Hermiston's Jaysen Rodriguez competes in the 1,600-meter run on March 30, 2024, at the Clay Lewis Invite in Richland, Washington. Rodriguez earned Mid-Columbia Conference honors in the 800, 1,600, 3,200 and as a member of the 4x400 relay team.

HERMISTON — Jaysen Rodriguez is one of the most successful distance runners at Hermiston High School, and his Mid-Columbia Conference honors reflect that.

With track and field, the all-conference honors are based on times and distances.

Rodriguez was named to the first team in the 800, the second team in the 1,600, and was honorable mention in the 3,200.

He also was part of the 4×400 relay team with Jaime Ramirez Ortega, Justus Counsell and Landon Shilhanek that earned second-team honors.

Rodriguez ran a 1:56.93 in the 800 during the regular season. He was third at the District 8 Championship with a time of 1:55.82. At the 3A state meet, he set a school record with a time of 1:54.66, placing ninth.

“The 3A 800-meter state competition was a really competitive race,” Hermiston coach Emilee Strot said. “He ran a school record to take ninth. You can’t be upset by that. He is only a junior and we get him for a whole other year. He is a great leader for our team, and he’s an all around great athlete.”

In the 1,600, Rodriguez ran a PR of 4:21.05 at the Pasco Invite, which also was a school record.

During the regular season, Rodriguez’s top time in the 3,200 was 9:38.48, but he ran a personal best and school record 9:22.69 at the 3A MCC Championships, placing first.

The 4×400 relay team turned in a time of 3:26.32 during the regular season. At the District 8 Championship, the Bulldogs clocked a time of 3:25.47 to earn a trip to state, where they finished 11th in the prelims (3:26.19) and just missed out on the finals.

“The state is getting faster and the league is competitive at the state level,” Strot said. “A time like that in the past would probably get you a state medal. Second in school history in the 4×400 is pretty good.”

The 4×400 team has been running together for quite some time. This season, John Mills stepped in when an injury kept Shilhanek off the track.

“Johnny Mills stepped up and was on that team when Landon couldn’t and gave them a chance to make it to state,” Strot said. “He competed hard with those boys.”

Also selected to the all-conference honorable mention team was senior Elijah Robinson in the shot put. His best throw of the regular season was 48-9.

“He was a baseball player for a couple of years, and he played football,” Strot said. “The football coaches convinced him to come out. He surpassed everyone’s expectations. To be on the all-league list and qualify for District 8, it was exciting.”

Chiawana sprinter Justin Webber was named the track athlete of the year, while Kamiakin jumper Gavyn Buchanan was the field athlete of the year. Kamiakin’s Kyle Schauble was named coach of the year after leading the Braves to the regular-season title.

Track athlete of the year — Justin Webber, sr., Chiawana.

Field athlete of the year — Gavyn Buchanan, sr., Kamiakin.

Coach of the year — Kyle Schauble, Kamiakin.

First team

100 — Justin Webber, sr., Chiawana. 200 — Camden Schmidt, sr., Kamiakin. 400 — Easton Woods, jr., Hanford. 800 — Jaysen Rodriguez, jr., Hermiston. 1600 — Ezra Teeples, jr., Kamiakin. 3200 — Ezra Teeples, jr., Kamiakin. 110H — Jackson Burns, sr., Kennewick. 300H — Jackson Burns, sr., Kennewick. 4×100 — Richland (Jalen Brightful, Jack Forbes, Levi Stiver, Brayden Pratt). 4×400 — Hanford (Grayson Jones, Ethan Brogoitti, Modou Kinteh, Easton Woods). Shot put — Carson Condie, sr., Southridge. Discus — Carson Condie, sr., Southridge. Javelin — Braxton Feldman, jr., Chiawana. HJ — Shaun Youngblood, jr., Kennewick. PV — Phillip Wald, sr., Hanford. LJ — Gavyn Buchanan, sr., Kamiakin. TJ — Shaun Youngblood, jr., Kennewick.

Second team

100 — Tristan Breier, jr., Chiawana. 200 — Alex Roberts, jr., Kennewick. 400 — Tristan Breier, jr., Chiawana. 800 — Ethan Brogoitti, jr., Hanford. 1600 — Jaysen Rodriguez, jr., Hermiston. 3200 — Noah Thomas, jr., Kamiakin. 110H — Ian Calhoon, sr., Walla Walla. 300H — Devin Crews, jr., Kamiakin. 4×100 — Kamiakin (Mario Villasenor, Devin Crews, Camden Schmidt, JaRae Long). 4×400 — Hermiston (Jaime Ramirez Ortega, Jaysen Rodriguez, Justus Counsell, Landon Shilhanek). Shot put — Dylin McIntyre, sr., Kennewick. Discus — Mason Grigg, sr., Kamiakin. Javelin — Dylin McIntyre, sr., Kennewick. HJ — Zachary Rose, jr., Richland. PV — Elijah Lynch, sr., Richland. LJ — JaRae Long, jr., Kamiakin. TJ — Gavyn Buchanan, sr., Kamiakin.

Honorable mention

100 — Easton Woods, jr., Hanford. 200 — Tristan Breier, jr., Chiawana. 400 — Carter Kreutz, jr., Chiawana. 800 — David Molina Dubon, sr., Kennewick. 1600 — Chase Kenard, jr., Kamiakin. 3200 — Jaysen Rodriguez, jr., Hermiston. 110H — Devin Crews, jr., Kamiakin. 300H — Ian Calhoon, sr., Walla Walla. 4×100 — Chiawana (Justin Webber, Cooper MacPherson, Angel Colon, Tristan Breier); Kennewick (Dylin McIntyre, Cooper Neer, Jackson Burns, Alex Roberts). 4×400 — Richland (Jaden Booker, Om Nair, Brayden Pratt, Trent Bowers). Shot put — Elijah Robinson, sr., Hermiston. Discus — Roman Hawks, sr., Hanford. Javelin — Lance Robinson, sr., Richland. High jump — Carson Rogers, sr., Southridge; Kyler Witkowski, sr., Kennewick; Reece Rheinschmidt, jr., Hanford; Matthew Stanfield, so., Richland. PV — Riley Berry, sr., Richland. LJ — Jalen Brightful, sr., Richland. TJ — Baswinny Tamil, sr., Southridge.