Tri State
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Smith ‘overlooked’ – but still champ
Brunswick shot putter takes Class 1A West Region title
* Williamsport dominant in march toward team title
* Boonsboro finishes second; Smithsburg takes third
By Kevin Spradlin
TriStateRunnur.com
HAGERSTOWN, Md., Feb. 17 – Grant Smith is committed to throwing the shot put.
The Brunswick senior was a starter for the Railroaders’ offensive and defensive lines but left the team to focus on indoor and outdoor track and field for the school.
The results are nothing less than spectacular. Smith, 17, captured his first regional indoor track title in the shot put on Wednesday with a personal best – ever, inside or outside – throw of 58 feet.
Smith said the regional slight probably stems from Brunswick being designated a Class 1A school. He said athletes from Class 4A schools get more attention “but, you know, I’m kinda throwing further than they are … and I still get overlooked.”
Smith, who plans to attend Hagerstown Community College for two years and study physical education and exercise science, credited South Hagerstown, HCC and Shippensburg University graduate Matt Peters with helping to turn an average field athlete into a region and state champion (Smith won the Class 1A state outdoor title in the shot put in May 2009).
“He’s helped me out a lot,” Smith said. “he took me from 43 feet to 58 feet in a year.”
Area runners ready to – well, run
After nearly 3-week delay, regional meets contested at HCC
* Sophomore is Hancock’s first indoor state meet qualifier in 10 years
* Smithsburg girls cruise to 1A West title
2A West
Videos..Boys 3200 Relay Girls 300 Boys 300 Girls 1600 Heat 1 Heat 2 Boys 1600 Heat 1 Heat 2 Boys & Girls 55 Dash Boys & Girls Hurdles Girls & Boys 800
Girls 500 Boys 500 Boys 3200 Girls 3200 Girls 800 Relay Boys 800 Relay
1A West
Videos..Girls 300 Boys 300 Girls 1600 Boys 1600 55 Dash & Hurdles Girls & Boys 800
Girls 500 Boys 500 Girls 3200 Boys 3200 Girls 1600 Relay Boys 1600 Relay
By Kevin Spradlin
TriStateRunnur.com
HAGERSTOWN, Md., Feb. 17 – Finally.
The nine-team Maryland Class 1A West Region indoor track and field championship was under way on Wednesday after multiple postponements since its original date of Jan. 30.
And the athletes were rarin’ to go.
“One day I was pointlessly running in circles around my living room,” said Smithsburg senior Stepanie Breen of the region champion 3,200-meter relay team. Breen ran the second leg, receiving the baton from senior Julie Lewis, handing off to sophomore Taylor Cline (who handed off to anchor Lyndsie Delosier, a junior).
Breen also did yoga during the unprecedented, and potentially recordbreaking snowfall that’s been on the ground the majority of time since Dec. 19 to now, including back-to-back snowstorms that dumped 2 or more feet of snow on the region.
Lewis said she was just happy to get on the track – and glad for the chance to earn her way to the state championship meet. One option state track officials considered was to allow athletes to enter the state meet based on previous times set prior to the scheduled region championship meets.
After nearly 3-week delay, regional meets contested at HCC
* Sophomore is Hancock’s first indoor state meet qualifier in 10 years
* Smithsburg girls cruise to 1A West title
2A West
Videos..Boys 3200 Relay Girls 300 Boys 300 Girls 1600 Heat 1 Heat 2 Boys 1600 Heat 1 Heat 2 Boys & Girls 55 Dash Boys & Girls Hurdles Girls & Boys 800
Girls 500 Boys 500 Boys 3200 Girls 3200 Girls 800 Relay Boys 800 Relay
1A West
Videos..Girls 300 Boys 300 Girls 1600 Boys 1600 55 Dash & Hurdles Girls & Boys 800
Girls 500 Boys 500 Girls 3200 Boys 3200 Girls 1600 Relay Boys 1600 Relay
By Kevin Spradlin
TriStateRunnur.com
HAGERSTOWN, Md., Feb. 17 – Finally.
The nine-team Maryland Class 1A West Region indoor track and field championship was under way on Wednesday after multiple postponements since its original date of Jan. 30.
