Lackey girls, Westlake boys claim state track and field meet titles
Lackey girls, Westlake boys win team titles; Williams leads Chargers, Moten tops Wolverines
BALTIMORE — Simply to say that schools from Charles County had an impact on the state track and field championships last weekend at Hughes Stadium on the campus of Morgan State University would be a dramatic understatement.
The Lackey girls accumulated 94 points and coasted to their first outdoor state title in Class 2A, while the Westlake boys (75 points) got a bevy of strong efforts on Saturday, also in 2A, to garner their seventh state title. Both the Chargers girls and the Wolverines boys were victorious in individual events and relays.
Lackey junior Sydney Williams captured the 200-meter dash (25.02 seconds), the 100 hurdles (14.33, four one-hundredths of a second ahead of La Plata senior Lillian Reese) and the 300 hurdles (45.56) to complete a rare, difficult hat trick on Saturday. During the breaks inbetween those events, Williams and her teammates huddled in the lone bastion of shaded woods near the bullpen, taking solace from the hot, humid conditions that
enveloped the complex.
“I was hoping to win my events and take best times,” Williams said during one of her breaks. “It is definitely hot and humid on the track, but you try to stay hydrated between races and try not to think about it once you go out on the track. I was happy with winning my races. My goal all year was to come here and win states.”
Williams was the catalyst behind the Chargers team title on Saturday, but her teammates provided ample support. Sophomore Dominique Jeffery finished second in the 400 (56.16), third in the 200 (25.60) and fifth in the 100 (12.52), while junior teammate Nikiya Mitchell took fourth behind Williams in the 100 hurdles (15.22).
“Sydney and Dominique both really performed well today, especially under these conditions,” Lackey head coach Jimari Jones said. “It’s hot and humid out there. You have to stay hydrated and you have to stay focused. We were hoping Sydney could get a couple of state titles and she’s been able to do that. Then for the team to get one is just great.”
Mitchell, freshmen Erin Pearson and Taylor Williams and sophomore Destiny Thompson combined to finish third in the 800 relay (1 minute 44.53 seconds), while Taylor Williams, senior Mackaiya Cherry, Pearson and Thompson took third in the 1,600 relay (4:06.14).
While the Lackey girls were virtually dominant in their performance last weekend, the Westlake boys needed a late surge to capture the state crown.
Junior Will Moten won the 100 dash (10.82) and the 200 (22.03), while junior teammate Thomas Alcorn was second in the 200 (22.59) and then came right back to capture the 400 (48.44). Jalen Elliott won the 100 hurdles (14.29), which tied a 2A record, and then was part of two triumphant relays.
Westlake’s boys quartet of senior Matthew Fitch, Moten, Elliott and junior Tobias Hurley took the 800 relay (1:28.69) and later Elliott, Alcorn, junior Anthony Johnson and Hurley combined to take the 1,600 relay (3:22.95).
Several athletes from other schools in Charles County had their moments in the spotlight as well.
In addition to finishing very close to Williams for the 2A girls 100 hurdles title, Reese captured the state crown in the long jump (188, 3 inches ahead of Lackey senior Amber Conyers) and took third in the triple jump (38-6 1/2) with Conyers in fourth (37-5 3/4).
La Plata senior Miles Smith took first in the 2A boys 800 (1:58.91, just over a quarter of a second ahead of Oakland Mills senior Kelsey White) and was second in the 1,600 (4:28.46). He also anchored the Warriors’ 3,200 relay with senior Jacob Cottle, freshman Ethan Olmsted and junior Gage White that took second in 8:13.37. White was fifth in the 800 (2:00.41) and fourth in the 1,600 (4:30.42).
La Plata senior Alexander Devine also captured the 2A boys discus (161 feet) and took second in the shot put (52-10). The Warriors boys were third in the 2A team standings with 58 points, while the girls were ninth with 27.
Thomas Stone junior Mone’t Peterson captured the 2A girls 800 in 2:17.20, 61 one-hundredths of a second ahead of Liberty senior Evelyn Zietowski, with Westlake junior Skye Cummings in fourth (2:18.10). On the boys side, senior Aaron Holliday was fifth to Moten in the 100 dash (11.27).
Stone tied Kent Island of Queen Anne’s County for 21st in the girls standings with 12 points, while the boys were 22nd in the boys standings with eight. Westlake’s girls tied with two other teams for 28th with five points. Lackey’s boys tied with two other teams for 27th with six points.
North Point junior Mallorie Smith won one event and finished third in another in the 4A meet. Smith won the 400 (56.42) and finished third in the 200 (25.25). North Point’s quartet of senior Kyra Miller, freshmen Lauryn Lewis and Katie Harper and senior Kendrah Bullock took fourth in the girls 1,600 relay (3:58.15).
The Eagles placed 10th in the 4A girls standings with 26 points, while the boys tied Paint Branch of Montgomery County for 26th with seven. Northwest of Montgomery County won the boys team state title with 86 points and C.H. Flowers of Prince George’s County was the girls team state champion with 104.
McDonough had a pair of athletes perform well at the 1A meet. Sophomore Breanna Perry finished third in the girls long jump (16-2 1/2) and was fifth in the 100 dash (13.15). Sophomore Hezekiah Hawkins took second in the boys 200 (22.86) and was third in the 100 (11.32).
The Rams boys were 17th overall in the standings with 14 points, with Fairmont Heights of Prince George’s taking the team state title with 96. The Rams were 14th in girls with 11 points, with Boonsboro of Washington County taking the team state title with 127.
St. Charles competed in the 3A competition and its boys and girls teams did not register a team point.