Cane Bay hurdler Jaylen Boudreaux was announced as receiving the honor of Gatorade player of the year for track and field. Boudreaux is the first to receive the honor for the Cobras in track and field.
The 5-foot-10, 155-pound junior swept the 110- and 400-meter hurdles events while also running the anchor leg of the winning 4x400-meter relay at the Class AAAAA state meet this past season, leading the Cobras to a sixth-place finish as a team.
At the time of his selection, Boudreaux's state-meet-record clocking of 52.16 seconds in the 400 hurdles ranked no. 1 nationally among 2021 prep competitors on MileSplit. A first-year hurdler, his personal-best 14.06 in the 110 hurdles ranked no. 44 nationally on MileSplit.
Boudreaux is now a finalist for the national honor.
Boudreaux has volunteered locally with the school's Cane Bay High Excel Club, which works on community outreach through the Exchange Club of Berkeley County. He has also donated his time as a youth track coach and mentor. "Jaylen is the best young hurdler that I have ever seen in South Carolina," said Kevin Shiver, head coach of Wando. "He is truly an elite athlete."
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Boudreaux has maintained a weighted 3.11 GPA in the classroom. He will begin his senior year of high school this fall.
Boudreaux joins recent Gatorade South Carolina Boys Track & Field Players of the Year Tyler Graves (2019-20 & 2018-19, Lower Richland), Keyshawn King (2017-18, Liberty), and D.J. Ledell (2016-17, River Bluff), among the state's list of former award winners.