KALISPELL — Last year, Kalispell Flathead's boys 1,600-meter relay team set a record-breaking time at the state track and field meet in Great Falls, and with three of the four runners returning this year the expectations are even higher.
With a state record 3:15.92 in last year’s finals, this year’s Flathead relay team — led by two returning seniors, Lane Shivers and Ben Bliven, and one junior, Will Hollensteiner — is anxious to break that record again.
Senior Kasen Kastner is the other regular member of Flathead's four-man squad. Its top time so far this season is 3:27.81.
“What our hopes are is by the end of the season we can maybe even run faster than last year,” Hollensteiner said. “Which is a high bar, but it's something I think we can do as we've hit three returners who we've all come back and we've gotten faster.”
With the relay being one of the few team aspects of track and field, Bliven believes their experience running together gives them the edge they need to accomplish their goal.
“Track’s obviously an individual sport a lot of the time,” Bliven said. “Still, I think just team chemistry and being able to motivate each other as well, you know, just coach each other on the relays and things like that. I think it motivates you to be able to kind of reach the next level like we did last year."
Although the relay is a team event, each runner’s individual performance is crucial to finishing with a good time.
Shivers has taken on the responsibility of setting up his teammates for success.
“As the first leg, I know kind of the whole race is dependent on me,” Shivers said. “My mentality going out there is, these guys are dependent on the lead that I give them, so I'm going out running as hard as I can, all 400 meters, to make sure that my guys have the ability to maintain a lead and keep pushing."
For both the seniors, ending the season on top of the podium and the record book would be the perfect cap to their high school athletic careers.
“Knowing it's my last chance, especially with all my brothers on this team is really important to me,” Bliven said. “To just have the opportunity to do it, but knowing that we have a chance I think that we're all motivated on another level this year.”
