Hillsborough product Lamar wins Big East crown for USF, Lovely third for St. John’s

Posted Feb 19, 2012 by Bill Ward

Updated Feb 19, 2012 at 09:59 PM

After suffering through a hamstring strain that plagued him during his freshman season and a shoulder injury that halted his sophomore campaign, former Hillsborough High standout and current University of South Florida junior Lindsey Lamar finally claimed what he hopes will be the first of many Big East crowns when he won the 60-meter dash finals of Sunday’s indoor conference championships in New York City.

“It feels great,” Lamar said of his victory at the New Balance Track and Field Center. “This year, I’m finally healthy and running the way I should.”

Saturday, Lamar turned in the meet’s fastest qualifying time in the 60, running 6.74 seconds. That’s the Big East’s fastest time of the indoor season. He didn’t get out of the blocks as well Sunday, but his 6.78 was still good enough to beat teammate Kayvon Webster by .05.

“My reaction time wasn’t as good in the finals as it was in the prelims,” said Lamar, who also plays football for the Bulls at running back. “I had to run some people down but at the end, I knew I had won.”

Lamar said his focus is still on Bulls football. But he said he is looking forward to his outdoor track season and the possibility of qualifying for the U.S. Olympic track trials in the 100. The trials’ “A” standard in the men’s 100 is 10.18 and the “B” standard is 10.28.  In high school, Lamar ran a wind-aided 100 time of 10.35.

“I’m not sure about trying to get to the trials,” Lamar said. “I’ll take it as it comes but I’m still concentrating on my football right now.”

Also scoring for the Bulls in this meet was former Alonso star Franklin Mosely, who finished eighth in the 400-meter finals in 48.94.

In the women’s competition, former All-Hillsborough County athlete Rikka Lovely, now competing as a junior for St. John’s, finished a career-best third in the 200 (24.06) and fifth in the 60 (7.58).

Lovely’s third-place effort was the best showing for her squad in the meet. She is majoring in mass communications at St. John’s.