Courtesy of Steve Mazzone (RI Mile Split)

La Salle Academy coaches Vin McGinn and Bill Myers couldn't have asked for a better effort from their defending distance medley relay champions at the Penn Relay Carnival.

The Rams came just .001 from a victory against Loudoun Valley (Va.) and Drew Hunter on Friday. In one of the most exciting races in the meet's history, Hunter held off a gutsy effort by anchor Jack Salisbury to lift his teammates to the win in the Championship of America event with a nation No. 1 of 10 minutes, 0.003 seconds. The Rams broke the state record, finishing with a combined time of 10:00.004 (US #2). DJ Principe gave the Rams the boost they needed for the lead-off leg with a sizzling 3:01.22 for his 1,200m split. Dave Medeiros clocked a solid 53.46 for his 400m split and Matt Bouthillette was 1:55.59 for 800m.

Salisbury got the baton with a sizable lead. But no lead is safe when you have the indoor national mile record-holder getting the baton. The Ram senior shot out to a 57-second 400m split and was 2:02 at 800m. Hunter caught up to Salisbury with 200m left and from there it was a battle of guts to the finish. The Ram standout appeared to edge out Hunter at the finish, but shortly after it was made official that the Virginia runner was able to pull out the victory.

La Salle''s runner-up time of 10:00.004 is the fourth fastest DMR at Penn in the race's 121-year history. It also breaks the state mark of 10:01.13 by Westerly at the 2009 Loucks Games.

"We figured we had to get a five or six-second lead (on Hunter) and wanted Jack to go out  and make Hunter work harder and stretch it a little," said La Salle distance coach Bill Myers. "Drew is a helluva a runner and it showed today."

"Our guys did what we wanted them to do," he added. "We still got a state record. The guys ran awesome."