Storylines to watch

McDonogh embarks on a season of change

McDonogh has claimed the past three Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference titles but its quest for a fourth will have a new look. Phil Turner, who coached the Eagles since 2017 and was at Mount Saint Joseph for five years before that, stepped down and now lives and works in Wisconsin. Vincent Crisp will take over the coaching duties, but his first task will be finding a replacement for Mary Gorsky, last year’s IAAM A Conference champion and a top-four finisher at every league meet since 2021. Crisp will look to Olivia Vassar, McDonogh’s No. 2 runner a year ago and 10th-place finisher in the league, as a new leader.

What will Taylor Colson do for an encore?

Colson couldn’t have had a better freshman year. The Century standout won five races and finished as a runner-up in two others last season. She won the Carroll County championship by nearly 90 seconds over her closest challenger and captured the Class 2A state crown on her way to being named All-Metro Runner of the Year. All that as a freshman. So what can we expect from her sophomore season? The offseason triathlete will be a favorite in just about every race. But the season likely won’t be a breeze. Hereford’s Sylvia Snider, who finished just over three seconds behind Colson at last year’s state meet, will be gunning for the top spot this time around.

Can we expect another nail-biter in Class 2A?

Last year’s Class 2A state championship was decided by roughly two-and-a-half seconds. That was the margin Hereford’s fifth scorer, Ridley Lentz, finished ahead of Centennial’s fifth, Allison Crumley — the difference for the Bulls, who edged Centennial by two points (65 to 67). Both return six of their top seven runners, setting up a potential rematch, although Hereford does have to replace third-place overall finisher Rebekka Hillier. And then throw in Colson’s Century Knights, who return their top three runners and five of their top seven, and the 2A competition will be fun to watch.

Will anyone stand in the way of a Severna Park three-peat?

If there ever was a year for a school to chase down Severna Park it would’ve been 2023. The Falcons’ top three runners were two sophomores and a freshman. But no one did. So the eight-time overall and two-time defending state champions are poised to keep their title run going again. With juniors Kathryn Murphy and Jocelyn DiAngelo and sophomore Josephine Kamas another year more experienced, the Falcons will be tough for anyone in Anne Arundel County or Class 3A to catch.

Will we see more of Emma Patrick this year?

One of the best races in the area last season was Severn sophomore Emma Patrick’s performance at the IAAM championships. Patrick finished in 18 minutes, 14 seconds to win the B Conference title with a time that was 45 seconds better than anyone else who ran that day. However, according to Athletic.net, that was her only race of the season. Patrick later ran at the NXR Southeast Regional and finished 16th in 17:46.3. Her times and ability would have her among the area’s best. But will we get to see her in direct competition with the region’s other top runners?

Runners to watch

Taylor Colson, Century, sophomore

The All-Metro girls Runner of the Year dominated Carroll County and claimed the Class 2A state championship. Her personal best time was 18:43 to win last year’s Frank Keyer Invitational.

Isabel DeVos, Harford Tech, senior

DeVos returns for another shot at a state championship after finishing third at last year’s Class 1A state championship race. She led the Cobras to a runner-up team finish after she won the 1A East Region crown.

Riley Herdson, Centennial, senior

Centennial nearly won a state title last year based on a strong pack, but at the head of it was Herdson. She was fifth at the Class 2A state meet and third at the Howard County championships.

Josephine Kamas, Severna Park, sophomore

Kamas finished third behind two teammates at last year’s Anne Arundel County championships, but topped both and finished fourth at the Class 3A state meet.

Gabi Murphy, Fallson, junior

Murphy ran a personal best 18:17 to finish second at last year’s UCBAC championships. She followed that up with a second-place finish in the Class 2A East Region and a sixth-place finish at the 2A state meet.

Fiona Santos, Bryn Mawr, senior

Santos was the IAAM A Conference runner-up last season and will lead a Mawrtians team looking to unseat McDonogh as conference champions.

Claire Sivitz, Howard, sophomore

Sivitz burst on the scene a year ago, winning the Howard County and 3A South Region championships and finishing as state runner-up in Class 3A.

Baltimore County girls cross country championships

Sylvia Snider, Hereford, senior

Snider has been runner-up at the past two Class 2A state championship races. She’s won each of the past two Baltimore County championships but would love to end her high school career with a state gold.

Cecilia Van Lierop, Towson, senior

If anyone can break the Hereford stranglehold on Baltimore County, it’s Van Lierop. She finished third at the league championships last year and was runner-up at the Class 3A East Regional, leading to a top-10 state finish.

Brielle Whitworth, Edgewood, senior

Whitworth was the Class 3A North Region champion and finished eighth at states. Her confidence, though, is sure to be high after winning two track state championships in distance races.

Preseason Top 15 teams

1. Severna Park

Coach: Josh Alcombright

Last season: No. 1 ranking

Postseason: Class 3A state champion

Outlook: The Falcons have built one of the strongest cross country programs in Maryland, and this group is poised to continue that legacy. They will be led by sophomore Josephine Kamas and juniors Jocelyn DiAngelo and Kathryn Murphy.

2. Centennial

Coach: Kevin McCoy

Last season: No. 6

Postseason: Class 2A state runner-up

Outlook: The Howard County champions were only seconds away from a state championship, but bringing back their top six runners should have them in position to go after this year’s title.

3. Hereford

Coach: Adam Hittner

Last season: No. 2

Postseason: Class 2A state champion

Outlook: The Bulls also return six of their top seven from last year. Replacing Rebekka Hillier won’t be easy, but Hittner says there’s a “small army of girls looking to take a step forward.”

4. McDonogh

Coach: Vincent Crisp

Last season: No. 3

Postseason: IAAM A Conference champion

Outlook: There are holes in the lineup to fill, but Crisp likes the team he’s inherited with a lot of quality runners who have a “winning championship mindset.”

5. Century

Coach: Chris Mead

Last season: No. 9

Postseason: Third in Class 2A

Outlook: Taylor Colson was backed last year by Emily Mitroka, Carroll County runner-up and fifth-place finisher at states. Add in Emily’s twin, Elizabeth, and Century has a strong trio that will allow them to contend at any meet.

6. Bryn Mawr

Coach: Sarah Feiss

Last season: No. 5

Postseason: IAAM A Conference runner-up

Outlook: The Mawrtians are looking to end McDonogh’s grasp on the IAAM A Conference. Santos and Payton Van Zile, second and third place in the A Conference last year, respectively, headline a group in which six of the top seven runners return.

7. Towson

Coach: Richard Malloy

Last season: No. 10

Postseason: Fifth in Class 3A

Outlook: The Generals will again be a contender in Class 3A and will provide a stiff challenge to Hereford’s recent dominance of Baltimore County. Their top six finishers at states last year were underclassmen.

8. Dulaney

Coach: Emily Kachik

Last season: No. 8

Postseason: Fourth in Class 3A

Outlook: The Lions also have six of last year’s top seven runners back, led by junior Catherine Campbell, the fifth-place finisher at the Baltimore County championships and a top-20 runner at the state championships.

9. Notre Dame Prep

Coach: Jim Lancaster

Last season: No. 7

Postseason: Third in IAAM A Conference

Outlook: Olivia Sobkowicz, who finished fifth in the conference last year, headlines a group that returns five of its top seven and could challenge McDonogh and Bryn Mawr for the top spot this year.

10. Howard

Coach: Tammy Liu Hermstein

Last season: No. 4

Postseason: Class 3A runner-up

Outlook: The Lions were hit hard by graduation and will be young with “a lot of potential for growth,” according to Hermstein. But Sivitz will provide a low starting score every time she runs.

11. North Harford

Coach: Laura O’Leary

Last season: No. 12

Postseason: Eighth in Class 2A

Outlook: The UCBAC champions had three freshmen in their top four placers at last year’s conference championships. Two of them were top-40 finishers at states. Senior Eden Hussung also returns as the team’s No. 1 runner.