And the athletes were rarin’ to go.
“One day I was pointlessly running in circles around my living room,” said Smithsburg senior Stepanie Breen of the region champion 3,200-meter relay team. Breen ran the second leg, receiving the baton from senior Julie Lewis, handing off to sophomore Taylor Cline (who handed off to anchor Lyndsie Delosier, a junior).
Breen also did yoga during the unprecedented, and potentially recordbreaking snowfall that’s been on the ground the majority of time since Dec. 19 to now, including back-to-back snowstorms that dumped 2 or more feet of snow on the region.
Lewis said she was just happy to get on the track – and glad for the chance to earn her way to the state championship meet. One option state track officials considered was to allow athletes to enter the state meet based on previous times set prior to the scheduled region championship meets.
“I feel good,” Lewis said. “My legs feel fresh.”
Lewis managed to stay fit by cycling and a treadmill helped Cline to keep in shape during the unscheduled break.
Race favorite Leah Stone, a Catoctin senior, made it two regional championships in a row – she also won the 1A West race in cross country last fall. Stone led from the start, with Boonsboro’s Sarah Zielinski – only a freshman – and Smithsburg sophomore Lauren Johnson. Both runners soon faded, however, and it was clear the race was Stone’s to lose.
Stone won the eight-lap race on the 200-meter oval in 5 minutes and 54.7 seconds. Johnson was secondin 5:58.3 and Catoctin freshman Kelsey Valentine snagged third in 5:59.9.
Smithsburg junior Sarah Wren earned gold in the 300 dash in 45.52, edging Manchester Valley sophomore Natalie Phillips (45.75). Williamsport’s Renee Barnes took third in 45.82.
Individual performances – and the quality of them – clearly were adversely impacted by the 11-day break between organized training sessions for most of the student-athletes. Despite the delay, however, Hancock sophomore Emily Johnson appreciated everything just the way it turned out.
Johnson, one of only seven girls on the Hancock indoor track and field roster, finished fourth in the 55-meter hurdles.
During practice at the westernmost outpost of Washington County public schools, Johnson said it’s just her and her senior brother, Billy, who practice the hurdles inside the school’s hallways.
“It’s just me and my brother,” Emily said. “We work by ourselves, mostly.”
The recordbreaking snowfall over the past two weeks didn’t help Johnson pursue excellence.
“I ran over the weekend,” she said. “That’s it. I’m surprised … and I’m happy.”
Contact Kevin at run@mountainMDmarathon.org.
Lewis managed to stay fit by cycling and a treadmill helped Cline to keep in shape during the unscheduled break.
Race favorite Leah Stone, a Catoctin senior, made it two regional championships in a row – she also won the 1A West race in cross country last fall. Stone led from the start, with Boonsboro’s Sarah Zielinski – only a freshman – and Smithsburg sophomore Lauren Johnson. Both runners soon faded, however, and it was clear the race was Stone’s to lose.
Stone won the eight-lap race on the 200-meter oval in 5 minutes and 54.7 seconds. Johnson was secondin 5:58.3 and Catoctin freshman Kelsey Valentine snagged third in 5:59.9.
Smithsburg junior Sarah Wren earned gold in the 300 dash in 45.52, edging Manchester Valley sophomore Natalie Phillips (45.75). Williamsport’s Renee Barnes took third in 45.82.
Individual performances – and the quality of them – clearly were adversely impacted by the 11-day break between organized training sessions for most of the student-athletes. Despite the delay, however, Hancock sophomore Emily Johnson appreciated everything just the way it turned out.
Johnson, one of only seven girls on the Hancock indoor track and field roster, finished fourth in the 55-meter hurdles.
During practice at the westernmost outpost of Washington County public schools, Johnson said it’s just her and her senior brother, Billy, who practice the hurdles inside the school’s hallways.
“It’s just me and my brother,” Emily said. “We work by ourselves, mostly.”
The recordbreaking snowfall over the past two weeks didn’t help Johnson pursue excellence.
“I ran over the weekend,” she said. “That’s it. I’m surprised … and I’m happy.”
Contact Kevin at run@mountainMDmarathon.org.
