Casey relay team captures All-America honors at NIN
BY TIM MORRIS Staff Writer
Rob DeFilippis had an idea that his collection of running talent at Red Bank Catholic could do something big collectively this winter.

"I really thought all along we had a chance at the national championships to be All-American," he said. "I kept telling them 'you can do this.'"

At last weekend's Nike Indoor Nationals held in the PrinceGeorge Sports and Learning Center in Landover, Md., the quartet of Janine Louie, Carol Chanik, Katie Andre and Molly McNamara, made their coach a great prognosticator. They finished sixth in the 4x1-mile relay on Saturday garnering All-American distinction. They are the first relay teamfromthe school to capture indoor All-America honors.

The foursome, running as Runners High, turned in a 21:38.61. Kinetic Running Club (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) won the NIN title with a 20:47.33 effort.

"They ran a solid race," notedDeFilippis.

Louie's 5:17 opening leg positioned the team for a run at AA. Chanik and Andre kept the Caseys in contention and a nice 5:10 anchor split by freshman McNamara brought the team home in sixth.

"For a freshman,MollyMcNamara ran a great leg," said DeFilippis.

Another promising RBC frosh had a big day in Landover as well. Kevin Byrne finished second in the boys freshman one-mile run. He clocked 4:35.33 in trailing only Virginia's Brayden Burleigh (4:31.21).