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Lily Storey won the Tennessee State 800 meter dash for all AA schools for the second straight year with a time of 2 minutes 20.30 seconds.

“A lot of training, a lot of conditioning. I played soccer too at the same time so that also helps train you to sprint,” she said.  “I think it’s just like an instinct, I’ve always had it in me. Although I used to hate to run.”

Storey finished just .62 seconds ahead of second place. After she came around in sixth place halfway through the event.

“We found out that I like to build,” Storey said. “Coach Clemens likes to call it ‘I’m a hunter.’ We take the first lap very controlled but at a fast pace, and then we try to kick that second lap. I don’t know how I do it because I’m tired but I guess today it paid off and I’m really proud.” 

Storey was not the only track athlete from Tullahoma to be awarded the State Champion of the 800 meter dash, 8^th grader Brindley Duncan won the event for single A Middle schools.

“It’s bittersweet, she’s just awesome,” said Storey. “Her and KG (Katie Grace Nichols) both, because KG PR’d a lot too at their meet. And it’s bittersweet to have both of them at practice because they are like little mini-me’s and I’m like ‘You guys got this.’”

Everyone else who was able to compete in the State Championships medaled. Jalen Hill medaled in seventh for the boys 100 with a time of 11.49. He finished just .56 seconds behind the winner. Hill had to deal with the rain in this event as there was a pop-up downpour at the time of the 100. The boys 4×200 meter relay team of Logan Prosser, Hill, Grant Allen, and Andrew Ewing placed third with a time of 1:31.61. That was just .60 seconds behind the second place finish. That same team also medaled in the 4×100 relay with a time of 44.34. They finished in fifth, but were less than a second behind the winners of the event.

Ewing placed third in the 200 with a time of 22.93. He was just .36 seconds behind the first place finisher and only .09 seconds off of his season best. The girls 4×400 meter relay team of Sarah Eakin, Liliann Vilimar, Storey, and Eleanor Fults finished fifth with a time of 4:17.15. That was less than a second behind the 4^th place team.  If the girls ran their time from Sectionals, their season best time, of 4:13.82 they would have finished in second place.

Tullahoma had two events in which they qualified for but did not compete in, the boys 110 meter hurdles and the 300 hurdles. Zane Hopf would have competed in both events had he not been injured during the State Decathlon while in second place. The injury was a heartbreaking experience for Hopf. He was at the field Tuesday and he lowered the hurdles to the girls’ height to try and warm up but it was just too painful. He was proud of how well the rest of the team did.