Driven Tiger: Ephrata's Roberts closes out high school career on high note

EPHRATA — Making his third appearance at the 2A State Track and Field Championships, Ephrata senior Hayden Roberts knew he wanted to close out his high school career with a high placement at state.

“It was kind of a surreal experience,” Roberts said. “I’ve been to state in the past, and I was definitely the most nervous for this than I’ve been in my life. It was one last chance to go out and do it, and I knew I was capable of maybe doing something crazy. I didn’t doubt anything, and what ended up happening was just believing in myself and letting it all happen.”

After posting a time of 1:54.2 minutes in the preliminary round of the 800-meter run, Roberts said his confidence was high entering the 800-meter finals.

“I was almost more nervous for prelims just to see how everybody will be running and how everybody’s feeling that weekend,” Roberts said. “Going into state there were some fast times at districts so I knew it was going to be tough, but going and competing at prelims and seeing me come out on top was a big confidence boost.”

The senior posted a personal-best time of 1:54.1 in the finals, finishing nearly six-tenths of a second ahead of Anacortes sophomore Dylan Rowell to win his first state championship.

“I was able to come out with a second 57 (second split on the second lap), which is really rare for the 800,” Roberts said. “It was just a cool feeling to be able to come through with even splits for the 800.”

Even after crossing the finish line at the state meet in Tacoma, the feeling of capturing a state title took a few days to settle in.

“That feeling coming through that I won a state championship was just unreal,” Roberts said. “It didn’t really sink in at all until a couple of days after — it was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I really did it.’”

Roberts also ran the 1,600-meter run at the 2A state championship meet, placing third with a time of 4:13.1 minutes — also a new personal best.

“It was a good race, I raced well, but I just wasn’t satisfied with the third place,” Roberts said. “It was still great, I PR’d, but those guys on top were really good. To be able to come back and get a state championship under the belt was just the dream. It was nice to come back after the third place and put together a good race.”

The recent Ephrata graduate said past experiences at the state tournament helped in his preparation; Roberts took fourth in the 800 and second in the 1,600 in 2023; in 2022, he narrowly missed the 800-meter finals with a ninth-place finish in the preliminary round and took 12th in the 1,600.

“There’s only a couple races a year where you have such a competitive field, and it’s different racing there when you have everybody there capable of doing great things,” Roberts said. “To be in that atmosphere with that level of competition, it’s nice to be able to compete in that atmosphere a couple times beforehand.”

Roberts leaves Ephrata with his name on top of the record book in three events. He broke the school record in both the 800 and the 1,600 at the 2023 state championship meet, setting new program-best marks at this year’s state meets with times of 1:54.1 and 4:13.1, respectively. Roberts also broke the school record in the 3,200-meter run at the Ray Cross Invitational on March 23 with a time of 9:21.57 minutes, competing in the event for just the second time.

“It’s so satisfying to put in all this work, and all the workouts, to see the results as they are it’s just so amazing,” Roberts said. “To be able to see that everything you’ve done has paid off in so many ways. It’s kind of surreal.”

While Roberts now leaves behind a record-breaking high school career, he now sets his sights on Spokane to run for Gonzaga University.

“I spoke with a lot of coaches and had a lot of good experiences, but going to Gonzaga and visiting, there was just something different,” Roberts said. “Meeting all those guys and taking with coach (Pat) Tyson down there, I felt a connection and at home with that team and the program.”

After redshirting his upcoming freshman season, Roberts will compete in cross country as well as indoor and outdoor track with the Bulldogs.

“I’m just excited to be around the team,” Roberts said. “Being in high school you have that team atmosphere, but there, everybody wants to great. Being around that same attitude allows you to grow more. I’m just excited to be around all of the great athletes that are there; they all have the same drive and want the same thing.”

Roberts also competed in cross country in high school, reaching the state championship meet each of the three years it was held while he was at Ephrata. His highest placing at state came this season, finishing sixth while battling bronchitis. His father, Lyndsy Roberts, was named the team’s head coach last summer. Hayden credited Lyndsy for sparking his interest in competitive running in his youth, while Lyndsy was a coach in Royal City. 

“I was just hoping I could make it to state in my circumstances,” Hayden Roberts said. “I got there and I was doing alright — not amazing, I was coughing and it was terrible. I just knew that I had to give it everything, I knew it was going to be a hard race. I kind of asserted myself, and was able to push through and place sixth.”

Roberts thanked those around him for assisting in helping him reach this point in his competitive running career.

“Without my teammates, my coaches, my family and the community, I don’t think I would have been able to make it here,” Roberts said. 

Ian Bivona may be reached at ibivona@columbiabasinherald.com. 

    Ephrata senior Hayden Roberts, left, leads the way during the 800-meter run during a league meet against Othello on April 21. Roberts won the 2A state championship in the 800-meter run at last month’s championship meet in Tacoma.
  

Ephrata senior Hayden Roberts crosses the finish line during the 800-meter finals at the 2A State Track and Field Championships in Tacoma. Roberts set a new personal best in the event with a time of 1:54.1 minutes, a new program-best for the Tigers.