KEVIN NARRO | Valley Morning Star
LA FERIA — Senior runner Reyes Rodriguez put a stamp on a successful career at La Feria High School as he qualified for the UIL state meet in both cross country and track three out of his four years.
Rodriguez will hit Highway 77 this fall as he signed a letter of intent to run both sports at Texas A&M University-Kingsville.
“I was nervous about my signing day,” Rodriguez said Tuesday. “I have a lot of family and friends here today, and that means a lot to me. This has always been a goal of mine. Last summer I realized I could compete at the next level and from there on out I wanted to compete.”
The 6-foot-2 athlete will compete in the 800 and in the mile at TAMUK.
During Rodriguez’s sophomore season he placed fifth in the 800 at state then during his junior year he took home a second-place finish in the same event.
But he wasn’t done there as earlier this month he capped off his high school track career in style by winning state gold in the 800.
“I run every Saturday and Sunday, and I run at my house and after school. I’m always working,” Rodriguez said. “Kingsville reached out to me last year and we kept in contact. A lot of other schools from out of the state contacted me, but I wanted to stay close to home.
“The competition is going to be tough (at TAMUK). The guys up there are very fast, but looking back on my time here at La Feria, winning state is the best memory I have.”
With Rodriguez’s accomplishments he has helped set the bar high for the underclassmen and led by example in his time in a Lions uniform.
“This is something that started four years ago. As a freshman he came in and was a workhorse,” said La Feria track coach Evie Sanchez. “He qualified for state as a sophomore and qualified his junior year, but both those years he knew he could do more. His senior year he worked extra hard and got his gold metal; it was a goal he set from the start of the year. He led by example; he lets his work do the talking for him.”