Greg Dohler/The Gazette DuVal's Mobolaji Adeokun (right) clears the last of the 55-meter hurdles Wednesday during the 4A East Region Track Meet at the Fifth Regiment Armory in Baltimore.

More News

School board:?Students need more options for technology credit

Capital budget includes money for Bethesda Metro station, Wheaton redevelopment

Parents plan to testify against proposed Oxon Hill development

Mixed-use development proposed for Laurel’s arts district

Takoma Park police aim to catch fleeing thieves

BALTIMORE — Two teams emerged from Wednesday's 4A East Region Indoor Track and Field Championships as legitimate contenders for the Maryland Class 4A championships.

The Bowie High School girls will be a formidable foe for the rest of the state, having won the 15-team 4A East Region meet with 82 points. Meanwhile, the Henry A. Wise boys got a step closer to the program's first state title as by winning the region title with 67 points.

The 4A East meet, which included 12 Prince George's County schools, was held at the Baltimore Fifth Regiment Armory, but county teams will return to familiar surroundings for the state championship meet, scheduled for Feb. 21 at the Prince George's Sports and Learning Complex in Landover.

“It was a struggle at times today, but I'm happy with the ladies,” said Bowie coach Richard Andrulonis. “We qualified [for the state meet] in eight events, and I think we're going to be really strong in all of them.”

The Wise boys team won the region title despite being shorthanded.

“Today we had a little adversity with a couple kids that didn't make the trip, a couple kids ranked high that didn't do what they were capable of, but overall I was happy with my team,” said Pumas' coach Fardan Carter. “We fought and one of the things that we go by is the true sign of a champion is how you handle adversity. We were able to handle it and come out on top.”

The boys 300-meter event came down to the wire between Suitland junior standout Taivon Jacobs and Wise senior Champ Page II.

In this round, controversy ensued, as the meet officials could not determine a clear winner and declared the race a dead heat between Jacobs and Page, who they determined finished the race in 36.84 seconds. Wise won a coin flip between the two schools, which will allow Page to have the preferred lane assignment in the state meet. Jacobs will then have his choice of lanes.

Suitland coach Anthony Brown said he thought Jacobs won the race and said he was disappointed with the ruling.

“I hate the decision that was made, and it's like they're taking from the kids again in making the decision and not involving the coaches in it,” Brown said. “What we saw, and everyone else saw, was that Taivon won it clearly. I don't see how they came up with this as a dead heat.”

Laurel senior Christian White won the 500, beating out Page, who won the state title in the event last year. It appeared that Page didn't push his hardest and just sought to make sure he finished well enough to qualify for the state meet, but White said he was happy with the victory (1 minute, 9.9 seconds).

“It's a big confidence booster going into states,” White said. “I've been losing to him all year long, so this gives me a mindset in the state so I know what to do and act on it. I realize [Page] was just chilling, but a win is a win to me so I'm going to take this into states and try to do it all over again.”

The Eleanor Roosevelt girls 3,200 relay team of Elise Allen, Erika Malloy, Krystal Smith and Carol Ngondi took first place with a time of 10:23. Raiders' coach Quentin Sales has rotated different runners in the event this season, but said he will run the same quartet at the state championships.

The Bowie girls got first-place finishes from juniors Antonella Taylor and Charde Barnes.

Taylor remained undefeated in the shot put, winning with a throw of 46 feet, 7 inches. She said her goal is to throw 48 feet. Barnes won the 1,600 (5:31) and 3,200 (11:57.1).

DuVal High senior Mobolaji Adeokun continued her dominance of the short sprints, winning the 55 dash (7.32 seconds) and 55 hurdles (8.45).

Charles H. Flowers senior Kemi Adeniji won the 800 with a time of 2:26.8. The Flowers 800 relay team of Jean Udo, Briana Bailey, Atiya Stewart and Crystal Goddett finished first with a time of 1:50.1.

The Henry A. Wise team of Tomi Tabler, Sydney Gainous, Lena Allen and Taylor Clark won the girls 1,600 relay with a time of 4:19.8

In just his first year of running track, Suitland senior David Winters won his first individual championship by finishing the 55-meter dash in 6.63 seconds.

“I feels good to win in only my first year,” said Winters, who has drawn recruiting interest from Monroe College, Bowie State University and York College. “The Lord is the cause of it all. I trained, I practice my starts. After last football season, I thought I would just chill, but I thought if I run indoor, outdoor and summer track, there's a chance I could get some money for college.”

In the boys 3,200 relay, the Charles H. Flowers quartet of Jalen Robinson-McCoy, Justin Bentham, Malcolm Sykes and Greg Mack won easily with a time of 8:45. Robinson-McCoy also was a winner individually, as he paced the field in the 800 (2:03.7).

DuVal senior Uche Oparku won the boys 55 hurdles (7.9 seconds). Roosevelt senior Justin Ahalt swept the 1,600 (4:41.4) and 3,200 (10:16.3), and teammate Prince Antwi won the shot put (48-2). Wise sophomore Paris Vaughn won the boys pole vault (10 feet).

Suitland High's Tyrell Deas, Travis Scarsborough, Winters and Jacobs won the 800 relay with a time of 1:35.4. Suitland won again in the final race of the night, as Winters, Scarsborough, Jacobs and Deas combined to take the 1,600 relay (3:34.7).

thampton@gazette.net

Team Standings

Girls

1. Bowie — 82 points

2. Eleanor Roosevelt — 77 points

3. North Point — 69 points

4. Charles H. Flowers — 66 points

Boys

1. Henry A. Wise — 67 points

2. Eleanor Roosevelt — 58 points

3. Suitland — 56.5 points

4. North Point — 45 points