What a difference a year makes.
Tsedeke Jakovics was not even a second team All-County selection following the 2023 outdoor track and field season. One year later, the Old Mill High distance runner is the Capital Gazette Athlete of the Year.
Jakovics went from being a non-factor in the spring postseason meets in 2023 to performing at an extremely high level in 2024. He capped a strong outdoor campaign by capturing the Class 4A state championship in the 800-meter run with a time of 1 minute, 53.40 seconds.
Jakovics scored a total of 24 individual points at the 4A state meet by also placing second in the 1,600 and third in the 3,200. For good measure, the rapidly developing junior ran a sizzling anchor leg as Old Mill secured a state title in the 4×800-meter relay.
“Tsedeke started to show some form during the spring of his sophomore season and has been making tremendous strides ever since,” Old Mill coach Justin Murdock said. “It came down to Tsedeke putting the work in to get better. He started taking training more seriously and has come a really long way as a result.”
Jakovics began the 2024 postseason by capturing Anne Arundel County championships in both the 800 and 1,600. He claimed Class 4A East Region crowns in the 800 and 3,200 while placing second in the 1,600.
Along the way, Jakovics posted personal records in all three events — 1:51.64 in the 800, 4:09.53 in the 1,600 and 9:15.38 in the 3,200. Old Mill distance coach Chris Dyer thinks the 17-year-old is just starting to scratch the surface.
“If you track Tsedeke’s times from freshman year until now, he just keeps making these huge leaps. What’s most impressive is that he still doesn’t have the complete tool set,” Dyer said. “Once we build up the strength and stamina in his legs he is going to be able to do great things.”
Jakovics grew up in Severna Park playing soccer, basketball and baseball. He focused primarily on baseball for about eight years before burning out.
Jakovics transferred to Old Mill High as a freshman after being accepted into the International Baccalaureate program and discovered distance running at the suggestion of his mother.
“After I stopped playing baseball my mother told me I needed to find another sport in order to stay physically active,” Jakovics said. “I went out for cross country and liked the team’s family atmosphere, so I stuck with it.”
Murdock and Dyer immediately recognized the vast potential of Jakovics, who is of Ethiopian descent and has the ideal body frame for a distance runner — 6-foot-1 and 150 pounds. They were patient with the newcomer’s development as Jakovics came into the sport raw with a lot to learn.
However, as Jakovics continued to post mediocre times as a sophomore, Dyer began to get frustrated: “I was like, ‘Dude, you have way too much talent to be running this poorly.’ I challenged Tsedeke to start taking the sport more seriously.”
Dyer directs an informal offseason training program for distance runners from Anne Arundel County and beyond. He was disappointed that Jakovics was not more engaged last summer and was averaging about 35 to 38 miles per week.
“It seemed like Tsedeke always had something else to do other than training,” Dyer said.
That all changed after Jakovics started the 2023 cross country season by placing second at the Seahawk Invitational with a superb time of 15:26.98. Dyer called it a breakout race that completely changed the runner’s attitude.
“I think Tsedeke was very surprised he did that well and I think that is the day he got hooked on truly being a runner. He’s been great to work with ever since,” said Dyer, who convinced Jakovics to increase his weekly mileage to 50.
That increased commitment paid dividends at the end of cross country season as Jakovics captured the Class 4A East Region championship, then finished second at the state meet behind Thomas Johnson’s James Partlow. He posted a time (15:44.95) that ranks ninth in the history of state championship meets held on the difficult three-mile course at Hereford High.
Flush with increased confidence, Jakovics solidified his standing as one of the state’s top distance runners during the indoor track and field season — sweeping Anne Arundel County championships in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200. He captured the Class 4A state title in the 800 with a state indoor meet record time of 1:54.82 and was runner-up in the 1,600.
Jakovics drew the attention of Division I recruiters by placing third in the 800-meter run at the Nike Indoor Nationals with a time of 1:52.44. He is motivated to earn a scholarship to a high academic school and is spending this summer training hard with the informal workout group known as the “Goon Squad.”
“Tsedeke is built more for the 800 right now, but hopefully this summer we’ll get his volume up and he’ll be ready for the two-mile,” said Dyer, who ultimately sees Jakovics excelling in the 5,000-meter run at the next level.
Jakovics credits Dyer with his rapid development over the past year and the two have already set ambitious goals for the 2024-25 academic year. Jakovics already holds 12 Old Mill records and now wants to add more state marks.
“This summer is a very crucial time in my career and I’m determined to make a ton of improvement. It’s great to have runners the caliber of Luke [Coffin] and Tanner [Piotrowski] as training partners to push me,” he said.
Jakovics is focused on consistently logging 55-mile weeks while incorporating hills into the training, which features tempo runs and interval workouts. He is also pursuing plyometrics and weightlifting to build muscle and increase strength.
“Coach Chris really thinks I have a lot of untapped potential. If I train intensely this summer it could yield some big results during my senior year,” said Jakovics, who wants to start the cross country season by setting the course record at the Seahawk Invitational and hopes to eventually crack four minutes in the mile.
“I really do trust [Dyer’s] training, and if I don’t get hurt I truly think I can hit those times he has put out there as goals,” Jakovics said.
Murdoch said the sky’s the limit for Jakovics, whom he envisions becoming a collegiate All-American and Olympic contender. “Tsedeke has that type of top tier talent,” he said.
Coach of the Year
Stacy Severtson, Crofton
Crofton’s boys captured the first Anne Arundel County championship in program history thanks to contributions from numerous competitors.
