Steamboat Pilot & Today

Pueblo — Without hesitation, the boys on Hayden's two relay teams revealed the reason for all their success.

"Sobe Adrenaline Rush," they all nodded. "It's our secret weapon."

It couldn't possibly be concentration, focus or hard work because Kevin Miller, Jacques Denker, Glen Frentress and Derek Stephenson feel as if track is already too pressure packed.

They don't practice exchanges or do warmups like everyone else before a relay.

"We like to keep our mind off the race," Stephenson said.

On Saturday they went and played in the river by Dutch Clark Stadium.

"We videotaped it," they said.

They don't precisely pre-measure their exchange zones with baby steps like the competition. They do a wanna-be line dance.

"We take a couple skips and a few sidesteps," Miller said.

They admit to flirting with their block-holders, tempting opponents with post-race ice cream invitations and joking about not wearing spikes.

"We are goofy so people will make fun of us," Denker said.

On Saturday, Miller, Denker, Frentress and Stephenson got the final laugh or laughs after winning the state title in both the 4x100 and 4x200 in school record time.

While this very unorthodox path to success suits them fine, it can drive a coach bonkers.

"They are quite the characters," said head coach Kevin Kleckler. "They are very relaxed and sometimes, as a coach, that gets under your skin."

But it's hard to stay angry with kids that make you smile and no matter what they say they do work hard, assistant coach Sally Morton said.

"They didn't like it, but I ran them up hills," she said.

Whatever work or practice the boys did or didn't do, it paid off handsomely. Opponents had little choice but to shake Hayden's hands and their own heads in amazement at what the group of Tigers accomplished.

Not since 1985 has Hayden won a state track title. On Saturday, it got two from a group of guys that "eat, breathe and sleep football," Miller said. "But then went and did well at this track thing."

Very well, indeed.