Strong performances in the distance and field events carried the Crofton boys indoor track and field team to the Class 4A Central Region championship, held Wednesday night at the Prince George’s Sports & Learning Complex.
It marks the first regional championship for Crofton, which has been a runner-up twice before.
The Cardinals captured championships in two individual events and a relay. London Layton came away as region champ in the 3,200-meter run, while Chase Severtson took the title in the pole vault. Crofton’s other first place results came in the 4×800 relay.
Crofton scored in 15 of 16 events in posting a winning score of 110 ½ points — 46 ½ better than Old Mill and Parkville, which tied for second with 64 points. Broadneck placed fifth in the boys team standings with 53 ½ points.
“The boys definitely performed beyond our expectations. We had a lot of athletes post personal-bests,” Crofton coach Stacey Severtson said.
Layton won the two-mile run with a time of 10 minutes, 5.46 seconds and was followed across the line by teammate Jackson Lastowski in 10:13.19. Campbell Gelineau finished fourth as Crofton scored 23 points in that event alone.
Layton finished fourth in the 1,600-meter run with a personal-record time of 4:29.5 to qualify for the state meet in that event as well.
Severtson, whose mother is the Crofton coach, topped the pole vault at a height of 11 feet, 11 inches. Teammate Logan Zakour also cleared 11-11 with Severtson winning based on number of misses. Both Crofton vaulters have posted personal-bests of 12-6 and will shoot for that height at the state meet.
Emmett Kloss, Alec MacMillan, Andrew Sjoberg and Spencer Harrison made up the Crofton 4×800 relay team, which won with a time of 8:28.83, just ahead of Anne Arundel rival Old Mill (8:29.23).
Harrison also placed third in the 800, while teammate Bryan Schaeffer took third in the 500. Overall, Crofton qualified nine individuals and two relays for the Class 4A state championships, which will be held Feb. 20 at the Prince George’s Sports & Learning Complex.
“We have put ourselves in position to contend for the state championship,” said Coach Severtson, who sees Old Mill, Thomas Johnson and Urbana as the primary competition.
Distance runner Tsedeke Jakovics led the way for Old Mill by winning both the 800 and 1,600. Broadneck’s Fox Larson was runner-up in both of those events, while teammate Jack Loomis took third in both the 1,600- and 3,200.
Meade sprinter Kayvawn Simms-Rogers had a strong meet, winning the 55-meter dash with a personal-record time of 6.48 seconds. Simms-Rogers also finished fifth in the 300.
Broadneck’s Joshua Rowe claimed the region crown in the shot put with a throw of 43-6. He led a podium sweep for Anne Arundel athletes with Crofton’s Micah Hewick placing second and Keonte Brown-Siscoe of Annapolis taking third.
Casey Gish and Carson Boteler led one-two finishes in both the high jump and pole vault to lead the Broadneck girls to a runner-up result on the girls side. The Bruins also captured the region championship in the 4×800-meter relay in amassing 94 ½ points — 31 ½ less than Class 4A Central Region champion Woodlawn.
“I was really impressed with the team’s performance. It was a challenging region and we knew that coming in. I thought everyone came out and performed very well,” Broadneck coach Josh Webster said.
Gish won the high jump at a height of 5-foot, 4-inches, while teammate Ciara Haney took second with a PR of 5-2. Gish has jumped 5-6 and will try to clear that height or better at the state meet.
“Casey works really hard and this meet was just another example of her being a great teammate and leader,” Webster said.
Boteler took home the region title in the pole vault at 11 feet. Her personal-best is 11-6 and that might be the height necessary if she is to capture a third state championship.
“Carson recently moved up to a new pole and it has been cool to watch her progress,” Webster said of the former gymnast. “I think as she gets more comfortable with this new pole she can improve on her PR.”
Broadneck freshman Dana Doubek placed second by clearing 9-6, which was almost a foot improvement over her previous PR.
Raleigh Kerst, Sophia Clements, Cayman Holmes and Natalie Crooks made up the Broadneck 4×800 relay, which won with a time of 10:11.16.
