South Lakes HS Indoor Track Wins Liberty Conference Titles

A record-setting performance in the boys 4×800 meter relay and outstanding performances by its seniors led South Lakes High School to Liberty Conference Championships in both the boys and girls divisions Thursday at the Prince George’s Sportsplex in Landover, Md.

SLHS boys scored 147 points for their sixth consecutive title. James Madison High School finished second with 80. The girls team won its third consecutive crown by scoring 141.50 points. Arlington’s Washington and Lee High School was second with 101.

Seniors Michael Kerr, Daniel Johnsen, Michael Uhrig and Luis Rivas won the 4×800 meter relay in a record 8:10.71. The previous mark of 8:12.03 was set in 2007 by Thomas Jefferson High School.

South Lakes won all three relays in the boys division: Seniors Ben O’Connor, Marcus Harell Anthony Mayo and Khayri Denny won the 4×200 meter relay in 1:35.47. Harrell and Rivas teamed with juniors Sam Arpee and John Frauenheim in winning the 4×400 meter relay in 3:36.42.

In the girls 4×400 meter relay, juniors Sydney Crutcher, Maya Rodriguez, Delaney Wickman and sophomore Golden Kumi-Darfour won the event in 4:11.70. Seniors Abby Reinhold, Grace Gillen, junior Claire Nieusma and Kumi-Darfour finished second in the 4×800 (9:50.38) and the team of senior Danielle Hale and juniors Ozioma Chinaka, Jordan Lozama and Comfort Reed ran a 1:48.12 for third in the 4×200.

Several Seahawks won or placed in the finals of individual events in leading SLHS to its championships. On the girls side:

• Delaney Wickman won the 300 meters (41.67) and 500 meters (1:19.55).
• Rodriguez ran a 9.21 in successfully defending her title as 55 meter hurdles champion.
• Hale won the long jump (16-08.50), triple jump (36-10.75) and finished fourth in the shot (31-03.50), fifth in the 55 meters (7.64), sixth in the high jump (4-08.00) and 10th in the 300 (44.07).
• Kumi-Darfour finished second in the 1,000 meters (3:09.67) and Reinhold was third (3:10.18).
• Gillen placed second in the 500 meters (1:20.74) and fourth in the 300 (43.05).
• Crutcher finished fifth in the 55 hurdles (9.74).
• Chinaka was second in pole vault (7-09.00) and fifth in the shot (28-07.50).
• Lozama placed sixth in both the shot (26-09.50) and the 55 meters (7.71) and 15th in the 300 meters (45.42).
• Claire Nieusma ran a 1:21.36 for third in the 500 and finished 11th in the 300 (44.29).
• Sophomore Monica Lannen finished sixth in the 3,200 (11:52.73), ninth in the 1,600 (5:25.46) and 10th in the 1,000 meters (3:19.89).
• Freshman Devyn Jones finished seventh in the 500 meters (1:24.19), eighth in the 55 meter hurdles (10.40) and 13th in the 300 meters (44.61).  **Other freshmen who placed in the top 10 of their event: Nikayla Hoyte, seventh in the 300 (43.72), Abby Wickman, seventh in the pole vault (6-09.00) and Madeline Emmert, also in the pole vault (6-03.00).
• Senior Kristin Tran finished third in the long jump (16-06.50) and Reed was sixth (15-07.25). They reversed finishes in the triple jump with Reed finishing third (34-05.50) and Tran, sixth (32-06.00).

Denny contributed several points in the SLHS boys’ winning effort by winning the long jump (20-08.25), triple jump (41-10.00) finishing second in the 55 meter (6.71) and third in the 300 (37.07).

Johnson led a clean sweep of the 500 meters in winning it with a 1:07.42. Kerr finished second (1:08.07) and Arpee was third (1:08.99). Johnsen also won the 300 meters (36.36).

Other top 10 finishes for the SLHS boys:

• Rivas, second, 1,000 meters (2:43.25)
• Mayo, second, long jump (20-04.50)
• Kerr, sixth, 1,000 meters (2:45.79)
• O’Connor, seventh, 55 meters (6.86)
• Uhrig, ninth, 1,600 meters (4:51.08)
• Arpee, eighth, 300 meters (38.29)
• Harrell, 10th, 300 meters (38.53)
• Senior Jon Mangal, seventh, shot (41-07.00)
• Juniors  Nathan Stone, fourth, 55 meter hurdles (8.62); Kristian Gendron, fourth, pole vault (9-06.00); Khoa Nguyen, third, triple jump (39-07.50) and fifth, long jump (19-08.75); Andrew McCool, third, 3,200 meters (9:49.71) and eighth, 1,000 (2:46.63); Collin Weirick, 10th (2:49.17); Sean Miller, fifth, 3,200 (10:14.45) and Max Gillum, ninth, 55 hurdles (9.09)
• Sophomore Alex Rudison, fourth, triple jump (38-10.00) and sixth, pole vault (9-06.00)
• Freshman Timiebi Ogobri, eighth, 55 meters (7.01)

Additional SLHS participants in the championship meet include: sophomores Jacob Hutzler (11th, pole vault, 8-06.00). John LeBerre (11th, 1,600, 4:52.44; 17th, 1,000, 2:51.67),  Jakob Weizman (16th, 3,200, 10:58.52); juniors Devin Nieusma (11th, 1,000, 3:24.72; 14th, 3,200, 12:54.59), Gabrielle Acosta (15th, 1,000, 3:26.82; 15th, 3,200, 12:55.50), Jeremiah Norman (12th, shot, 39-08.75), Erin Bidwell (14th, 1,600, 5:53.63), Sabrina Muldrow (17th, 500, 1:28.40), Molly McGrath (19th, 500, 1:30.35); seniors Alex Woodward (11th, shot, 40-01.75), Matt Mason (14th, 55 hurdles, 9.40).

SLHS will compete in the Regional Championship Wednesday, Feb. 12 at the Prince George’s Sportsplex.

— Submitted by Valerie Lister. Have sports results to report? Send them to [email protected].