LA CROSSE, WI- The Shawano Girls 4×800 Relay team reached all the goals they set out to accomplish Friday.

Shawano finished 5th place, earned a spot on the podium, and set a new personal record while also shattering the existing school record with a time of 9.45.83.

“We wanted to do it, but it was not our goal this year,” said Senior Lydia Beyer, who ran the second leg of the relay.

Grace Beyer kept Shawano in the top three after her two laps around the track to start the relay. Odessa Arce took over and kept Shawano in the top three after the next 800 meters.

“When Grace came in, the race was still super close, but I saw the opportunity to pass the two girls that were ahead of me.”

(Listen to more from Odessa Arce)

Beyer kept the pace for the next 800 meters, but dropped to fourth place before the final handoff.  “I pretty much knew that I had to hold the spot to give Grace a really good place,” Beyer said.

(Listen to more from Lydia Beyer)

Chelberg, a freshman, took the reigns for the final 800, and although she gave up one spot, she kept Shawano in the top six.

“My other teammates did all the work, I am just scared of getting caught,” said Chelberg.

(Listen to more from Grace Chelberg)

The girls said the outcome is exactly what they were striving for.

Lydia Beyer is a Senior so the team will have to replace her to keep the success going into next year. Beyer said their alternate Lilly Guenther is ready.

“Without her, we wouldn’t have been here because, in workouts, she is there to push us, ” Acre said. “We have a lot to live up to now, but we know that it is tangible.

(Listen to more from Arce)

For Grace Beyer, she says she enjoyed the time running with her older sister.

“It will be sad just knowing that she is not with us and her leadership but we will see what we have.”

“It was always our goal to get to State and once that happened, we needed a new goal,” Lydia Beyer said. “We made a new goal to get on that podium and that is exactly what we accomplished.”

“It feels just as good as being a champion,” Arce said. “Not everybody can stand on that podium and wear a medal around their neck so it is something that we are all going to cherish forever.”

(Beyer and Arce on Friday’s results.)