nationals Outdoor.

The best outdoor girls DMR performance to complement the strongest all-time indoor effort by the same program.

And several other meet and state records Sunday capped a remarkable four-day event at Franklin Field, which continued the momentum from New Balance Nationals Indoor in March in Boston and took the already remarkable standard of excellence to an even higher level.

RESULTS | INTERVIEWS | PHOTOS by John Nepolitan

The final amazing act belonged to Nakira Hudson, Skyler Franklin, Daisia Reed and Alivia Williams, who led Montverde Academy from Florida to a national high school record by clocking 3 minutes, 31.68 seconds to hold off the Bullis School of Maryland quartet of Tatum Lynn, Kennedy Brown, Payton Payne and Morgan Rothwell in 3:32.29 in a memorable 4x400 relay final.

Both programs ran well under the previous all-time high school mark of 3:35.17 achieved April 26 by Bullis School at the same venue at Penn Relays, in addition to achieving the two fastest prep performances at Franklin Field, eclipsing the 2022 effort of 3:32.77 by Hydel of Jamaica.

Perhaps even more impressive was that both lineups were not at full strength, as Bullis competed without Sydney Sutton – who contributed to the Bulldogs’ runner-up finish behind Hydel at Penn Relays – and Montverde Academy ran without Adaejah Hodge and Michelle Smith, both members of the Eagles’ all-time prep indoor 4x400 performance of 3:37.63 in January at the Virginia Showcase, as well as their New Balance Nationals indoor championship effort of 3:38.18 in March.

Every relay race that competed following the boys DMR final had a difficult act to follow, with Tayvon Kitchen, Nicholas Kube, Caleb Doddington and Josiah Tostenson of Oregon Distance Project – competing for Crater High – holding off Magnus Manley, William Diana, Charles Lovett and Steven Hergenrother from Ridgefield High in Connecticut by a 9:44.30 to 9:44.44 margin to set the national high school record.

Both teams eclipsed the 2001 standard of 9:49.78 established by South Lakes High from Virginia, featuring Alan Webb on the anchor.

Not only did Tostenson and Hergenrother both achieve 4:02 splits on their 1,600-meter anchor legs, but they battled for the final 150 meters stride for stride, resulting in the two fastest high performances ever by prep quartets, as well as the top two all-time high school marks at Franklin Field.

Westfield of New Jersey took third in 9:50.11, Herriman from Utah was fourth in 9:56.09, Westford of Massachusetts finished fifth in 9:57.63 and Ridgewood from New Jersey secured sixth in 9:58.01.

Even Calvert Hall from Maryland ran 9:58.32 to earn seventh, joining the other elite programs among the top 25 performances in U.S. prep history.

The Carolina Cavaliers had already achieved the all-time girls high school DMR mark by winning the New Balance Nationals Indoor title in March in 11:17.50, but Justine Preisano, Tatiana Blake, Stella Kermes and Charlotte Bell of Cuthbertson High in North Carolina had some extra motivation entering Sunday’s final after Ventura High from California ran 11:21.85 in April at the Mt. SAC Relays for the fastest outdoor performance in U.S. prep history.

Cuthbertson responded to the challenge, not only completing the New Balance indoor and outdoor championship sweep, but the Carolina Cavaliers clocked 11:20.44 to achieve both all-time marks.

Aelo Curtis, Valentina Fakrogha, Melanie True and Sadie Engelhardt earned a runner-up finish in 11:32.43 for Ventura, with Derby City Athletic Club – with athletes from Assumption High – producing the Kentucky state record by taking third in 11:34.34.

Although Bullis was edged in the girls 4x400 championship, the Bulldogs did capture a pair of relay titles, with Alexander Lambert, Cameron Homer, Julian Roberson and Quincy Wilson running 3:09.43 to capture the boys 4x400 crown and elevate to the No. 9 program in U.S. prep outdoor history, one year removed from finishing 28th at the championship meet in 3:21.82.

McNamara Mustangs from Bishop McNamara High in Maryland was second in the boys 4x400 in 3:12.73, but Bullis completed its sweep of New Balance indoor and outdoor crowns, clocking a national high school all-time indoor mark of 3:11.87 in the March final in Boston.

Bullis also had Solai Russell, Kennedy Flynn, Kassidy Hopkins and Gabby White prevail in the girls 4x100-meter shuttle hurdles relay in 56.47, the No. 7 all-time high school effort, giving the Bulldogs five of the top 10 marks overall. Western Branch from Virginia boasts the other five.

While several relay championships took center stage Sunday, there were still several impressive individual performances, including sophomores winning both 200-meter titles.

