PHILADELPHIA, United States — Edwin Allen High came up just short in their third and final chance to win a Championships of Americas title at the 128th Penn Relays after they finished second in the 4x800m final on Friday, beaten by an American high school record run by Union Catholic of New Jersey.

Edwin Allen, who had won 21 championships here at the Penn Relays, enduring a second straight year without a COA win, had earlier placed second in the 4x100m and fourth in the 4x400m relay, both won by Hydel High.

Edwin Allen was always chasing the powerful American team that got off to a fast start and never relented as they clocked 8:41.20 seconds breaking a 16-year-old mark with Edwin Allen second in 8:50.76 seconds, just ahead of South Shores of Virginia who ran 8:50.89 seconds.

Union Catholic, who were winning for a third straight year, broke the 8:43.12 seconds set by Roosevelt High of Greenbelt, Maryland in 2008 also at the Penn Relays.

-Paul A Reid