Adetoye Onyekaba won the shot put, while Christian Doss was runner-up in both the 110- and 300-meter hurdles to lead a slew of podium placements as Crofton amassed 103 ½ points — 8 ½ better than runner-up Arundel. Chase Severtson (pole vault), Micah Hewick (shot put) and Scott Cunningham (3,200) also placed second for the Cardinals, who hosted the meet and thus were able to celebrate in their home stadium.
“I think it means the world to these boys. This was their time and to have it happen at a home meet is just super-exciting,” Stacy Severtson said. “I couldn’t imagine a better ending toward what we’ve been working toward. They were so excited to host this meet and put on a good show for the county. To come away with the win is just amazing.”
Samuel Chin and Emeka Li placed third in the high jump and triple jump for Crofton, which piled up most of its points in the field events. The Cardinals had three scorers in the long and triple jumps as well as two scorers in the high jump, shot put and pole vault.
“Our seniors have been with the program for four years and it’s been amazing to watch them grow and develop together,” Coach Severtson said. “We have really, really tried hard to build an all-around team. From the beginning, we encouraged our athletes to try everything and not just specialize in one thing. We push them to be runners, throwers, jumpers and everything in between. To have the depth to pull from wherever we need it is key.”
Doss swept the two hurdle events and Chase Severtson topped the pole vault as Crofton was runner-up at the Class 4A East Region meet. Onyekeba (shot put) and Emeka Li (triple jump) contributed third place finishes for the Cardinals, whose 112 points were three behnd region champ Bowie.
First Team All-County
Caleb Adams, Chesapeake, senior
Adams ran the leadoff leg of Chesapeake’s 4×100 relay that captured the Class 4A state championship. That team, which also included Daniel Adams, Caleb Ritter and Connor Seabrease, also claimed the county championship in the 4×200 and the Class 3A East Region crowns in both the 4×100 and 4×200.
Garrett Brennan, Spalding, junior
Brennan captured the MIAA A Conference championship in the 400 (48.53) after setting a personal record (48.34) in a preliminary heat. He also ran the anchor leg of Spalding’s winning 4×400 relay team, which posted a time of 3:18.01. Brennan placed third in the same event at the East Coast Elite Meet of Champions in 48.72 then competed at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals.
Kofi Duro, Arundel, junior
Duro was the Anne Arundel County champion in the long jump (22-5 ¾). He claimed the Class 3A East Region crown in the long jump (21-9 ½) and was runner-up in the triple jump (43-2 ½). Duro placed third at the state meet in the triple jump with a personal record distance of 44-6.
Cole Friedman, Broadneck, senior
Friedman was the Anne Arundel County champion in the 100 (10.75). He ran the anchor leg as the Bruins placed second in the 4×100 relay. Friedman also captured the Class 4A East Region crown (10.82) and placed fourth at the state meet (10.77).
Martin Ohakah, North County, senior
Ohakah captured the Class 4A East Region championship in the triple jump (45-5 ½) and was runner-up in the long jump (20-9 ½). He was Anne Arundel County runner-up in both events. Ohakah placed second at the state meet in the triple jump (45-11 ¼) and third in the long jump (21-11 ¼).
Erik Penkala, Southern, junior
Penkala was the Anne Arundel County champion in the 3,200 (9:46.84). He was runner-up behind Jakovics in both the 800 and 1,600. He claimed Class 2A South Region crowns in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200. Penkala captured the Class 2A state championship in the 3,200 (9:52.21) and placed third in the 1,600 with a personal record time of 4:15.24.
Chase Severtson, Crofton, senior
Severtson was the 4A East Region champion in the pole vault at a personal-best height of 13-1. He was runner-up at the Anne Arundel County Championships and placed third at the state meet at 13-0.
Edwind Torres, Chesapeake Science Point, senior
Torres was the Anne Arundel County champion in the 110 hurdles (15.43). He placed third in the 110 hurdles and fourth in the 100-meter dash at the 1A South Region meet. Torres was runner-up in the 110 hurdles at the 1A state championships with a personal-record time of 14.68 seconds.
Gunnar Williams, Arundel, senior
Williams was the Anne Arundel County champion in the 400 (48.76) and was runner-up in the 100 (10.86). He placed second in both the 100 and 200 at the 3A East Region meet. Williams finished fourth in the 200 and fifth in the 100 at the 3A state meet, setting a personal record in the latter event with a time of 10.72 seconds.
Kian Williams, Severna Park, senior
Williams was the Anne Arundel County champion in both the high jump (6-4) and triple jump (47-4). He captured the 3A East Region title in the triple jump and placed third in the long jump. Williams secured the 3A state championship in the long jump with a personal record of 22 feet, 8 inches.
All-County second team
Harrison Akoarrey, Old Mill, 400 meters
Elijah Croskey, AACS, 400 meters
Warner DeBlock, Broadneck, discus
Christian Doss, Crofton, hurdles
Jack Drucis, St. Mary’s, long jump
Jayden Green, Indian Creek, triple jump
Zaidan Lane, Arundel, distance
Fox Larson, Broadneck, distance
Daniel Miller, Spalding, 110 hurdles
Ty Miller, Severna Park, high jump
Adetoye Onyekaba, Crofton, shot put
Connor Seabrease, Chesapeake, sprints
Kayvawn Simms-Rogers, Meade, sprints
Daniel Twegby, AACS, discus
Mason Tyus, Arundel, distance