The last time St. Peter’s Prep won a gold medal at the prestigious track and field event called the Penn Relays Carnival at Franklin Field in Philadelphia, Najee Glass wasn’t even born.
The Prep freshman had no idea that it had been since 1995 that the Marauders had won an event at the Penn Relays. When he got to Philly last week, the 14-year-old Glass was just trying to capture the full experience at the world’s most famous track meet.
“I didn’t expect us to win,” Glass said.
But veteran Prep head coach Mike Burgess thought there was a shot.
“I felt we had a good relay team last year and we were in good position to win last year, but our anchor man couldn’t hold the lead,” Burgess said. “I thought we had a very good shot this year with Najee running the anchor. We were definitely putting ourselves in a position to win a medal.”
So if the Marauders were going to create a little slice of history, they were going to do it with a kid who wasn’t even on the planet the last time the Marauder track and field program enjoyed Penn Relay glory.
“We had some silvers over the years,” Burgess said. “We also won a bronze. But that was it.”
Senior James Murduca was part of two Prep teams that went to the Penn Relays the last two years and came up short.
“We were really looking forward to this year, especially after what happened the last two years,” said Murduca, the younger brother of former Hudson Reporter Softball Player of the Year Leigh Ann from St. Dominic Academy. “When you go to the Penn Relays, it makes you realize how great the sport really is. You see the passion and see everyone so excited. It’s a great event. No question, we wanted to win.”
With teammates Savon Huggins and Corey Davis, two standouts from the Prep football squad in the fall, the Marauders set out to win their heat in the 4X400 relay, also known in layman’s terms as the mile relay.
Sure enough, Murduca got his dream fulfilled as a senior, before he heads off to The College of New Jersey in the fall. Glass attained his glory as a freshman. The sophomore Huggins and the junior Davis, both of whom are off to bigger and better things as grid stars, also tasted a little bit of the legendary glory. Prep had its first Penn Relays gold medal in 14 years, winning their heat in 3:22.95
“To go there and win the gold is very impressive,” Burgess said. “It’s a great feeling. Winning is one thing, but the time really surprised me.”
Not only did the mile relay team win, but the 4X100 (400 meters) relay team posted a brilliant time of 43.16, which was the third fastest 400-meter relay time in New Jersey and the 25th in the entire nation.
The 4X100 relay team also comprised of football standouts, namely Huggins, Ducarmel Hyacinthe, Greg Kohles and Sheldon Royster. Both relay teams set new school records at the Penn Relays.
Needless to say, it was a day to remember.
“To establish two new records at Penn? It’s amazing,” Burgess said. “I don’t know if it can get better than that.”
Huggins, who should be among the best running backs in the area come time for football season in the fall, was elated to be part of two new school records.
“I guess you can say that it’s a blessing,” Huggins said. “To do something that hadn’t been done before. I was the only person to be involved with two school records. It goes down in history. I like that.”
Huggins was asked what running track does for his football prowess.
“It shows that I have the ability to run and builds the confidence up for football,” Huggins said. “It’s a good feeling. I also definitely feel that having so many football players on this team helps, because we’re bonded together from football and that’s just carried over.”
Burgess embraces the idea that there are as many as 12 football players participating in track and field this spring at Grand and Warren.
“It’s the second biggest number of football players we’ve ever had,” Burgess said. “I’ve been trying to say for the longest time that football and track become a great combination. It helps the football players prepare for the next level, where speed is the key.”
It also helps that Rich Hansen, Jr., the son of head football coach and athletic director Rich and an assistant football coach as well, is Burgess’ assistant coach this spring with the Marauder track team.
“He’s been a big addition and brought out a lot of kids to track this year,” Burgess said.
Davis, a two-time Hudson Reporter All-Area honoree as a defensive back, knows that track and field takes a maximum effort.
“Track is definitely different than football,” Davis said. “I have worked harder in track when I realized it wasn’t like football. It didn’t come to me as easily as football did. It definitely keeps me in shape all year. Just like in football, speed kills and we have the speed. I think coming from football helps us a lot, because we already have that will to win.”
“Track has definitely helped me a lot for football,” said Glass, who won a medal at the NJSIAA Indoor Meet of Champions in February. “Football keeps me strong. It also helps me to have so many football players on this team, because if I don’t do good, they’re going to let me know about it. I’m only good because of them.”
Needless to say, it’s been a whirlwind freshman year for young Glass.
“As a 14-year-old freshman, I never dreamed that anything like this could happen,” Glass said. “I didn’t expect to win at the Meet of Champions and I worked very hard for that. Now, we go to the Penn Relays and win a gold medal and plaque. I never expected that. It makes me want to work hard over the next three years to bring another one back.”
It also sets the tone for the Marauders to do well in upcoming team events. They were slated to run in the Jersey City championships on Wednesday. The HCIAA and Hudson County Track Coaches Association meets will follow.
“If we can stay healthy, it’s going to be a good couple of weeks,” Burgess said.
“We know how we can stack up against other teams,” Davis said. “We know how good we can be.”
In 2007, Davis got his first chance to shine on a grand stage, playing running back for the Marauders, when he came off the bench to lead the team to a big win over Delbarton to start that season in the Kickoff Classic at Giants Stadium. Now, he gets more glory at a venue like the Penn Relays. Not many kids have chances like that, winning at Giants Stadium and at Franklin Field.
“It’s definitely right up there, running in front of all those people in such a historic event,” Davis said. “It’s really special.”
One for the memory books.
Jim Hague can be reached at OGSMAR@aol.com.