The boys’ varsity track and field 4×100 team has been working for a new record all season long, and on Saturday, April 8, junior Anthony Cleary and seniors Miles Grossman, Baden Bunch and Jack Putney officially set a new record. The Giants had continued to progress closer to the record every meet but were yet to do so until their biggest competition of the year. The boys traveled to Pasadena, California, to match up against some of the best schools in the Arcadia Invitational and didn’t disappoint.

Right off the bat, in the sixth lane, Putney got off to a fast start and continued to pace with his opponents. After completing the first 100 meters, the Giants were in third place, passing the baton to the youngest runner of the four. Even with his age, the stage was not too big for Cleary, who picked up a lot of ground before passing the baton to Grossman. Cleary reflected on how he was able to stay calm when it mattered most.

“I always feel a bit of nerves when lining up in my position, but as soon as the [starting pistol] goes off, I am locked in,” Cleary said. “I could feel the adrenaline today, so I was really ready to go.”

As Cleary handed the baton off to Grossman, he was able to cruise past his opponents, getting into first place with only one leg left. Grossman had a smooth handoff to California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) track and field commit Bunch, who brought it home for the Giants and completed their incredible feat.

The Giants ended in first place in their heat with a time of 42.80 seconds, passing the previous Redwood record of 43.15 seconds which was set by the team earlier this year. Even with the record complete, the boys have more work to do as they try to finish the season strong.