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Three of Smith’s throws on Wednesday were better than his previous personal best of 56 feet and 0.75 inches.
To put Smith’s performance into perspective, the second-place finisher in the boy’s shot put on Wednesday was Boonsboro sophomore John Lowery. Lowery’s mark? 47 feet and 0.5 inches. Catoctin junior Austin Carter was third (38-11.5).
Smith’s mother, Stacy, said her son trains with Peters at HCC up to four nights a week and up to four hours each night. The practice has paid off, she said – as has his dedication to the sport, which he put above both football and basketball.
Smith said he’s hoping that level of commitment will take him to a four-year school in a couple of years.
“Let’s see where it takes me,” Smith said. “I’m hoping to not have to pay for college.”
In the short term, throwing the shot put – he favors the collegiate weight of the 16-pound ball compared to high school’s 12-pounder – will take him to the Prince George’s County SportsPlex.
From March 12-14, Smith will participate the prestigious Nike Indoor Nationals meet at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston.
• Another, perhaps lesser performance on Wednesday was exerted by Smithsburg senior Jake Shriver in the pole vault.
Leopards coach Ray Shriver, normally a laid-back, mild-mannered veteran counselor to track and field athletes, shouted “Yes!” when Jake – his youngest son – cleared 9 feet, 9 inches to earn the fourth and final berth to the Class 1A state championship meet.
Arms up, Shriver pranced and danced his way across the HCC gymnasium floor toward the pole vault pit to meet his son.
Shriver said the last several weeks have been difficult for his son, who has battled lower back pain and bursitis – read: pain – in his left knee.
The second, extended winter break – the Class 1A West Region meet originally was scheduled for Jan. 30 – did the younger Shriver good.
“Every time he jumps and he lands, he has pain,” Shriver said of his son.
Shriver said he tried to stay away from his son much of the meet – deciding instead to focus on his administrative duties as a meet official – but simply couldn’t help himself once he knew Jake had qualified for the state meet.
“When he cleared, the joy erupted,” said Shriver almost apologetically – but with a smile of a proud father.
Contact Kevin at run@mountainMDmarathon.org.
To put Smith’s performance into perspective, the second-place finisher in the boy’s shot put on Wednesday was Boonsboro sophomore John Lowery. Lowery’s mark? 47 feet and 0.5 inches. Catoctin junior Austin Carter was third (38-11.5).
Smith’s mother, Stacy, said her son trains with Peters at HCC up to four nights a week and up to four hours each night. The practice has paid off, she said – as has his dedication to the sport, which he put above both football and basketball.
Smith said he’s hoping that level of commitment will take him to a four-year school in a couple of years.
“Let’s see where it takes me,” Smith said. “I’m hoping to not have to pay for college.”
In the short term, throwing the shot put – he favors the collegiate weight of the 16-pound ball compared to high school’s 12-pounder – will take him to the Prince George’s County SportsPlex.
From March 12-14, Smith will participate the prestigious Nike Indoor Nationals meet at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston.
• Another, perhaps lesser performance on Wednesday was exerted by Smithsburg senior Jake Shriver in the pole vault.
Leopards coach Ray Shriver, normally a laid-back, mild-mannered veteran counselor to track and field athletes, shouted “Yes!” when Jake – his youngest son – cleared 9 feet, 9 inches to earn the fourth and final berth to the Class 1A state championship meet.
Arms up, Shriver pranced and danced his way across the HCC gymnasium floor toward the pole vault pit to meet his son.
Shriver said the last several weeks have been difficult for his son, who has battled lower back pain and bursitis – read: pain – in his left knee.
The second, extended winter break – the Class 1A West Region meet originally was scheduled for Jan. 30 – did the younger Shriver good.
“Every time he jumps and he lands, he has pain,” Shriver said of his son.
Shriver said he tried to stay away from his son much of the meet – deciding instead to focus on his administrative duties as a meet official – but simply couldn’t help himself once he knew Jake had qualified for the state meet.
“When he cleared, the joy erupted,” said Shriver almost apologetically – but with a smile of a proud father.
Contact Kevin at run@mountainMDmarathon.org.