TACOMA — Hermiston’s relay teams will be on display at the 3A State Track and Field Championships at Mt. Tahoma High School in Tacoma.

The meet, which begins Thursday, May 23, will also feature the Bulldogs’ Bradley Hottman in the discus and Jaysen Rodriguez in the 800 meters.

Up first for Hermiston on Thursday is the prelims for the girls 4×200 relay team, and the boys 4×400 relay team.

The boys 4×400 team of Jaime Ramirez Ortega, Rodriguez, Justus Counsell and Landon Shilhanek placed fifth at the District 8 meet, but posted a state qualifying time of 3:25.47.

“We have Jaime and Justus on both relays,” Hermiston coach Emilee Strot said. “They deserve a lot of credit. Justus is a four-year track kid who has worked extremely hard. Those two boys work their tails off for our program. It’s a grind. It’s week 13. I’m excited for them to race one more time. I hope they are able to end on a positive note.”

It will be the last high school meet for Shilhanek, who has signed to run at University of Montana. He has been plagued with injuries during the season.

“I’m happy Landon gets to compete his senior season,” Strot said.

The girls 4×200 relay team of Madeline Jared, Alondra Risueno, Ava Courtney and Karina Ortiz has broken the school record a couple of times this season. They turned in a PR of 1:44.79 at the District 8 meet.

The distance was new to the Bulldogs when they Joined the Mid-Columbia Conference a few years ago, and they have finally gotten the hang of it.

“It’s a new race for us,” Strot said. “It’s not something we have tried to put our top kids in. It’s a race we have had to learn. This season we decided to focus on the 4×200. To goto state in another relay is kind of exciting.”

Rodriguez will run the 800 prelims Friday morning. He finished third at the District 8 meet with a time of 1:55.82.

“This is his first time competing at state,” Strot said. “I’m really excited for him. He wants to get in the finals and break the school record (He’s tied with Alex Range at 1:55.78). He is pretty phenomenal. He’s by far the most decorated distance athlete at Hermiston. He just tied the 800 school record. He has the school record in the 3,200 (9:22.69) and the 1,600 (4:21.05).”

The 800-meter finals are Saturday morning.

Friday also brings the prelims for the 4×100 relays.

The girls 4×100 team of Jared, Risueno, Ortiz and Abigayl Dainty finished second at the District 8 meet with a time of 49.97.

“I’m excited for them,”Strot said. “Only Alondra is a senior on that team. All of them competed at state last year. That experience will be to their advantage.”

The boys 4×100 turned in its best time of the season at the District 8 meet as Logan Zumwalt, Counsell, Ramirez Ortega and Gio Gonzague ran a 43.11.

“Some of them have had their eye on the school record (42.85), and I think it’s within their reach,” Strot said. “They have gotten this far. It’s perfecting their handoffs and making it to the final. There are some really competitive relays going in. You have to be at your best.”

All of the relay finals are Saturday.

Saturday morning has Hottman competing in the discus. He finished second at the District 8 meet with a season-best throw of 155-8. Hottman has signed to throw at University of Idaho.

“Honestly, I’m really proud of him,” Strot said. “We are in a really competitive district — I think five or six discus throwers got in (to state). His goal going in was the qualifying mark, and he got that on his second throw. Then he walked away with the silver medal, which is exciting.”