Duffy has historic run for Lomega

Owen Duffy made history in multiple ways last weekend.

The Lomega High School junior became the first sprinter from the school to win a state championship.

Duffy won the 200 meter dash Saturday at the Class A state track and field championships at Western Heights when he crossed the finish line in 22.59 seconds, edging Timberlake’s J.J. Pippin.

That was just part of a memorable weekend for him.

Duffy also made the medal stand in the 100 meter dash, the mile relay and the long jump.

He was fifth in the 100 and long jump and joined by JesseJames Johnston, Brooks Uhlenhake and Blake Snowden to take third in the relay.

That made him the first Lomega male athlete to reach the medal stand in four events at one state meet.

“He had a really good weekend. He’s the first to medal in four events,” said coach Justin Edsall. “It’s five if you count academic state championship.”

Edsall was referring to the academic state title the Lomega boys and girls were awarded for Class A in track and field during the meet.

All told, Lomega scored 32 points to finish fifth in the Class A team race.

Ringling won the state title with 114. Timberlake was the state runner-up with 32.

Duffy took part in 30 of those points.

He ran the anchor leg for the mile relay team, which finished just behind Timberlake and Ringling in 3:37.79.

He qualified seventh in the 100 before coming back to take fifth in 11.20.

The long jump saw him cover 20 feet, 1.75 inches, which was just .75 out of fourth place.

Lomega’s two-mile relay team placed eighth to notch the other two points.

Team members were Uhlenhake, Johnston, Logan Zielinkski and Austin Chestnut.

The Lomega girls scored five points.

Hallie Barton took sixth in the 100 with a time of 13.21.

The mile relay team of Monse Rivera, Kate Myers, Madi Myers and Darcy Roberts was eighth.