A newly assembled relay team didn't just win—they rewrote the record books. On Saturday, May 9, at the Catholic League Bishop Division championship meet held at Detroit Catholic Central High School, the U-D Jesuit Cubs' 4x800 relay squad delivered a performance for the ages.
The quartet—junior Justin Mkrtumian, sophomore Nick Formosa, sophomore Aaron Wilson, and sophomore Eli Kujawski—had never raced together this spring. But they knew they had something special brewing. In their first race as a unit, they shattered both the Catholic League record and the U-D Jesuit school record with a blistering time of 7:54.14.
That mark wasn't just fast—it was historic. According to coach Carl Brock, it's the first time since he took the helm in 2011 that the Cubs have broken the 8-minute barrier in the 4x800. What makes it even more impressive? They improved on their season-best by a staggering 18 seconds.
"I feel like absolute crap, but it's worth it," said anchor leg Wilson, who crossed the finish line with an unforgettable moment. As he rounded the final turn into the home stretch, Wilson found himself completely alone—the nearest competition was nearly 30 seconds behind. His teammates flooded the track, running alongside him for the final 50 meters before erupting in celebration.
The joy was palpable when the official time flashed on the Catholic Central video board. "I'm just so proud of everyone," Formosa said. "This run really reflected the work that we've been putting in over the past couple of months."
Coach Brock had been experimenting with different relay combinations throughout the season, but he saved his best lineup for the championship stage. "We've been trying to see where they would best fit," Brock explained. "Today we decided, since we are getting close to the regionals and states, we've got to pull out Voltron and see what happens. And that's what happened."
The Cubs' dominance didn't stop there. Their 4x400 relay team also finished first, sophomore Langston Jackson took the top spot in the 1600m and placed second in the 800m, and junior Langston Johnson claimed victory in discus. As a team, U-D Jesuit made a powerful statement—one that has them poised for even greater success as they set their sights on regionals and states.