GULF SHORES — Dallas County High School’s track and field program found itself among the state’s elite Saturday night in Gulf Shores.

The Hornets finished fourth overall in the Class 4A boys’ standings at the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s Class 4A-6A state track meet. Dallas County was just ten points out of second place, which would have meant taking a state runner-up trophy back to Plantersville.

“I’m very proud. We got so close,” Dallas County head coach Robert Dolbare said. “It was one of those things where if a couple of other things had gone our way we could have gotten up even farther, but it was a great day for Dallas County High School and the city of Valley Grande.”

It also wasn’t too shabby for a school that didn’t even have a track program a little over four years ago. Dallas County had a ten-year period without a track and field program at all, but Dolbare revived the program in 2010 and has helped it soar to new heights.

“It has been a long process. It is not just this year,” Dolbare said. “This has been a process for four years of trying to get better every year, get better every day. We work hard every day and our motto is we may not can out challenge you but we will try to outwork you. My kids buy into that, they believe in it, they have confidence and we compete that way.”

Although the Hornets did not reach their ultimate goal of winning a state championship, Dallas County did complete one of the best, if not the best, track season in school history with a top-five finish at the state level.

Saturday, the Hornets jumped from twelfth in the standings to fourth.

Xavier Knight finished second in the 110-meter hurdles, followed by teammates Quintavis Parker, who finished third, and Xavier Mundell, who took home fifth.

The Hornets also set a school record with a time of 3:33.63 to finish third in the boys’ 4×400 relay. Dallas County was seeded eighth in the 4×400 based on the Hornets’ performance in sectionals, meaning they jumped five teams to leap into the medals.

Still, it wasn’t enough to chase down UMS-Wright, who scored 93 points to win the Class 4A boys crown. Dadeville finished second with 55 points, followed by Oneonta with 51 points and the Hornets with 45.

UMS-Wright won its 16th outdoor track championship, which is the most in state history.

Saturday’s championship was UMS-Wright’s sixth straight title.