MONSON, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) - One small town’s track team is ready to represent western Mass. on a national stage. But they haven’t crossed every hurdle yet — and Western Mass News has more on how you can help.

“It means a lot to me to have the opportunity, especially when we’re in, like, such a small town,’ said Monson High School Junior Lylia Ellis. It’s an accomplishment no one saw coming.

“I feel like we’re kind of like the underdogs. No one really expects Munson to be, like, good athletes, and then here we are, we made it,” said Monson High Student Mackayla St. George.

Monson’s girls 4x100 track team — led almost entirely by sophomores and juniors broke their school record two times over, winning western Mass. Now, they’re preparing for the Adidas Nationals Outdoor Track and Field Championships in North Carolina.

Head coach Joe Willis said, it’s an honor to put these western Mass. athletes on the map, “It’s really cool just coming from a small town to be able to be on a national stage like that. It’s very exciting.

However, while the opportunity is a dream — it’s not guaranteed to become a reality. Nationals will take place on June 18th, after the semester ends, so the event isn’t funded by the school. Meaning this shot at history might not even make it off the platform, “emotions are very high. Everybody was so excited. Everybody had to smile all over their face,” said sophomore Sophia Lenoard.

Though with community members and local leaders like Hampden County Sheriff Nick Cocchi attended their fundraisers — they know they’re not alone in this race against the clock, “the extreme amount of kindness with all the donations and everybody, like, coming together, like at our car wash and our GoFundMe. It’s just, wow,” said junior Lylia Ellis.

Even though they only have a few more weeks to reach the finish line, “definitely a lot of nerves but so much excitement. So excited to be able to compete against these people,” said sophomore Gemma Leshefski.

If you’d like to help the Monson Track Team, make it to nationals, you can find a link to their GoFundMe here.

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