SHIPPENSBURG - As she crossed the finish line at the end of the 200-meter run, Lacey Cochran bowed her head and sighed.

It could have been the gut reaction of finishing a disappointing seventh in the final race of her high school track and field career at the PIAA Track and Field Championships Saturday at Shippensburg University.

Or it could have been the realization hitting the Freeport senior that her high school career had come to an end.

"It hasn't hit me yet," Cochran said before pausing. "What am I talking about? It has hit me. It's sad."

Cochran had a disappointing state meet in her fourth and final go-round on the state's biggest stage - if winning two medals can be called disappointing.

She failed to repeat as state champion in the Class AA 400-meter dash, placing third. Cochran's time was slower than the one she turned in when she won the bronze medal as a freshman.

Abigail Johnson of Milton Hershey cruised to the win in the event in 55.85 seconds, which was less than half a second away from the state record.

Cochran finished in 58.07 seconds. The time was almost two seconds slower than the one she turned in last season to win the gold medal.

Her time in the 200 also wasn't up to her high standard.

"Right now, I'm upset," Cochran said. "I didn't run very well. But I haven't run well all season."

Cochran never really got into a comfort zone in either the 400 or the 200 for the Yellowjackets this season.

She still won her fourth-straight WPIAL title in the 400, but it was clear this was not the Cochran of old.

She said she knew this year was going to be a difficult task. She felt the pressure to repeat as a state champion the moment she stepped onto the Seth Grove Stadium track for the preliminaries Friday afternoon.

"It's tough being on top," she said.

Yet Cochran wrapped up her career with a treasure chest of medals.

She won eight state medals and 12 WPIAL medals.

"Eight is a great accomplishment," said Cochran, who won two bronze, one silver and a gold medal in the 400 at the state championships. "I definitely didn't expect that when I was a freshman."

That's because Cochran almost walked away from the track before her career even got going.

Midway through her freshman season, Cochran contemplated quitting the track team to focus entirely on soccer.

"I was a soccer player," Cochran said. "That's where I thought I was going to go to college and play. Running track - I was missing soccer practices and getting to them late. Most of the time, I had to go straight from the track to soccer."

But Cochran reconsidered her decision to end her track career, partly because she didn't feel right leaving the team in mid-season; partly because Freeport coach Bill Dillen persuaded her not to; and partly because "my parents wouldn't let me," Cochran said.

Instead of going to college on a soccer scholarship as she planned four years ago, Cochran will attend Division I Bowling Green University next year with a full ride thanks to the track and field program.

"They recruited me for the 400," Cochran said. "I hope after today they still want me. This will motivate me for next year. It's a chance to redeem myself."

Dillen doesn't think Cochran has anything to redeem.

"I don't judge Lacey Cochran on how many medals she's won," Dillen said. "I judge her by what kind of person she is and she's a great kid."

A great kid with a great resume.

Cochran said her dominance might have ultimately hurt her in her final state meet.

"The section meets didn't help," said Cochran, who often cruised to easy victories in those meets. "Sure, I liked it during the season. It was relaxing, but I didn't have as much competition as some of the other girls here."

Cochran, though, learned a valuable lesson in her last trip to the state meet, one more valuable than all the medals she has won put together.

"Well, today, I learned no matter how good you have been in the past, there is always someone out there better," Cochran said. "Just because you won it before, that doesn't mean you can win it again."