12. Harford Tech

Coach: Darrell Diamond

Last season: No. 15

Postseason: Class 1A runner-up

Outlook: DeVos led the Cobras to a state runner-up finish a year ago and she’s back for another try at the championship. Their top three runners, all top-21 finishers at states, return.

13. South River

Coach: Caleb Foster

Last season: No. 14

Postseason: 10th in Class 3A

Outlook: The Seahawks bring back five of their top seven runners, including sophomore Sophie Green, who was 25th at states last year. Catching Severna Park is a long shot, but they could win the race for second in the county.

14. Glenelg

Coach: Phillip Johnson

Last season: Not ranked

Postseason: Seventh in Class 2A

Outlook: The Gladiators had a strong showing at the end of last season, including a third-place finish at the county championships, with four freshmen running in their top seven.

15. Atholton

Coach: Earl Lauer

Last season: No. 11

Postseason: Ninth in Class 3A

Outlook: Gabrielle Shord finished 28th at last year’s state championships and leads a group with six of its top seven runners returning.

Others considered: Arundel, C. Milton Wright, River Hill, Spalding, Westminster

Storylines to watch

How will Calvert Hall replace Cameron Davis?

Cameron Davis has held a monopoly on Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference distance running titles. He won three straight cross county conference championships, as well as the 1,600- and 3,200-meter races at the past two conference outdoor track and field championships and last year’s indoor championships. He earned The Baltimore Sun boys cross country Runner of the Year Award in 2022 and 2023. But now he’s running at Virginia Tech, and coach Scott Baker must find a way to replace not only him but four other seniors who ran as part of the Cardinals lineup. Baker believes he has great underclass talent coming up but expects his team to have a stronger pack time rather than relying on one or two superstars. However, he says to keep an eye on JD Hughes as a breakout candidate.

A duel in Anne Arundel County

Two of the best runners in the area and two potential state champions reside in Anne Arundel County. Southern’s Eric Penkala was last year’s Class 2A state champion and will be a favorite to repeat despite the promise of lining up against a highly talented field. Meanwhile, Tsedeke Jakovics was Class 4A runner-up despite running 15 minutes, 44.95 seconds, a time that would’ve won any other classification. He would’ve been a favorite in 4A, but this season Old Mill drops to 3A, a class where the top four state finishers graduated. At last season’s Anne Arundel County championships, Penkala finished second and Jakovics third, but Jakovics got the best of Penkala in the track distance races. The two should have quite a battle for this year’s crown.

Class 2A is loaded

Speaking of Penkala and Class 2A, there will be plenty of worthy challengers coming after his crown. A year ago, Penkala won the state title by a little more than a second over Queen Anne’s Ben Marks. Both were juniors; both will be back for a rematch. But there will be more than just Marks chasing after Penkala. Seven of the top 10 finishers at last year’s state meet were underclassmen. Included in that group are Carroll County champion Ryan Hartranft from Century, last year’s fourth-place finisher and a two-time state track champion. Also, state team champion Centennial has David Herzberger, who took fifth last year and will be one of Howard County’s best this year.

Can Evan Cline lead Towson to a Class 3A championship repeat?

Towson was the team to beat last season. The Generals breezed through the Baltimore County championships, taking five of the top six spots, then held off Severna Park to win the 3A state crown. Kieran Mischke led the charge, but the 3A individual state champion is now running at UMBC. However, he has a clear heir apparent in Evan Cline. Cline took fifth place at state, the highest-finishing underclassman. This year he’ll move up to be the Generals’ No. 1 runner and will be charged with leading a relatively inexperienced group, as four total seniors were among Towson’s seven state runners.

There might not be much 1A competition for Liberty, but what about the county?

One hundred six points. That’s how much separated champion Liberty (28) from second-place Catoctin (134) at last year’s 1A state meet. All seven Lions that ran finished in the top 26 individually — four of whom are returning underclassmen, including state champion Gregory Schellberg. Unless there are some massive time drops or new runners emerge, there might not be much of a challenge for the Lions at the state level. At the local level, however, the Lions are looking to add the missing piece from last season. They lost the Carroll County championship by two points to Manchester Valley and both teams will be well stocked again. And then there’s Century, led by Hartranft and Thomas Sewell, who should also be in the running for a county crown.

Runners to watch

Evan Cline, Towson, senior

Cline will be a leader for a Generals team aiming to duplicate last season’s successes. He finished top 10 in every race he ran, including fifth at the 3A state championship.

Jemmel Green, Gilman, senior

Green could have the best shot at breaking up the Calvert Hall hold on the top of the MIAA A Conference. He finished eighth at last year’s conference meet in a personal-best 16:12.

Ryan Hartranft, Century, senior

Hartranft won last season’s Carroll County championship, was 2A West Region champion and finished fourth at the 2A state meet. He won the 2A 1,600 state title the past two years in outdoor track season.

David Herzberger, Centennial, senior

Herzberger led Centennial’s 2A state championship last year with a fifth-place individual finish. He was also Howard County runner-up and the highest-finishing underclassman at the county meet.

JD Hughes, Calvert Hall, sophomore

Coach Scott Baker pointed to the sophomore as someone with superstar potential. Though he didn’t race much last cross country season, his distance track time (9:30 in the 3,200) gives reasons for optimism.

Tsedeke Jakovics, Old Mill, senior

Jakovics is another state track champion (last year’s outdoor 4A 800 meters) looking to earn his first cross country gold. He was last year’s 4A runner-up with a time (15.44.95) that was second-fastest out of all classes.

Caden Lazzor, Severna Park, senior

Lazzor was the Falcons’ No. 2 runner a year ago and top returner. He finished 11th at the state meet and fifth at the Anne Arundel County championships.

Chris Novak, Patterson Mill, junior

Novak’s eighth-place finishes at last year’s 1A state meet and UCBAC championships were actually his lowest placings of the season. He showed his potential by winning the 1A East Region championship.

Eric Penkala, Southern, senior

Between cross country and track, Penkala has amassed quite a collection of state championship medals and the defending 2A champ is a favorite for another. He’s also looking to improve on his Anne Arundel runner-up finish.

Gregory Schellberg, Liberty, senior

Schellberg won last year’s 1A state title running 16:35, 26 seconds clear of the second-place finisher. He took fourth at the Carroll County championships and finished no worse than fifth at any meet last season.

Preseason Top 15 teams

1. Severna Park

Coach: Josh Alcombright

Last season: No. 3 ranking

Postseason: Class 3A state runner-up

Outlook: The Falcons graduated their top runner, but return everyone else from its Anne Arundel County champion team. They were edged out by Towson for the state title.

2. Calvert Hall

Coach: Scott Baker

Last season: No. 2

Postseason: MIAA A Conference champion

Outlook: The Cardinals suffered heavy graduation losses, but Baker has a stable of runners that were simply waiting for their turn. Look for new stars to emerge this season.

3. Liberty

Coach: Trent Rose

Last season: No. 8

Postseason: Class 1A state champion

Outlook: Individual state champion Schellberg leads a strong returning group that cruised to the state title and was barely beaten out by Manchester Valley for the county crown.

4. Centennial

Coach: Kevin McCoy

Last season: No. 6

Postseason: Class 2A state champion

Outlook: The Eagles return five of the top seven, including top runner Herzberger, from its state championship team. They’ll also be out to avenge a one-point loss to Howard at last year’s county championships.

5. Gilman

Coach: Joe Duncan

Last season: No. 12

Postseason: Third in MIAA A Conference

Outlook: The Greyhounds might have the most experienced group back in the A Conference with Green leading a group that has four of last year’s top five runners back.

