Indoor Individuals Preview - 2A Girls

Three of the state's top 2A hurdlers - Brooke Flanigan, Deborah Gnoumou and Samantha Cash - will be back in 2019. (Photo by Brandon Miles)

Giselle Badoo (Junior, Seneca Valley) - 7.34 55, 43.86 300, 12.54 100, 26.14 200, 5'2 HJ

Last winter Badoo repeated as the 2A West indoor 55 meter dash champion (her fourth individual regional title to date). She went on to finish fourth at the 2A state championships in the event and is the top returning runner from those finals.

Caitlyn Bobb (Junior, Harford Tech) - 40.54 300, 1:16.30 500, 23.69 200, 52.79 400, 2:17.10 800

Bobb emerged as one of the top runners in the entire state last year as a sophomore, winning four individual 2A state titles and leading all runners in the state in the 400 meter dash. Bobb ranks fifth in the state among all returning runner in both the 300 and 500 meter dashes, and her performances last spring indicate she could even surpass those rankings this year as a junior.

Daynah Desir (Senior, Henry E. Lackey) - 7.23 55, 41.55 300, 12.22 100, 25.21 200, 1:01.94 400

Last winter, Desir finished in the top three in any event at the state meet for the first time as she came within 0.05 seconds of the 1A girls 55 meter dash title. Her 7.23 time from that meet is best among 2A returners, and she also ranks third among returners in the 300 meter dash.

Ever Elegon (Senior, Seneca Valley) - 7.68 55, 44.83 300, 1:19.09 500, 26.75 200, 58.55 400, 2:24.19 800

Elegon's 1:19.09 performance at last year's indoor state meet was a personal best time and her third straight top-seven finish at states in the event. She also tied her personal best state meet finish last year by placing fourth in the 400 at the outdoor championships.

Karah Moore (Senior, Carver A&T) - 41.27 300, 1:19.65 500, 12.39 100, 24.95 200, 57.38 400

Photo by John Roemer

Moore was the runner-up in both the 300 and 500 at the 1A indoor state meet last year as a junior. During the spring she finally broke through at states, winning her first title in the 400 meter dash. This year, Carver A&T moves up to the 2A classification but Moore figure to fit right in; she ranks second among 2A returners in the 200 and third in both the 300 and 400 meter dashes.

Nya Ray (Junior, Harford Tech) - 7.41 55, 45.28 300, 12.58 100, 26.14 200, 58.03 400

Ray finished fifth at last year's 2A indoor state meet in the 55 meter dash, just one hundredth of a second behind Giselle Badoo. She also showcased some improved range during the outdoor season, running 58.03 to win the UCBAC Chesapeake divisional title in the 400 meter dash.

Victoya Smith (Junior, Frederick Douglass (PG)) - 7.31 55, 41.59 300, 12.26 100, 25.35 200, 1:01.17 400

Another runner who will be moving up from 1A this winter, Smith finished sixth or better in four different events at states across the indoor and outdoor seasons last year (including third place in the 300 meter dash at the indoor meet). Her returning times stack up well against other 2A returners as well; she ranks second among returners in both the 55 and 100 meter dashes.

Autumn Winston (Senior, Frederick Douglass (PG)) - 1:18.79 500, 12.65 100, 25.45 200, 56.93 400, 2:21.87 800, 5'2 HJ

Photo by Craig Amoss

Winston can do a little bit of everything for the Eagles. Last winter she won her first state title in the 500 meter dash, while also scoring in the 800 meter run and high jump. She finished in the top five in three different events last spring, including second in the 400 and high jump. 

Distance

Megan Bertolette (Senior, Walkersville) - 2:27.10 800, 5:23.98, 12:08.37 3200

Last winter was Bertolette's first running indoor track, and she finished fourth at the 2A state championship in the 1600 meter run. In her first three years at Walkersville she has placed seventh or higher in any event at a track state meet.

Macy Gerbes (Junior, Sparrows Point) - 2:27.49 800, 5:21.86 1600, 11:52.38 3200

Gerbes won her second and third individual state titles (all in the 3200) last winter and spring in the 1A classification. She ranks third and fourth, respectively, among 2A returners in the indoor 1600 and 3200, and could certainly factor in the 2A discussion this season.

Kathryn Hopkins (Junior, Winters Mill) - 2:38.15 800, 5:21.28 1600, 11:35.98 3200

Hopkins is coming off her second straight top-three finish at the cross country state championships, and she has been steadily dropping her personal bests during every track season. She finished third last winter in the indoor 3200 and fifth at the outdoor state meet. She ranks second among 2A returners in the event for both indoor and outdoor seasons.

Lauren Leatherman (Senior, Middletown) - 27.06 200, 1:00.41 400, 2:20.49 800, 5:47.39 1600, 5'0 HJ

In her first year at Middletown, Leatherman scored at the indoor state meet in both the 800 (fourth place) and shot put (eighth place). She also finished sixth at states in May in the 800 and came within one spot of qualifying in the high jump.

