Boys Track and Field Athlete of the Year: Yorkville’s Josh Pugh capped off career by anchoring championship relay

Josh Pugh had a number of thoughts racing through his mind in the seconds before his final high school race.

The Yorkville senior reminded himself of his strategy. He was nervous as he watched his team lose ground. He knew he’d have to chase competitors down.

And then, nothing.

“When I started running, everything went blank,” Pugh said. “I wasn’t even thinking. After passing each person I locked in on the next one.”

That tunnel vision spurred Pugh to a run for the record books. With a stunning 46.65-second anchor leg, Pugh carried Yorkville’s 4x400-meter relay to the Class 3A state championship May 27 in Charleston. That, paired with his third-place finish in the open 400, put a memorable stamp on Pugh’s high school career.

He is the Record Newspapers’ boys track and field Athlete of the Year.

“That 4x4, what a special anchor leg that was,” Yorkville coach Nolan McCue said. “That is an anchor leg that we’ll probably never get to see again in high school. He had about a 40-meter gap and he ran those guys down, passed them and poured it on. How much better does it get than that?”

Pugh also had a memorable kick in the final 110 meters of the open 400 for a personal-best 47.50 seconds. But he felt he kicked too late which cost him another title. It was only the second 400 he didn’t win all season. He pledged to himself he wouldn’t do it again.

“His open 400, he and I were honestly a little disappointed. That 4x4 is a perfect example of what he is capable of,” McCue said. “You have to be perfect to get it done. His 400 was not perfect. Most people would be happy with a 47.50. If he would got out a little harder I believe he would dipped under 47 to come away with the win.”

Running is something most of Pugh’s family did, but, at first, he didn’t like running at all. He got into soccer instead. That required great endurance. In sixth grade he started in intramural cross country and track, and by seventh grade he found that he liked running the 400.

“That’s where a lot of my success came,” Pugh said. “A lot of people didn’t like it.”

Pugh qualified for state as a junior in the 400 and 200, taking third at state in the 400 in what was at the time a personal best 48.86 seconds. But he recalled being “dog tired” for the 200 at state, didn’t qualify for that finals, and felt fatigued for the 400 final.

With McCue’s encouragement he focused this year on building a good base, tacking on more mileage throughout the season to be able to do two races at state in peak form.

“My fitness, as well as a bit of a competitive edge after getting third in the 400, brought out my true potential for the 4x400,” Pugh said.

McCue believes Pugh is only scratching the surface to his potential. Before this season, McCue said Pugh was running on pure talent. He was running in the 47s by the end of this season, 2.5 seconds or so faster than his times as a junior.

“It’s equivalent of shaving 20 seconds off the time in a mile,” McCue said. “In one season to shave off 2.5 seconds off his PR, that’s indescribable, just unheard of.”

Gambling on himself, Pugh didn’t make a college commitment before state. After his performance in Charleston, he has a lot of options. He declined to divulge what schools he’s interested in, but said he is in the process of working through college visits.

“I’m hoping where he does land he has a support system to tap into his ceiling,” McCue said. “I think Josh can be a great collegiate runner.”