6. Towson

Coach: Gil Stange

Last season: No. 1

Postseason: Class 3A state champion

Outlook: A repeat won’t be easy with the quantity and quality of runners lost, but having Cline back is a strong starting point to build a new championship group.

7. Crofton

Coach: Adam McGuire

Last season: No. 10

Postseason: Sixth in Class 4A

Outlook: No. 1 runner London Layton has graduated, but everyone else is back as the Cardinals looked poised to challenge for county and state titles this year.

8. Manchester Valley

Coach: Jim MacDonald

Last season: No. 7

Postseason: Sixth in Class 3A

Outlook: The Mavericks return their top two runners from the team that edged Liberty for the county championship, but will need underclassmen to step up to compete in 3A.

9. Howard

Coach: Ed Wilson

Last season: No. 4

Postseason: Third in Class 3A

Outlook: Replacing a runner like state runner-up Joey Ensor isn’t easy, but Rayyan Dheini and Om Maryankandy and ready to grab the torch and defend the Howard County championship.

10. Loyola Blakefield

Coach: Jose Albornoz Jr.

Last season: No. 5

Postseason: Second in MIAA A Conference

Outlook: The Dons lose their top three finishers from last year’s MIAA runner-up team, but have a strong underclass corps ready to step up and challenge for the conference title.

11. Century

Coach: Doug Fleming

Last season: No. 13

Postseason: Fourth in Class 2A

Outlook: Hartranft and Thomas Sewell will just about always give the Knights a low score to start from in just about any meet they run. The development of those filling out the lineup behind them will determine how far the team goes.

12. Wilde Lake

Coach: Eric Meyers

Last season: No. 9

Postseason: Second in Class 2A

Outlook: The Wildecats lose Henry Hopper, last year’s Bull Run champion and third-place state finisher, but five of the seven state runners are back including Colin McGuinness who took fifth at the Howard County championships.

13. South River

Coach: Caleb Foster

Last season: Not ranked

Postseason: 10th in Class 3A

Outlook: The Seahawks could make a push this season, returning all its scorers from its fourth-place county finish, and only losing one (the No. 7 runner) from its state meet lineup.

14. Catonsville

Coach: Ben Fusco

Last season: Not ranked

Postseason: 13th in Class 3A

Outlook: Coaches in Baltimore County are looking at the Comets as a dark horse for a county title. They finished fourth a year ago at counties and return six of their top seven runners.

15. Fallston

Coach: Karin Walker

Last season: Not ranked

Postseason: 13th in Class 2A

Outlook: The Cougars have the strongest returning group in the UCBAC and will be a team to watch for at both the county and state levels.

Others considered: Broadneck, C. Milton Wright, Mount Saint Joseph, Old Mill, River Hill

Three county girls are back after claiming Player of the Year honors in their sports in 2023 — Taylor Colson (cross country), Hannah DeVincent (soccer) and Alayna Enoff (field hockey). But many talented athletes will challenge those returners for their spots.

The Carroll County Times is presenting its 24 of 24, a list of some of the top high school athletes — 24 boys and 24 girls — to watch this season.

Here is the girls Carroll County Fall 24:

Cross country

Taylor Colson, Century, sophomore

The 2023 Runner of the Year won the county meet by more than 1 minute, 27 seconds. She followed that up with a win at the Class 2A state championship meet. That was all as a freshman.

Brynn Keilman, Winters Mill, sophomore

Keilman opened her career with an eight-place finish at the county meet, one of three top-10 finishes in her first season. In the winter, she placed third at the county indoor track championships in the 3,200.

Emily Mitroka, Century, senior

Mitroka was second behind her teammate, Colson, at last year’s county championship and finished seventh at the state meet. In the spring, she won a track state championship in the 1,600.

Cyndi Phelps, Winters Mill, senior

Phelps had a strong junior campaign, winning two county meets and placing fourth at the county championships. She is poised to close out her high school career with an even stronger 2024.

Field hockey

Sophie Baer, Manchester Valley, senior

The midfielder was a key reason the Mavericks won 14 straight games in 2023 on their way to a county title and the state semifinals. Last year, she tallied four goals and 11 assists.

Alayna Enoff, South Carroll, senior

The 2023 Player of the Year amassed 13 goals and 13 assists, leading the Cavaliers to a 14-3 record and the Class 1A state title. Her tendency to rise up in clutch moments will be called upon again as both she and her team now have a target on their backs.

Taylor Fique, Manchester Valley, sophomore

Fique had a phenomenal first season for the Mavericks, finishing with 10 goals and six assists. Another year of development should make her even more dangerous.

Liberty vs Manchester Valley field hockey

Amanda Herrold, Manchester Valley, junior

Herrold’s 2023 earned her Player of the Year consideration. She scored 11 goals for the state semifinalist Mavericks while also adding eight assists. Look for her to once again be among the county’s best.

Carley Topper, Francis Scott Key, senior

Topper finished 2023 with four goals and 11 assists for the Eagles, helping lead the team to the regional finals. She leads a talented group that should be a factor in the county and state races.

Natalie Opatovsky, Century, senior

Opatovsky was a first team All-County selection as a defender in 2023 and will anchor another strong group at Century.

Stevie Schultz, Westminster, junior

Schultz finished 2023 with six goals and two assists for the Owls and will be called upon to help lead the team at both ends of the field this year.

Soccer

Bella Coccio, Century, senior

Coccio, a midfielder, is a two-time first team All-County pick and is expected to be among the county’s best yet again. She finished 2023 with six goals and six assists as one of coach Chris Little’s captains.

Hannah DeVincent, Liberty, senior

DeVincent’s numbers were off the charts last year, as she amassed 17 goals and 19 assists in her Player of the Year junior season. Don’t expect much of a drop-off as she will lead her Lions in their championship quest.

Emmerson Hill, Westminster, junior

Hill was a key member of the Owls during her sophomore season and her athleticism will be called upon once again as she develops into a team leader.

Lexi McGinnis, Century, senior

McGinnis was a first team All-County defensive pick who helped the Knights post seven shutouts last season. Defense has been the calling card for Century in recent years, and with McGinnis leading, it should be again.

Hannah Neske, Winters Mill, sophomore

As a freshman, Neske led the Falcons in scoring, matching her eight goals with eight assists. She should only get better as her varsity career continues.

Abby Rieger, Francis Scott Key, senior

Perhaps the county’s best defensive player in basketball, Rieger was among the county scoring leaders last soccer season, netting eight goals for the Eagles as a midfielder.

Bryce Sarver, Liberty, junior

Sarver joins DeVincent in a dangerous scoring tandem in Eldersburg. As a sophomore last season, Sarver scored 12 goals and handed out four assists for the regional champion Lions.

Volleyball

Haleigh Hodges, Liberty, senior

The Lions’ libero amassed an impressive 282 digs as a junior. She complimented her defense with 37 aces and 40 assists.

South Carroll vs Westminster volleyball

Elaina Murphy, South Carroll, junior

Murphy has a phenomenal sophomore campaign that nearly earned Player of the Year recognition. She led the Cavaliers with 159 kills and served 39 aces. An all-around player, she also collected 144 digs.

Emme Powers, Liberty, sophomore

Powers had to fill some big shoes on Liberty’s front line as a freshman last season. The 5-foot-11 hitter thrived, putting down 154 kills.

Molly Thomas, Westminster, senior

The Owls’ libero finished last season with 16 kills, 34 aces, 35 assists and 135 digs. Prepvolleyball.com listed Thomas among its national Class of 2025 defenders to watch list.

Emily Troy, Manchester Valley, junior

Troy will be a go-to option for a Mavericks team that many think will contend for a county title. Last season, she totaled 103 kills, 123 digs and 34 aces.

Pia White, South Carroll, senior

As the primary setter for the county co-champion Cavaliers, White finished last season with 249 assists, 98 digs, 14 kills and 32 aces.

