Photo by Craig Amoss
Huntingtown's Conor McGirr finished 11th at the SMAC Championships last year, and some of his other performances (3rd at 3A South regionals, 3A indoor 1600 state champion) suggest he could be one of the top runners in the conference this season. Since the school opened in 2004, no Huntingtown boy has taken home the SMAC boys individual cross country title, but McGirr could change that this year as he brings a resumé that includes a 16:32 5K and a 4:23 1600.
SMAC Boys Preview: By The Numbers
Photo by Craig Amoss
The Chopticon boys were 3A South regional champions and SMAC runners-up last season on the backs of senior Tyler Modrzejewski and sophomores Zachary (above front) and Jeffrey (back) Wedding. The twins finished third and fifth at the 3A state meet, respectively, and will both once again be in the mix for the 3A individual title coming off strong track seasons. Improved depth behind the Wedding brothers paints the Braves as slight SMAC favorites heading into the fall.
Photo by John Roemer
The North Point boys have a strong returning duo of their own in junior Joshua Doughty and senior Devion Bryant (above). Bryant was a medalist at the deep 4A East regional meet last year and is coming off a terrific track season during which he ran 1:55 and placed fourth at the outdoor state meet in the 800. Having moved into a slightly-less crowded 3A classification this season, Bryant could be a runner to watch potentially cracking the top 10 at the state cross country meet.
Photo by Craig Amoss
The La Plata boys bring their top three runners back from last year's 2A state meet. Tyler Connolly, Matthew Romero and Zen Taylor finished 74th, 75th and 82nd in last year's race at Hereford and are a big reason why the La Plata boys rank sixth in the returning SMAC composite rankings. Among SMAC returners, they rank 12th, 13th and 14th from last year's state meet.
Photo by Brandon Miles
Patuxent's Logan Musumeci was a 2A South regional medalist last season and is also the eighth-fastest returning runner from last year's SMAC Championships. After clocking a 4:39 1600 this past spring, the rising junior has a chance to reach the state podium - which would make him the fourth Patuxent runner to make it this decade, joining Trent Herzog, Turner Chaundy and Brendan Jones.