By Blake Chadwick

The offseason grind for student-athletes is always a tough one, but it is extremely necessary when state championships are the goal. For Jordan Rodriguez of Ellsworth, he has it even tougher. The senior, like a lot of student-athletes, has to juggle his life outside of sports, which includes a job and going to his summer workouts. 

“Unfortunately, I have not made as many as I would have liked to because of work, but I know the team has been putting in the work that needs to be put in,” Rodriguez said. 

The Ellsworth Bearcats are coming off an 8-2 season in which they lost to state runner-up Kingman. 

“This offseason has been one of our biggest offseasons in school history,” Rodriguez said. 

Rodriguez is a right guard and defensive tackle with a fundamental approach to the game that helps him capitalize on his innate quickness in the trenches on both sides of the ball. The senior has been putting in the work on the field but has also taken a step back to check his mental preparation.

“I have been preparing myself mentally for the pressure that’s going to be on us,” Rodriguez said. “One team goal I have is obviously winning a championship, but another team goal is to stay mentally focused. It’s important to not let the hype get you complacent.” 

He wants to do everything in his power to get over the hump and get to the state championship, and in doing so, he also wants to show what kind of player he is. 

“One of my personal goals is to continue to show why I can be the No. 1 offensive and defensive lineman in 2A,” Rodriguez said.