At the same meet Breukelman, Stephens, Sprik and Vanden Benge won the  800-meter relay (1:31.97). That mark sits as the top Class A time so far this season.

For an early season track meet the exchanges in Wagner were flawless. 

When asked about relay handoffs and the success of the Black Panther sprint relays Sprik said a lot of it comes from coaching. 

“It all starts with coach Carter Kemnitz,” Sprik said. “He helps us practice the right things in practice and that builds a lot of team chemistry.” 

The confidence and chemistry carried over from the 2023 Class A state track meet when the Black Panthers showed up and left with a relay state title.

Sprik teamed with Skyler Hanten, Trevor Rolland and Aiden Bultje to win a state title in the 400-meter relay (:43.80). That same season Breukelman teamed with Hanten, Rolland and Bultje to finish second in the 800-meter relay (1:32.01).

Sprik was a sophomore on the state championship 400-meter relay and said a lot of the current relay success can be traced back to his former teammates. 

“A lot of what those guys taught me was that hard work pays off,” Sprik said. “Our chemistry came together that season and then we just got  confident about our handoffs.”

At the 2024 Class A state track meet, Platte-Geddes finished fourth in the 400-meter relay (:43.80) and fourth in the 800-meter relay (1:31.86). 

All four relay members return from those 2024 teams. That familiarity with each other extends far beyond the confines of track and field.

“Having the chemistry this season is a lot easier because we have all played sports together for a number of years,” Sprik said. “It’s fun to see how far we’ve come and grown together on these relays.”