Star athletes return after earning All-County recognition as season ago, while many others will emerge as the season goes on.

The Carroll County Times is presenting its 24 of 24, a list of some of the top high school athletes — 24 boys and 24 girls — to watch this season.

Here is the boys Carroll County Fall 24:

Cross country

Logan Amis, Manchester Valley, senior

Amis’ second place finish at last season’s county championships led his Mavericks to the team title. He finished fourth at the Class 3A North Region race and 18th at the state meet.

Gavin Boer, Manchester Valley, senior

Boer was sixth at the county championships, the No. 2 runner on the Mavericks’ county championship team. He was eighth at regionals and 26th at states.

Ryan Hartranft, Century, senior

Hartranft was the 2023 Carroll County Times Runner of the Year after winning the county championship by 26 seconds over Amis. He’s a two-time track state champion and finished fourth at last season’s Class 2A cross country state meet.

Gregory Schellberg of Liberty High School

Gregory Schellberg, Liberty, senior

Schellberg blitzed the Hereford course to win the Class 1A state championship in 16:35 while also leading the Lions to the team title. He finished fourth at last year’s county championships.

Thomas Sewell, Century, junior

In this sophomore year, Sewell finished eighth at the county championships, fifth at the 2A West Region championships and seventh at the 2A state championships.

Football

Sam Andrews, Francis Scott Key, senior

Andrews was one of only two underclassmen picked as a first team All-County offensive lineman. He led the way for an Eagles rushing attack that ran for more than 1,400 yards and 4.9 yards per carry in 2023.

Braden Fritz, Manchester Valley, senior

Fritz’s leg will be a weapon for the Mavericks. Last season, he made six field goals and all 24 of his extra point attempts.

James Graham, South Carroll, senior

The first team All-County defensive lineman finished 2023 with 71 tackles and five sacks for the Cavaliers and will likely be in the running for top defender in the county in 2024.

Liberty vs South Carroll football

Chase Miller, Liberty, senior,

Liberty has had a strong lineage of producing quarterbacks, and Miller is the latest. Last season, his first as a varsity starter, he threw for 1,710 yards and 17 touchdowns while adding five rushing touchdowns.

Anthony Rodrigues, South Carroll, junior

Last year, Rodrigues took over the starting running back job midseason and finished with 604 yards and six touchdowns for the Cavaliers, earning first team All-County honors.

Victor Tejada, Winters Mill, junior

Tejada burst on the scene during his sophomore year with the Falcons. The defensive lineman and first team All-County pick finished with nine sacks for a stingy Winters Mill defense.

Rakim Warfield, Westminster, senior

Teams shied away from Warfield in crucial moments. When they didn’t, the junior burned them for four interceptions and 12 pass breakups.

Raquan Warfield, Westminster, senior

Warfield ran for 623 yards and seven touchdowns for the county champion Owls last year. His production will likely increase as Westminster looks to fill the void of graduated Player of the Year Kyrece Walker.

Tristian West, Liberty, senior

The 6-foot-4 West was a force for the Lions as Miller’s top receiver in 2023. He lead the team with 34 receptions for 815 yards and eight touchdowns.

Golf

Patrick Carl, South Carroll, senior

Carl led the Cavaliers to the Class 2A/1A state championship last year. He finished tied for fifth individually at states and was county runner-up. He shot a 72 to share top honors at this year’s season-opening county tournament.

Luke DiDio, Westminster, junior

DiDio finished tied for 26th at last season’s Class 4A/3A state tournament but sent an early message that he’s ready to rocket up the leaderboards after tying Carl with a 72 at the season-opening tournament.

Jack Laur, South Carroll, senior

Laur is coming off a 13th-place finish as last year’s state tournament. He finished fifth at last year’s county tournament and opened 2024 with a 74 to finish third at the season-opening tournament.

Michael Valerio, South Carroll, senior

Valerio has been one of the top golfers in the county since he emerged on the scene, finishing third at both the county and state tournaments his freshman year. He tied for fifth at states last year, and any round he plays, he’s capable of breaking par.

Soccer

Jackson Barioto, Century, senior

Barioto was a key piece of Century’s run to last season’s Class 2A state final, finishing with five goals and three assists.

Cannon Hunter, South Carroll, senior

Hunter was a first team All-County defender who scored three goals and four assists last season while helping South Carroll post four shutouts. He was also a kicker for the football team.

Nick McGhin, Century, senior

McGhin played his best soccer toward the end of last season, leading the Knights to their state runner-up finish. He finished with 26 goals and four assists, including a hat trick in the state semifinals.

Anthony McPeak, Westminster, junior

McPeak was named second team All-County goalkeeper a season ago. Another year of growth can make him one of the best defensive players in the county.

Maddox Shuman, Winters Mill, senior

Shuman, a midfielder for the Falcons, scored eight goals and added seven assists last season. With some key graduation losses, he will be counted on to be an offensive leader for this year’s group.

Austen Veach, Liberty, senior

Veach is a two-time first team All-County selection and is expected to be among the county’s most prolific scorers once again. Last year, he scored eight goals and added three assists for the Lions after scoring 13 goals as a sophomore.

Speace raved about the work ethic of his doubles partner, Arjun Mistry, calling the junior “one of the hardest workers I’ve ever seen.”

Fortunately, Speace had a work ethic to match, and as a result, the team went places. At Wilde Lake Tennis Club on Memorial Day weekend, Speace and Mistry punctuated a 23-0 season with a Class 1A state doubles championship.

They won their state championship match 6-0, 6-3, a fitting conclusion for a duo Liberty coach Tom Brecker labeled “the most dominant men’s doubles team I ever coached.”

The pair didn’t lose a set in 2024, and with their dominance, Speace and Mistry are the Carroll County Times 2024 boys tennis Players of the Year.

“What we’ve preached as a program is, the time you put in to practice and on the court is what helps you develop into a great player or players,” Brecker said. “Those guys were always out practicing. You can go out there in the middle of winter and they’ll be out there. They had such a desire to be successful, they put so much time in the court and it paid off for them.”

The two paired together in 2023, but their ride ended with a runner-up finish at the county tournament. They took different paths in the postseason but came back this year ready to finish what they started.

“Last year things didn’t really go our way, so we worked really hard in the offseason to make sure it would be different,” said Mistry, a junior. “Everything we achieved this season is a result of that hard work we put in.”

In the rare moments they faced adversity, their teamwork enabled them to work through it. It’s what Speace said made them such a great team.

“I think its the way we work together on the court,” he said. “If there was ever any time where we were messing up too much or something was going wrong, we worked so well together that were able to fix it really quickly.”

Both are talented players in their own right, but there’s more to making a great doubles team than just putting any two players on the court together.

“I think it’s more about how people work together and their personalities,” Speace said. “You can have any sort of skills put with any sort of people, it’s more about how you work on the court together. In terms of our skills, I always kind of figure I was the Robin to Arjun’s Batman, because he normally set up a lot of shots that would win us points pretty easily. He was always the one grinding from the baseline and I’d be there to clean it up at the net for him.”

Although they both began playing tennis at different points in their lives, they both brought an affection for the game to the court, and it showed in how much they wanted to be successful and how much work they put in to get there.

Speace began playing his sophomore year of high school; Mistry began in sixth grade when he turned on the U.S. Open when he “didn’t have anything else to do that day.”

“I started getting drawn into the sport,” he said. “My dad had taken me to play tennis when I was 5, but I stopped shortly after. But once I got going again, I started loving the sport, the feeling you get when you hit the ball and playing with people you enjoy playing with, especially teammates, it’s indescribable.”

Mistry is now a two-time state doubles champion, winning his freshman year with Nikhil Andhavarapu. Brecker said it’ll be a decision closer to season to see whether Mistry finds a third partner to win a state title with or goes into singles.

