The Mexico 4x400-meter relay team weren’t expected to do much this season.

Sophomore Evan DiBlasi, freshman Tyler Grimes, and juniors Anthony Shivers and Morgan Grubb capped their 2022 season at the Class 4 state track and field championships Saturday at Adkins Stadium in Jefferson City, finishing seventh in the finals prior to being awarded their medals on the podium. They are the first Mexico boys 4x400 team to finish in the top eight since 1999 when the Bulldogs finished sixth.

Going into Friday, the quartet was ranked last out of 16 teams. Coming out of Friday, the Bulldogs posted the sixth-best time of the day and a new season-best of 3.29.03 to advance to the second day. At districts, the four were expected to finish fifth – just outside of qualifying for sectionals before taking fourth place. A week later at sectionals, the team were projected to finish eighth prior to posting a then season-best to finish fourth and become the first boys 4x400 relay team at state since 2004.

Mexico head coach Buck Green said DiBlasi, Grimes, Shivers and Grubb have that intangible chemistry that teams need to have, but is hard to find and describe. Green said he’d like to have an overall team full of each one of them and having four in this relay event demonstrated why.

“I am so pleased with these kids,” Green said. “They’re as concerned about running for each other as they are for themselves. It’s never about what I hope to get out of it, it’s what we hope to get out of it.”

The four Bulldogs said they were aware of their rankings heading into state but appropriately brought an “underdog” mentality to the meet that helped them to rise onto the podium.

“It’s really encouraging,” DiBlasi said. “I feel like it actually makes us better. It increases our skill and out bond as a team to be underdogs and we have a connection.”

The four shared the same goal and mentality, but as far as what else they have in common, they aren’t so sure. This year’s 4x400 team didn’t have any seniors compared to the three on the boys 4x200-meter relay team that took eighth to earn medals a year ago.

Regardless of the differences, the four all left Jefferson City with a medal around each of their necks.

“We were actually talking about it on the way here,” Grubb said. “Half of us are pretty quiet, and we’re all different ages – freshman, sophomore and two juniors – so there’s not really a good reason. We just kind of are (a good team).”

“We all have a piece of something we could have,” Shivers said. “One of has leadership (for example). Every piece of every aspect (is on this team).”

There was a lot of waiting around Friday before Mexico had a chance to run, Grubb said, as eight hours passed before the Bulldogs hit the track. DiBlasi turned in a leading first leg prior to Grimes, Shivers and finally Grubb closing out secured the finals berth.

Saturday then presented the opportunity to run the race one more time this season. This time, Mexico trailed behind several teams after the first leg and were sitting in the sixth position when the baton was handed off to Shivers for the third leg.

Shivers was a late addition to the 4x400 team early in the season, Green said, as Mexico wanted to have more speed in its unit in an overall effort to earn more points. The Bulldogs had to disband its 4x100-meter team, but Green said the junior’s state showing made that decision worth it.

“I said, ‘Ant, would you try running the 4?’ He said, and this is Anthony Shivers, ‘Sure, I’ll give it a try,’” Green said. “He’s a sprinter. He had the fastest split today and got us back in it yesterday. I can’t say enough about that kid.”

Green said the selflessness isn’t limited to Shivers as the other three are the same way and just like each other.

Green said the 4x400-meter relay is the “premier event” and one that “everybody is going to stay and see if they’ve got teams in it or not” so it was great that Mexico had a boys team in the event after long layoff and even greater for them to earn hardware.

“We’re as happy as pigs before a thunderstorm,” Green said when asked about his team’s state performance. “Yesterday, it was a have-to race. We have to run to get in. Today, we told them, is a fun race. You’re in. We want to run a clean race so we finish and get that medal around our necks.”

There were two false starts in relay events during the second day in the Class 4 girls 4x100-meter relay and the Class 5 girls 4x100-meter relay so Green said avoiding disqualification and finishing had even greater importance. He remembers a comical conversation he had with his leadoff runner DiBlasi.

“Evan said, ‘Yeah I’m going to sit there after the gun goes off and count 1, 2,’” Green said.

Hearing that gun go off next season has the four and Green excited for what the team can accomplish next year. The lower expectations were toppled to clear the way for a year full of great expectations.

Prior to that, the Bulldogs know they will have to work to improve their time as the other schools at the state meet will want to do.

“You learn a lot,” Grimes said. “Once you watch everybody, you learn a lot about everybody else.”

“It will be good for us as a team,” Grubb said. “All four of us are returning next year. We ran this and got seventh, and we’ll be even faster next year. Seeing the faster times kind of gives us a goal for next season.”

“It’s a tough race,” DiBlasi said. “It’s a real mental race, but you also have to be really physical about it too. It’s the worst of both worlds I would say.”

Green said the quartet have something to build on now and could serve as inspirations for the other athletes in the school.

It’s a great way to end the season and makes you look forward to next year,” Green said.