Republic’s 4×800 meter relay team of Gracie Troester, Josie Stalzer, Brylie Harris, and Zoey Johns raced to a second-place finish at the Girls Night Out track meet Thursday at JFK Stadium in Springfield. Their time of 10:11.83 marked the highest finish for any Republic athlete or relay team at the prestigious event, which featured 23 relay teams in their division.
The relay squad continues to improve its time with each meet. Republic posted a 10:13.09 at the Republic Classic on March 31 and a 10:21.35 at Branson on April 2 before shaving more time off at JFK Stadium.
What makes the achievement more remarkable is the team’s composition. While Troester provides senior leadership and experience, the three freshmen have stepped up to contribute at a high level in their first high school track season. Their steady improvement suggests the relay team has more potential to unlock as the season progresses.
The 4×800 meter relay, traditionally the first track event of a meet, set a strong tone for Republic at the Girls Night Out competition, and it was our Performance of the Week.
