JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — When Albany’s Claire Youngclaus put the baton in Melissa McGinley’s hand, the Warriors were in first place.

Youngclaus knew what that meant for their 4x400-meter relay in last Saturday’s Class 1 sectional.

“Oh, we feel 100 percent confident, for sure,” Youngclaus said.

McGinley ran Albany to a 3 1/2-second victory against Rock Port and a sectional and school record in 4:21.22. It gave McGinley, a senior, her only sectional title after runner-up showings in the long jump, 4x100 and 4x200.

First place didn’t matter, as long as she can compete in today’s Class 1 Track and Field Championships.

“After last year, a fourth place finish would’ve done me good,” McGinley said. “This feels amazing. It’s the best feeling to win this race and see how excited my teammates are.”

A state champion in the open 400 as a sophomore, McGinley entered last year’s sectional meet with a chance to qualify for state in four events. But a nagging left quadricep injury had other ideas.

McGinley aggravated the injury during the 100, where she placed second, but it forced her to scratch from the 200 and 400. She tried two unsuccessful long jump attempts before scratching her final two.

Despite qualifying in the 100, she was unable to run that race at the state meet.

McGinley said she still occasionally thinks about the injury that cost her the state meet last year. Even feeling a twinge here or there.

“I definitely feel it, especially on those cold days,” said McGinley, who earned six state medals in her first two years, including the 400-meter state title.

“But compared to last year, it’s nothing.”

McGinley has sacrificed her participation in individual events, except for the long jump. She doesn’t like to discuss the reasons, saying only, “I’m running the same events, just with a team.”

McGinley hopes her younger teammates will help her add to her state medal total.

The 4x400 team of McGinley, Youngclaus, Spenser Naylor and Brittany Allen ran a time which should earn a state medal, and the 4x200 and 4x100 look to be at the same pace.

“I’m just glad we got to do this before Melissa graduated,” said Naylor, who also runs on the 4x100.

A high medal in the long jump also seems likely, but McGinley would rather assure her teammates of their own state medals.

“It’s so much more fun when more people get to participate,” she said. “I know that all of us have it in us for a state medal, hopefully for a state championship.

“I know we’ll be ready for anything.”

Meanwhile, Class 3 (Kearney) and Class 4 (Lee’s Summit North) area track and field athletes compete in sectionals on Saturday. Kansas’ state meet will take place May 23 and 24 in Wichita, Kan.

Assistant sports editor Ross Martin can be reached at rossmartin@npgco.com