SHIPPENSBURG - Lacey Cochran took the big step up to the top of the podium and enjoyed the view.

There's no place left for her to go. She's reached the top.

As a freshman, Cochran placed third in the Class AA 400-meter run at the PIAA Track and Field Championships. Last year as a sophomore she placed second.

It was only fitting that the Freeport junior easily won the event Saturday with a time of 56.99 seconds.

"Yeah," the soft-spoken Cochran said. "I'm pretty happy with it."

And why not? She adds her first gold to a group of five medals she has already won at the state meet.

Always calm, Cochran felt a bit of pressure weighing down on her before the 400. All eyes were on her this season to complete her natural progression toward the top spot on the podium. Moments before the race began, those thoughts rattled around in her head.

"I was nervous before the race because I knew it was going to be good because of all the times (Friday)," she said. "When I was in the blocks, I just told myself I want a first to try to push myself."

Pressure, though, is a dirty word at Freeport. Pressure is seen as an unwelcome guest, to be banished as quickly as possible.

Most of the time, the role of banisher goes to boys and girls track and field coach Bill Dillen, who deftly vanquished this bout of pressure with some words of encouragement for Cochran before the race.

"Right before the race when I was warming up with (Dillen), that pretty much crossed my mind," Cochran said of the pressure and expectations on her. "But he makes sure there's no pressure on me. He even told me I'm running for myself, not him or my parents because they are going to love me just the same. That helped."

Dillen has always said his runners run for themselves, not him or the school or any other reason. That proved to be Cochran's biggest mental lift before the race.

"I'm a big believer that if you come out and give 100 percent, that's all you can do," Dillen said. "If my kids perform to the best of their ability, what else can I ask?"

Cochran, who also finished second in the 200-meter dash, got out of the blocks slowly, but made up ground quickly. She was well ahead of second-place runner Rachel Hepkins of Delaware County Christian when she came around the final turn.

It was the first time Cochran had run a sub-57- second 400 race.

"That's where we wanted to be," Dillen said. "We felt she could get into that range. She's a tough kid."

Cochran hasn't begun to think about next year when she will be charged with the task of defending her 400 title.

She came just a few hundredths of a second short in the 200 to becoming the first Yellowjacket female athlete to take home two gold medals at the same meet.

"Nah, I won't think about that for awhile," she said of defending her title.

In the 200 race, Cochran got off to a slow start and couldn't make up the ground necessary to catch Mary Dell of Boiling Springs, who won with a time of 25.39 seconds. Cochran finished in 25.79.

That simply motivates her more for next season.

"The first 100 meters was kind of bad," Cochran said. "I always get off to a slow start. That's my weakness. But it happens."

Cochran said she would not change her focus next year from the 400 to the 200. She said the 400 is and always will be her best race.

Her immediate plans were to enjoy the gold medal around her neck.

"It feels great," Cochran said, tugging on the medal. "It's perfect."