The backs of their Nike emblazoned spandex, deep-hue-blue shirts read: How Dare You, FW.

And they dared.

Together, some Federal Way runners erased what was until then a rough time at the state meet, of not getting the wins they wanted in individual events, but then breaking over the top of the longstanding 1982 all-time best 4x400 relay record time of 3:16.09 with their 2010 shattering performance, 3:15.66, at the Washington State Track and Field Meet at Mount Tahoma Stadium Saturday, May 29.

Sweet redemption for the Eagles in the last event of the three-day weekend, May 27-29, at state.

"Individually, we didn't do what we wanted to today," said Trenton Pinson, the anchor leg of the Eagles' faster than any other relay team ever in Washington. "But we came together for the end. We swallowed the defeat and came out with a victory at the end."

And, the foursome of Ezekiel McNeal, Pinson, Robert Shelby and Maurice McNeal (running in that order) came out with a state record that held in place for nearly three decades of state high school Washington track and field meets.

What a way to go out, to throw behind them the memories -- for some of competition gone awry.

Like Pinson, who gulped up a third place finish in the 100 meter run in 11.30, only two hundredths of a second behind the winning first place time. And second place went to another runner too, adding insult to injury, even though it too was an 11.30.

Real injury was with Shelby, who came into the 400 finals with the second best time ran, 38.90, in the prelims. But then in the final...
"I fell," said Shelby. "That was my main event."

Shelby was gunning to win that race his senior year. And then wham! Shelby didn't just fall, he fell hard after he hit a hurdle going over it.

"I was knocked unconscious," said Shelby. "I hit my head on the track."

Lost your stride approaching the hurdle?

"Yep," said Shelby, smiling and looking like that was such a distant painful memory it was no longer looking painful. Helping teammates set a state meet record assuages so much pain.

Hurdles are a tough event, but that's been an event done well at in high school?

"I've gone to state all four years,' said Shelby, who said he started running hurdles when he was in junior high.

And how many times have you fallen in a race at state?

"Just one time," said Shelby.

But you broke the record in the 4x400 and can be in the same company as predecessors that took first place under Mike Minihan's Federal Way head coaching back in early 2000s at the Lincoln Bowl. That team was good, running a 3:19 time in the state final and beating a lot of good teams.

So falling down, eyes rolled up, people staring and 'oohing' wasn't so embarrassing and bad after all.

"No," said Shelby, really not even smiling now, but looking more beaming. "They all wanted it. It was good to do this with them. They are all my good friends. It is great to win a state title."

This state title came with some hard work from a couple of the relay runners fine-tuning, perfecting little things. Even the best are always learning, which is a good reason why they become the best.

"I was working on my handoff from Ezekiel (McNeal)," said Pinson. "I was taking off way too early. I had to stop and wait."

And that's not how one sets an all-time best state mark in the 4x400.

"No, we never want the baton to have to stop on the track," said Pinson.

And, what about Maurice and Shelby's handoffs?

"Their handoffs are superb most of the time," said Pinson.

A freshman, Ezekiel McNeal, is this state all-time best 4x400 boys relay team's first leg and he hands off the baton to Pinson, who then gives the aluminum pipe to Shelby, the senior brother of Ezekiel, and then Shelby to Maurice McNeal, who powers around the oval one time, anchoring things.

This team gets energy off of others on the relay team and, in what sounds like the one maybe least expected to expel that kind of power he gives it. The frosh.

"Everyone uses Zeke (Ezekiel) as inspiration," said Pinson, who will go to Eastern Washington University on a football scholarship. "He has to set the tone. We have to base our efforts off his starting the race. Fortunately, he has never let us down."

Added Shelby, also talking of the team's youngest member, who has a young twin brother that will be keeping this relay team going strong it sounds like for years to come, "Man, he's (Ezekiel) the hardest runner on the team. Seeing him running hard makes me want to run hard."

The team is coached by...

"Coach Izzy and Q," said Shelby.

What are their real names?

"I don't know," said Shelby. "I always call them that."

Fortunately, Pinson knew, "Marcus Isigara and Quinn Gillis."

Sam Beesley is Eagles head coach and Jean Licare coaches the girls.

What do your coaches do for you to help what just happened to you in high school track?

"They (Isigara and Gillis) are the ones that push us in practice," said Shelby. "They are giving us what we need. They got our back."

Literally the coaches gave senior Maurice McNeal what he needed.

"I couldn't afford spikes, but they got them for me," said the older McNeal, who is the fastest member on the team.

The McNeal brothers performed tough in the 400 meter run. Maurice was second place, in 48.20, and Ezekiel finished eighth in 49.67.

Maurice topped that finish off with a seventh in the 200 in 22.72. Pinson just missed finals in the 200, taking ninth in 22.67.

Maurice McNeal said who's helped him get so fast.

"I thank God, and my coaches, and my friends, for pushing me," he said.

This foursome of Federal Way ran faster this season than Texas' 4x400 state champion, Arizonas', Floridas'...

That list is longer than that too, including just about every one of the 50 states but California. Quite a performance.

All that explains everything, besides the fact that these four young men also won the 4x100 relay at state this year too, 41.92, just not an all-time best Washington State time like the 4x400 that was just about all-nation.

Others doing well at state for the area included Thomas Jefferson's Scott Sandford, 38.82 in the 300 hurdles.

The TJ boys 4x100 relay made state, but did not get past prelims with their 44.79 time. TJ's Michael Sallee took 11th in the long jump in 21-3.

For girls, junior Kayla Adams of Thomas Jefferson took top honors again. She defended her shotput title, putting the shot, 44-4.75., eclipsing last year's mark of 42-1.75. Jaleecia Roland, a junior for FW, was second in the high jump, 5-7, and sixth in the triple jump, 37-1.

A senior, Jasmine Johson of Federal Way, took ninth in the girls 800 in 2:20.43. Marjorie Gates of FW took second in the girls 100 in 12.81. The Federal Way girls 4x100 relay took 14th in 50.53. Lindsey Dahl finished ninth in the javelin, 117 feet, and, teammate Kendra Ansotigue was 14th at state, 106-4.