At the Class 5A state track meet last season, Thornton's Dey Tuach felt like he was in a different world - going from living in a Sudanese refugee camp to participating in high school track.

He didn't know who anyone was, and many of the state's finest athletes didn't know who he was either, but they began to take notice of the 6-foot-5 runner with the smooth stride after he placed in a couple of events.

Flash forward to this year, and now everyone in the Colorado track scene knows who he is - a state champion.

Tuach won the 800 meters Friday at Jefferson County Stadium with a time of 1 minute, 52.42 seconds, beating last year's 5A champion Steve Kasica (1:54.26) and Wheat Ridge's Henry Cowhick (1:54.55.)

"I am feeling great, I am all right; I was looking to win this race," Tuach said. "I was just thinking, 'Go out and do it.' Because I'm not looking back, I'm looking forward."

Tuach, who finished third in the 800 and fifth in the 1,600 last year, went after his first state title in cross country in the fall.

A knee injury, though, forced him out of the race and required him to have surgery before track.

But Tuach said his knee felt great Friday, and even though he was happy to win the state title, he was hoping to get his name in the record books.

"I didn't sleep very well because I was thinking I wanted to break the state record," Tuach said of the All-Colorado record of 1:51.88 set by Fairview's James Hatch in 2001. "But I am excited."

Tuach said he is looking forward to today's 1,600, where he will match up against a loaded field of talented runners including Dakota Ridge junior Evan Appel, who won the 3,200 Friday.

Appel, who usually runs at the front, let Regis Jesuit's Bobby Nicholls and Denver North's Joseph Manilafasha do most of the work. Appel said he wasn't sure he had enough to get himself back in the race.

But with a lap to go, Appel passed Manilafasha and caught up to Nicholls with 200 meters remaining, finishing with a clear victory in a time of 9:17.84. Nicholls finished second (9:24.81), Manilafasha was third (9:29.15) and Wheat Ridge's Dart Schwaderer fourth (9:36.62.)

"I honestly didn't think I had a chance," said Appel, who finished fourth in the event last year. "I definitely thought with two or three laps to go that I had lost the race. But unfortunately that wasn't the truth.

"But I must say that was a lot harder than I thought it would be."

Cherry Creek senior Roman Holmes, who set the state record in the long jump two weeks ago at his league meet with a leap of 24 feet, 111/2 inches, won his first track state title in leaping 24-43/4.

Holmes edged out Quinton Dodson of George Washington, who bettered his fourth-place finish from last year to finish second with a jump of 22-5.

In the discus, Grand Junction senior Tyler Volkman threw 170-1 on his second throw of the finals to claim his first state title. Volkman, who finished fifth last year, said his coaching staff gave him some great advice Friday morning before the championship.

"My coach could tell I was nervous, could tell I was a little tight, of course, because it's state," Volkman said. "But he just told me to relax, stay back, slow down and don't worry about anything. Just go."

Pomona senior Cole Carveth finished second (164-9) and Doherty sophomore Jaden Terry placed third (161-7) behind Volkman, who is set to go to Montana State on a football scholarship.

"But who knows? Maybe I'll go there and do track too now," he said.