AUBURN — The tradition of elite sprinters on the Edward Little boys’ track and field never died, according to coach Ryan LaRoche. It just bounced away for a while.

“The athletes that we had over the last few seasons were pretty good sprinters, but they were more willing to do other events like the hurdles and jumps,” LaRoche said. “Guys like Mike Lucas, Darnell Hairston and Connor Harris were all really solid sprinters who put their focus on other areas. But yeah, the sprinters are ‘back’ with this group, and with a lot of hard work and talent to boot.”

It’s quite a transformation. EL has gone from barely scoring points in the 100-meter dash in the KVAC championship and being shut out at the Class A state meet in 2013 to having arguably the top two speedsters in the conference.

Trey Rogers’ commitment to year-round workouts and Hunter Martin’s transfer from Kansas has put EL’s 100, 200 and relays back on the map.

And the enthusiasm is contagious. Blend in a few freshmen and sophomores who aren’t content to be the underdogs nipping at Martin and Rogers’ heels, and it’s obvious that the shift is a trend and not an anomaly.

“Hunter pushes me a lot. We both tell each other that we’re going to be the fastest on the team, or, ‘No matter what you do, I’m going to try harder.’ There’s always that competition,” Rogers said. “Really as teammates we’re trying to just push each other every day in practice and get good results and PRs out of each other.”

The formula continues to work, with raised eyebrows, open mouths and time drops at almost every meet.

Martin ran a blistering 10.98 to win the 100 in Edward Little’s first home meet of the season. Rogers was a close second.

The duo also went one-two in the same order Friday at Leavitt. That mirrors the winter indoor campaign, when Martin enjoyed a slight edge all season before Rogers accelerated to second place with Martin third in the Class A 55-meter final.

“The both ran their PRs in the 4×200, helping to create a second-place finish there as well,” LaRoche said. “I see that same work ethic and rivalry building already after just one (outdoor) meet. But in the end it’s all about being faster each week and doing whatever they can to help the team.”

For Rogers, contending for the upper levels of the podium is a far cry from the past two seasons.

He transferred from Poland as a sophomore, but not in time to be eligible for spring competition. Rogers practiced with the team but had to watch others compete.

Junior outdoor season was solid, but unspectacular. Rogers ran seventh in the 100 at KVACs before settling for 17th in the Class A state preliminaries, failing to qualify for the finals.

“I looked at my times and I thought to myself, it really wasn’t good enough, and I wanted to be better,” Rogers said. “I just started working harder. I’ve had a good coach with LaRoche. I’ve just pushed harder this year.”

Martin, a junior, was recruited to the sport by his stepbrother, Kenny Romero, an EL track alumnus.

The new arrival probably was just what the veteran Rogers needed.

“This winter played a huge role in this success. Trey had Hunter pushing him all season in every workout, and they both had Brandon Binette and Tyler Blanchard pushing them all winter long,” LaRoche said. “They trained as hard as you can on cement floors and pushed each other to new limits. They have set a new standard for the sprints that we have not seen in about six years.”

In addition to Binette and Blanchard, newcomers Dustin Wyman, Jeff Clark and Owen Mower are benefiting from the direction of the pacesetting pair.

The pattern reminds the longtime coach of a previous era in which the baton was passed, creating a sprint dynasty.

“It is a lot like when Jon Demers, Buddy Foss and Ryan Getchell followed Colby Brooks and Johnny Alexander back in the mid-2000s,” LaRoche said.

LaRoche has kept detailed records since 2001. In the outdoor 100, Martin is now third and Rogers fourth behind only Alexander and Brooks only. In the 200, Martin is third behind record-holder Brooks and runner-up Alexander, with Rogers sixth.

That excellence may look effortless, but it isn’t.

“Track is pretty much life for me,” Rogers said. “When it’s not in season, I’ll run two miles one day. The next day I’ll go to the weight room. When the season gets close I’ll start doing sprint workouts.”

And while everyone hopes that commitment reaps championship results for the Eddies, it won’t be the end for Rogers.

He’s planning to run at the University of Southern Maine.

“I’m very thankful for it,” Rogers said. “Competing against Class A has pushed me farther.”

Measuring himself against all-time Eddies greats — past and present — hasn’t hurt, either.

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