3 minutes, 22.46 seconds – the Granite Bay High School 4×400-meter time that shattered the previous long-standing school record.

  The track team has had previous star sprinters who have had a long-lasting legacy at GBHS including NFL running back Sam Stroughter and NCAA sprinter Billy White. The current relay team’s talent has surpassed that legacy  

  Along with setting a school record, the team also brought home league and section championships.

  “We did very well (last year), we won sections and came up just short in Masters,” senior Jason Dell’Orto said.

   Given the team’s great accomplishments, the sprinter’s biggest victory of the season may have been retaining all the team’s members. The boys have proved to be the best 4×400 team in school history, and they have yet to reach their potential.

  The 2016-2017 team consisted of runners Anthony Martin (sophomore), Jason Dell’Orto (junior), Ricki Frank (junior) and Jaylon Latson (junior) – all of whom have returned to the team this year.

  With such talent and chemistry, the team has made it clear that it has higher expectations as the season goes on.

  “Going to state is our biggest goal this year,” senior Jarad Harper said.

  Though the 4×400 squad is not the only event team to have high aspirations for a record-breaking championship winning season – the 4×100 meter relay team is coming off both league and section championships as well from the 2016-2017 season.

  “Last year both groups were extremely talented,” junior Jake McKillop said.

  Yet when the stakes were highest, the boys dropped the ball, literally. “They should have gone to state last year but dropped the stick at masters,” McKillop said.

  But like the 4×400 team, the squad has returned key talent, especially in the school’s fastest 100 meter sprinter, Jarad Harper.

  This past weekend both relay teams faced their biggest challenge at the Arcadia Invitational.

  The boys lined up against America’s best as “Arcadia takes the top 1-2 percent of track athletes in the nation,” McKillop said.

  The 4×100 team fared off well placing 23rd out of the top 51 teams in the nation as well as coming in at a time of 43.35.

  The 4×400 team set their season record, though unfortunately were disqualified as senior anchor-runner, Ricky Frank, bumped into an opponent.

  As talented as the teams are, they have left lots of room to grow, “we need to get better, and we will,” McKillop said.

   The championship winning teams from  last season set their records in May, so the boy’s are confident that they are on track to top prior records.  

  “If we can get it together we can make it to state,” Dell’Orto said.

  By working hard in practice and avoiding further injuries, the team has a serious shot at achieving their ultimate goal.

  “I’m happy to be on the team this year because I know they can work hard,” Harper said.