Earlier this month, two of Oxford’s own took home gold medals from a national indoor track meet. Oxford High School juniors, Scott Masterson and Shane Ross, run with the Inferno Track Squad and competed along with hundreds of other athletes at the High School Invite at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, KY on Feb. 16.

Inferno’s coach, Jameel Syed, competes six athletes who are of high school-age from Auburn Hills, Lake Orion and Oxford. Though the athletes are students, Inferno is not in any way affiliated with the towns’ respective high schools and was just formed in 2018.

Masterson and Ross, who both also compete at the varsity level in cross country as well as track and field at OHS, run for Inferno alongside Thomas Moremon, Jibril Syed, Ryan Mulcahy and Alaya Freeman. Masterson, Ross, Syed and Mulcahy took home their gold medals from the distance medley relay.

Masterson ran the 1,200 meter leg and Ross ran the 400 meter leg of the race.

Jameel Syed said he keeps his squad so small for a reason and has turned many athletes away. Inferno’s six athletes excel not only in their sport, but in the classroom as well. Syed expects the kids to be willing to make the sacrifices and live the lifestyle that will, they hope, eventually land them scholarships to be D1 college athletes.

“To run for my squad, you really do have to be the best,” he said. “You know, in school and on the track. This is designed to showcase kids who want to run at the next level.”

Syed said the University of Kentucky meet is known for its national caliber and tough competition.

“It is very exclusive… It’s not designed to be a typical high school meet,” he said.

Because its such a tough meet, the boys’ gold medal on their first appearance means that much more.

“For these kids to come and win a gold medal at that stage and that level: I tell you, that’s a once in a lifetime opportunity,” Syed said.

With the team as a whole, Syed knows he has something special that wouldn’t be possible without each member.

“All of these kids have been brought into an environment where they’re learning from each other,” Syed said. “That’s what makes it so unique.”