ADRIAN — Last season, the Adrian boys track and field 4×800 -meter relay accomplished some incredible things.
The team of Jake Eagling, Ben Schefka, Aiden Smith and Matthew Canales won the Division 2 state title with a record 7:39.77. It was so impressive, the teammates shared Lenawee County Boys Track and Field Athlete of the Year honors.
Eagling, Schefka and Smith all graduated after last season, leaving Canales to keep the tradition of strong Maples middle distance-distance runners alive and well.
“(Canales) kind of knew he was going to have to lead this year,” coach Tammy Francis said. “He’s mentally tough, he’s locked in and he’s consistent.”
Canales was locked in this season.
Of the group of 800 runners who achieved great success in the previous three seasons, Canales was the one who came out with the school’s 800 record (1:54.05). Along with the school record, he won the SEC White, county and regional title in the 800 and was third in the state.
He also won the county title in the 400, only having ran the event two times in the season and even dropped down to win the 200 against Tecumseh.