Lisa Raye of West Warwick High in Rhode Island, who already triumphed Saturday in the 100-meter dash final in a wind-legal 11.26, added the 200 crown in a wind-legal 22.77, holding off Franklin (23.00) and Hodge (23.01) from Montverde Academy.

Raye, who was victorious in both the freshman 100 and 200 national finals last year in Philadelphia in 11.64 and 23.58, concluded her sophomore year with the fastest all-conditions 200 in the country with a wind-aided 22.73, along with the top wind-legal high school effort as well.

Jake Odey-Jordan, already a member of the 4x200 championship quartet for Archbishop Carroll, completed his sweep of New Balance indoor and outdoor 200 titles by clocking a wind-legal 20.55 in the final.

Zamarii Sanders, another sophomore at American Heritage High in Florida who won the 100 crown Saturday, finished second in the 200 final in 20.75.

The 800 championships showcased the expected outcome in the boys final, but a surprise winner in the girls competition.

Patrick Hilby of Aurora Central Catholic not only swept New Balance indoor and outdoor titles, but his 1:47.55 performance eclipsed the Illinois state record of 1:47.70 achieved by Daniel Watcke of Hinsdale Central.

Brendan Herger from Northville High in Michigan, competing for Six Mile, secured second in 1:48.08.

The penultimate section in the girls 800 produced an exciting finish, as Elyse Wilmes of Father Tolton Regional Catholic in Missouri edged Alexandra O’Rourke from Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake in New York by a 2:04.92 to 2:04.98 margin.

Those marks eventually held up as the top two efforts overall, after Ali Ince from Normal Community in Illinois prevailed in the last section of the timed finals in 2:05.10, helping Wilmes capture the title.

Yashahya Brown from Washington Township in New Jersey held off Anthony Waterman of DeMatha Catholic in Maryland by a 13.52 to 13.55 margin in the boys 110-meter hurdles final.

Taylor Cox achieved an individual victory for Union Catholic of New Jersey, to go along with their 4x200 and 4x800 relay titles, winning the 100-meter hurdles final in a wind-legal 13.38 seconds ahead of Madeline Cooper from Drew Charter School in Georgia in 13.56.

Cox, also the New Balance indoor 60-meter hurdles champion, contributed to Union Catholic producing a state record in the 4x100 relay final, as the Vikings placed second in 45.48, trailing Jasmine Cook, Jasmine Sharps, Simisola Balogun and Naaema Solomon from Archbishop Carroll in 45.36.

Kobe Mack, Antwan Hughes, Jr., Jaylin Bacote and Micah Walker of Mustang Track Club, with competitors from Parkland High in North Carolina, prevailed in the boys 4x100 relay final in 40.47.

Elijah Dotson, Timothy Pinard, Will Jaiden Smith and Schmar Gamble helped Ann Arbor Youth Track Club, with athletes from Belleville High, set the Michigan state record in the boys 4x110-meter shuttle hurdles relay and elevate to the No. 12 program in U.S. prep history at 57.81.

Khalil Antoine from Hillhouse High in Connecticut added a high jump victory to his triple jump triumph Saturday, clearing 7-2.25 (2.19m) on his final attempt to earn another gold medal.

Abraham Johnson of Westmont High in Illinois was runner-up, clearing 6-10.75 (2.10m).

Scott Sloan from Wheeler High in Rhode Island, competing for the Wheeler Warriors, won the boys javelin throw crown with a third-round effort of 206-6 (62.95m).

Tyson Schiele of Ontario, Canada, was second at 201-7 (61.44m), also in the third round.

Sophia Mazzoni became the first athlete from Derry High in Pennsylvania to win a New Balance title, producing the top four throws overall in the girls javelin competition, including a third-round performance of 156-11 (47.82m).

Danah Nembhard from Dacula High in Georgia, competing for APEX Track Club, rallied with a wind-legal leap in the sixth round of the girls long jump to triumph with a 20-1 (6.12m) effort.

Kassidi Watkins of Mustang High in Oklahoma jumped 20-0.25 (6.10m) in the sixth round to secure second place, with Marley Richard from the St. Charles Striders and Destrehan High in Louisiana taking third with an opening-round mark of 19-11.75 (6.09m).

Quincy Isaac from Canton High in Michigan, the Division 1 state champion, produced a wind-legal effort of 24-2.25 (7.37m) in the first round of the boys long jump final and never looked back.

Clayton Gary of Sidwell Friends in Washington D.C. placed second at 23-8.25 (7.22m).