Regardless, Mistry will have a message for his teammates when he enters next year as a senior leader.

“My teammates are everything that make the team,” he said. “I didn’t think it was possible, even back my freshman year. I felt like, ‘No, states, it’ll be impossible to make it far in.’ Yet, I was able to do it. I want all the guys on my team to know you can do it as well.”

All-County first team

Nikhil Andhavarapu, Liberty, senior

Andhavarapu went from second seed to county champion, capping off the run with a 6-3, 6-1 victory in the finals. He also won a region championship and finished as Class 1A state runner-up.

August Jones, Manchester Valley, senior

Jones, the Mavericks’ No. 1 singles player and fourth seed after the regular season, finished third at the county tournament, winning a three-set marathon over Century’s Kaushik Inguva, 6-4, 5-7, 12-10.

Louis Major, Liberty, junior

Major was unbeaten in county play as the Lions’ second singles player. He played mixed doubles with Grace Maerten in the postseason and the two claimed the county championship.

Michael Mooney, South Carroll, senior

Mooney was mostly a doubles player for the Cavaliers during the regular season and teamed with Sydney Mossman at mixed doubles for the postseason. The duo finished as the county runner-up before making a run to the 1A state championship.

Micah Ober, Winters Mill, senior

Ober was the top boys singles seed heading into the county tournament and finished as runner-up to Andhavarapu. Despite being seeded sixth at the 2A West Region I tournament, Ober won two matches and finished as runner-up.

Michael Fronheiser and Jarom Hawes, Westminster

The Owls’ top doubles pairing was only beaten by Speace and Mistry during this season and finished as county runner-up. They also advanced to the 3A South Region I semifinals.

She was the Cougars’ starting goalkeeper for two seasons, including being in net for the team’s run to the 2022 Class 1A state championship. She recently committed to play soccer at the University of Delaware.

Rhinehart recently spoke to The Aegis about her career, her family and her future.

Editor’s note: Some questions and answers have been lightly edited for brevity and clarity. 

How did your commitment to Delaware come about?

It was actually super random and super last minute. Delaware was one of the schools I applied to without soccer. There were a couple I applied to just in case soccer didn’t work out because of injuries or whatever. It’s good to have a backup plan. I ended up getting in with a presidential scholarship. So I reached out to the coaches in November. Maybe a week before I committed they called my trainer and said they were looking for a Class of ’24 player. A couple days later, they gave me a call, the next day they were at one of my club practices, and then a few days later I was on a tour. About a week after that I committed. It was all super quick. I was a late commitment but I went and I fell in love. It was a super easy decision in the end.

Were there any other schools you were considering?

I was actually committed to Rice University in Houston, Texas, but it wasn’t a great fit for me and I was open to looking at other schools. When I went to Delaware and toured and met the team, it honestly won me over right away. It was a tough conversation with the Rice coaches, but it is what it is.

Did proximity play a role? You’re going to be a half-hour away from home as opposed to half a country away. 

Absolutely. I’m super close with my with my family. My grandfather is not easily able to travel. I have two sisters, one just graduated college and is coming home and my little sister is going to be a sophomore in high school. Honestly, being able to come home for Sunday night dinners and having them be able to come to my games, it was a really big draw for me. … They’ll still be able to be a really big part of my career.

Do the state championships still rate as your top soccer memories?

That is definitely one of my favorite memories of Fallston. The team aspect at Fallston as an athlete, we’re all really, really close. That’s a day — it’s like a picture in my mind. I remember every second of it. Obviously, the second of the back-to-back titles is a little closer to my heart since I played a bigger role, but the older girls influenced me on the first one. Even though I wasn’t playing much I still felt like a big part of the team.

How long have you been playing soccer?

About 14 years now; I started when I was 4. My older sister was a goalkeeper, too, that’s how I got into it. I watched her play and was like, “Wow, that’s what I want to do.” From the second there was a goalkeeper, I was in the goal.

In a sport that is so offense-focused, little kids loving to run around and kick things, how do you settle on being the goalkeeper?

It really started my coach just being like, “Who wants to go in the goal?” And I’m jumping up and down, “Me! Me! Me! Pick me!” I’d play half in center midfield because I am kind of fast, but I always had more fun in the goal. I like a more aggressive style. And my big sister did play a huge role in that.

How do you play the position? The other team is coming down with the ball, what are you looking for? How are you defending it?

Being the style of player I am, I’m not the 6-foot, big strong girl, but the super unique part of my game is I’m super quick. If there’s a ball I can get to, I’m going for it. I’m a very aggressive player. One of the words my coaches use is I’m very brave. I’ll go for anything, always up for a challenge.

How important is it to work with your defenders, communicate and know where everyone is?

It’s 100% one of the most important factors. Connectivity and communication with your defense just changed everything. If you have a supportive back line that knows what the others are doing, it’s easier to flow, it’s easier to rotate, and that starts in the goalkeeping position because you have the ability to see the entire field.

You mentioned the influence your sister had getting you started. How big of an influence was she?

She played at University of Southern California but had to medically retire after her sophomore year because of concussions. … It was a big help for training purposes. We’d be able to go out to the field together and we do play a different style game, but the technique is all the same, so it was a big plus having her around.

So now it’s time to get to know you a bit more off the field. You’re on the bus going to a big road game, what song are you listening to to get fired up?

This is a funny one, but “Before He Cheats,” by Carrie Underwood was always my team’s go-to. You get a little scream-singing in and it gets your adrenaline going before a game.

What’s your favorite place to eat around town?

I’m a big brunch girl, so Sunny Day Cafe is probably one of my favorites. Or Bacco — it’s an Italian place that’s super good.

If you could time travel to any point in history, where would you go or what would you want to see?

Maybe the 1960s. I always wanted to meet my great-grandmother, who was a professional bagpiper, and hear her play.

If you could be on any reality TV show, which one would you want to go on?

Easy. “Survivor.” I’m an avid watcher, haven’t missed a season in three or four years. It’s my favorite and I definitely think I’d be good at some of the challenges.

However, the injury bug had other ideas.

“Overall I feel I did pretty well considering progression from the beginning of the season. I got multiple injuries during outdoor,” he said “I twisted my ankle halfway through and I also had a wrist injury almost the entirety of outdoor season. I think that played a role, hindered me a bit.”

But Yeon found a way to make the most of his time on the sideline.

“I did less throwing and more learning about the throw outside of the circle,” he said. “I wasn’t able to throw because I was injured and not able to do the movements, so I just watched videos and learned and see how I’m supposed to do it. That’s all I did for a few weeks when I was unable to throw.”

When he was in the circle, Yeon was tough to beat. Despite not being 100%, he racked up several invitational wins and Carroll County titles in both shot put and discus, contributing big points to the Falcons’ county team championship.

For his season efforts, Yeon is the 2024 Carroll County Times boys outdoor track and field Athlete of the Year.

Winters Mill’s boys lost out on a team championship at the indoor county meet in the winter by a third of a point. The team knew it had championship-level talent. And now, the motivation was there to get the job done. Yeon was looked at as someone to help lead the way to glory.

“It was our school’s first county win in about 13 years and along with that, during indoor we barely got second but the most random DQ we got second,” he said. “Everybody knew we could do well enough to get first at counties, but it was a matter of if we would compete to our previous standards. On the bus ride there, they were like, ‘Go get us 20 points.'”

Yeon’s two wins got those desired points and Winters Mill earned a 17-point win over Manchester Valley. It kicked started a strong postseason for the junior.

Yeon added a 2A West Region championship in the shot put and a runner-up finish in the discus. He went on to finish fifth at states in both events, despite throwing a personal best 146 feet, 2 inches in the discus. His best shot put throw came before his injuries, throwing 48-7.

