Bernstein Grabs Shot Put Medal at Penn Relays

PHILADELPHIA–Taylor Bernstein figured he'd come to the Penn Relays, toss a few shot puts with the best high-school athletes in the country, and perhaps record a personal best.

He wound up earning a medal.

Seeded 19th, the Montville senior emerged to the field of eight, then place fifth in the event with a throw of 55 feet, 9 1/4 inches.

The top five finishers receive medals.

"I wasn't expecting this at all," Bernstein said. "I was trying to get a personal best, not going for a medal. This is awesome."

With plenty of time left in the track and field season, Bernstein still has time to best his career-high 57.1-footer. Dressed in his school's green with white chalk forming a scarf around the right side of his neck, the Monmouth-bound Bernstein was an animated sort on Friday afternoon, with each toss generating some sort of groan as he left his feet.

As well as he performed, Bernstein knew coming in that he had no chance of winning. The top thrower was going to again be his good friend and workout partner, Morristown's Nick Vena.

Vena electrified the crowd to become the only high school athlete to win an event in four straight years. He won on Friday with a 72-foot, 9 1/4-inch toss that shattered his own Penn Relays record set in 2009.

The record-setting heave came on Vena's final turn. The shot put cratered in the sand and crashed into a wooden retaining wall on one bounce, creating a wave of gasps, then applause.

"That was an amazing bomb," Bernstein said. "I'm glad I ran over to the side to watch. He does that a lot, though."

Though Bernstein was Montville's only medal winner, he wasn't the only Mustang to compete in the three-day event, now in its 117th year. Among the athletes who gathered at Franklin Field, on the University of Pennsylvania campus, included pole vaulter Kirsten Muhaw, and a girls and boys relay team.

Muhaw vaulted 11 feet, 1 3/4 inches, putting her in an eight-way tie for sixth place. The top height was 12 5 1/2 inches recorded by Atlee's (Mechanicsville, Va.) Cameron Overstreet.

A quartet of Jennica Leftin, Kayla Riccelli, Becca Fano, Julia Rizio raced in the 4x100 on Thursday, coming in at 51.79. They were fourth in their heat, and finished 110th overall out of 321 teams. For the boys, Christian Works, Booker McLean, James Brania-Hopp and Jared McPherson competed in Friday's 4x400 run, and recorded a time of 48.72. They finished seventh in their heat.

Results for Event 617: High School Boys' Shot Put Championship
1. Nick Vena, Morristown, 72-9 1/4.
2. Emmanuel Onyia, Munro College (St. Elizabeth, Jamaica), 65-4 3/4.
3. Oshinia Miller, Calabar (Kingston, Jamaica), 64-10.
4. Isaiah Simmons Woodbridge (Woodbridge, Va.), 63-2 3/4. 5. Taylor Bernstein, Montville Township, 55-9 1/4.
6. Dontaye Rivera, Pleasantville (Pleasantville), 54-7 1/2.
7. Praduman Singh, Upper Darby (Upper Darby, Pa.), 53-8 1/4.
8. Patrick Cole, Hasbrouck Heights (Hasbrouck Heights), 53-7.
9. Michael Seminario, Fordham Prep (Bronx, N.Y.), 52-10 3/4.
10. A.J. Wolf, Hackley School (Tarrytown, N.Y.), 52-10 3/4.
11. Scott Rushton, Episcopal Academy (Newtown Square, Pa.), 52-4.
12. Brian Waterfield, Great Bridge (Chesapeake, Va.), 51-11 1/4.
13. Tom Buffone, Manalapan (Manalapan), 50-11.
14. Brandon Reynolds, Kings Park (Kings Park, N.Y.), 50-7 1/4.
15. Terrance Edwards, Norristown (Norristown, Pa), 50-5 1/2.
16. Traven Mable, Willingboro (Willingboro), 49-10 1/2.
17. Brendan Lamy, Wilson (West Lawn, Pa.), 46-11 1/2.

Results for Event 509: High School Girls' Pole Vault Championship
1. Cameron Overstreet, Atlee (Mechanicsville, Va.), 12 ft. 5 1/2 in.
2. Kayla Polcari, Ridgewood (Ridgewood), 12-5 1/2
3. Megan Clark, James I. O'Neill (Highland Falls, N.Y.), 12-1 1/2
4. Larisa A. Debich, Hempfield Area (Greensburg, Pa), 12-1 1/2.
5. Kathleen McPhillips, Carlisle (Carlisle, Pa.), 11-5 3/4.
6. Haley Gorenflo, Plymouth-Whitemarsh (Plymouth Meeting, Pa.), 11-1 3/4.
6. Stephanie Skove, Monmouth Regional (Tinton Falls) 11-1 3/4.
6. Catherine Shih, Bernards (Bernardsville), 11-1 3/4.
9. Kirsten Muhaw, Montville Township, 11-1 3/4.
9. Christina DiMichele, Vestal (Vestal, N.Y.), 11-1 3/4.
9. Grace Giampietro, Villa Maria Academy (Malvern, Pa.), 11-1 3/4.
9. Vanessa Munley, Riverside (Taylor, Pa.), 11-1 3/4.
13. Virginia LaMacchia, Central Columbia (Bloomsburg, Pa.), 11-1 3/4.