Maryland Community Newspapers Online
Girls' Runner of the Year
Teshika Rivers, Eleanor Roosevelt, Sr.
The Eleanor Roosevelt senior continued her streak of excellence this fall. Though she was unable to defend her Class 4A state title, she finished as the runner-up. Her time of 19 minutes, 42 seconds was just four seconds behind first-place Anna Bosse of Walter Johnson. Rivers won the 4A South Region championship in 19:21, more than 30 seconds faster than her winning time at the 2008 county championships. Rivers finished second at the prestigious Georgetown Prep Classic, took sixth at the Glory Days Grill Invitational and 12th at the Maymount Cross Country Festival.
Boys' Runner of the Year
Cory Puffett, DeMatha, Sr.
The DeMatha senior continued his sizzling pace following a successful outdoor track and field season. Puffett won his second consecutive Washington Catholic Athletic Conference championship in 16:41, more than 30 seconds faster than second place. An All-State first team selection, Puffett finished second at the Bull Run Invitational at the challenging Hereford High School course. Puffett finished third at the Chancellor Invitational and fourth at the Magruder Invitational.
Coach of the Year
Stan Mullins, Potomac, 10th year
Last season, Mullins and his Wolverines boys' squad did not participate at the 2A South Region championships. The team wasn't informed of a scheduling change and missed the meet as a result. But the Wolverines' fortunes changed this season. Mullins guided a squad of first-year runners and basketball players that emerged from obscurity and took third place at the county championships and made its first state meet appearance in his 10-year tenure.
Girls' First Team
Gloria Roberts, Frederick Douglass, Jr.
Roberts burst onto the county cross country scene this season after spending her first two seasons at Bishop O'Connell (Va.). Roberts finished third at the county championships and won every county dual meet she competed in this season. She capped her season with a 10th-place finish at the state 2A championships.
Amirah Johnson, Eleanor Roosevelt, So.
Johnson continues to be one of the best underclassmen runners in the state. The sophomore proved as much with a fifth-place finish at the state 4A championships. Johnson finished second at both the county and 4A South region championships, where she was one of two county girls to finish in less than 20 minutes (19:38).
Deseree' King, Oxon Hill, Jr.
King always found a way to finish in the top five of county meets this season. At the Class 4A South region championships, the junior finished fourth (20:58), nearly one minute faster than her fifth-place time at the county championships. King was the top girls' finisher outside of Eleanor Roosevelt at the 4A state championship race.
Danielle Calhoun, Eleanor Roosevelt, Jr.
Calhoun played a key role as the Raiders continued to dominate the county cross country landscape. The junior took third at the 4A South Region championships (20:48), following up on a fourth-place finish at the county championships. Calhoun was the third highest finisher out of county runners at the Class 4A state championships.
Asia Lewis, Charles H. Flowers, Jr.
Lewis continued to be one of the most consistent runners in the county this season. Lewis notched her second consecutive individual state championship berth with her fifth-place showing at the 4A South Region championships. The junior also finished fourth at the county championships and helped the Jaguars qualify for the state championships for the second straight season.
Girls' Second Team
Alexxis Walston, Suitland
Tonyalia Butler, Suitland
Rachel Bernadel, Parkdale
Elizabeth Carino, Parkdale
Anika Stark, Bowie
Courtney Cox, Bowie
Nicole Puffett, Elizabeth Seton
T'Nay Williams, Charles H. Flowers
Sakinat Ekiyoyo, Roosevelt
Lydia Nichols-Russell, Roosevelt
Boys' First Team
Petros Welday, Bladensburg, Jr.
Welday won four races, including two county dual meets and the District of Columbia Interscholastic Athletic Association Invitational, where he finished in 17:37. Welday won the 4A South Region championship and finished second at the county championships. The junior, ended a fine season with an 11th-place finish at the state championships, the best performance among county boys at the state meet.
Brian Faherty, Eleanor Roosevelt, Sr.
For most meets this season, the Raiders' senior was at the top of the heap among county boys. Faherty won the county championship meet this season with the second-fastest time run at the Fort Washington course this season (17:21). Faherty finished 15th at the competitive Glory Days Grill Invitational.
Robert Patterson, DeMatha, Sr.
Patterson had a fine senior season despite fighting several nagging injuries toward the end of the schedule. Patterson got his season off to a fast start with a victory in September at the Peter Garaghty Invitational at Mount St. Mary's University. Patterson finished third at the WCAC championships, where his time of 17:20 was 13 seconds ahead of the fourth-place runner.
Wendall Brown, Henry A. Wise, So.
After missing last season due to academic ineligibility, Brown returned to the Pumas with determination in the classroom and on the courses. After running the course at Fort Washington Park in 19:24 at the county championship meet, the sophomore dropped nearly a full minute when he took fourth at the 4A South Region meet on the same course (18:27).
Charles Bollinger, Eleanor Roosevelt, So.
Bollinger entered the season as one of the Raiders' top returning runners and was a solid performer all season long. The sophomore had the team's best finish at the 4A state championship race and was one of only two county runners to finish in less than 18 minutes (17:56) at the state meet. He was Roosevelt's second-best finisher at the Glory Days Invitational (17:04).
Boys' Second Team
Javon Edwards, Roosevelt
Justin Ahalt, Roosevelt
Wyatt Hunter, Roosevelt
Kory Kinney, Bowie
Malcolm Hosten, Bowie
Calvin Crawley, DuVal
Troy Brown, Charles H. Flowers
Antonio Washington, Potomac
Onyx Johnson, DeMatha
The Gazette-Star All-County Teams are chosen by our staff based on athletes' performances, our observations and nominations from coaches. Staff Writer Terron Hampton compiled the writeups on this page.
