GUILDERLAND — The Guilderland track distance medley relay team is setting new standards.

The team of Jeff Giesendorfer, Mark Domaracki, Brian Rhodes-Devey, and Roland Graves set a school record with a time of 10:12.24 in the event. It was also the second-fastest time in Section II history and the fastest time in the state this season. They set the mark at the Loucks Games in White Plains on Thursday.
"Roland and Jeff ran solid that day," Domaracki said. "And Brian was spectacular in the mile."
"We’re all good friends," Giesendorfer said. "We had a nice ride there. We were messing around. It was a great time."

The great times rolled on: Graves ran a 3:13.7 in the two-mile leg of the relay. Giesendorfer ran a 51.2 in the 400 meters, Domaracki ran 1:59.1 in the 800 meters, and Rhodes-Devey ran 4:08 in the mile.
"They are talking about possibly running at nationals," Guilderland Coach Pete Wachtel said. "They want to put together a team and pass on individual events. But, if we have anyone that qualifies for the national event, it will be hard to do multiple events."
"We want to go down to North Carolina in the middle of June," Graves said describing the site of the national championship.

"Ready to go"

The four runners came to the Loucks games with a little bit of a purpose.
"Not going to the Penn Relays and not getting an invite," Rhodes-Devey said, "we went into this meet to show what we have. We really came out ready to go.
"We’ve planned to run the DMR all year at this meet. It was the same day as one of our dual meets. Our coaches supported us in running down there and it was really nice of them to let us run there."

The Dutch runners got lucky as their meet was postponed because of lightning and still has to be made up. But the Loucks meet was not affected by the weather.
"It was perfect running weather," Graves said.

The four runners will be preparing for the Suburban Council meet this week as well as the Class A sectional meet, which will be hosted by Guilderland on Thursday.

The following week will be the Section II state qualifier.

Rhodes-Devey and Domaracki have the best chance of making a return trip to the state meet. Giesendorfer and Graves, who went to the state meet for cross-country in the fall, want to run their personal best and see what happens.
"I want to win states," Rhodes-Devey said. "In what event, I’m not sure yet. I’ve won a state title in cross-country and I would like to win one in track. I would like to do that."

Rhodes-Devey has run the 800 and 1,600 races during the season and has the fastest time in the section in both events. He will be running at the University of Texas in the fall.
"I would like to qualify in the steeple chase or the two mile," Graves said.
"I want to run a 47 [seconds] at states," Domaracki said. "I want to get under the 48 plateau. I’ve moved around a lot. The 800 is different. I’m just getting familiar with the race. The pentathlon was fun. I wanted to try some things that I do not normally do."

Domaracki will be focused on the 400 meters for the sectional meet. He will be on the track team at Boston College in the fall.
"I just want to get better times," Giesendorfer said. "It’s important to stay healthy and do my best for the 400 hurdles."

Then it will be onto the nationals and the DMR.
"I’ve been to nationals before," Rhodes-Devey said. "But it would be great for the other guys."