LEXINGTON — If there is a more versatile track athlete in Ohio than Lexington senior Latrell Hughes, coach Mike Moore has yet to meet him.
As far as Moore is concerned, Hughes is the ultimate Swiss Army Knife of the oval.
From the 100-meter dash to the 800-meter run and every distance in between, Hughes is as good as anyone in the state.
“I’ve never coached an athlete with more range,” Moore said after Hughes set a meet record in the 400 at Saturday’s Ray Mitchell Lexington Invitational. “He’s great on the track. It doesn’t matter what race.”
‘Once In a Lifetime’
One look at the Lexington record book proves Moore’s point.
Hughes is Lexington’s record-holder in the 800 and ranks second in the 100 and 400. He’s also third in the 200. In addition, he owns the program record in cross country (five kilometers).
What’s more, he’s a member of four record-holding relay teams.
“He’s a once-in-a-lifetime kind of kid,” Moore said. “He’s a great kid, and I mean a great kid in the classroom, great to talk to.
“Latrell is a great teammate and great on the track, it doesn’t matter what race.”
It’s no wonder the University of Oregon — arguably the most prestigious program in the country — came calling. Hughes committed to the Ducks in late-January.
“They really like my range,” Hughes said Saturday afternoon.
So what’s his favorite distance?
“I like running anything from the 100 to the 800,” Hughes said. “I think right now it’s the 800.”
Hughes is the reigning outdoor and indoor state champ in the 800. He won the Division I state title last spring in 1:51.00, more than a second faster than runner-up Aidan Shiels of Mentor.
Hughes established a new Personal Record a few weeks later at the New Balance National Outdoor at the University of Pennsylvania. He finished fifth in 1:48.46, earning All-American honors.
Close Call
Hughes skipped his senior basketball season in favor of indoor track this year. He set program records in the indoor 400 and 800 and in the 4×200 and 4×400 relays.
He set Lexington’s indoor 800 record at the New Balance National Indoor in Boston in mid-March, finishing fourth in 1:50.727 despite suffering a serious injury.
Hughes and another runner got tangled with about 300 meters remaining. Hughes was spiked and needed six stitches to close the wound.
“The kid came down … and it was full body weight,” Moore said of the injury. “It almost got his tendon. If it would have clipped his tendon he probably would have been done for the year.”
Miraculously, Hughes finished the race.
“I was upset because I didn’t have the best race,” Hughes said. “Then some kid pointed at my ankle and said, ‘You’re bleeding.’
“I looked down and there was blood gushing out of my sock.”
Lofty Expectations
Saturday’s meet was Hughes’ first outdoor action this season. In addition to setting the meet record in the 400, he anchored the winning 4×200 relay team.
He was scheduled to run the open 200 and the 4×400 relay, but sat out the last two events for precautionary reasons when he felt tightness after the 400.
Hughes already is a six-time outdoor All-Ohioan and will likely add a few more medals to his collection at the state meet in June.
Lexington was the Division I state runner-up last year. The Minutemen dropped to Division II this year when the Ohio High School Athletic Association expanded the state track meet from three divisions to five.
“I’m going to keep doing what I’m doing and progressively get better,” Hughes said. “All I can do is keep working hard and stay confident in every race I’m in.”