While basketball and wrestling have just gotten their seasons underway, some teams having had just one game or match, it’s been a busy opening week for most of the county’s indoor track programs.

For 10 county schools the season kicked off Saturday at the Howard County/Montgomery County Relays. In a meet that ended up being shortened because of winter weather, the Atholton boys (45 points) and River Hill girls (36) ended up earning at least a share of first place in the team competitions.

Then on Monday, in the Howard County Kick Off Meet, all 12 schools were in attendance at the Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex for the first 15-event meet of the winter. River Hill’s girls (100 points) and Mt. Hebron’s boys (101.5) ended up in the winner’s circle.

HOCO/MOCO Challenge

The Atholton boys had only one winner, Andrew King in the long jump with a distance of 21 feet, 3 inches, but spread out their points enough to put up 45 points and win the meet that was shortened to nine events. Reservoir ended up second, while Mt. Hebron was third.

Reservoir won the 4x55-meter relay with a time of 26.6 seconds, the 4x55-meter shuttle hurdle with a time of 30.05, along with individual victories by Gerard Vanloo (high jump) and Kyle Mitchell (triple jump).

Gleneg’s boys won the distance medley by 10 seconds over Atholton with a time of 11:01.38 and River Hill’s duo of Chris Fichman (10 feet, 6 inches) and Nolan Hoenicke (9-06) finished one-two in the pole vault.

In the girls competition, River Hill ended up tied with Northwest at 36. The Hawks day was highlighted by second place finishes in the shot put (Jean Bikoi), pole vault (Caitlin Davis) and 4x55-meter shuttle hurdle.

Wilde Lake’s Mackenzie Brunett was the winner in the pole vault with a height of 8-06, while Long Reach captured the 4x55-meter shuttle hurdle.

Reservoir’s Alexis Harris also was a winner, taking first in the high jump.

Howard County Kick Off

The River Hill girls kept the momentum going in their second meet of the season, easily outdistancing second-place Long Reach 100-56. Glenelg was third with 51 points.

“We scored in 13 of the 15 events, which was huge for us,” River Hill coach Earl Lauer said.

That balance was especially important for the Hawks considering that the team didn’t produce a single first-place finisher. Instead, River Hill racked up seven second-place efforts. Dorehn Coleman had two of those runner-up showings, taking second in both the 300- and 500-meter runs.

Long Reach got winning efforts from Aneesha Scott (300), Jacqueline Tape (55 hurdles), Nicole Vanagas (500) and its 4x200 relay squad. Mt. Hebron also had a handful of winners, as Becky Yep (1,600), Eryn Donaldson (high jump) and the Vikings’ 4x800 relay team finished first. Donaldson was the only one to clear five feet in the high jump and won with a height of 5-04.

Marriotts Ridge’s Lindsey DiAntonio was a double winner, taking home first in the 800 and 3,200. Reservoir’s Alexis Harris won the 55-meter dash, while her teammate Sam Clay won the shot put. Wilde Lake’s Brunett won the pole vault, Atholton’s Chioma Odocha was first in the triple jump and Glenelg captured the 4x400 relay.

In the boys competition, Mt. Hebron put up 101.5 points to edge Atholton (94).

The first-place Vikings got victories from Spencer Wilkins (300), Matthew Burk (500), Constantine Matsakis (800), Brad Tucker (55 hurdles) and Dijoun Davis (high jump). Atholton, meanwhile, had two jumpers clear 20 feet in the long jump. King took first with a distance of 21-05.5 and Kenny Thomas was second with 20-11. Thomas was also first in the triple jump. Atholton’s other winners were Oladotun Dada in the 55-meter dash and its 4x800 relay squad.

Wilde Lake’s Kikanae Punyua won the 3,200 with a time of 10:03.51, 20 seconds ahead of Reservoir’s Eric Schuler. Wilde Lake also won the 4x200 relay. Marriotts Ridge won the 4x400 relay.
 
Centennial’s Eamonn Clark won the pole vault with a height of 11-06, two feet better than second place. Reservoir’s Yao Adantor won the shot put with a throw of 50-04, while River Hill’s Scott Heydrick was first in the 1,600.

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