Digital Harbor boys, Arundel and Woodlawn girls track and field win state titles on final event
LANDOVER — It sounds so easy, but there’s nothing simple in the execution.
Win a race, win a state championship.
On the final day of the state track and field championships at Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex on Thursday, three area programs — Digital Harbor boys and Arundel and Woodlawn girls — lived that scenario, taking home the top prize in their respective classifications by winning the day’s final race.
Digital Harbor and Oakland Mills sent their 4×400 relays teams to the line with the Class 3A boys team standings even at 63 points. Winner takes the state title.
The Rams were the top seed in the race, and their team ran like a championship was at stake.
“At the end of the day, we love our seniors and we’re going to miss them,” Jevontae Williams said. “So we had to make it a bang. We did what had to do to come in first.”
From Williams’ leadoff leg to LaMont Johnson’s anchor run, there was no catching the Rams. Even with Oakland Mills falling back on the last leg, nothing was going to stop Digital Harbor. The group, which also included Jawon Blue and DeAndre Thomas, finished in 3 minutes, 16.31 seconds to win the race and the 3A boys state championship.
“It shows who’s really disciplined to go the full mile,” Johnson said. “It’s hard to find four people who’s willing to exert themselves to that extent. To be able to break 49, 48 [seconds in a split], it’s hard to find many athletes to put on the same relay and send them out against everyone else.”
Digital Harbor won with 73 points. Oakland Mills (63) ended up holding off Howard (59) for second. Milford Mill (43) and Oakdale (41) rounded out the top five.
“I’m so proud of my guys,” Blue said. “We worked hard this whole season, hard practices. Like Lamont said, it’s hard to find people to run races and still have the energy for the 4×4. I depend on them, I trust them and I love them.”
The title closed out a record-setting day for Johnson. The junior set a 3A state meet record, winning the 400 in 46.93. Also, the same group that won the 4×400 won the 4×200 in 1:26.4 — another 3A state record.
Johnson added a second-place finish in the 200. Williams won the 110 hurdles (14.32) and was third in the 300. Tristan Gray took second in the shot put for the Rams and Blue was fourth in the 100.
Arundel holds off Oakland Mills for 3A girls title
As the day wore on, it became increasingly clear that the 3A girls team title was a two-horse race.
The positioning of those two — Arundel and Oakland Mills — was never really solidified. Arundel’s Noel Evans won the 400, then Oakland Mill’s Codi Malott came back in the next race to win the 300 hurdles.
Near the end of the day, Arundel’s foursome of Ta’Laiya Mellerson, Calise White, Aiyana Gutrick and Grace Hickman won the 4×100 to seemingly put the Wildcats in control. But off to the side, Oakland Mills had Shania Staats and Alicia Hall place first and fourth, respectively, in the long jump.
“We’re really excited, we want the championship,” Hickman said after the 4×100 victory. “We’ve been working hard all season. It’s awesome to see the work pay off. We deserve this.”
But with everything on the line in the 4×400, Arundel left nothing to chance. Evans, Hickman, Gutrick and Bryce Hatcher won the race and with it the 3A state championship by two points over Oakland Mills, 75-73.
“We only have like eight girls here. At Arundel we have a pretty small girls team,” Evans said. “It’s always been a dream for us, but for now to see it become a reality, all the hard work we’ve done for the past, I don’t even know how long … we’re so blessed.”
When the group lined up for the final relay, they relied on their mental strength and close bond to carry them through.
“We just had to have a positive mindset before the race,” Gutrick said. “We thank God for us being here, bringing us together as a family.”
For Hatcher, the day didn’t go as she hoped individually, but she put everything she had into anchoring the team to the win and the championship.
“After coming back from my individual events, I know I didn’t do my best,” she said. “So I knew I had to put my full effort into the final leg of the 4×4. I knew there’s a really good anchor leg [Oxon Hill’s Gillian Stephens] … I just knew I had to run my heart out so she couldn’t catch me.”
Woodlawn brings home another
Coming off an indoor state championship, Woodlawn had its sights set on getting an outdoor title to match.
The day couldn’t have started better with Destiny Coleman and Arayana Ladson finishing one-two in the 100 hurdles, then Ladson coming back mere minutes later to win the 100.
But throughout the evening, the Owls couldn’t break free from Urbana, at least not until Leenia Teah, Ladson Kenya Merritt and Nikiyah Williams won the 4×400 in 3:52.82.
“This was very hard fought. We knew it was going to be tough,” Woodlawn coach Joey Young said. “We had some bumps and bruises, things like that, but the girls persevered. It came down to the 4×4, and they pulled it out.”
Woodlawn finished with 82.5 points, while Urbana was second with 70.
Coleman ran with Jordan Christie, Merritt and Anjela Fitzhugh on a victorious 4×100 team, which set up the 4×400 team to close out the win.
“Today was very competitive, but I like it like this,” Coleman said. “I like meets like this where you have to work hard for it. I loved it.”
Coleman finished fourth in the 300 hurdles. Williams and Merritt placed second and fifth, respectively, in the 400.
Ladson had a phenomenal meet. She set personal records to finish first in the 100 and second in the 100 hurdles. It’s a double not many athletes attempt with the races typically held in such a quick time frame.
“It’s breathtaking,” she said. “It’s a lot of hard work at practice, a lot of repeat everythings. No days off really, a lot of weight training, and good coaching.”
Ladson capped off her day with a second in the 200.
Other winners
Everyone in the stadium, possibly over in neighboring FedEx Field, knew Mervo’s Justin DeVaughn was pleased with his 110 hurdles time.
DeVaughn knew he won the 4A race, but when his time flashed as 13.91, he let out a scream of joy that reverberated around the facility.
“I’m feeling great, I’m not gonna lie. I’ve been waiting for this 13 for a long time. A long time. I’m glad I finally got it when it counted,” he said. “It’s the best feeling ever. Freshman year, wasn’t in it. Sophomore year I false started at regionals. Now my 11th grade year I’m coming for it all.”
He got it all. He backed up his 110 win later in the day with a win in the 300 hurdles (38.75).
Also in 4A, Old Mill’s Tsedeke Jakovics ran 1:53.4 to win the 800, coming from behind despite getting tripped at the start of the final lap.
“I just got my feet up and got my feet back,” he said. “Next few steps I had to focus on making sure they were perfect or I wouldn’t have won that race. I made sure I got my form back, got my arms right, get ready for that last 200 and grind it out.”
In 4A girls, Broadneck’s Casey Gish cleared 5-4 to win the high jump, doubling up after winning the event at the indoor state meet.
In 3A boys, Centennial’s Marlin Newsome was a double winner in the 100 (10.45) and 200 (21.50). Howard’s Joey Ensor backed up his 3,200 title from Tuesday with wins in the 800 (1:52.6) and 1,600 (4:13.8). Oakland Mill’s Gabriel Murray won the 300 hurdles (37.91) in a photo finish and teammate AJ York won the high jump (6-4). Glenelg’s Ruichen He won the discus (181-02) and Howard’s Zamir Herald won the triple jump (46-1/4).
Chesapeake-AA’s foursome of Caleb Adams, Daniel Adams, Caleb Ritter and Connor Seabrease won the 4×100 (42.16).
In 3A girls, Staats won the 100 in addition to the long jump, Manchester Valley’s Elizabeth Szybalski won the 800 (2:12.49) and Edgewood’s Brielle Whitworth won the 1,600 (4:56.45).