A belated Mother’s Day gift: Blair brothers, Eyre brothers qualify for state in the 4x800 relay
From left: Weston Blair, Landen Eyre, Sawyer Blair and Keegan Eyre are 4x800 state qualifiers. (Submitted photos)
Mother's Day may have officially been on May 12 of this year, but for two Whiteoak Wildcat moms, it just keeps on coming.
Whiteoak's 4x800 relay team is made up of two sets of brothers, Landen Eyre and Keegan Eyre and Weston Blair and Sawyer Blair. These four young men have qualified for the state track meet in Dayton next Friday.
All season long, teammates, fans, coaches and other relatives have enjoyed and cheered on these record-breaking athletes, but two ladies stand out: Beth Blair, mother of Weston and Sawyer, and Beth Swanson, mother of Landen and Keegan, attend these meets. While all moms have that special pride for their sons, these two ladies definitely have that and much more. And why wouldn't they, with what have they watched over the last few years?
Each has an older son who has achieved an unbelievable amount. Between Landen Eyre and Weston Blair in their running sports, they have combined for six team league championships, 17 league individual titles, two team district titles, 13 individual district titles, three individual regional titles, two team state-qualifying berths, 12 individual state-qualifying berths and two state podiums, including a state runner-up … and are going on Saturday to the state meet to add to these hard to fathom achievements.
The younger sons? Both Keegan Eyre and Sawyer Blair are sophomores but came into postseason play without the major accolades. Both are tremendous kids that love sports, each other and their brothers. During cross-country, neither of them participated in the sport but would be at the meets, cheering on their brothers at all parts of the course. They are the typical "younger brothers" in most every sense. As the season has gone along, both Keegan and Sawyer have become integral parts of Whiteoak's track success and in doing so are starting to resemble the talents of their older and heralded siblings.
The bond among all four of them is something that has to be witnessed. Both older brothers seem to be the older brother to both of the younger brothers and vice versa. Keegan has chased older "brother" Weston all year in the 800-meter dash, and while has yet to catch him, he has gotten so close that he advanced out of districts and was immediately engulfed by big "brother" Weston just seconds after finishing himself and realizing that Keegan has done the unthinkable task.
So Mother's Day this year for the Beths fell on May 12; on May 15, the four sons won a district 4x800 title; on May 17, Landen won the district 1600 and 3200 and Weston and Keegan qualified for regionals in the 800; on May 22, the four sons qualified for the state meet in the 4x800; and on May 24, Weston qualified for state in the 800 and Landen qualified for the state in the 1600 and won the 3200. This memorable month of Mother’s Day for the Beths will continue Thursday, May 30 for the 4x800 with both sets of brothers, and on Friday, May 31 will be the older sons in the 800 and 3200.
It is not known if two sets of brothers have ever taken a relay team to state, but we know it’s been done now. If you need the Beths next Thursday and Friday, they’ll be in Dayton with their state-level pride for their state-level sons.
A Mother’s Day to remember.
(Editor's note: Check back for more regional track stories.)
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Wildcats
Congratulations to all & happy mother's day to the Beth's!