Kennedy Mendoza (Sophomore, Fallston) - 1:01.58 400, 2:22.06 800, 5:10.82 1600

Photo by John Roemer

Mendoza was one of the state's top freshmen last year, ranking first out of all freshmen not named Juliette Whittaker in the 1600. She scored in all four events she ran at indoor and outdoor states, which included a third-place finish in the 1600 in May. She leads all 2A returners in both the indoor and outdoor 1600 meter runs.

Kristen Prince (Sophomore, Calvert) - 2:33.80 800, 5:27.00 1600, 11:30.02 3200

Another one of the state's standout freshmen last fall, Prince wrapped up her 2019 spring season with a third-place finish in the 3200 at the 2A state meet. Her sophomore cross country season also featured a 19:14 5K personal best and a top-ten finish at the state championships.

Grace Siehler (Junior, South Carroll) - 2:28.61 800, 5:14.01 1600

A healthy sophomore track season that included a 1600 personal best (and fifth-place finish at states) was a precursor to Siehler's huge junior cross country season, during which he was the unquestioned top 2A runner despite finishing third at the state meet. Her 18:00 and 18:48 three mile and 5K season bests easily led all 2A runners and she could have many more shots at state title if she brings that form to the track this winter.

Nia Warren (Junior, Digital Harbor) - 1:26.48 500, 2:21.18 800, 5:23.75 1600, 12:16.32 3200

Photo by John Roemer

Warren placed seventh at the 3A indoor state meet in both the 800 and 1600 meter runs as a sophomore, and had her highest finish (fifth) in the 800 at the outdoor state meet. Warren's 800-meter season bests rank third and fourth among 2A returners in indoor and outdoor track, respectively.

Hurdles/Field

Samantha Cash (Junior, North Caroline) - 44.35 300, 1:23.27 500, 8.82 55H, 15.13 100H, 5'4 HJ

Cash has been a Swiss Army knife for the Bulldogs in each of her first two years. Last winter she finished second in the high jump and fifth in the 55 meter hurdles at the state meet. In the spring she finished third in the 100 meter hurdles and high jump and also scored in the 300 meter hurdles. She even ranks sixth among 2A returners in the 500 meter dash.

Eyana Dixon (Senior, La Plata) - 7.66 55, 42.68 300, 1:25.31 500, 5'2 HJ

Dixon is the only returning 2A girl who cleared 5'2 last winter, which she did at the SMAC Championships. She has the second-best returning height from last year's indoor state meet behind only Samantha Cash and also ranks sixth among returners in the 300 meter dash.

Allison Everton (Senior, Century) - 5'1 HJ

Everton, who has only competed during the winter, is one of three 2A returners (along with Cash and Dixon) to have cleared 5'1 or better last indoor season. Her highest finish at the state meet came in 2018 as a sophomore when she finished fifth.

Brooke Flanigan (Senior, South Carroll) - 8.74 55H, 15.30 100H

Flanigan has finished fourth or better at the state championships four times, with three of them coming as a junior (including her highest finish, third, at last year's indoor state meet in the 55 meter hurdles). Her 8.74 personal best in the 55 meter hurdles is eighth-best among returners across the state.

Deborah Gnoumou (Senior, Seneca Valley) - 1:28.90 500, 8.61 55H, 15.05 100H, 5'3 HJ

After placing second in the 55 meter hurdles at last year's indoor state meet Gnoumou won her second career individual state title in the spring in the 100 meter hurdles. Her 15.05 100 meter hurdles time ranks seventh among returners in Maryland. She also cleared 5'3 in the high jump over the summer after jumping 5'0 at last year's 2A West regional meet.

Chidinma Mba (Senior, Century) - 5'4 HJ

Photo by John Roemer

Mba broke out for the Knights in a big way last spring. She entered the spring with a 4'9 personal best in the high jump, but cleared 4'10 in her first meet of the spring and cleared 5'0 with regularity throughout the season. That season ended with a runner-up finish at the 2A state meet and she is the only 2A returner to have cleared 5'4.

Thalia Summerville (Senior, Digital Harbor) - 7.64 55, 43.76 300, 8.58 55H, 14.60 100H

Summerville finished third at the 3A indoor state meet in the 55 meter hurdles, and had placed second in the prelims of the 100 meter hurdles in the spring before finishing eighth in the finals. She stacks up well against the 2A returners, leading in both the 55 and 100 meter hurdle rankings.

Asia Travers (Senior, Elkton) - 36'6.75 SP

After finishing second at both the indoor and outdoor state meets as a sophomore, Travers broke through at last year's indoor state meet, throwing a personal-best 36'6.75 to win her first individual state title. No other 2A returner came within three feet of that mark last winter.