Track and Field: Saugus girls set state record in 4x-mile relay

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Chalk up another incredible achievement to the Saugus distance corps.

Thanks to a trio of personal-best times, Saugus obliterated the state 4x-mile relay record at the Arcadia Invitational of Friday night, stopping the clock at 20 minutes, 10.76 seconds -- close to 10 seconds faster than the previous record set by Corona del Mar in 2005. It was also the third-fastest time in national history.

‘I can’t be any happier than I am right now,’ Saugus Coach Rene Paragas said. ‘It’s very rare when three-fourths of your team sets personal bests in one race. It’s just incredible.’

Katie Dunn posted a jaw-dropping 4:53.5 in the final stint of the invitational relay, besting her personal record by nearly six seconds. Anne Randall finished within 5:05.6 and Nina Moore had a 5:07.9. Freshman Kaylin Mahoney didn’t break her previous best, but her 5:03.8 was still very impressive.

‘The weather conditions were ideal and that really helped us,’ Paragas said.

Saugus is hoping to attack the national record, but Paragas knows it’s going to be tough because next Friday’s Mt. SAC Relays may be the Cents only chance to break it this year since it’s not a normally-held event. And he’s not even sure if his girls will run the relay next week since they’re scheduled to compete in a duel meet next Thursday.

Click here for complete results from Friday’s events. Also, check out this photo of the Saugus runners following their historic victory.

-- Austin Knoblauch