Eastmoor boys, Northland girls win City League titles in track

Over a rich 112-year history in track and field, the City League has not exactly been renowned for elite distance running.

But the recipe that Eastmoor Academy used to win its eighth-consecutive City boys championship Wednesday at Africentric was to dominate the races of more than one lap.

Omavi Hamilton and Christopher Chandler finished first and second in the 1,600 and 3,200 meters and made up half of the 3,200 relay team that eclipsed a 36-year-old meet record with a time of 8 minutes, 1 second to pace Eastmoor, which outdistanced runner-up Northland for the title.

Despite recording only two firsts, Northland’s girls outscored runner-up Beechcroft for the school’s third-straight City championship and seventh since 2004.

Eastmoor coach Jason Lewis said of his boys team: “While we scored in just about every event, this is a great distance group we have, and it has been the backbone of our team.”

Hamilton won his fourth straight 1,600 and also was part of four 3,200-relay winners in his career.

“Chris is my hardest competition in the City, and while he was whipping my tail most of the time in cross country because he’s a little stronger than me, I trust in my kick, and I managed to beat him twice today,” he said. “Chris is a little upset because we have a little friendly rivalry, but it’s all about the team points and winning the City again.”

Individual standouts in the boys meet were Mike Williams of Northland, who won four gold medals (100, 200, 400 relay, 800 relay) and teammate Khalil Branham, who won three (110 high hurdles, 400 relay, 800 relay) before pulling up in the 200 with a strained hamstring.

“I’ve come a long way,” said Williams, who signed to play football at Findlay. “I got one first-place, in a relay, last year, but to get four this year is just amazing.”

Aman Thornton of Mifflin also ran a phenomenal race in winning the 800 (1:55.24), narrowly missing the meet record set by Northland’s Eric Purnell in 1992.

“I really think I can go close to 1:50 and make a run at the state title,” Thornton said.

Northland’s girls used team depth to bag another title.

“We may not have that one superstar, but I told the girls, ‘If you get second and third, that counts more than first,’” Vikings coach Tom Fast said. “Michole Martinez really performed well for us, running on our winning 4x800 relay and tripling in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 and placing high in all of them.”

The shining star in the girls meet was sophomore Makiya Montgomery of Beechcroft, who won the 100 and 200 and anchored the winning 400 and 800 relays. Montgomery is the defending Division II state champion in the 100 and was the runner-up in the 200.

“I’ve been coming on little by little all season and building up to defending my titles,” she said.

Other multiple winners were Jamie Bossenbroek of Whetstone (100 hurdles, 300 hurdles) and Olivia Turner of Centennial (800, 1,600).