Gold! Silver! Bronze! County athletes shine at Class 1A indoor states
LANDOVER, Md. — There’s something about state championships that bring out the best in Boonsboro senior Derrick Jones.
Last spring, Jones raised his personal record in the high jump 4 inches when he cleared 6-4 to finish third in Class 1A during the MPSSAA outdoor track & field meet.
On Wednesday, during the Class 1A indoor championships at the Prince George’s Sports & Learning Complex, Jones matched that performance for the first time indoors, and it gave him something even better than bronze.
Gold.
“It’s amazing. Unreal,” said Jones, who was the only competitor to clear 6-4. “It’s the pressure. It makes me a little more nervous, but also more explosive. A lot of people are watching — my whole family’s here.”
Jones got off to a slow start this season but kept improving through the championship meets. He cleared 6 feet to take second in the county meet, then cleared 6-2 to finish second in 1A West.
He matched the Boonsboro indoor record in the event with his gold medal-winning jump, after which he gave a running, leaping high five to jumps coach Shawn Cutsail.
“I was hype,” Jones said. “I knew I had either first or second. … Coach gives me a lot of insight on how to calm down, take deep breaths, get the nerves down.”
Smithsburg girls strike gold in 4×800
It was fitting that a quartet of seniors who have helped bring so much success to the Smithsburg girls track and field program over the last three years had a final golden moment indoors.
The Leopards’ 4×800 relay team of Grace Ellis, Ella Fisher, Cora Gentzel and Kayla Hawbecker led from start to finish and crossed the line in 9:58.92. It’s the fourth-fastest all-time performance by a Washington County girls team indoors.
“These seniors have been so consistent through the years,” said Smithsburg coach Stacey Crawford. “I’m getting a little teary-eyed thinking about them.”
The Leopards, who entered the meet as the two-time defending champions, had to settle for second on Wednesday, finishing with 64 points, 15 behind champion Harford Tech.
Cora Gentzel, Jacob Faith earn silver
Gentzel might have covered the most distance of any athlete in the meet. After the 4×800, she competed in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 — and took home silver in the 1,600 and 3,200.
The girls 1,600 was one of the best races of the afternoon. Gentzel found herself about 15 meters behind the lead at the halfway point, but surged to the lead in the second-to-last lap.
However, Liberty’s Ava Snyder outkicked Gentzel over the final 100 meters for the gold in 5:18.17. Gentzel was second in a personal-record 5:19.25. Only five girls in county history have run the event faster indoors.
“I usually like to rely on my kick, but that girl has a nasty kick herself,” Gentzel said. “I’m glad I didn’t get down or give up when the gap opened up. It was a great race, back and forth and a lot of fun.”
About 45 minutes later, Gentzel took second in the 3,200 in 12:07.08.
Clear Spring senior Jacob Faith finished second in the boys high jump, clearing 6-2, and the Smithsburg boys 4×800 relay team of junior Michael Wynkoop, sophomore Luke Gentzel, junior Camilo Mellott and senior Tyler Younker also took silver in 8:35.91.
Six take bronze in individual events
Smithsburg sophomore Dylan Herbst continued his breakout school year — which started with a strong cross country season — by finishing third in the boys 1,600 in a personal-record 4:33.10. It’s the top time by a county boy this season.
Five other county athletes also finished third in individual events:
- Hawbecker, girls 800, 2:27.63.
- Boonsboro senior Jakob Davidson, boys 3,200, 10:09.67.
- Clear Spring senior Nick Cullember, boys shot put, 46-3 1/4.
- Hancock freshman Madison Booth, girls high jump, 5 feet.
- Smithsburg sophomore Lilian Hade, girls pole vault, 9-6.
More Washington County place-winners
Other county athletes who scored points with top-eight finishes Wednesday were:
- Wynkoop, boys 1,600 (fourth in 4:40.63) and 3,200 (fifth in 10:17.12).
- Boonsboro boys 4×800 relay (Justin Prenger, Noah Tedards, Kieryn Bundy and Nathaniel Ingram, fourth in 8:41.05).
- Smithsburg girls 4×400 relay (Jenna Howe, Taylor King, Fisher and Ellis, fourth in 4:25.71).
- Luke Gentzel, boys 800 (fifth in a personal-record 2:03.83) and 500 (seventh in a personal-record 1:09.64).
- Howe, girls 300 (fifth in 42.09) and 500 (seventh in 1:23.61).
- Hawbecker, girls 3,200 (fifth in 12:40.84) and 1,600 (seventh in 5:44.80).
- Davidson, boys 1,600 (sixth in 4:41.73).
- Ellis, girls 500 (sixth in 1:21.47).
- Clear Spring boys 4×200 relay (Jaxon Stewart, Hayden Hodge, Jay McConnaughey and Jaren Wade, sixth in 1:35.89).
- McConnaughey, boys 55 (seventh in 6.80, ran a personal-record 6.69 in prelims)
- Fisher, girls 3,200 (eighth in 13:09.93).
- Smithsburg sophomore Levi Miller, boys 300…
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