SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — Springfield head track and field coach Trae Cotner got an unexpected message from one of his team’s top athletes.

“I was at school and he just sent me a message and he was like, “Hey, just, you know, I’m at the ER and I was like, Oh,” Cotner said. “And he goes, ‘Yeah, they think they have take my appendix out.’ So of course, I think season over.”

Springfield junior Deandre Brown’s track season was put in jeopardy after a cat scan revealed an inflamed appendix, leading to surgery to remove it.

“Feels good to be back,” Brown said.

Three weeks later, he was back on the track running at the Central State Eight meet.

“I thought it was going to take a little longer than the first meet to get back, but it’s time to go,” Brown said.

“It’s inspiring, you know,” junior Mekhi Newman said. “He came back really quick and he’s doing great now.” “Knowing Dre, I know that he would come back.”

Brown has been a part of a 4×100, 4×200, and 4×400 record-breaking relay teams this season, not bad for a group in their first season of competing together.

“It means a lot and gives us more confidence, which will help us run better,” Newman said.

And a key member of these relays, Jaiyden Wilson, gives Springfield a big boost in his first season of high school track.

“But I feel like I’ve helped the team a lot and seeing how much these guys have grown from last year to this year, the steps they’ve taken, it’s just a lot,” Wilson said.

The Senators finished top five in all four relay races at Wednesday’s O’Fallon Class 3A sectional.