Jay Pendarvis, Jr., was just one of several Bullis seniors who had their opportunities for big final seasons taken away. Pendarvis and the rest of the Bulldogs had the chance to form the best sprint core on the boys' side they have ever had. (Photo by Craig Amoss)
The Bullis sprinters
They may have had their best-ever single class of sprinters this spring: Ashton Allen (6.35 55 this winter), Ryan Willie (33.81 300), Jay Pendarvis (34.19 300), David Vincent Okoli (6.45 55) and Jabril El-Amin (1:07.03 500). Their 3:22.54 4x400 time this past indoor season ranked 16th in the US, but they had only scratched the surface of what this group could have done at full strength in the spring. They won the New Balance 4x400 title last spring when they ran their US #1 3:09.86, and they had the depth to challenge that mark once again. Anchored by shorter sprinters like Allen and Okoli, it's possible a Bullis 4x200 team could have potentially been one of the best in the entire country as well.
Savian Barrett, Good Counsel
Barrett's 10.76 personal best from last spring's WCAC Championships ranked him fifth in the state and third among non-seniors, behind Roosevelt's Laurenz Colbert and the aforementioned Okoli. Colbert was the only person last year to break 10.70 seconds in the 100, and even his two sub-10.70 performances came well after the high school season ended in early June. Barrett could have been right up at the top of the leaderboard leading the charge to break 10.70 this spring.
Henry Hardart, Archbishop Spalding
Hardart's 2:30 solo performance in the 1000 at the Private Schools Invitational put him in elite company over the winter, ranking among the top 20 times in the country (on a flat track, no less). Hardart also helped the Spalding boys run a MD #5 time in the 4x800 and win an MIAA title, and he clocked a MD #7 time in the 1600/mile.
Owen Johnson, Calvert Hall
In late February, Johnson ran 8:27 for 3000 meters at the Boston University Last Chance Invitational. Over the course of the past decade, only Ryan Lockett and Rohann Asfaw ran faster times in the event, both at the 2017 Penn Relays. Johnson's time corresponds to about a 9:05 3200, and the only Maryland runners this decade who ran under nine minutes were Loyola's Matt Jablonski and McDonogh's Dalton Hengst. Johnson certainly could have gotten the opportunity to become just the third boy since 2011 to break the nine-minute barrier.
Nicholas Karayianis, Bullis
Karayianis ran a breakthrough 9:11 full two miles at the Bullis Speed Invitational in late January and then followed it up with a 4:19 full mile at the University of Kentucky HS Invitational. The two-time MD Private School XC state champion could have potentially challenged the nine-minute mark, along with Johnson, this spring.
Ty Trinh, Calvert Hall
Of all returning boys this season across the state, Trinh had the best mark in the triple jump last spring, jumping 46'10.75 at the Arcadia Invitational and then 47'1.75 over the summer. While his 45'5.50 mark this indoor season was only tied for fourth-best in Maryland, he did win the MIAA championship this indoor season, beating out Gilman junior Josh Green (who had the best mark in Maryland).
Sean Tucker, Calvert Hall
Tucker won his fourth MIAA title this indoor season, tying his 6.46 personal best at the conference championships. He then rounded out his season by winning the Bullis Speed Invitational, setting a new personal best (6.41, tied for fourth-best in Maryland) and finishing sixth in the prelims of the 60 meter dash at the Millrose Games. Speaking of the chase to break 10.70, Tucker could have been right at the top of the list after not competing much last outdoor season.
