Multi-Scorer Events: 4A States


Ella Auderset (right) was all smiles after her teammate Lydia Robling stormed back late to win the second section of the 4A girls 500 meter dash. Robling ended up placing second overall, and Auderset fourth. (Photo by Craig Amoss)

Another way of framing this exercise is examining which teams featured the most high-end depth in specific events. It's not perfect - we don't take relays into account (since teams can't have multiple scorers in the event) and there were cases when some of the better athletes in the state didn't qualify for the championships in the event, but it does give a good idea as to which programs had the best scoring groups in specific events.

The criteria? Simply score more than ten points (meaning at least two scorers) in any individual event. Some teams may fall through the cracks by having multiple low-end scorers; the Paint Branch boys scored nine points in the 55 meter hurdles, and the Urbana girls did the same in the high jump. But the spirit of the exercise is to find where teams really racked up a good chunk of their points outside of simply scoring ten points by winning the event.


Boys


1. Severna Park: 22 points in the boys 1600 (1. Carson Sloat 2. Jake Gelfand 5. Jack Muldoon)

The Falcons' team title chances rested almost solely in the distance events, and the milers certainly did their job. They didn't get quite enough in the 4x800 or 3200 to contend, but Sloat, Gelfand and Muldoon went 1-2-5 - and were sitting 1-2-3 on the final straightaway. Even more impressive? All three are juniors.

T2. Howard: 17 points in the boys shot put (1. Collin Greene 5. Christopher Joseph 6. CJ Marthins)

Howard scored 17 points at the 4A state meet, and 17 of them came courtesy of the big guys in the circle. Senior Collin Greene led the way, extending his personal best by over two feet and winning his first career state title.

T2. Paint Branch: 17 points in the boys 55 (2. Alonzo McBryde 3. Jaeden Burke 6. Chukwumdi Osuji)

It was actually almost surprising the Panthers didn't score more in the 55 dash finals after Burke, McBryde and Osuji went 1-2-5 (which would have totaled 22 points) in the prelims, and McBryde had entered as the only 4A boy to have run under 6.40 in the 55 dash.

T4. Eleanor Roosevelt: 15 points in the boys 55 (1. Laurenz Colbert 4. Khalid Hornsby)

There were eight boys in the finals of the 55 dash and only four teams represented, as both Roosevelt and Wise had two in the finals along with Paint Branch's trio. The Raiders made the most out of their junior duo, as Laurenz Colbert scored an upset win over Paint Branch's top two and Khalid Hornsby edged Arundel's Hafis Upshaw for fourth.

T4. Richard Montgomery: 15 points in the boys 500 (1. Seydi Sall 4. Avery Arizpe)

Sall's dominant victory - his first individual state title in his first individual race at states since the spring of 2017 - came on the heels of an anchor on the Rockets' 4x800, an effort he admitted had drained him physically. Fellow senior Avery Arizpe followed in fourth (third in the fast section).

5. Paint Branch: 13 points in the boys 300 (2. Jaeden Burke 4. Chukwumdi Osuji)

The Paint Branch boys appear on the boys' list twice (the only team to do so) - and in each event are the only ones to have scored 11 or more points despite not winning the event. Senior Jaeden Burke nearly won from the slow section, getting edged by Arundel's Hafis Upshaw in the next heat, while defending 300 champion Chukwumdi Osuji finished a close third in the heat and fourth overall.

6. South River: 12 points in the boys pole vault (1. Corey Troxler 7. JT Kucner)

Individually, Corey Troxler scored 16 of South River's 40 points (while Sam Keeny scored another 20) by winning the pole vault and finishing third in the high jump. Sophomore JT Kucner contributed a seventh-place finish in the pole vault to get the Seahawks on this list.


Girls


1. Urbana: 14 points in the girls 500 (2. Lydia Robling 4. Ella Auderset)

Senior Lydia Robling's hard charge to win the second heat of the 4A girls 500 was one of the most unexpected performances of the day (especially considering she beat her teammate and defending state champion Ella Auderset). It wasn't enough to beat KC Ashiogwu's time from the first heat, but the Hawks did still get 14 big points from the 500.

T2. Broadneck: 12 points in the girls 1600 (2. Anna Janke 5. Grace Denius)

Anna Janke came closer than anyone in taking down defending state champion Bronwyn Patterson, whose mid-distance speed was just too much for Janke in the final lap. However, Janke and sophomore Grace Denius - who continues to rapidly improve - combined for 12 of the team's 19 points in the 1600 alone.

T2. Urbana: 12 points in the girls pole vault (2. Harmony Hartje 6. Jessica Kilgore 8. Lauren Custer)

It should be obvious which team was the runaway 4A girls team champion (they could have had more on this list, too, if junior Ella Auderset hadn't run three relays). Urbana got 12 more in the pole vault led by senior runner-up Harmony Hartje.

T4. C.H. Flowers: 11 points in the girls 55 hurdles (2. Arie McIlwain 6. Nnenna Nnakwu)

Both McIlwain and Nnakwu are juniors - as is Anissa Bernard, who had finished ninth in the prelims of the hurdles. Bernard had actually finished as the runner-up at the 4A Central regional meet, so they could have scored even more in the hurdles had Bernard repeated that performance at states. In the end, it did not cost the Jaguars, who edged Richard Montgomery by two points for second place in the team standings.

T4. Howard: 11 points in the girls 1600 (3. Amanda Eliker 4. Nimrit Ahuja)

The girls 1600 field was wide open heading into the race considering eventual champion Bronwyn Patterson hadn't raced the event much all season. Two Howard girls took advantage and jumped into the top four, scoring 11 of the Lions' 18 points on the evening.