With a single weekend on a big stage like Penn Relays, the boys 4x400-meter relay team from the Bullis School in Maryland seems transformed.

This is not a rebuilding year after all.

On Saturday at Franklin Field in Philadelphia, Bullis stepped up against the top Jamaican schools and finished second in 3:11.90 in the Championship of America final.

"We've been running 3:20s all year, but that was shaking the rust off," lead-off runner Luke Schroeder said. "But the Bulldogs are back."

Bullis will return to Franklin Field again June 16-19 for New Balance Nationals Outdoor with the intent to compete for a national championship against the top prep teams in the U.S.

Bullis' school record of 3:09.86 may be within reach by mid June.

Myles Pendarvis, the relay's third leg, would love to see his team run that fast or faster. His older brother Jay was on the 2019 team that ran 3:09, the 19th-fastest team in U.S. history.

"That would mean a lot to me," Pendarvis said. "It would give me bragging rights in the house, which is a big thing. We did better than they did at Penn Relays, but I want the best time out there."

The Bullis girls, like the boys, were the fastest team in the Penn Relays Championship of America 4x400, running a US#1 time of 3:40.88.

Other teams on board for New Balance Nationals in June include Union Catholic of New Jersey, which won its first Penn Relays championship by taking the boys Distance Medley Relay in 10:14.42.

Union Catholic put three different relays into championship finals at Penn. The girls 4x800 relay placed third (US#3 9:06.14) and the girls 4x100 placed ninth.

Paul Robeson of Brooklyn N.Y., placed fifth in the championship 4x400 (3:43.58) and seventh in the championship 4x100 (47.49).

Shenendehowa of New York will come back to Franklin Field after placing seventh last weekend in the girls championship 4x800.

DeMatha Catholic from Maryland finished ninth in the championship boys 4x400.

More powerful programs confirmed for New Balance Nationals include RunU Xpress of North Carolina, Archbishop Carroll DC, Motor City TC, TrackLife and The Purple Track Club from Michigan, Greater Houston TC of Texas, Bronxville NY and Danbury and Hillhouse of Connecticut.

 

New Balance National Outdoor takes place at Franklin Field in Philadelphia, PA Thursday through Sunday, June 16-19. Get full meet information at nbnationals.com.