Kyle Noll won three individual state titles between the winter and spring of 2019. (Photo by John Roemer)
We continue our indoor preview by highlighting some of the top returning boys individuals in the 1A classification.
*Note: outdoor performances are only taken into consideration if the athlete also participated during indoor track.
Sprints
Jalen Jackson (Senior, Largo) - 7.05 55, 36.53 300, 11.39 100, 22.94 200, 53.73 400
Photo by Craig Amoss
Last year, Jackson finished third at the 1A East regional meet in the 300 and fourth at the state meet. His 36.53 season best time from regionals edges Julian Meza-Shockley for the top time among 1A returners.
Aharon Luster (Senior, Largo) - 1:09.33 500, 50.09 400, 2:03.49 800
Luster competed sparingly last winter but returned to form in the spring, finishing second in the 400 at the 1A state meet. As a sophomore in the winter of 2017-18, he placed third at the state meet in the 500 meter dash; he also already has one individual state title under his belt (the 400 from the spring of 2018).
Matan Maduka (Junior, Western Tech) - 37.58 300, 1:10.49 500, 23.56 200, 50.62 400
Maduka finished in the top ten in both the 300 (tenth) and 500 (seventh) meter dashes at last winter's 1A state meet. He also clocked a personal-best 50.62 400 in the spring, making him one of just four 1A returners to have run under 51 seconds.
Julian Meza-Shockley (Senior, Snow Hill) - 6.82 55, 36.56 300, 1:09.00 500, 11.04 100, 22.27 200, 51.85 400
Photo by Craig Amoss
Meza-Shockley's range extends all the way from the 100 (in which he won last year's outdoor state title) to the 500, in which he owns the top returning time among 1A runners. Both of the two runners who beat him in the 300 at last year's indoor state meet were seniors, and six of the seven who beat him in the 500 are also gone (one, Frederick Douglass' Miles Gray, will be in the 2A division this winter).
James Munlyn (Senior, Joppatowne) - 6.88 55, 37.07 300, 1:17.56 500, 11.34 100, 22.79 200, 50.54 400
Munlyn is one of the four returning 1A boys to have run under 51 seconds in the 400 last spring (he finished fourth in the event at the outdoor state meet). Munlyn finished seventh in the 300 at the 2019 1A indoor state meet, but only Meza-Shockley and Jackson return from the group that finished ahead of him.
Temitayo Oluokin (Junior, Central) - 6.70 55, 37.16 300, 1:10.82 500, 23.32 200, 50.90 400
Photo by John Roemer
Oluokin is the fourth returning 1A runner to have clocked a sub-51 400 last spring. While Central competed at the 2A level last year, Oluokin's 51.25 performance at the state meet would have placed him seventh in the 1A race.
Samir Smith (Junior, Surrattsville) - 7.25 55, 37.28 300, 11.97 100, 22.57 200, 51.09 400
A first-year runner last year as a sophomore, Smith found his stride during the spring, bringing his 200 time down from 24.07 at the end of March to under 23 seconds by regioanls. Smith placed fifth in the 400 at states and his 200 personal best ranks second among 1A returners.
Charles Townsend (Junior, Snow Hill) - 6.51 55, 38.71 300
A first-year runner last winter, Townsend won the 1A state title in the 55 meter dash. After winning the Bayside title, he finished as the regional runner-up, clocking what was then a season-best time of 6.64. Townsend placed second in the prelims at the state meet, then beat Western Tech's Glory Fagbuyi in the finals. His 6.51 time from the final race of his season is the fifth-fastest returning time among all Maryland runners.
Distance
Kaleb Berhanu (Sophomore, Pikesville) - 2:08 1600, 4:39 1600, 10:12 3200
As a freshman last spring, Berhanu clocked the third-fastest freshman time in the 1600 and fifth-fastest freshman time in the 3200. He is coming off a cross country season during which he ran 16:47 and placed ninth at the 1A state meet.