He’s looking forward to seeing how far he can go in what he hopes is a healthy senior season.

“For my senior year, I’m trying to actually not be injured for once and finally be at my full strength, show my full throwing ability,” he said. “I want to get some really big numbers, but I know it will be hard to do. Progressing that much will take a lot of work.”

He’s not afraid of hard work. It’s how he got to this level in the first place.

“I started my freshman year,” he said. “Mostly the upperclassmen, they were my friends and they were throwers. That’s what got me started.”

Yeon knew he had a long way to go in the sport, despite some initial success, but decided to do what he had to do to improve.

“It was right when COVID started to end. So then, at that point everyone was bad. So I was OK, even though I was completely knew. I went to regionals for both discus and shot put. I didn’t do really well, but I did OK.

“Considering before I did track I did not do any other exercise, any other sport at all, I started going to the gym every day. And then I started putting the work into my sport, studying it.”

All-County first team

Oluwatobi Adelaja, Francis Scott Key, junior

Adelaja was the county high jump champion and cleared a personal best 6 feet to place sixth at the Class 2A state meet. He was also county runner-up in the long jump.

David Akinboye, Liberty, junior

Akinboye was the county champion in the long jump (20-4 1/2). He was county runner-up and 1A West Region runner-up in the 100.

Christian Childs, Manchester Valley, senior

Childs followed up his county championship in the 800 with a win at the 3A North Region meet and a third-place finish at the state meet (1:53.63). He was also county runner-up in the 1,600.

Ezekiel Harris, Manchester Valley, junior

Harris won the county title in the triple jump (41-4 1/4) and ran on the Mavericks’ 4×200 relay that won the county title.

Ryan Hartranft, Century, junior

Hartranft won the county championship in the 1,600. After finishing second at regionals, he came back with a personal-best time of 4:13 to win the Class 2A state championship in the event.

John Manley, Westminster, senior

Manley was the county’s top hurdler, winning county titles in the 110 (16.35) and 300 (42.39) hurdle events. He ran on the Owls’ county runner-up 4×100 relay team.

Lukas Michael, Westminster, senior

Michael closed his standout high school career with a 3A state runner-up finish in the pole vault. He cleared 14 feet during the season.

Isaiah Rivera, Winters Mill, senior

Rivera won the county championship in the 400 (49.43) and placed third at regionals and seventh at states in the event. He was also county runner-up in the 200.

Jackson Steinbrenner, Winters Mill, senior

Steinbrenner was the county champion in the 3,200 (9:58.61). He finished second in the event at both the 2A West Region meet and the state championship meet. He was third at the county meet in the 1,600.

Ryan Vollmer, Liberty, sophomore

After finishing second to Michael in the pole vault at the county meet, Vollmer cleared 13 feet to win the Class 1A state championship.

Deon Whitlow, Winters Mill, junior

Whitlow was a key contributor to the Falcons’ team county championship winning the 100 (11.05) and 200 (22.43). He was second at the 2A West Region meet in the 100 and third in the 200.

However, a sprained ankle cost her a month of her indoor season and gave her a long road back to her championship form. But it also gave her a newfound outlook on the sport, one that carried her to Capital Gazette 2024 girls outdoor track and field Athlete of the Year honors.

“This year, coming off of a good junior year, senior year is supposed to be full of good expectations; I was going to go run some crazy times,” Evans said. “And then my injury happened and I’m like, ‘This goal is farther away than I thought.’ But I think just coming back from the injury, I had to learn how to take pressures and expectations away from track and field and just enjoy the running aspect of it. It helped me fall back in love with track.”

Slowly but surely, Evans worked her way back.

“I was in the gym a lot during my injury so that’s what kind of kept me in shape, but my first race back I ran a minute [in the 400-meter race]. I hadn’t ran a minute since sophomore year, so I was devastated after that,” she said. “But I kind of slowly began to build back my times. Each race I ran I would have a season’s best, even by a second.”

By the end of the season, she was better than ever. “I think the injury kind of pushed me to be a better athlete and I think that kind of showed at states,” she said.

Evans won the Class 3A state championship in the 200 (24.85 seconds) and 400 (54.9) and also ran on Arundel’s championship-winning 4×200 and 4×400 relays.

All the while, Evans helped the Wildcats rack up points toward their state title.

“It was a weird season for us,” she said. “Our girls team was small. It was always, though, this weird dream. We got third at counties, and we’re like, ‘We can put some big points up here.’ We got second at regionals, we were getting closer and closer. When it came to the 4×4, we looked at each other and said, ‘We got to get this job done and get a state title.’”

Bryce Hatcher and Grace Hickman joined Evans on both winning relays. Ta’Laiya Mellerson rounded out the 4×200 team, while Aiyana Gutrick was on the 4×400 group. Evans called her teammates “pillars in my recovery.”

“Coming back, I felt really behind, but my teammates kept me up and kept me going,” Evans said. “We’re all so close and they’ve really just been my No. 1 inspirations because they all have been working hard, and seeing them work pushed me to get back to where I was so I could be there for them.”

Evans leaves Arundel as one of its most highly decorated athletes, totaling eight state championships in her career. Not bad for a runner who didn’t start until her sophomore year.

“I’ve been playing volleyball for the past 10 years, then my mom was like, ‘Hey Noel, why don’t you try out track, just to stay in shape for volleyball?” she said. “Then I just fell right in love with track and quit volleyball my senior year.”

Part of the allure was her teammates and the atmosphere they created; another part is what she termed the “beautiful moments” where everyone supports everyone at meets. And then there’s the feeling she gets when out on a run.

“I think it’s just running in general. It’s always been a big thing for me, especially during COVID,” she said. “I would just go out on a mile run. It just clears my head and I just feel so at peace when I’m running. So when I’m on the track, when that gun goes off, everything just goes silent. It’s just me pushing myself to the limit.”

Evans will move on to the University of North Carolina Charlotte where a combination of the school’s engineering program and the attention she got from the coaching staff drew her attention.

“I just really wanted to go to a college by a city … and just do something outside of my comfort zone,” she said. “I found Charlotte and I took a visit there last November and, there’s a feeling where you just know and I had that feeling at Charlotte.”

While she’s running at Charlotte, she leaves behind a legacy of success at Arundel. She also hopes she leaves a message to those coming up through the program about what’s possible.

“I want them to know they can all achieve whatever they want,” she said. “Some of them I know might feel a little behind right now in the sport because you might see 8-year-olds running faster times than you did that young, but they can achieve anything they want if they keep working hard.”

Coach of the Year

Eric Allen, Arundel

Allen didn’t take the biggest of teams into the Class 3A state championship meet, but he got the most out of every athlete he had.

Evans was his workhorse, bringing in two individual wins and 20 points toward the Wildcats’ eventual team state championship. But she couldn’t do it alone.

Arundel deployed a strong roster of runners and balanced out the lineup with strength in the field events, specifically in the throws where three Wildcats placed top eight in the shot put.

Allen also put together three state championship relay teams — the 4×100, 4×200 and 4×400 — finding the right combination of six strong sprinters to create three outstanding teams.

All-County first team

Carson Boteler, Broadneck, senior

Boteler closed a career of county dominance in the pole vault. She was the Anne Arundel County and Class 4A East Region champion and finished third at states where she cleared a season-best 11 feet, 6 inches.

Rebecca Burgee, Southern, junior

Burgee was county champion and finished as 2A state runner-up in the 800 (2:15.63) and ran on the Bulldogs’ state runner-up 4×400 team and third-place 4×800 team. She was county runner-up in the 1,600.

Charlotte DeForest, Crofton, senior

DeForest won the county title in the long jump (17-1) and finished second in the triple jump. She was the 4A East Region champion and took sixth at states in the long jump.

