IAAM Indoor Track and Field Championship Preview
3 teams in A conference aim for championship title; 4 teams in B conference make bid
By: Louis Foudos
A Conference
Mount de Sales, McDonogh, and Maryvale enter the championship meet Friday as the top teams in the A conference. De Sales won this past cross country title and the 2018 outdoor title, and they enter with a very formidable distance squad. McDonogh was second at last year’s indoor championship, and they have won both league meets this season. Maryale has won three consecutive indoor titles.
Mount de Sales enters this meet with quite a bit of firepower. They are led by Sam Facius, Bella Whittaker, and Juliette Whittaker. At the very competitive Montgomery County Invitational this past weekend the Sailors won the 4x800, Juliette Whittaker won the 3200, Bella Whittaker finished second in the 500, and Sam Facius was third in the 1600. Individually, these three could win the 300, 500, 800, 1600, and 3200 this Friday. In addition, Alexis Boyko sits second in the league in hurdles, Mae Smith enters the meet as the league’s best high jumper, and Meredith Buller is the league’s best shot putter. The Sailors also own the top times in all three relays.
McDonogh will present more than a challenge. The Eagles are very strong in the sprints and field events, led by Jada Seaman, who won both the 55 and long jump this past weekend at Montgomery. The Eagles have three of the top four qualifiers in the 55 dash, and they sit first and fourth in hurdles. In the field, they have the top three spots in long jump, and three of the top four spots in shot put. Olivia Ozbolt will look to do well in distance, as she is third and fourth in the league in the 800 and 1600, respectively.
Maryvale has finished second in both league meets this year. Examining his team, Coach Jason Miller says, “With the youngest team in school history, the Maryvale Track and Field team has covered the bases pretty well in all the events as far as qualifying is concerned. The team is a very competitive group that has a no quit attitude.” Maryvale may not be as strong as the past couple of years, but they are balanced, and they can score in most events. Rachel Thomas is ranked in the top four in the 800, 1600, and 3200. Tara Coyne and Lydia Phillips are second and third in pole vault, and Tara Coyne and Emily Chung are second and third in high jump.
B Conference
Catholic won last year’s indoor championship, but this year looks to be the most competitive the conference has been with four teams potentially in the mix.
Glenelg won the first league meet and finished third in the second league meet. Coach Brian Bonn says, “The girls have worked very hard to be prepared for Friday. Our coaches hold them to a high standard and they have risen to the challenge. Aniya Diggs, Kate Sites, Deja Ravenell, and Amanda Ruffin will be the core of our point scorers, each running 4 events. Key additions in the distance events with Emily Shorb, Laura Littlefield, Erin Jacobs, and Emily Kavic help bolster our team score.” Glenelg can score in almost every event, but they are particularly strong in the 55, 300, 500, and long jump.
Catholic hopes to defend their title. Discussing his team’s chances heading into Friday, Coach Planamente says, “They are extremely hard workers and have created a positive atmosphere both on and off of the track. Everything we have done this year was to put the team in a better position in the standings for Championships. They have responded with overwhelming effort and I could not ask for much more.” While the Cubs lost 16 seniors from last year’s championship meet, Catholic looks strong heading into Friday. Abby Baummer and Abbey Sullivan will lead the distance effort for Catholic. Caroline Trimble is seeded fourth in long jump and second in triple. Catholic should also score well in pole vault.
Roland Park has had a strong season, and they hope to get over the edge and win the title. Coach Ruby says, “We have a young team that is excited for the challenge ahead. My girls know they have to work hard for every point and hopefully at the end of it all we are sitting on top.” The Reds have finished second in both league meets this year, including by 1.5 points at the last league meet. Alyana Gibson is their leader. She is the league’s top runner in the 800, 1600, and 3200, and she won those three events at the last meet. Tavianne Maultsby is seeded fifth in the 55, and she is tied for the conference lead in high jump. The Reds will also look to Emilia Current and Autumn Johnson in the long and triple to bring back big points.
Palotti has had a very strong season, and they hope to make an upset at championships this year. Coach Troy Eggleston says, “We have grown significantly with a very good freshman class giving us the ability to fill events we could not in previous years. Led by senior Cynthia Roberts’ consistency and league leading shot put performance along with Quai Skeete-Ridley’s wide range from the 55M-500M, these two have a great opportunity to set the stage for the team.” Kamylin Padgham leads the league in the 55 dash, while Nya Moore leads the league in the hurdles. Skylia Day is tied for the top seed in high jump, while Delaina Callaway sits third in long jump.