Patrick Gorby guts it out, then lets 800 title sink in

Print Story

Email to Friend

Discuss this story

By JOE SCALZO

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

COLUMBUS — Just before the final 800-meter run of Patrick Gorby's career, his coach walked up to him and reminded him that the race wouldn't be over until the final meter.

"This is a speed race," Gorby, of Salem High, said. "You can't take the fact that you have the lead for granted."

A week earlier, Gorby affixed a rather large target to his back by setting the Division II state record in the event with a time of 1 minute, 52.48 seconds.

The starting line

"One of the hardest things to do in this race is to stay relaxed," he said. "You can't let the pressure overwhelm you."

Problem was, every contender in Saturday's race was watching him, pacing off him, hoping to pick him off at the end.

Turns out, Ironton junior Marc Carter had the best shot. Gorby led for most of the second lap before Carter closed over the final 200 meters. But just as Carter crept up, Gorby reached down and ignored the pain inside of him, relying on his thousands of miles of training to carry him past the finish line in first, nearly equaling last week's record with a time of 1:52.76.

As soon as he dove over the line, he tumbled to the ground. He got up and spent the next 15 minutes wearing a watered-down towel on his head. And a smile, a big one.

Dream realized

"When I was younger, I thought it would be the greatest thing in the world to know you won it by yourself," said Gorby, who won two state team titles in cross country.

So?

"I don't know yet," he said, smiling. "It hasn't sunk in. I'm sure tonight I'll be in bed with my eyes open, taking it all in."

Gorby's victory helped lead the Quakers to a second-place finish in the team standings, falling short of Heath, 41-33. After senior Jeremiah Folger placed second in the shot put Friday, the Quakers placed third in the 4x200 relay, fourth in the 4x400 relay and fifth in the 4x100 relay. They won a regional title last week, mainly on the strength of their relays. Gorby is the last standout distance runner left from the Quakers' run.

"It feels like everyone's leaving," he said. "It's going to take Salem a few years to build it back up. And it's not all about talent. More than anything, you need to find people who are motivated to work."

Headed to Kent State

Although he's had a terrific prep career, Gorby is already looking forward to his college career at Kent State.

"I'm looking ahead; I'm not looking back on everything I've accomplished," he said. "When I was a freshman, I didn't make it out of the district [meet] and I came down to watch the state meet. I thought it was the biggest thing I'd ever been to in my life.

"Now I know it's just another meet that's big. It's just part of growing up and learning how it is. I'm going to miss high school and I'm grateful to have been a part of this, but I'm moving on to bigger and better things."

scalzo@vindy.com

Sunday, June 3, 2007