Four athletes produced Bridgewater-Raritan High School’s best performance during a 4x100 relay race on the world’s biggest stage.
Another athlete, four days later, produced Bridgewater-Raritan’s best shot put throw ever on Somerset County's biggest stage.
“Two school records in four days is pretty exciting,” claimed Dave Evans, the Coach of the Bridgewater-Raritan boys’ outdoor track and field team.
On Friday, April 24, Bridgewater-Raritan juniors Max Pasewaldt, Kenny Graham, Jishnu Kalaivan and Justin Reid established a school record in the 4x100 relay race when they soared to a time of 43.34.
Their record-setting race was performed at the famed Penn Relays and at historic Franklin Field in Philadelphia.
The Penn Relay Carnival is the official name of this prestigious event, held annually at Franklin Field. It is the nation's oldest and largest track-and-field meet. Running since 1895, this three-day meet features thousands of athletes ranging from high school and college to Olympic development and masters, attracting over 40,000 fans daily to the iconic stadium.
Then, on Tuesday, April 28, Jordan Estomata, also a junior at Bridgewater-Raritan, set a school record in the shot put, throwing 51-0, during the Somerset County Track and Field Championships at Hillsborough High School.
Three of the four current runners on the 4x100 relay team had set the school record just last spring. Pasewaldt, Graham and Reid were joined by Bryan Wilkinson, who had graduated in 2025, to establish a school record with a time of 43.47.
Those three and the newcomer, Kalaivan, are now the new record holders in the 4x100 relay.
The four runners spoke at a practice during the afternoon of Wednesday, April 29, at Basilone Memorial Field about their accomplishment and where the record was broken.
“We are always excited to run at the Penn Relays,” Pasewaldt said.
“We all have high expectations to run against top competition,” Graham added.
They all agreed.
“We’ll always remember where we did it at such a great place like the Penn Relays and Franklin Field.”
Coach Evans applauded their effort in what is a hectic atmosphere.
“At the Penn Relays, it is rush and rush. You stand around and wait, and then all of a sudden, you are told to run,” Coach Evans revealed. “To set the record at the Penn Relays is amazing.”
At the Somerset County meet, it was Estomata’s turn to enter Bridgewater-Raritan's record book.
His throw of 51-0 at Hillsborough broke a record that dates to the 2000 outdoor track and field season when Kyle Budinscak. threw 48-8.
“There was pressure to perform and put the energy into that throw,” Estomata said.
But he is not satisfied.
“There is more progress to be done.”