Peter Frein

They have been awarding indoor track championships in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association since the 1996-97 season, and Calvert Hall finally got its first crown in 2019, defeating Gilman 139-97.5.

While last year’s team fared well the entire season, this season’s title run by the Cardinals had a different feel.

“Last year we kind of dominated throughout the whole season,” Calvert Hall coach Peter Frein said. “This year we really didn’t win a meet until the championship meet.”

The Cardinals’ lack of a regular-season victory can be attributed in part to the difficulty of their schedule. They split their squad to compete at a variety of invitational meets around the Mid-Atlantic, including the Liberty Premier Invitational in Virginia and the Montgomery Invitational just a week before the MIAA championship meet.

“It’s always been a mission of ours to seek out competition with the best of the best,” Frein said. “Whether that means traveling to Virginia or traveling three hours to New York, we are going to do what it takes to get our guys in situations to challenge them the best.”

The proof was a resounding 163.83-109.5 win over Gilman to repeat as champions, with the Cardinals getting wins all across the spectrum of events.

After leading Calvert Hall to team titles in cross country and indoor track, Frein and his staff are hopeful for an opportunity to make conference history.

“I think this senior class solidified the program as one of the best in the state of Maryland,” Frein said. “If we were able to capture the MIAA outdoor track and field championship, it would be the first time in history that a team has won cross country, indoor and outdoor. Our guys take a lot of pride in this, so that’s the target they set. Hopefully they achieve that.”