After weather delay, Hunt, Loughney, Regan and Sobie all make podium in the seated 100

COLUMBUS — As the heavens opened and lightning, rain and even hail poured forth, four Portage County student-athletes waited for hours to compete in their final race of the state track and field meet.

Was the wait worth it?

Yes.

Definitely yes as Garfield freshman Conner Hunt, Mogadore freshman Katy Loughney, Streetsboro junior Milena Sobie and Windham sophomore Devon Regan all made the podium in the seated 100.

"With the crowd, it was super intense," Hunt said after winning his third state championship in three events Saturday. "I was getting a little nervous, but I knew in the end it would all work out."

Indeed, Sobie, understandably cheerful after garnering two gold medals and two bronze medals herself, said the wait was kind of a good thing.

"I'm glad for the wait," Sobie said. "I got to eat some food. We played some frisbee outside. I didn't [play] to save my energy, but I was so tired and now I'm not. I'm good."

Saturday's finale capped a historic performance by Hunt, who won gold medals in all three of his events in his Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium debut.

It's hard to imagine anything the unflappable and unprecedented freshman can't do, but Hunt did have to deal with two new challenges before getting out of Columbus.

The weather was one. The sound of a runner closing in on him was another.

For the most part, Hunt has been the lone seated athlete competing in Garfield's meets this season. Even Saturday, Hunt was the lone competitor in his 800 and won the 400 by more than seven seconds.

The 100, Hunt led from the start, nearly hitting the state record with his 16.68, but Midview senior Max Carter made it interesting, closing late and coming within two seconds of the Garfield freshman.

"I feel like toward the end, he caught up a little bit more because I could hear him hitting his wheels every time with his gloves," Hunt said. "I knew it was super close and it was the last race, so I just gave it my all and put everything out there."

Saturday also marked the end of a remarkable state meet for Sobie, who won gold medals in the 800 and shot put and bronze medals in the 100 and 400.

"This is definitely my favorite year," Sobie said. "I just knew going into this year, I was going to do something incredible."

While the shot put was her first state title, the 800 might have been the Streetsboro junior's favorite.

"I just am so proud of myself because last year, I got [disqualified] in this race," Sobie said. "It's my favorite event and taking first in my favorite event is just a completely different rewarding feeling."

Saturday's 100 meant a second straight trip to the podium for Regan, who crossed the line in 36.15 — a nice jump from his qualifying time of just under 40 seconds.

"He had a faster meet this year than he did last year, which is always good," Bombers coach Dougle Hankins said. "Just for him, coming out here and being here and everything, it's great."

Loughney, meanwhile, was in quite a battle for the podium with Massillon sophomore Alayna Mendenhall, with Loughney snagging the final podium spot by less than a second, 30.21-30.94.

"After those two rain delays, it didn't seem to bother her a bit, did it?" Wildcats coach Kim Kreiner said, gesturing toward Loughney. "She stayed focused right down that track, awesome finish and, to make it as a freshman, that's very hard to do."

And when Loughney realized she made the podium?

"I was shocked," she said with a smile.

This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Hunt, Loughney, Regan and Sobie all make podium in the seated 100