Correspondent photo / Robert Hayes Boardman senior Logan Thompson leaps over a hurdle during the finals of the Division I 300 meter hurdles this weekend at the OHSAA state track meet at Ohio State’s Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. Thompson earned eighth in the event with a time of 39.30 seconds.

COLUMBUS — There was a sense of ambivalence for Logan Thompson.

On one hand, the Boardman senior didn’t run the time he was hoping for in his final high school race, the finals of the 300-meter hurdles. On the other, to reach the podium at all given the circumstances Thompson battled through during his final year of high school put a nice ending to a trying 2022-23.

Thompson clocked a time of 39.30 seconds to finish eighth and earn a state medal one last time at Ohio State’s Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium to cap a career that had no shortage of other successes.

“It’s mixed emotions, because it was my last race ever in high school, and I didn’t run my best time,” Thompson said. “But with all the injuries and adversity I’ve been through this year, I’m glad I made it.”

It started with a meniscus tear during the fall soccer season. Then, Thompson says he developed asthma during indoor track in the winter before straining a hip flexor and then coming down with mono over the course of the next few months.

Looking back, Thompson actually feels grateful for it.

“I think it made me a better battler,” he said. “I was able to overcome everything and still make it here, which a lot of people can’t say. I’m proud of myself for never giving up.”

Even his final weekend featured some hiccups.

Thompson squeaked into the finals by posting a 39.18 taking the ninth and final spot by .01 seconds ahead of Whitmer’s Ty Allen, who ran a 39.19.

Then, on championship day, a pair of lightning delays forced him to wait until late in the evening to have his chance to run.

During the first delay, which was anticipated to be brief, Thompson says he kept to himself.

“I just stayed in my own headspace and made sure I was still locked into the race,” he explained.

The athletes returned not long after, got a handful of events in, and then were sent right back into shelter after a second, longer lightning delay struck

“I thought we were going to go home, so I kind of got out of (a race mindset),” Thompson said. “But right when they said we’re coming back, I did the same exact thing — shut my phone off, just sat down and got ready.”

Having entered the race with the last qualifying spot, Thompson was put in the outside lane, something to which he wasn’t accustomed.

“It was weird being in Lane 9; I hate being in outside lanes. I love chasing,” Thompson said.

Nevertheless, he managed a top eight performance by edging Bedford’s Daren Morrow for the last podium spot. Beechcroft’s Jayden Douglas won the event with a time of 36.46.

“I felt like I got to the first hurdle well, and then around hurdle four, that curve was getting to me, and I started slowing down,” Thompson said. “Then I looked around a few times to make sure I wasn’t in last, because I wanted to place. And I was like, ‘Just have to finish.'”

That he did, reaching the podium one final time to cap a stellar Boardman career.

Thompson’s track and field career will continue, however. The Spartan grad plans to attend Akron to continue his education and running careers. He hopes to become a pharmacist one day.

The decision was made late in the process. Thompson initially committed to Youngstown State, but while dealing with his injuries began thinking about the future and felt better about going away for school. So, he got ahold of Akron’s coaching staff in the middle of May and now plans to become a Zip.

“I just wanted to go experience college and be on my own,” Thompson explained. “And Akron was the best (decision) financially, and I saw that they had a hurdler at the NCAA preliminaries that won the MAC, and I thought, ‘OK, maybe this would be a good fit.'”

And, hopefully for Thompson, it’s an experience with less obstacles along the way.