The 800-, 1,600- and 3,200-meter running events. Together they comprise high school track and field’s celebrated distance “triple crown.” For Bonita Vista senior standout Alfredo Rodriguez, the final leg is within reach: the 800.
The Baron distance runner certainly made a bold statement by turning in a season-best time of 1:55.64 at Tuesday’s Mesa League prelims. The time ranks second in the San Diego Section.
“The 800 is short and everyone knows about the mile – kids always ask what’s your time in the mile,” Rodriguez said.
Short and sweet – it could be the ticket to this year’s state finals in Clovis. A three-time state cross country qualifier, Rodriguez has yet to advance to the state track meet.
“That’s what I want,” he said succinctly.
If it wasn’t for a knee injury sustained in soccer and subsequent surgery, Rodriguez might never have had a chance to triple in his career at the league track and field finals.
The BV runner, too small to play football as a freshman, won the 3,200 Mesa League title his sophomore year and came back last year to win the 1,600 run. Now, he is gunning for the final prize of the distance triple crown: the half-mile.
“For the mile, I’d like to get my time down to 4:19,” Rodriguez said. “For the 800, I want to reach 1:53 or 1:52.”
The BVHS school record in the 800 run is 1:54.20 and appears within Rodriguez’s reach over the next four weekends, including the state meet should he qualify.
First up is Friday’s league championship meet at Otay Ranch High School, then the section prelims and finals on back-to-back Saturdays to close out May.
The top three place-winners in the A-heat at the section finals qualify for the state meet.
“My first year as a freshman, I wasn’t running smart – now I am,” he said.
Few would dispute that. Rodriguez pulled off a minor upset by defeating Otay Ranch standout Jacob Roach for last year’s 1,600 title. He also finished ahead of Roach to win the 3,200 title the previous year in an exciting finish against the Mustangs’ Brandon Velasquez (a margin of two-hundredths of a second at the finish line). Rodriguez and Roach are expected to meet in Friday’s highlight 1,600 finals, though the rivalry is a friendly one.
Rodriguez is the overwhelming favorite to win this year’s 800 title while Roach is the leading contender to win the boys 3,200 event. The 1,600 match-up should produce fast times for both – and that’s what each is looking for in the race for CIF qualifying berths. Rodriguez ranks seventh in the section in the 1,600 at 4:20.49.
The soccer injury forced Rodriguez to discard the 3,200 event in favor of the much shorter and less physically taxing 800. The switch has obviously been quite productive for the Baron distance runner.
He will compete in both cross country and track and field for Concordia University in Irvine next running season.
“I just want to do the best I can … wherever my legs can take me,” Rodriguez said. “I want to pursue running – one step at a time.”
Cruise control
The section preliminary qualifying meet is scheduled May 22 at Mt. Carmel High School, starting at 9 a.m. The section finals follow on May 29, starting at 10 a.m. The top nine finishers in each event in both the Division I and Division II heats/flights will qualify for the section finals. The top three place-finishers in the A-heat/flight at section finals advance to the state championship meet June 4-5 at Buchanan High School in Clovis.
