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LOCK HAVEN -- Usually a track and field relay team will find a spark late in the year, perhaps at an invitational, and run an outstanding time. A lot of relay teams will peak right before the District 4 championships and carry that momentum into the state meet.
For Williamsport's 400 relay team, they found that spark at the end of March at the very beginning of the spring season.
It was at Chambersburg at a track and field invitational where the foursome of Taali Buie, Alex Takach, Nathaniel Woods and Brayden Ungard ran an outstanding time of 41.89 to win the 400 relay and that time put that group in the Williamsport history books.
The time broke the former mark set in 1987 by roughly half a second which was set by Greg Walker, Scott Harmon, Sean Vanmarter and Gary Brown (42.42).
"Obviously it means a lot. All of the guys on the relay are some of my best friends so to break it with them, it's awesome," Takach said on Saturday at the Lock Haven High School Classic. "I couldn't ask for anything better. And to beat Gary Brown, who's an NFL player? That's pretty crazy to me."
Needless to say, the Millionaires have a ton of confidence from that early record-breaking time.
"We went to a stacked meet at Chambersburg so we knew there would be some good competition and people to push us with great weather," Takach said. "I don't think we expected that, but we definitely did well."
Takach also was a member of the Williamsport 1,600 relay team which broke the school record on that same day in March alongside Aiden Everett, Tevin Williams and Ungard. That 1,600 relay team ran a time of 3:22.17, breaking the former mark of 3:23.16 from 2011 of Devon Fisher, Anthony Emmanuel, Jamal Devine and Bryant McCorey.
Takach was one of numerous Millionaires who competed at the Lock Haven High School Classic as he was a top-3 finisher in the 100 on Saturday. Takach finished in second with a time of 11.03 and was behind only State College's Jesse Myers (10.77).
"I mean I felt really good, my blocks have been lackluster all season and I felt like I really improved today," Takach said. "I've been happy, I can't complain (this season). The 100 is not where I want it to be, but I'll work as hard as I can to get it where I want it to be. The 200s improved a lot and I'm really proud of my 200 this year."
So what does breaking a record more than 35 years old mean for Takach and his teammates? Well, it means they know they can go possibly even faster. And, they know they can claim another district title.
"I believe we have a shot to win and I firmly believe that we can go back-to-back," Takach said.
And with the time the 400 relay team put up at Chambersburg, there's no reason to think the Millionaires can't claim a title, and possibly set another record in the process.