Staff photo / Joel Whetzel Girard’s Mia Malito hands off to Ar’Marna Wilson during the 4x100 final Saturday at Ohio State’s Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium in Columbus. The Indians finished second in the event with a time of 48.26.

COLUMBUS — There was a sense of both optimism and confidence as Girard’s girls 4×100 team readied for its final race as a unit.

The team of seniors Olivia Coman, Ar’Marna Wilson and Sieasia Triplett, as well as junior Mia Malito, had qualified for the finals in the event with a time of 49.61, second behind Toledo Central Catholic’s time of 48.95 in Friday’s preliminaries.

Saturday’s championship heat was even closer. Girard finished as runner-up to TCC again, as the Irish posted a time of 48.21 while the Indians came in at 48.26 in a race that was tight throughout.

The team had won its region and qualified for the state meet with a time of 49.35.

In the process of securing the silver medal, Girard’s team also set a new school record in the event.

“We were nervous at first, and then we were like, ‘It’s go time,'” said Wilson, who ran the third leg of the race while Coman led off, Malito ran second and Triplett anchored.

Malito added, “I think that was a big thing. We stressed going into the race (to have) a positive attitude, because if we do, good things happen. And we went out there and ran so well, had great handoffs and we PRed (set a personal record) by a good amount.”

That came thanks in part to a quick start from Coman.

The senior said she had been working on her block starts the morning of the race and felt “very strong” as she went through them.

“Honestly, I think I got out the hardest I did all year,” she added.

And then, after she finished the first leg of the race, Coman said she couldn’t bear to watch the rest.

“I was freaking out, but I knew this team could do it. I knew we could do it,” she said.

Her exchange with Malito went smoothly, and then Malito took off down the back stretch.

Malito brought the baton quickly to Wilson, who was tasked with the second bend of the race.

“Mia was coming in pretty hot, and I was just thinking, ‘I have to go and get us up there,'” Wilson said. “Our handoff was beautiful. We had a great exchange, and we were practicing this for months. So I just felt so good getting that baton from her.”

Wilson delivered it to Triplett, who quickly brought herself to the front of the pack, and then the race down the home stretch was on. Triplett and Toledo Central Catholic anchor Nyla King went back and forth for the lead, Triplett edging in front only for King to roar back and vice versa.

The two came to the finish line nearly simultaneously, with King making one last push in the final meters to come out in front.

With a second-place finish and school record in hand, the Indians were plenty excited with the result.

“It means a lot to me, because this is my first time near the top of the podium,” Triplett said. “My other time (at the state meet), I was on the bottom, but this means a lot and knowing that I could run with my girls for the last time.”

It’s that bond Triplett touched on that the rest of the quartet credits for the cohesiveness and chemistry that helped deliver the program mark.

“They’re like my family. … We make sure that we’re there for each other, and we have a lot of faith in each other. I knew they could get me to a spot where I could finish,” Triplett added.

Coman said, “Honestly, I think the connection between all of us was just so strong, and we’re all good friends outside of track. I think that really helps.”

Now, with Triplett, Coman and Wilson graduating, Malito is eager to carry the torch and help usher a new Girard group to Columbus next season.

“To run this well in our last race together, it means so much. I’m going to miss them all,” Malito said.

With an eye to the future, she added, “We have a great group of underclassmen, so we can definitely make it back here.”