Khalid Hornsby (left) and Antonio Sims competing at this year's Virginia Showcase. (Photos by Mary Ann Magnant)
With Adidas Indoor Nationals quickly approaching, we kick off our preview coverage by looking at the Maryland athletes entered in the boys sprint events!
Adidas Indoor Nationals Homepage - Entries - Current MD Leaderboard
Championship Events
60 Meter Dash (4 entered)
Eleanor Roosevelt senior Laurenz Colbert has been on another level since winning the 4A indoor state title in the 55-meter dash last winter in his most recent race in a Roosevelt uniform. His 6.35 55-meter dash time from the Virginia Showcase is tied for the 11th-fastest in the nation this winter. Teammate Khalid Hornsby is also among the top 30 in the United States at 6.45. Also entered in the championship section are Baltimore area private school seniors Jamir Roberts (Gilman, 6.52) and Aaron Ray (Loyola-Blakefield, 6.61).
200 Meter Dash (4 entered)
While Colbert has improved markedly in the 60-meter dash as a senior, it is in the 200-meter dash that he has truly excelled in on a national level. This year, only Florida's Jaylen Slade has clocked a faster time than Colbert's 21.08 personal best. Colbert could be Maryland's best chance at taking home a title in a championship event at Adidas Indoor Nationals this year. Ray (21.88) and Hornsby (22.46) are also entered, as is Green Street Academy sophomore Daysen Shell (22.78).
400 Meter Dash (2 entered)
The last we saw of Bullis transfer Luke Schroeder, he won the 400 meter dash at the Grant Holloway Invitational, clocking a US #9 mark of 48.35. Since 2010 only four Maryland athletes have clocked a sub-48 second indoor 400 (Ashton Allen, Sean Sutton, Champ Page and Justin Marsh). Joining Schroeder in the championship section of the 400 will be Churchill junior Langston Major, who dropped a 35.60 300 at the Virginia Showcase.
60 Meter Hurdles (2 entered)
Calvert Hall junior Thomas Smith IV has been on a roll all year, and is coming off a career-best performance at the SPIRE Scholastic Showcase (8.03 60-meter hurdles, which converts to a 7.49 mark, 15th-fastest in the country). Digital Harbor senior Shawn Getzen owns a personal best mark of 7.58 and was last year's 2A indoor state champion in the event.
Open Events
60 Meter Dash (8 entered)
Riverdale Baptist junior Antonio Sims leads all Maryland entrants on the current indoor leaderboard, having run 6.68 at the Virginia Showcase. Also entered: Daron Carter (Bishop McNamara), Hazael Magino (Walter Johnson), Jubelo Oyeniran (Lansdowne), Nicholas Page (Good Counsel), Javar-Malik Roberts (Bishop McNamara), Daysen Shell (Green Street Academy) and Travis White (Bishop McNamara).
200 Meter Dash (11 entered)
Maryland rolls deep in the open section of the 200 meter dash, with a group led by the previously mentioned Antonio Sims (22.45 season best). The group also includes Malachi Carter (22.74) and Langston Major (22.92, 35.60 300) as well as Bullis senior Sydney Peal (35.49 300). Also entered: Aaron Charles (Dunbar), Isaiah Howard (Digital Harbor), Justice Quainoo (DuVal), Andrew Ray (Loyola-Blakefield), Alonzo Sims (Riverdale Baptist) and Travis White (Bishop McNamara).
400 Meter Dash (15 entered)
If Maryland rolls deep in the 200 meter dash, the state is practically sending a small army in the open section of the 400 meter dash. Only two runners have gone under 50 seconds this year in the 400, but that could easily change at Adidas Nationals. Alonzo (50.13) and Antonio (50.80) Sims have already come close this year, as have Andrew Ray (50.92) and Bishop McNamara's Nikolas Butler-Simpson (50.96). The field also includes the aforementioned Sydney Peal, Langston Major and Thomas Smith IV, all of whom have run under 36 seconds in the 300 this winter. Also entered: Marquise Burks (Bowie), Vaughn DeVaughn III (Mergenthaler Vo-Tech), Jordan Halliburton (Bowie), Antwon Harris (Digital Harbor), Jevon Johnson (Oxon Hill), Cahree Myrick (Calvert Hall), Justice Quainoo (DuVal), Alex Ransone (Kent Island), Will Ransone (Kent Island) and Andrew Ray (Loyola-Blakefield).
60 Meter Hurdles (9 entered)
Many of Maryland's top current hurdlers find themselves with a chance to go head-to-head in the open section of the 60 meter hurdles. Cahree Myrick (7.89 converted season best) and Vaughn DeVaughn III are two of the only three boys to have gone under eight seconds in the 55 meter hurdles so far this indoor season. Also entered: Marquise Burks (Bowie), Daron Carter (Bishop McNamara), Dominic Griffin, Jr. (Digital Harbor), Dvonte Hearns (Digital Harbor), Isaiah Howard (Digital Harbor), Andrew Ray (Loyola-Blakefield) and Javar-Malik Roberts (Bishop McNamara).