High School

Southern California Sprints Squad Making Early Headlines

One year after rewriting the record books, the same four athletes delivered another performance that has the entire country paying attention.

Roland Padilla

From left, Jordan Wells, Kamil Pelovello, Benjamin Harris and Jace Wells pose after setting a national-leading time in the 4x100-meter relay at the Mustang Round Up at Trabuco Hills High School.
From left, Jordan Wells, Kamil Pelovello, Benjamin Harris and Jace Wells pose after setting a national-leading time in the 4x100-meter relay at the Mustang Round Up at Trabuco Hills High School. / Zeke Castellanos

Servite’s 40.05 Reinforces Its Place in California Sprint History

Servite did not merely open its season with a fast time. It reinforced its place in California track & field history.

At Saturday’s Mustang Round Up at Trabuco Hills, Servite’s 4x100-meter relay clocked 40.05 — the fastest time in the nation this year and just five hundredths of a second off the California state record of 40.00 the Friars set at the 2025 Arcadia Invitational.

That 40.00 remains the fastest 4x100 ever run by a California high school team. According to the state’s all-time list, the next closest marks in history are 40.14 by Long Beach Poly in 1999 and 40.24 by Hawthorne in 1989. Granada Hills Charter’s 40.28 in 2023, Muir’s 40.28 in 1997 and Rancho Verde’s 40.29 in 2017 round out a list filled with sprint royalty. (per prepcal track)

Servite sits alone at the top.

And now, it owns two of the fastest performances ever recorded in the state.

Different Quartet, Same Standard

What elevates Saturday’s 40.05 beyond an impressive early-season mark is the continuity behind it. The relay is comprised of the exact same four athletes who won state with a time of 40.27 last season as all freshman. The historic 40.00 at Arcadia last spring featured Jordan Wells, Benjamin Harris, Jaelen Hunter and Jace Wells.

In high school track, that kind of roster stability is rare. Graduation, injuries and multi-sport demands often prevent elite relays from getting a second act.

Servite not only returned intact — it returned sharp.

The exchanges were crisp. The acceleration phases were controlled. There was no visible hesitation in the stick work, especially for a late-February race.

California Context Matters

The significance of 40.05 becomes clearer when viewed through the lens of California sprint history.

Long Beach Poly’s 40.14 in 1999 featured Bennie Robinson, Samie Parker, Darrell Rideaux and Kareem Kelly. Hawthorne’s 40.24 in 1989 came during an era when sprint depth in the state was unmatched. More recently, Granada Hills Charter’s 40.28 at Arcadia in 2023 reintroduced the idea that sub-40.30 could be touched again.

Servite didn’t just touch it in 2025 — it shattered the ceiling.

That performance at Arcadia last year was part of a broader sprint showcase that drew national attention, as detailed in High School On SI coverage of the meet.

Now, with 40.05 on the board before March, the Friars have demonstrated that their record was not a one-meet outlier. It is the standard.

National Implications

Breaking 41 seconds typically establishes a relay as elite. Breaking 40.50 signals national competitiveness.

Breaking 40.10 in February places a team in rare air.

The 40.05 currently leads the nation and suggests that Servite may once again be chasing something larger than a state title. The margin between 40.05 and 40.00 is razor thin — one cleaner exchange, one slightly stronger drive phase.

The fact that this group has already proven it can execute a perfect race only amplifies the intrigue.

See It for Yourself

The race video captures the momentum shift as the anchor leg pulls away and the clock flashes 40.05:

The reaction is not shock. It is recognition.

Everyone understands what they are witnessing.

The Rare Second Chapter

High school relays almost never get to defend a state title with the same four athletes. Servite has that opportunity.

Last year’s 40.00 performance will remain one of the most iconic sprint marks in California history. But Saturday proved something equally important: this team is not living off last spring’s accomplishment.

It is building on it.

Forty seconds flat changed the record book.

Forty-oh-five confirms the dynasty.

The depth is real and it showed in the open 100

As if the 40.05 wasn’t enough, the same quartet returned to the track later in the meet and swept the varsity 100 meters. (Video of race)

Benjamin Harris won in 10.46 (+0.9), followed by Kamil Pelovello in 10.56, Jordan Wells in 10.57 and Jace Wells in 10.65. Four lanes. Four Friars. They now claim 4 of the top 7 100-meter times in the state.

That type of dominance speaks to something bigger than one great relay. It speaks to depth.

Two of those marks were personal bests. Pelovello’s 10.56 was a lifetime best, and Jace Wells’ 10.65 marked a new personal record as well. For a group that already owns the state-record relay, the individual progress is just as significant as the baton work.

And context makes it even more impressive.

Last season, Harris ran 10.31 to finish second at the CIF State Finals — one of the fastest times in California. He is still working his way back from injury, yet opened at 10.46 in February. That’s not a peak performance. That’s a foundation and I'm sure we'll see more great things to come.

Compare the early-season trajectory year over year and the outlook becomes clear. In 2025, several of these marks didn’t drop until April and May. Now, multiple members are already within striking distance of their spring form — and in two cases, ahead of it.

That doesn’t happen by accident.

A program built, not assembled

Coach Brandon Thomas has quietly constructed one of the deepest sprint programs in Southern California. The relay success grabs headlines, but the sweep of the 100 meters underscores the system behind it. He's had some visits from his

The mechanics are consistent. The top-end speed is repeatable. The competitive edge is obvious.

When a relay team can run 40.05 and then turn around and occupy the top four spots in the open 100, that isn’t coincidence.

And if this is where Servite stands in February, the rest of California may be chasing shadows by May.

The structure behind that success matters, too. Head coach Brandon Thomas has built one of the premier sprint programs in California, blending elite mechanics, competitive edge and year-round development. His influence has elevated Servite into a national conversation. The offseason work has also been shaped in part by his son, Max Thomas, an accomplished sprinter in his own right, who has helped push the standard within the program. The result is not accidental. It is cultivated. And with this combination of returning talent, coaching stability and proven championship experience, Servite’s sprint group looks positioned to remain one of the most powerful forces in California track and field this spring.

Published |Modified
Roland Padilla
ROLAND PADILLA

Roland Padilla is a high school sports journalist, NIL specialist, and analytics strategist covering primarily West Coast track and field, basketball, and football for High School On SI. He began his career in 2015 reporting on Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook’s Thunder era for ClutchPoints before moving into full NBA coverage. He later worked directly with the founder/CEO of Ballervisions, shortly leading programming and cross-platform social strategy during its viral 2016 rise covering the Ball brothers—a run that helped propel the brand toward its eventual ESPN acquisition and evolution into SportsCenter NEXT. A three-sport alumnus and current throwing coach at Damien High School, and a former NCAA track athlete at UC San Diego, Roland blends athlete-development knowledge with advanced analytics in his role as a Senior Analyst at DAZN and Team Whistle. He has supported content strategy for major global and U.S. sports properties including World Rugby, FIFA Club World Cup, the New York Mets, MLS, X Games, the Premier League, the NFL, and the Downs2Business podcast. With a strong background in NIL rules, athlete branding, and recruiting, Roland helps families, athletes, and readers navigate the rapidly changing high school sports landscape—bringing national-level storytelling and clarity to the next generation of athletes.

Home/California