Abby Finch, Arundel, senior

Finch was the county champion in the shot put (36-7) and runner-up in the discus (95-7). She was third at the 3A East Region meet in the shot put and finished sixth at states.

Casey Gish, Broadneck, senior

Gish claimed county, regional and 4A state championships in the high jump with a best height of 5-6. She was county and regional champion and finished third at states in the triple jump (37-9 3/4).

Bryce Hatcher, Arundel, senior

Hatcher was a catalyst for Arundel’s 3A team state championship, finishing third in the 100, eighth in the 200 and running on the winning 4×200 and 4×400 relays. She was also county champion in the 100 (12.13).

Ta’Laiya Mellerson, Arundel, junior

Mellerson was state runner-up in the 100 (12.08) and ran on Arundel’s state championship 4×100 and 4×200 relays. She was county runner-up in the 100.

Chayse Mitchell, Spalding, sophomore

Mitchell claimed two Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference titles — in the high jump and triple jump — and was second in the long jump. She set a personal best in the triple jump (39-5 3/4) to finish 13th at New Balance Nationals.

Marley Shaw, Southern, sophomore

Shaw was the county’s top hurdler, winning championships in the 100 and 300 hurdles. She was the 2A West Region champion and finished third at states in the 300 hurdles (45.75). She was region runner-up in the 100.

Ava Zimmerman, Severna Park, junior

Zimmerman won the county champion in the 1,600 and was runner-up at the 3A East Region meet. She finished 13th at states despite running a personal-best 5:14.15. She was third in the county in the 800.

All-County second team

Jaslyn Bangoura, Meade, sophomore

Laila Carpenter, Crofton, junior

Jalaia Creary, Spalding, senior

Alexis Grove, South River, sophomore

Grace Hickman, Arundel, senior

Kaylee Jenish, Severna Park, senior

Josephine Kamas, Severna Park, freshman

Abigail Makela, Crofton, senior

Malani Martin, Annapolis Area Christian School, senior

Emmy McCarthy, St. Mary’s, junior

Siena Pegues, Severna Park, freshman

Her college commitment was made to the University of New Hampshire. Her volleyball career was over, capped off with a Carroll County Player of the Year designation.

All she had to worry about was throwing things as far as she possibly could.

She won a Class 3A state silver medal in shot put during indoor season and was primed to go for gold in the spring.

“I was coming off of a really amazing volleyball season. It was my last volleyball season ever, which was kind of sad, but after that, I was all focused on track,” Reaves said. “I was able to think about my future. By that point I was already committed, so I was able to relax a little bit and not worry about coaches contacting me and watching me. I was honestly pretty relaxed coming into my track seasons and was just focused on having a good time and focused on getting better and self improvement.”

While she knew a state championship was possible, she acknowledged going into the spring she didn’t envision a state record.

“At that point I had not even though about it honestly,” she said. “I was really focused on trying to beat myself and coming into track season having a good preseason, especially during indoor, I was really just trying to get gold at states and trying to PR every time I threw. I was aiming for the top.”

Reaves won her gold medal in the discus, setting a 3A state record of 153 feet, 11 inches. She added a second-place finish in the shot put (37-2 1/2). Reaves is the Carroll County 2024 girls outdoor track and field Athlete of the Year.

Reaves grew up an athlete but never tried throwing, despite her father being a college thrower. Then, when the time was right, her father got her involved.

“I did basketball, I did volleyball, I did a lot of other sports. In seventh grade my dad introduced me to throwing because he didn’t want me to start at too young an age and see me burn out,” Reaves said. “I didn’t take it that seriously. At that point I wanted to go to college for basketball. I started playing volleyball, I loved it. I really was just [throwing] for fun. I did AAU and my dad just coached me up. I did really good actually. I placed top 35 at junior nationals. But I still didn’t think anything of it. My freshman and sophomore year, I was real fortunate to get with [my throwing coach Nick Agoris] and he crafted me into the thrower I am today.”

Reaves maintained a friendly rivalry with Gabby Cope of Northern-Calvert, the two top female throwers in Maryland this season. Despite not seeing each other until state meets, they continued to push each other from afar.

“I really owe a lot of my success to Gabby,” Reaves said. “We’ve both said it, it goes the same for both of us. We both drive each other, pushing each other’s numbers. We didn’t see each other a lot during the season just because she’s at Northern and I’m at Westminster, but knowing each other numbers and knowing when it comes down to it, we’ll see each other at states when it matters.”

Now Reaves’ attention turns toward the University of New Hampshire, a school she picked over others, such as Winthrop, mostly because of academics. The track and field program was the icing on the cake.

“When I started my search for college in my junior year, I was looking at majors and I really wasn’t looking at track and volleyball,” she said. “I was focused on finding my major; I’m going into environmental science. I wanted to stay East Coast and I knew mostly coastal schools would have good programs with that. I was stuck between two or three schools and New Hampshire came through. Coach Cullen [Aubin] is literally the greatest man. He’s so cool, I’m excited to work with him. The team was so inviting and family oriented and I can really see myself fitting in there.”

She’s also excited about doing more events such as hammer throw and weight throw that are part of the collegiate program.

“I threw weight throw for the past two years at indoor national and I love it,” she said. “Coach even said weight throw and hammer throw are going to be main events after high school. Shot put and discus are going to be a thing of the past once I get in hammer and weight.”

All-County first team

Kiera Cooper, Francis Scott Key, senior

Cooper was a two-time county champion, winning titles in the long jump (15-7 1/2) and triple jump (32-1 1/2). She was Class 2A West region runner-up in the long jump.

Nylah Craig, Westminster, senior

Craig won the county championship in the 100 hurdles, running 16.29. She was regional runner-up in the event and placed eighth at states.

Delaney Freed, South Carroll, senior

Freed’s final vault of her high school career was her best. She cleared 10 feet to win the 1A state championship.

Lyla Goffena, Manchester Valley, senior

Goffena was county champion in the 3,200 (12:00.78). She was third in the 1,600 and fifth in the 800.

Sherina Jassir, Westminster, sophomore

Jassir was county champion in the 300 hurdles (48.2) and finished second to her teammate Craig in the 100. Jassir followed up with a regional runner-up finish in the 300.

Madison Koterba, Francis Scott Key, sophomore

Koterba won county championships in both the 100 (13.01) and 200 (26.8). She was also Class 2A West region runner-up in both races.

Adeline Kraics, Francis Scott Key, senior

Kraics was the county’s top thrower behind Reaves. She was county runner-up in the shot put and discus. She was 2A West Region champion and placed fourth at states in shot put (35-5 1/4).

Emily Mitroka, Century, junior

Mitroka was already county and regional champion in the 800 before running a 5:10 to win the 2A state title. She also ran on Century’s state championship 4×800 team.

Ashleigh Porter, Francis Scott Key, senior

Porter, a multiple time state high jump champion, closed her high school career was another county championship in the event and placed third at the 2A state meet. Her top height this season was 5-5. She also was fourth at the county meet in the discus.

Charlotte Prunkl, Century, sophomore

Prunkl won county pole vault championship and was second at the 2A West Region meet. Her top height this season was 10-7. She was also second in the county in the long jump.

Cailyn Stine, Century, junior

Stine won the 2A state championship in the 800, running 2:14.49. She was also third at states in the 400 and ran on the Knight’s winning 4×800 relay team.

Elizabeth Szybalski, Manchester Valley, junior

Szybalski ran a personal best 2:12.49 to with the 3A state championship in the 800. She was also North Region champion in the 400 and won the county title in both events.

Athlete of the Year

LaMont Johnson, Digital Harbor, senior

Johnson was the centerpiece of a banner year for the Rams’ track and field program. It began in the winter during the indoor season, when Johnson won an individual state title and ran on two championship relays to help Digital Harbor claim the team crown.