Cole LaPierre (Senior, Francis Scott Key) - 4:58 1600, 10:17 3200
Photo by John Roemer
LaPierre's first (and only) track season concluded with a second-place finish in the 3200 last winter. After a solid showing during his first cross country season (seventh at states), LaPierre is one of the classification's top distance runners heading into the winter.
Day Leone (Sophomore, Bohemia Manor) - 2:20 800, 4:53 1600, 10:23 3200
Leone didn't break out during his freshman season until the spring - his 10:23 performance at the 1A state meet was 11th-best among freshmen. He continued his ascent this fall with a regional XC title and a third-place finish at the 1A state meet.
Justus LePrevost (Senior, Mountain Ridge) - 2:08 1600, 4:36 1600, 10:05 3200
Photo by Craig Amoss
LePrevost posted some big personal bests during his junior spring season, placing fourth at the state meet in the 3200 and fifth in the 1600. It's harder to see exactly where he will stack up against the rest of 1A given that he doesn't run cross country, but performances similar to those will easily make him a competitor at the 1A state level this winter.
Olutayo Sonuga (Junior, Pikesville) - 2:04 800, 4:36 1600, 10:34 3200
Sonuga owns the fastest returning indoor 1A times in both the 800 (2:08) and 1600 (4:47). Last year as a sophomore he finished fifth in the indoor 1600 and sixth in the outdoor 1600. Sonuga and teammate Kaleb Berhanu form what could be the top distance duo in 1A this winter.
Hurdles/Field
John Custer (Senior, Mountain Ridge) - 8.11 55H, 39'1.75 TJ
Custer placed sixth in the 55 meter hurdles at last year's 1A indoor state meet, then placed sixth again in the 110 meter hurdles in the spring. His 8.11 personal best in the 55 hurdles is second-fastest among 1A returners this fall.
Renaldi Falwell (Senior, Largo) - 49'9 SP
Falwell set a huge personal best in the shot put at last year's indoor state meet; his 49'9 mark was a full four feet better than his previous best. Falwell finished third and fourth, respectively, at the state meets in the winter and spring, and all those who bested him either graduated or moved up to the 2A classification.
Kyle Hubbard (Senior, Mardela) - 8.95 110H
Photo by John Roemer
Hubbard's 8.95 season best from his rookie track season may not stand out, but he improved throughout his junior year, eventually clocking a 15.80 time to finish fourth at the state meet in May. If that success carries back over to this winter he could quickly shave time off his indoor best.
Elijah Jarvis (Junior, Western Tech) - 8.34 55H
His 8.34 performance at the indoor state meet last season was good for fifth place. It was also the eighth-fastest time by any sophomore in the state last winter. He placed in the top ten in both the 110 and 300 meter hurdles in the spring as well.
Jacob McIlvaine (Senior, Catoctin) - 48'7.75 SP
McIlvaine threw 44'11 (good for fifth place at the indoor state meet) last winter, then added nearly four feet to that mark in the spring. His 48'7.75 personal best throw won him the outdoor Frederick County title and is the third-best mark by a returning 1A competitor.
Kyle Noll (Senior, Crisfield) - 7.81 55H, 6'4 HJ
Noll demonstrated his prowess in both the hurdles and high jump last season, coming away with his first three individual state titles (55 meter hurdles, 300 meter hurdles and indoor high jump). His 20 points at last year's indoor state meet put Crisfield in tenth place in the team rankings by himself.
Tristan Rice (Senior, Catoctin) - 48'10 SP
Photo by John Roemer
The second half of Catoctin's 1-2 shot put duo, Rice placed fourth at the indoor state meet in the event last year. His 48'10 mark is over three feet longer than any of his other performances, before of after, and is second to only Renaldi Falwell in terms of 1A returners.
Jackson Tuomey (Junior, Brunwick) - 6'0 HJ, 19'8.50 LJ, 42'10.50 TJ, 13'6 PV
Tuomey owned the pole vault last season in 1A competition, winning both the indoor and outdoor state titles. At his best, he was in a class of his own; Key's Jacksun Layne was the only boy to get within two feet of Tuomey's 13'6 personal best. He also cleared six feet in the high jump in the spring.