Duffy Fans Refuse to Lose

Duffy Sweeping Fan Vote

Lefthanded pitcher Danny Duffy refused to lose last summer in minor league baseball for the Kansas City Royals.

Now his fans refuse to lose the Lompoc Locker Room fans poll for Peoples' Choice Athlete of the Year 2008.

By Friday night Duffy had rolled up the mind-boggling total of 222 votes to lap the field of male athletes. He had 42% of the total vote.

His closest pursuer was his adversary in the Midwest League, centerfielder Chris White of the Detroit Tiger organization. White was collecting 29% of the vote with a total of 150.

Penn State cornerback Lydell Sargeant was third with 62 votes (12%), Lompoc High wrestler Masson Blow fourth at 47 (9%), and WAC rushing leader Vai Taua fifth with just 14 votes.

Two weeks ago Taua was named Athlete of the Year by the LLR Blue Ribbon Panel with Duffy second, Sargeant third, Blow fourth and Ohio quarterback Boo Jackson fifth. White was back in the pack, but not to the devotees of The People's Choice.

The female Athlete of 2008 is also running behind. Cabrillo golfer Morgan Salm leads Lompoc High basketball/weight thrower Chelsea Cassulo 35-22 (36% to 22%) with nobody else close. Cassulo was named Athlete of the Year by the panel earlier.

The Coach of the Year category also illustrates the public vote is not in sync with the experts. Lompoc High girls basketball coach Claudia Terrones leads LHS baseball coach Jim Allen, the panel's choice, 17-10 (30% to 18%).

Only the YFL Panthers remain on top. Named by the panel they also lead the public vote 16-10 over Allen's LHS diamond squad.

Scroll down for all the results. Voting will remain open through January 15.