MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — The plan was simple — albeit a little gross — for Logan Hargis.
Having qualified with the third-fastest Class A times in both the 110- and 300-meter hurdles, the South Pittsburg junior made a promise to himself before Tuesday's state championship events.
"I just told myself that I was going to run as fast and as hard as I could, and I didn't care if it made me puke at the end," Hargis said. "It's the state meet, so why wouldn't you push yourself with everything you've got?"
In the second event of the evening, Hargis became the first athlete to win a track & field state title in school history when he took the 110-meter hurdles in 15.18 seconds. He then followed that with a personal-best 39.18 in the 300 to put an emphatic cap to his impressive day.
Although South Pittsburg has claimed six state titles in football and one in baseball, the school had never produced a state champion in an individual sport prior to Tuesday's Spring Fling.
"To be the first state champion in school history, and to win two in the same day, that's just such a huge honor," said Hargis, who was late to the medal stand after needing to step behind the scorers tent to throw up. "I had said it might happen, because that's how hard I was going to push myself. Sure enough, I had to get a drink and clean up before I stood on the stand.
"But it was definitely worth it."
Hargis was one of four Chattanooga-area athletes who won multiple events during the Class A and AA portions of the track & field state championships.
Signal Mountain distance runner Josh Pote won the Class AA 3200 meters Tuesday morning and then helped the 4x800 relay team — which also included Aiden Haun, Sam Laramore and Caden Knappier — take first place before finishing his day with a title in the 1600 meters.
"With about 600 meters to go in my last race, I just told myself it was time to kick it in," said Pote, who finished second in the 1600 and 3200 last year. "I got edged in both (individual) races last year, so this feels amazing."
Pote's teammate, Jack Gibby, was second in the 3200 as the Eagles finished second to Page (73-68) in the final team standings for AA.
Tyner's Demetrii Lovick won the 200 (22.06) and 400 (49.46) and placed third in the long jump. Lovick was also part of his team's 4x400 championship relay that included Zashun Hubbard, Adrian McKinley and Jamaree Jenkins, who also finished third in the 400.
"I passed everybody too soon to really run the time I wanted," said Lovick, who helped the Rams finish second in the team standings behind Pearl Cohn. "I took off too quickly and didn't have enough for the kick I needed at the end, but I took nearly two seconds off my time since the start of the season, so this was a great way to end it."
Although Brainerd sophomore Danielle Dunning won both the 100 and 200 meters, she was admittedly disappointed after not matching or beating her 100-meter qualifying time, which would have set the state record.
"I'm very disappointed," said Dunning, who had qualified in 11.46 but finished in 11.60 Tuesday. "I really wanted to get the record. I didn't get the start I needed, so I knew about midway through the race that I wasn't going to set the record. It's pretty frustrating."
Arts & Sciences sophomore Fiona Eastman cleared 11-feet, 6-inches to win the Class A pole vault, then finished second in the 100-meter hurdles. A pair of McMinn Central athletes claimed state titles in the girls' AA event as McCary Beaty won the long jump with a personal-best 17-feet, 8.5 inches, while teammate Maddox Mayfield won the 400 in 57.54.
"I am really excited about how much I have improved over the past year," said Eastman. "I can't wait to keep putting in the work and see the times and heights I can get to next year."
Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com.