Winchester Relay Team Sets Record

The boys 1,600 relay team of Andrew Hintlian, Brandon Creane, James Anderson and Bobby Andrews broke a 35-year-old school record during a meet at Whitman Hansen High School, posting a time of 3:35.37 to break the old mark of 3:36 flat.

The record has special significance to Andrews since his uncle, William Andrews, was on the relay team that set the previous mark.

"I didn't brag but my dad (Bob Andrews) did," Bobby said.

Andrews and Anderson are multitalented athletes — both are competing in the decathlon — and are also team captains. Hintlian, also a senior, usually runs the 800 and the mile is one of the best distance runners in the area. Creane, who is a junior, usually competes in the 400 and the 400 hurdles.

The four runners were close to breaking the record last year but failed when Hintlain fell on his leg. They tried again earlier this season but missed by a few tenths of a second, although they finished in first in that race by a wide margin.
The better competition at Whitman Hansen on April 30 gave the Sachems their best opportunity yet at setting a new record.

Andrews ran a good first leg, putting Winchester in third place and right on pace for a sub-3:36 time heading into the first handoff. Creane ran the second leg and maintained the status quo, and Hintlian made up time on the second-place runner on the third leg. That left it to Anderson's anchor leg.

"I looked over at Bobby and he was saying, 'We're right on it, you got it,'" Anderson said. "I got the baton and ran a really good 200 and last 200 just kind of gutted it out. I saw the clock at the finish and I knew we had it."

The four runners had actually just competed in the 3,200 relay less than an hour before the 1,600 relay, but the fatigue didn't stop their quest for the record.

"It's almost a relief because we've been looking for it for so long and we came real close to it last year and fell short in the end," Anderson said. "It's nice to have but at the same time we're not going nuts over it. We still have some more stuff that we're looking to do."

Unfortunately for the Sachems, the record-setting run might be their last 1,600 relay of the season. Hintlian aggravated a herniated disc from cross-country season and he might not be able to run again for Winchester.

"We might run it at states," Anderson said. "We'll probably have to wait and see on that."