Star file photo
Oxon Hill junior Deseree' King (right), a top indoor runner for the Clippers' track team last season, returns to the cross country squad after placing third in the county last fall.
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Frederick Douglass High School's boys cross country team burst back onto the scene last season by winning the county 3A/2A/1A dual meet championship.
Coach Bill Hay hopes the team can maintain that performance, although the graduation of standout Tony Boone will be a blow to the team. Returning are seniors Bryan "Buck" Allen and Jamiel Manigault along with sophomore James Jones.
The girls will have a short list of returnees, led by sophomore Tautiana Harriet, junior Delainey Price and senior twins Fasia and Fatima Hardy.
Oxon Hill
Clippers coach Rome Thomasson is surprised at what he has seen in the first few weeks of practice.
Sure, junior Deseree' King, a Gazette-Star All-County First Team selection last fall, is returning. She took third at the county championships and seventh in the 4A South Region meet last year. Even senior Kianna Martinez, who missed 2007 for personal reasons but was a Gazette-Star second-team pick in 2006, will be back.
But aside from senior Calista Jones, a first-year runner, Thomasson and the Clippers don't have much.
"Our three runners should be pretty good," Thomasson said. "I think I can get enough runners to at least score [as a team]. They have been practicing pretty good since we began practicing on [Aug. 16]. I'm really just looking to get them trained for indoor season."
Largo
Although Lions' coach Darryl Hamilton hopes his team performs well, its main objective is getting into shape for the indoor and outdoor track seasons. But he cannot deny that his teams are always competitive.
The Largo girls look to qualify for the state championship meet yet again and should be able to accomplish that in the 3A South Region. The Lions will have depth this season with junior twins Ashley and Amber Lindsay. Joining those two will be seniors Domini Dotson, Shantae Boney and Shamia Barnes.
Meanwhile, sophomore Kamilah McKenzie could make a big impact this fall.
On the boys' side, the Lions will look heavily to juniors Ben McKenzie and Andrew Wright, both of whom Hamilton expects to qualify for the state championship meet individually.
Notes
The county cross country schedule begins Saturday with the Douglass Eagles Invitational at Patuxent Park. The Second Annual Prince George's Invitational will be held Sept. 13 at Fort Washington Park. Central high coach Ed Bowie, the meet coordinator, said he expects more than 20 teams from across the state to attend. The 2008 county championships will be held Oct. 23 at Fort Washington Park, followed by the regional meets on Oct. 30. The 4A South Region meet will be held at Fort Washington Park. The 2008 state meet will be Nov. 8 at the Bull Run course at Hereford High School.
E-mail Terron Hampton at thampton@gazette.net.
