Natchez High School track coach Larry Wesley thought his girls 4×800 meter relay team had no chance at winning a state championship.

But just when he thought the competition was too strong, the Bulldogs proved him wrong.

“I really thought we were going to finish third or fourth,” Wesley said. “There were a couple other teams that had had the best times all year.

“The first two legs it was over with. We beat them so bad. It was a great victory because we weren’t supposed to win — period.”

Natchez beat out second-place finisher Center Hill High by 14 seconds with a time of 10:32.84. Center Hill finished with a time of 10:46.65 at the MHSAA Class 5A state meet on May 5 in Jackson.

While Wesley was watching his team fly past competitors, each member of the team said they had a strong feeling of confidence.

Junior Promise Batteaste led off the relay.

“I got a pretty good start, and as soon as I ran the first lap I just said ‘One more to go. One more to go,’” Batteaste said. “At the end (of my leg) I had passed everyone.”

Senior Shekinah Hoskins ran the second leg. By that time, she had given her team a large gap.

“I just knew I needed to run,” Hoskins said. “It felt like I ran my two laps in one.”

Freshman Madison Fleming took the third leg of the relay, extending the gap.

“I knew we were in the lead, but I didn’t look back,” she said. “I don’t think I was thinking. It was all run, run, run.”

Sophomore Talliyah Harding finished the race as the anchor for the Lady Bulldogs.

“When I got the baton, I just took off. I ended up lapping two people,” Harding said. “That was the fastest I have ever run. It was like my mind went blank.”

As Harding crossed the finish line, she said she wasn’t convinced Natchez had placed first.

“I really didn’t know who I was in front of because I had passed some people,” she said. “Finally, everyone ran up to me, and I was just so tired. I couldn’t walk.”

For Hoskins, she said the moment was extra special.

“It was my last time running in high school,” Hoskins said. “I had to hold Talliyah up on the podium, but we were so happy.

“I was really glad I got it.”

After defying the season-long odds, Wesley said he couldn’t have been more pleased, either.

“They were really eager to run,” he said. “They did a great job.”