Johnson and the program not only matched that success in the spring, but did it in record fashion. He won the Class 3A state title in the 400-meter race in a classification-record time of 46.93 seconds and took second in the 200. Johnson also ran with Jevonte Williams, DeAndre Thomas and Jawon Blue to set another state record, winning the 4×200 relay in 1:26.34.

Going into the state meet’s final race, the 4×400 relay, Digital Harbor was tied for first with Oakland Mills. The Rams’ quartet won the race in 3:16.31 to secure another team state championship.

“The whole year’s been great,” Johnson said. “Of course the year had its ups and downs. The individuals, everybody has our strengths and weaknesses. We always work though to strengthen our weaknesses. It’s just been a good season overall for me and my team.”

This is only Johnson’s second year of running track. Coming out of the coronavirus pandemic, Johnson was looking for something to get himself active again. He found a new sport.

“I really didn’t have anything going for myself at the time. All I did was go home, watch TV shows and chill. I wanted to do something more than just go home every day,” he said. “I wanted to make something out of my high school experience. I’m glad I joined track. It gave me so many more experiences, so many memories, so many friends. When COVID hit, I lost my socialness. Track opened a door for me, in a way.”

At first, Johnson wasn’t sure how far he could go in his new sport. He soon showed himself and everyone.

“When I first joined, I didn’t think I was anything special because there was so many people on the team who had their strengths. They were good at so many things. I just thought I was going to work on catching up to these guys,” he said. “When I first ran I was a distance runner; I was doing 400s and 800s. But my first meet, I was supposed to just show up to the meet and watch because I was new. But I ended up running for someone else and I ended up running 54 seconds. My coaches were like, ‘That’s pretty good for your first 400.'”

After some practice, Johnson whittled his time in the 400 to under 50 seconds and qualified for states in his first season. Two years later, he’s looking at colleges such as Texas A&M and Florida.

“I’m looking at schools that prioritize the 400 because I want to be the best version of myself I can possibly be,” he said. “I wanted to put my best effort forth on the track. I want the best institution that will make me the best version of myself.”

But there’s still one more year left at Digital Harbor. Johnson is looking to not only better himself, but shine a spotlight on the school.

“I feel like my senior year, when I hit the times I really want to hit, I want to inspire as many people as I can to do track,” he said. “Football and basketball might not do it for everyone else. So I feel like If I can inspire someone to come to our sport and help make my school more known, that will be great for our school.”

Coach of the Year

Scott Baker, Calvert Hall

Baker’s Cardinals have set the standard for excellence since the return from the pandemic. After losing to Gilman at the 2021 Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association championship meet, Calvert Hall halted the Greyhounds’ dynasty and began one of its own. This spring, the Cardinals won their third straight title, beating Gilman by 95 points.

While plenty of talent has come through the program, Baker has been able to weather graduation losses each year, building a new group that can maintain high levels of success.

“This season was a great season for the program. We were able to add depth in a lot of the events where we had graduating superstars,” Baker said. “It is important to our program to get everyone involved, which allows us to continue to be successful for years to come.

“Our program had one state record, 17 top-10 state marks, seven school records and a handful of national qualifiers. Our goal next year is to show people no matter who we graduate, we will continue to be one of the best programs in the area. Shoutout to my coaching staff and manager who makes this all possible.”

Scott Baker, Calvert Hall

In addition to stacking his team’s schedule with meets against top-tier programs up and down the East Coast, Baker also made a point to stay local. The Cardinals scored victories at the Under Armour Black and Blue Invitational at Johns Hopkins, the TU Classic High School Invitational and the Park Invite at Severna Park.

“An important goal the program had this year was to become more successful during the regular season, specifically at invitationals. We won almost all the invitationals we were a part of,” Baker said. “The guys felt great about achieving this goal because it was a total team effort and it allowed us to carry a ton of momentum into the championship season where we won the MIAA outdoor championship for the third consecutive year. This allowed us to complete our biggest goal of the season, which was the triple crown consisting of the cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field MIAA titles.”

First team

Cameron Davis, Calvert Hall, senior

Davis was a top point-scorer for the Cardinals. The two-time All-Metro cross country Athlete of the Year won four MIAA A Conference titles, running the area’s top times in the 800 (1:52.45), 1,600 (4:12.82) and 3,200 (9:12.45) and competing on the championship 4×800 relay.

Justin DeVaughn, Mervo, junior

DeVaughn ran a blistering 13.91 seconds to win the 4A state title in the 110 hurdles and followed it with a win in the 300 hurdles. He was also the North Region champion in the long and high jumps.

Chase Dorsey, Calvert Hall, junior

Dorsey led area athletes in the shot put, throwing 57 feet, 7 1/4 inches to win the MIAA A Conference championship. He topped 59 feet at New Balance Nationals. Dorsey was also the MIAA runner-up in the discus.

Joey Ensor, Howard, senior

Ensor left the state championships as one of the area’s most decorated athletes. He won 3A state titles in the 800 (1:52.6), 1,600 (4:13.8) and 3,200 (9:29.75) and ran on Howard’s championship 4×800 relay.

Jadon Gaines, Hereford, senior

Gaines won his second straight 2A state championship in the high jump, clearing 6-4. He was the North Region champion and finished fourth at states in the triple jump.

Ruichen He, Glenelg, junior

No one else in the area and only one other athlete in Maryland could match He in the discus. The Gladiator threw 181-2 to win the 3A state title.

Tsedeke Jakovics, Old Mill, junior

Jakovics concluded a breakthrough season with a 4A state championship in the 800 (1:53.4). He also finished second in the 1,600, third in the 3,200 and ran on Old Mill’s championship 4×800 relay.

Lukas Michael, Westminster, senior

Michael had a season-best pole vault of 14 feet, the fourth-best in Maryland this season and best in the area. He finished second at the 3A state meet, clearing 13-6.

Ameer Mowad, Eastern Tech, junior

The Mavericks sprinter claimed 2A state titles in the 100 (10.54) and 200 (21.3). He also ran on his team’s third-place 4×400 relay and fourth-place 4×200 relay.

Gabriel Murray, Oakland Mills, junior

Murray went 8-for-8 this season in the 300 hurdles, including the 3A state championship (37.91). He was the 3A state runner-up in the 110 hurdles.

Marlin Newsome, Centennial, senior

Newsome earned two sprint gold medals, winning 3A state titles in the 100 (10.45) and 200 (21.5). His 100 victory came in a photo finish by one-hundredth of a second for the fastest time in Maryland this season.

Ethan Ruffin, Calvert Hall, senior

Ruffin was one of only three athletes in Maryland to clear 6-8 in the high jump, accomplishing the feat at the MIAA A Conference championships. He also won the event at the Park Invite and Under Armour Black and Blue Invitational.

Jevonte Williams, Digital Harbor, sophomore

Williams was a key piece to the Rams’ 3A state championship. He was the gold medalist in the 110 hurdles (14.32) and ran on Digital Harbor’s state-record-setting 4×200 relay and its championship 4×400 relay.

Kian Williams, Severna Park, senior

Williams won the 3A state title in the long jump (22-8). He was the East Region champion in the triple jump and had the second-best triple jump in Maryland (47-4) but did not compete in the event at states.

Second team

Will Coyne, Loyola Blakefield, junior

Logan Crowe, Hereford, senior

Justin Febles, Harford Tech, senior

Damon Ferguson Jr., Milford Mill, sophomore

Tristan Grey, Digital Harbor, junior

Vance Harris, Concordia Prep, sophomore

Ryan Hartranft, Century, junior

Zamir Herald, Howard, senior

Antoine McNair, Calvert Hall, senior

Justin Naylor, Joppatowne, junior

Martin Ohakah, North County, senior

Ojigwe Olua, Western Tech, junior

Eric Penkala, Harford Tech, junior

Alexander Wokenfuss, Harford Tech, junior