Maryland Community Newspapers Online
Athlete of the Year
Olivia Ekponé
Wootton, Soph., (55 meters, 300 meters)
Followed up stellar rookie campaign with county, region and state titles in 300. Took county and regional championships in 55.
Co-Coaches of the Year
Lynette Hopkins, Dessalyn Dillard
Paint Branch
Directed Panthers to 3A West Region and state titles, including two state championship-winning relay squads.
First Team
Grace Corbett, Wootton, Fr., 500 meters
Won 4A West Region and highest county finisher at 4A states (ninth).
Maryam Fikri, Churchill, Jr., 800 meters
Captured county, region championships. Third at states.
Addie Tousley, B-CC, Sr., 1,600 and 3,200 meters
Stellar distance runner won counties in both events, runner-up in both at states.
Paint Branch 4x200 relay: Korine Duval, Sr.; Jasmine Jones, Jr.; Vanessa Jules, Sr.; Arielle Statham, Sr.
County, region and 3A state champions.
Paint Branch 4x400 relay: Madina Diao, Jr.; Korine Duval, Sr.; Vanessa Jules, Sr.; Arielle Statham, Sr.
Consistent all year as region and state champs. County runners-up.
B-CC 4x800 relay: Paige Donnelly, Jr.; Kate Leuba, Jr.; Hannah Richardson, Sr.; Addie Tousley, Sr.
Garnered county and regional titles; placed county-best third at 3A states.
Olivia Durr, Poolesville, Sr., 55-meter hurdles
Swept through postseason as county, regional and 1A state champion.
Vanessa Jules, Paint Branch, Sr., High jump
Gutsy performance during state final.
Thea LaFond, Kennedy, Soph., Long jump
Broke 16 feet during county meet.
Octavia King, Blake, Sr., Shot put
Consistently threw over 30 feet. Finished second at regionals, ninth at states.
Lauren Rose, Gaithersburg, Sr., Pole vault
Cleared 9 feet to take 4A West crown.
Honorable Mention
55, 300 meters: Arielle Statham, Paint Branch, Sr.
500 meters: Tessa Morrison, Whitman, Soph.
800 meters: Lauren Sumner, Clarksburg, Jr.
1,600 meters: Maryam Fikri, Churchill, Sr.
3,200 meters: Alexandra Giedd, Churchill, Jr.
4x200 relay: Wootton
4x400 relay: Churchill
4x800 relay: Churchill
55-meter hurdles: Thea LaFond, Kennedy, Soph.
High jump: Olivia Durr, Poolesville, Sr.
Long jump: Lindsay Pinckney, Springbrook, Fr.
Shot put: Natalia Morrison, Clarksburg, Jr.
Pole vault: Erin Parker, Damascus, Soph.
