No matter what happens to the Polo-Forreston 800-meter relay team this weekend at the Class 1A state track meet in Charleston, the Geary brothers are going to enjoy it.

As their senior track season began in March, twins Michael and Shane never expected to share a relay after Shane’s basketball season was cut short due to lower back and hip injuries.

But a few short months later, the two are not only spending their final high-school sports weekend together, they actually have a chance to share a podium and take home state medals during Saturday’s finals.

“We never thought we’d get to run together, let alone be seeded seventh going into the state meet,” Michael said. “We didn’t predict us getting down there in the 800 relay, and it would be pretty sweet if we could pull out a medal in the finals.”

“It will mean a lot to me if we can get on the podium again,” Shane added, “and it’s something I’d really like to share with my brother.”

Shane and Michael shared two medals at last year’s state meet, in the 400 and 800 relays; Shane also placed ninth in the 100-meter finals. Both qualified for state in four events in 2011, and Shane was a 200 qualifier in 2010.

But after a senior season riddled with injuries, Shane knows this trip to Charleston’s blue track will be so much sweeter.

“Basketball was a real disappointment, being injured all year,” Shane said, “but I’m very glad they haven’t held me back as much in track. To actually be able to run at the state meet, compete with the best ... I can’t think of a better way to end my senior year.”

Suffering from pain in his lower back, Shane went to a chiropractor and was told he had something wrong with his sacroiliac (S.I.) joint in his right pelvis. It was affecting the ligaments and tendons in his hip.

The inability to stretch out that tendon is evident in the weight room and on the track. The loss of explosiveness out of the starting blocks forced Shane to give up the two sprints and instead focus on the middle distance races.

It was a tough pill to swallow for the Polo record holder in the 200 (22.19 seconds) – and it was just as tough for his brother.

“It was hard seeing him not being 100 percent healthy,” Michael said, “but I also had to take over the 100 and 200 from him – and I wasn’t very happy about it. Those aren’t strong events for me, and he never could get healthy enough to come back to the open sprints.

“Those events still haven’t really grown on me, although I did break Shane’s school record in the 200 by running a 22.07 this year. I guess it shows that I at least got better at them; I just tried to do my best to fill his shoes and not disappoint anyone.”

Shane believes his brother achieved that goal admirably.

“I was more proud of him than I was mad at him,” Shane said. “It’s been exciting this year to be able to watch him run those races, and in the long jump too, and I’m glad that at least I have someone close to me to cheer on in the races I used to run.”

Funny enough, it wasn’t his SI joint injury that nearly kept the twins from running together at state. Feeling sick during the 1A Winnebago Sectional last Friday, Shane wasn’t sure he was going to be able to run the 800 relay.

But Michael and coach Ryan Deets talked him into it, and despite throwing up for close to a half-hour after the race was completed, Shane is glad they did. The Marcos clocked a 1:31.25, good for a sectional title and the seventh-best time heading into state.

“It was a last-second decision, pretty much,” Shane said, “but Michael and Coach Deets made me realize that I didn’t want to go out as a senior by missing state just because I was sick. I’m glad I decided to run, because if I hadn’t, I would have been upset with myself when I woke up the next morning.

“It means the world to me to go to state and have one more chance to run with my brother and my friends.”

Now, the attention turns what is sure to be an emotional final track meet this weekend. The 1A preliminaries are Thursday, and another strong run by the Geary brothers, Max Barkalow and Cody Whitehead could mean a third relay medal for Shane and Michael.

And while Shane won’t be able to add a second individual state medal, he’ll be his brother’s biggest supporter as Michael competes in the long jump (seeded 1st at 22-5 1/2) and the 200 (13th, 22.78).

“They’re both good for each other, and they really push each other and encourage each other all the time,” Polo-Forreston track coach Tom Welty said. “Shane was our most decorated athlete last year, and that’s been traded off to Michael this year. It would be icing on the cake if they can medal when they run together for the final time, an amazing end to both of their careers.”

State track experience

Shane Geary

2010 – qualified for 200 (did not make finals)

2011 – 4th in 400 relay (43.11), 6th in 800 relay (1:29.73), 9th in 100 (11.26), qualified in 200 (did not make finals)

2012 – seeded 7th in 800 relay (1:31.25)

Michael Geary

2011 – 4th in 400 relay (43.11), 6th in 800 relay (1:29.73), qualified in long jump and 1,600 relay (did not make finals)

2012 – seeded 1st in long jump (22-5 1/2), 7th in 800 relay (1:31.25), 13th in 200 (22.78)