Lancaster girls coach Bev Humphrey would like to set the record straight.

No doubt, she said, a substantial part of the Lancaster girls' unprecedented string of seven consecutive 4A state championships is the team's dominance of the relay events.

Leaders (from jsrelays.org): Boys | Girls
More track and field

Lancaster's 4x400 team has won nine consecutive state titles. In the 4x100, Lancaster is the six-time champion, and it has won the 4x200 four consecutive years.

Because relays count double the number of points individual events earn, it may appear that Humphrey loads up the relays with her best athletes in the name of generating the maximum amount of points. Everything else, some think, takes a back seat.

Not the case, she said. Lancaster's relays may be front and center, but not at the expense of an individual's growth.

"A lot of people, I've heard in the past, say 'they just run relays.' Well that's not true because in my program, every girl is guaranteed at least one open event," Humphrey said.

"Every girl on my team runs only two relays and an open event. ... It's a policy that I've always had since I've been in coaching, that every kid deserves to run at least one open event."

As Lancaster goes for its eighth consecutive team title, her balanced formula may prove to be significant.

Fort Worth Dunbar is a strong threat to unseat Lancaster in the 4x100 and 4x200 relays. Dunbar leads the nation in both events at 45.74 in the 4x100 and 1:35.94 in the 4x200.

While Lancaster is no slouch in the 4x100 and 4x200 – its season highs are 46.53 and 1:37.89 – Humphrey knows that relays alone might not cut it.

"To me, it's like the first state championship, when we scored in individual events," she said.

Humphrey said her primary motivation for assuring her athletes of at least one open event is to improve their college prospects.

Yet the veteran coach sees an additional benefit – and it has to do with you-know-what.

"When they have their open events, they run harder on the relays," she said. "It's just something about being able to have an open event to shine in."

Contrary to popular belief, competing on the relay teams is not a slap in the face.

It can actually become, Waxahachie boys coach Willie Rash said, an athlete's No. 1 goal.

"From a team standpoint, it's a lot more points and it gets four guys in there," Rash said. "They enjoy running with each other a little more than by themselves anyway."

Every Tuesday during the season, Rash allows his athletes to challenge each other for coveted spots on the relays. The fierce competition in practice turned out to be a smashing success.

Waxahachie became a threat to vie for a state championship thanks to the rapid ascension of its 4x200 relay this season.

And when sophomore Sam Gagliano qualified in four running events for state – the UIL's limit is three – and had to pick between either the 300 hurdles or 4x200 relay, Gagliano opted to run the relay.

As far as the points, "there's not much difference," Rash said, between what Gagliano's individual contribution in the 300 hurdles would be and what he could score on the relays.

Obviously, Gagliano sensed something greater.

"Without him on there, we probably wouldn't have a shot at getting better than third on the 4x200," Rash added. "With him on there we can win it."

At Mike A. Myers Stadium, Austin

9 a.m.: Field events; 1A through 4A 3,200-meter run

6 p.m.: 3A-4A track events

9 a.m.: Field events; 5A 3,200-meter run

Noon: 1A-2A track events

6 p.m.: 5A track events

$5-$10 per session, $25 all sessions.