Montgomery County Indoor Championships Recap

• Xavier Williams, Seneca Valley: 6.50 in the 55.... MD #5... #5 in meet history... mild upset

• Khaloni Mganga, Northwest: 68.42 in the 500... not eye-opening fast but a great race

• Liam Walsh, Q. Orchard: 1:59.52 in the 800... MD #4

• Rohann Asfaw, R. Montgomery: 4:23.82/9:42.83 double... mile is #4 in meet history and tied w/ Matt Bennett for MD #1

• Shyheim Wright, Northwest: 7.44 in the 55h... tied #1 in meet history

• Ty Mason, Blake: 22'2 in LJ.... #2 in meet history.... also a breakout 6.58 in the 55

• Donavan Beckett-Simms, Seneca Valley: 45'9 in TJ.... #1 in meet history

• Taylor Wright, Northwest: 7.15 in the 55... tied w/ Madeleine Akobundu for MD #1... 38'9.50 in TJ... #2 in meet history

• Alyssa Rishell, Watkins Mill: 79.61/2:24.89 double... first girl to double 500/800 since Leslie Morrison (Whitman) in 2008

• Bethlehem Taye, Paint Branch: 10:53.70 in the 3200... MD #2... meet record... U.S. #9 (with 2 mile conversion)

• Alexus Pyles, Clarksburg: 8.02 in the 55h... obliterates meet record... MD #1... tied for U.S. #7.... 5'3 in HJ... tied for #4 in MD. Most individual titles in meet history at 10.

• Northwest 4x2: 1:45.24.... #2 in meet history

• Girls 4x8: BCC/WJ MD #1 and #2 respectively

There were many opportunities for meet records to fall at yesterday's Montgomery County Championships, and spectators were treated to some of the best races in meet history at the Prince George's County Sportsplex.

Perhaps the most anticipated race of the day was the girls 3,200, as the twenty-year old meet record seemed destined to fall. Not only did it fall Wednesday, it was obliterated, with three girls beating Sally Glynn's record. Paint Branch's Bethlehem Taye took home the title with a PR of 10:53.70, good enough for a MD #2 and U.S. #9 ranking (w/ two mile conversion). Walter Johnson's Abbey Green finished a strong second in 10:58.78, while Einstein's Ciciely Davy - who led most of the race - also defeated the old meet record with a time of 11:06.06.

On the boys distance side, it was déjà vu all over again as Richard Montgomery's Rohann Asfaw put on a show. A blazing final lap in the 1600 earned him a win in 4:23.82, tied with Matt Bennett for the #1 rank in MD. He used the same strategy in the 3200, sprinting to the finish in a time of 9:42.83.

The sprints and hurdles brought some of the best performances of the day. Clarksburg's Alexus Pyles destroyed the meet record in the 55 meter hurdles with a mark of 8.02, good enough for a MD #1 ranking and #7 in the U.S. She also won the girls high jump by clearing 5'3. Northwest's Shyheim Wright had very little competition in the 55 hurdles but that didn't stop him from tying the meet record of 7.44.

Northwest freshman Taylor Wright blazed to a 7.15 mark in the 55 dash, tied with Madeleine Akobundu for the #1 MD ranking. She continued her impressive freshman campaign with a win in the triple jump and a runner-up finish to her freshman teammate Cori Brown in the 300.

The boys 55 dash featured one of the biggest upsets of the day; after clocking 6.66 in the prelims, Seneca Valley's Xavier Williams broke out with a 6.50 in the finals for the win, #5 in MD and in meet history.

Blake's Ty Mason had a terrific day both on the track and in the pit. He verified his status as the county's top long jumper by jumping 22'2.00, second in meet history. He then came back with a breakout performance in the 55 dash, clocking 6.58 in the finals. He also helped Blake to a second-place finish in the 4x200 meter relay.

The girls mid distance races were dominated by Watkins Mill's Alyssa Rishell. She came from behind in both the 500 and the 800, becoming the first girl since Whitman's Leslie Morrison in 2008 to win both events at the county championship.

The girls 4x800 was also a very competitive race, with B-CC (9:42.41) edging Walter Johnson (9:43.47) in the final straightaway to earn MD #1 and #2 rankings, respectively.

Along with the record-breaking times, there were plenty of dramatic races to watch on the track. Northwest's Khaloni Mganga held off a furious charge by Northwood's Andree' Di-Reumante to win the boys 500, a race that left competitors sprawled on the ground at the finish line. Quince Orchard's Liam Walsh came back from a second place finish in the 1600 to win the boys 800 in 1:59.52, #4 in MD.

The Northwest girls needed come-from-behind efforts in both the 4x200 and 4x400 to be victorious, two races that helped them end Clarksburg's quest for a three-peat in team scores at the county championships. The meet ended with a photo finish in the 4x400, with Springbrook (3:33.86) barely edging Northwest (3:33.88).

Both the Northwest boys and girls took home team titles - the second straight for the Northwest boys, and the first time since Gaithersburg in 2002 that a team took home both boys and girls team championships.