Penn Relays this weekend will include solid R.I. presence

From Thursday until Saturday, high school, collegiate and even world-class athletes will be competing in the 121st annual Penn Relays Carnival at the University of Pennsylvania's historic Franklin Field. The oldest and most prestigious outdoor track & field meets in the country will feature several Rhode Island teams and individuals.

La Salle Academy will be bringing the biggest squad to Philadelphia for the three-day meet. Two events to keep an eye on are the boys' and girls' Championship of America Distance Medley Relay. In both races, the Rams have a legitimate chance to earn the coveted "Wheel" that's given to the winners in the respective relays.

In the boys' DMR (Friday, 5:50 p.m.), the La Salle foursome of junior Matt Bouthillette (1,200m), junior Cam Morenzi (400m), senior Dan Paiva (800m) and junior Jack Salisbury (1,600m) will toe the line with the likes of New York teams Liverpool, Xavier and Fairfield Prep as well as always-powerful Christian Brothers Academy of New Jersey. All five squads are capable to running a low 10-minute time.

The girls' DMR quartet (Thursday, 6:10 p.m.) of senior Sheridan Wilbur (1,200m), junior Jess Apagee (400m), junior Karina Tavares (800m) and junior Eliza Rego (1,600m) will compete against quality schools such as Blacksburg (VA), Cardinal O'Hara (PA) and Suffern (NY). Suffern was the indoor national titlist with a fast 11:53.57 clocking.

Individually, La Salle sophomore D.J. Principe and East Greenwich senior Tommy Sommer are entered in a strong 3K race (Friday, 6:10 p.m.) that includes Darien (CT) senior Alex Ostberg and Saratoga Springs (NY) senior Aiden Tooker, the third- and fourth-place finishers in the two mile at the New Balance Nationals this past March.

Watch LIVE coverage of this great event on FloTrack.

In last year's meet, U.S. Olympian Dee Dee Trotter ran on the 4x400m relay in the featured USA versus the World competition on Saturday afternoon.

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PENN RELAY CARNIVAL

April 23-25 at the University of Philadelphia

SCHEDULE

RI entries

LA SALLE ACADEMY

Boys 4x100 Small School, Friday at 10:40 a.m.

Boys 4x400, Saturday at 10:20 a.m.

Boys Distance Medley Relay, Friday at 5:30 a.m.

DJ Principe, Championship 3,000m, Friday at 6:10 a.m.

Girls Distance Medley Relay, Thursday at 6:10 p.m.

Girls 4x100 Large School, Thursday at 12:20 a.m.

Girls 4x400, Thursday at 3:20 p.m.

BISHOP HENDRICKEN

Boys 4x100 Large School, Friday at 11:35 a.m.

Boys 4x400, Saturday at 10:25 a.m.

EAST GREENWICH

Tommy Sommer, Championship 3,000m, Friday at 6:10 p.m.

EAST PROVIDENCE

Boys 4x100 Small School, Friday at 10:40 a.m.

Boys 4x400m, Saturday at 9:34 a.m.

HOPE

Boys 4x400m, Saturday at 10:06 a.m.

Girls 4x100 Small School, Thursday at 11:10 a.m.

Girls 4x400m, Thursday at 3:40 p.m.

JUANITA SANCHEZ

Girls 4x100 Small School, Thursday at 11:10 a.m.

NORTH KINGSTOWN

Boys 4x400m, Saturday at 10:05 a.m.

PILGRIM

Girls 4x100 Small School, Thursday at 11:10 a.m.