PROTOCOL: 2026 Nike Jesuit Twilight Relays // Shattering the Sub-4 Barrier
Friday night under the lights at Cronin Field is not just another track meet. It is a proving ground. The 2026 Nike Jesuit Twilight Relays delivered the exact high-voltage, high-stakes environment that defines Pacific Northwest track and field.
When Tom Rothenberger told me that some outside talent was coming to Portland to compete, I knew the elite mile would be incredible. As April 24 drew closer, I laughed at Isaac Benjamin being the “slowest” seeded athlete in the elite mile. There is just no way—but then you go through the roster of runners and any of them could have been first, middle, or last, and it wouldn’t have mattered on race day.
The Sub-4 Showdown
Caden Leonard and Jackson Spencer prepare at the starting line of the elite mile event during the Nike Jesuit Twilight Relays. High-contrast monochrome rendering captures the athletes concentration for Thurston County sports media coverage. Commercial sports and editorial photography engineered by Russell Moore Photography in Olympia, WA.
One thing was for sure: Jackson Spencer and Caden Leonard would be lining up once again, but this time on an outdoor track, and there would only be one mile to assert dominance.
Leonard entered the race as the top-seeded runner, but in the end, Spencer would have the final word. The race took off just the way you would suspect—fast. Jackson Spencer led from the beginning and stayed there as he set the tone for the rest of the field. As Rothenberger called out the splits, what they needed each lap, and hyped the crowd, the tension grew. Spencer would cross the tape in an unbelievable 3:58.17, cementing himself in the history books as the US #2 All-Time High School-Only miler.
Just behind him was Caden Leonard (4:01.55), and in third place was the Oregon star Yosuke Shibata out of South Eugene (4:05.61). In my mind, Shibata is one of the top milers in the country and he has slowly progressed through the ranks. It's a strong signal that everyone needs to keep an eye on him as he continues to dominate the PNW.
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South Sound Classic
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INITIATE PRIVATE DEPLOYMENT ($500)Elite Dominance: Ellery Lincoln's US #1
On the girls' side, Ellery Lincoln would walk away with a dominant performance in the elite mile, landing herself the #1 US time in 2026 with a blistering 4:30.00. Lincoln continued to pull away every 200M, reassuring everyone that she is the athlete to beat.
Hallie Heemeyer out of Rocky Mountain (4:40.42) and Audrey Orme out of Boise (4:42.58) would round out the top 3 with fantastic times of their own. The tactical precision required to execute at that level, under the lights and the noise of the Twilight crowd, is exactly the kind of raw operational grit I aim to freeze in the frame.
The Visual Protocol: Atmospheric Reality
Capturing the Twilight Relays requires a specific technical approach. Standard flat, over-exposed event photography doesn't do justice to the atmosphere of Cronin Field.
Jane Wycoff of Mt. Spokane avoids a falling competitor during the girls elite mile at the Nike Jesuit Twilight Relays. Monochrome high-contrast processing highlights the athlete's focus for Thurston County editorial photography. Commercial sports and editorial photography engineered by Russell Moore Photography in Olympia, WA.
My workflow relies on pushing the contrast, dropping the ambient exposure, and isolating the athletes in their element. Whether I'm tracking focus with a flagship DSLR body or leaning on the unique character of vintage, manually-focused glass, the goal is always the same: engineer a visual signal that forces the viewer to stop scrolling.
Want to see how the sausage gets made on the turf? Here is a look at the boots-on-the-ground telemetry and tactical workflow from the infield:
