Daron and Zachary Taylor are the driving forces behind Harford Tech's chances to finish in the top five in the team standings on Monday. (Photo by Craig Amoss)
Let's take a look at how each of the top 2A teams could bring home this year's 2A boys team title.
Top Projected Boys Teams (based on season bests - non-state qualifiers are not counted in any event)
- Oakdale High School Bears - 77 points
- Milford Mill High School Millers - 61 points
- Century High School Knights - 51 points
- Harford Tech High School Cobras - 33 points
- Wicomico High School Indians - 32 points
- Westlake High School Wolverines - 27 points
- Kent Island High School Buccaneers - 25 points
- Parkside High School Rams - 22 points
- Frederick Douglass-PG High School Eagles - 20 points
- Williamsport High School Wildcats - 19 points
- Potomac High School Wolverines - 18 points
- South Carroll High School Cavaliers - 18 points
- Thomas Stone High School Cougars - 12 points
- Liberty High School Lions - 11 points
- Walkersville High School Lions - 11 points
- Digital Harbor High School Rams - 10 points
- New Town High School Titans - 9 points
- North Caroline High School Bulldogs - 9 points
- Randallstown High School Rams - 7 points
- Boonsboro High School Warriors - 5 points
- Glenelg High School Gladiators - 5 points
- Middletown High School Knights - 5 points
- Patuxent High School Panthers - 5 points
- Calvert High School Cavaliers - 4 points
- La Plata High School Warriors - 4 points
- Elkton High School Golden Elks - 2 points
- Patterson High School Clippers - 2 points
- Queen Anne's County High School Lions - 2 points
- Poolesville High School Falcons - 1 point
Century High School Knights
Century's Hayden Hebert owns the fifth-fastest 3200 time by a junior this indoor season. (Photo by Craig Amoss)
Tyler Dregely and Hayden Hebert both have chances to score 14-plus points by themselves from the 500 through the 3200. Senior Chet Brunner is the only 2A boy to have thrown 50-plus feet in the shot put, and the Knights could be Oakdale's top challenger in the 4x800 relay on Monday.
Harford Tech High School Cobras
Shimon Simpson ran 8.07 - his third-fastest time of the year - at the SMAC Classic.
Even without junior Kevin Baranoski, one of the top 2A runners during the cross country season, the Cobras are still led by their twin senior duo of Daron and Zachary Taylor. When converting from the mile they have the third- and fourth-best 1600 times among 2A runners this year and can also score points in the 4x800 and 4x400 (both scratched out of the 800 according to the MPSSAA website). Junior Shimon Simpson is also one of just two 2A boys to have cracked eight seconds in the hurdles this year.
Milford Mill High School Millers
Shavar Staats is still the only 2A boy to have run under 6.50 seconds in the 55 meter dash. (Photo by Brandon Miles)
The Millers' sprint depth will help them contend for their second title in the past six years. Shavar Staats, Marquis Miller, Korede Otusajo and Breez Wigfield are all contenders in events from the 55 dash all the way through the 800, and they are still the only team in the state to have run under 3:25 in the 4x400 relay.
Oakdale High School Bears
Lee Goodson finished ninth in the 800 at last year's outdoor state meet. Will this be the first time he scores individually at states? (Photo by Craig Amoss)
Senior Kyle Lund is the driving force behind Oakdale's quest to repeat as 2A indoor champions. He is the favorite in the 800 and 1600 (he hasn't lost a race in either since his season debut on December 14 when he ran his season best), and they are also favorites in the 4x800 and contenders in the 4x400. Lee Goodson, Collin Dempsey and Nicholas Rohwer also figure to factor into the individual scoring.
Wicomico High School Indians
Wicomico edged Parkside in the 4x200 at the 2A East regionals as the two teams clocked 2A #1 and #2 times.
Wicomico's strength will be on the field in the high jump. Junior Geoff Point-Du-Jour leads all 2A athletes this year (6'2) and senior Steve Tius is tied for third on the 2A leaderboard at 5'11. Tius is also a potential scorer in the 300 meter dash, and the Wicomico boys also own the fastest 4x200 time of any team in 2A at 1:32.40.