Annapolis distance runner Maggie Moylan had an impressive meet, winning both the mile and two-mile runs. Moylan ran 5:44.8 to win the 1,600 by almost four seconds, then blazed the 3,200 in 12:47.98 — more than 23 seconds faster than runner-up Nicole Hobbs of Crofton.
Class 4A Central Region Championships
Girls Team Results
1, Woodlawn, 126 points; 2, Broadneck, 94 ½ points; 3, Western, 68; 4, Crofton 53; 5, Meade 36 ½; 6, Annapolis 32 ½
Girls Individual Results (Anne Arundel athletes only)
300-meter dash — Janayis Mendoza, Meade, fourth, 41.20 PR
500-meter run — Isabelle Franklin, Meade, second, 1:19.06 PR; Maggie Blanford, North County, fourth, 1:22.08
800-meter run — Natalie Crooks, Broadneck, second, 2:29.93 PR; Elania Manville, Crofton, third, 2:32.58
1,600-meter run — Maggie Moylan, Annapolis, champ, 5:44.80; Isabel Meadows-Soto, Old Mill, third, 5:54.24 PR
3,200-meter run — Maggie Moylan, Annapolis, champ, 12:47.98; Nicole Hobbs, Crofton, second, 13:11.18; Lindsay Fernandez, Glen Burnie, third, 13:11.39
55-meter hurdles — Jaslyn Bangoura, Meade, third, 8.73
4×800-meter relay — Broadneck, champ (Raleigh Kerst, Sophia Clements, Cayman Holmes, Natalie Crooks), 10:11.16; Crofton, third, 11:03.30
Shot put — Abigail Makela, Crofton, second, 32-6; Vannessa Duhu, Glen Burnie, third, 32-1
High jump — Casey Gish, Broadneck, champ, 5-4; 2, Ciara Haney, Broadneck, second, 5-2
Pole vault — Carson Boteler, Broadneck, champ, 11-0; Dana Doubek, Broadneck, second, 9-6; Isabella Fuerherd, North County, third, 9-0
Boys Team Results
1, Crofton 110 ½; 2, (tie) Old Mill and Parkville, 64; 4, Mervo, 63 ½; 5, Broadneck 53 ½
Boys Individual Results (Anne Arundel athletes only)
55-meter dash — Kayvawn Simms-Rogers, Meade, champ, 6.48 PR
500-meter run — Matthew Calinda, Meade, second, 1:06.69; Bryan Schaeffer, Crofton, third, 1:08.32
800-meter run — Tsedeke Jakovics, Old Mill, champ, 1:58.68; Fox Larson, Broadneck, second, 2:00.35; 3, Spencer Harrison, Crofton, third, 2:03.52
1,600-meter run — Tsedeke Jakovics, Old Mill, champ, 4:20.93; Fox Larson, Broadneck, second, 4:26.23; Jack Loomis, Broadneck, third, 4:29.11
3,200-meter run — London Layton, Crofton, champ, 10:05.46; Jackson Lastowski, Crofton, second, 10:13.19; Jack Loomis, Broadneck, third, 10:23.28
55-meter hurdles — Chancellor DeRosier, Old Mill, second, 7.65 PR
4×200-meter relay — Meade, third, Simms-Rogers leadoff leg, 1:34.83
4×400-meter relay — Crofton, third, 3:37.02
4×800-meter relay — Crofton, champ (Emmett Kloss, Alec MacMillan, Andrew Sjoberg, Spencer Harrison), 8:28.83; Old Mill, second, 8:29.23; North County, third, 8:44.29
Shot put: Joshua Rowe, Broadneck, champ, 43-6; Micah Hewick, Crofton, second, 43-1 ½; Keonte Brown-Siscoe, Annapolis, 41-9
High jump — Ronnie Burrell, Old Mill, second, 5-6
Pole vault — Chase Severtson, Crofton, champ, 11-11; Logan Zakour, Crofton, 11-11; Elijah Ford, North County, 11-5