By Matt Gade

605 Sports

STURGIS — Following the Howard Wood Dakota Relays, the Rapid City Stevens girls’ 400-meter relay team was fresh off a school record and meet record of :48.33.

The time moved the team of Ava Holzwarth, Ella Bradeen, Maya Khachikian and Riley Willet into second place all-time behind Sioux Falls Lincoln’s :47.84 time back in 2021.

Despite moving into second, the girls had no expectations or even thought of breaking the state record. 

They didn’t even think they had a shot at it.

Then on Saturday during the Black Hills Classic, watching as the live results came in, the girls jumped up and down and embraced each other tightly when they saw their new season best result posted.

The Raider 4x100 meter relay team posted a :47.68. 

“That wasn't even, like, I wasn't even thinking about it. I mean, we just broke our school record. I didn't even think about the state record,” sophomore Holzwarth said. “We just ran almost a whole second faster. I wouldn't have imagined us running that fast.”

“No one was even thinking about the state record,” Khachikian said. “We were thinking about running in the 47s just because, we knew we could get there. We knew he could be faster.”

The team consists of one junior, Bradeen, two sophomores, Holzwarth and Khachikian, and a freshman, Willet.

“One thing that we never do is run for records. It seems like whenever you try to run and break a record, it doesn't happen,” Rapid City Stevens Head Coach Paul Hendry said. “We just try to execute, especially with the 4x100, you want to be able to run as fast as you can and hand off the baton going full speed. We really just stress the little things, taking care of each little thing. And if they do that on a nice day like today, good things will happen. And they did amazing.”

Despite being such a young team, Holzwarth, Bradeen and Khackikian were a part of the Raiders' 400-meter relay team that won the state championship a season ago.

For freshman Willet, she said she used to be stressed knowing the expectations of joining the team this year, but said the rest of the group has been very welcoming to her.

“You have a lot of peers looking down on you, making sure you want to be a part of the team, and making sure you put in that effort as hard as you can,” Willet said of when she first ran with the team.

“It's super amazing,” Willet added of the team’s success. “At first, I didn't know what to expect because I was on the bottom of the totem pole. But now that I'm getting along with them and I have confidence in them. It's definitely a lot of work… but we’ll win.”

“When (Willet) first ran. I mean, the nerves were there a little bit, but we just told her it's going to be okay,” Khachikian said of Willet joining the relay team this season. “Just run for yourself, and because it's fun for you. We just know we can keep progressing in our times, and we all can trust each other and just build on that.”

The Rapid City Stevens' 4x100 meter relay team of Maya Khachikian, front left, Ava Holzwarth, hugging Khachickian, Riley Willet, center, and Ella Bradeen, right, react to seeing their time posted online following the race on Saturday. (Matt Gade/605 Sports)

Even with their success on the relay team, the girls are finding success in other events.

Holzwarth currently leads Class AA in the long jump (19-6), Khachikian is third in Class AA 100-meter hurdles (15.03) and Bradeen is second in the Class AA 100 meters (12.01) and third in the 200-meter dash (24.87).

“Well, the good thing about the 4x100 is, really, the two events that (Holzwarth and Khachikian) do, the long jump and the 100 hurdles, it's all about speed, and so we're training speed, and that's really what it comes down to,” Hendry said. “Ava is just talented. So definitely, she could be a sprinter. She can be a jumper. Maya could probably be in the 100, 200, too, but, you know, we try to spread our girls out. Cover as many events as possible.”

“I mean, we put in so much work at practice,” Bradeen said of her success in multiple races. “I’m just focusing on one race at a time.”

Now with the state record under their belt, the Raiders are looking to keep building on their season and cap it off with a gold medal.

“I never even thought about the state record,” Bradeen said. “I mean, I feel like 46 is our next (goal).”

“As long as we have good handoffs and run fast, and I think we'll be good,” Holzwarth added.