BILLINGS — Billings Central junior Sam Jagodzinski stands out during his 800-meter races.
Mostly because he's typically leading — he has Class A's No. 2 time at 1 minute, 55.91 seconds — but he's also oftentimes the largest competitor in the field.
Offseason training and weight lifting have paid off, as evidenced at last weekend's Eastern A divisional when he found another gear at the 300-meter mark and surged to the front of the pack.
"Kind of the way the race was paced I knew it could go harder. Really I just try to do my best to run my race and not let anyone else dictate the way I run," Jagodzinski said. "I just want it myself. That's the biggest thing. No one else is going to do it for you. You have to go out and do it for yourself."
After a third-place finish as a sophomore at state and an Eastern A title in his back pocket this year, Jagodzinski is ready for an ascension to State A gold.
"As a younger kid out there it left me hungry. I just want it more. It was a good opportunity to do it last year and I was happy with how I finished, but I'm just looking to get better every year," Jagozinski said.
"My coaches, my family - my dad especially (motivate me.) ... I'm representing more than the school when I wear this jersey. I'm representing God. As a team we hold ourselves to a higher standard, too."
Jagodzinski takes a stab at a state title on Friday during the Class A state meet at the Laurel Sports Complex.
