For Jacques Caldwell, Alex Williams and Jarrett Ben, running relay races has been a way of life.

They've been on summer teams together since the sixth grade, winning numerous TAAF or USA Track regional and state races. Now, with Byron Attaway, they have one last run together – the 4x200 relay at the state meet.

Their athletic careers will go on. Caldwell (Louisville), Ben (Rice) and Attaway (Cisco Junior College) signed football scholarships, and Williams signed a track scholarship with Kentucky. But their days as a unit will end.

"This race means a lot to me, as I know it does the rest of them, too," Caldwell said. "We'd like to go out with a bang."

Last year, Caldwell, Williams and Ben teamed with Malcolm Williams, now at Texas, to finish second to Fort Bend Hightower at state. Garland's time of 1:24.03 beat the previous high school national record. Hightower, however, finished in 1:23.92.

This season, Garland qualified for state by finishing second (1:26.13) to Rowlett (1:26.03) at the regional meet and has been running its best times since Attaway was added to the unit late in the season.

A dropped baton kept Garland from returning to state in the 4x100, but that might serve as a blessing. Now, the sole focus of Garland's quartet will be the 4x200.

"We know this is it," Ben said. "We're hoping we can get a national record. It's going to be quite a race."

C. Anthony Mosser