Maryland State Track Championships – Northwest Powers through 4A

The Northwest High School Jaguars won the boys indoor Maryland State Track Championships by a rather comfortable margin, especially for all of the talent that is annually in division 4A – the largest schools in MPSSAA competition. They scored 73 points, 18 better than Bowie’s 55 and 33 points more than C.H. Flowers in third place. It was a much more comfortable margin of victory than their two-point win over Paint Branch in 2014, and three points over Bowie.

Picking up 20 points for Northwest was middle distance runner Diego Zarate, who was a double winner in the 800 and 1600 in 1:58.3 and 4:22.96.  Zarate was the winner of the 1600 a year ago (4:21) while also gaining six points in the 3200.

Also winning state titles for Northwest was hurdler Shyheim Wright and high jumper Aaron Beidleman. For the latter, it was keeping the title in Northwest’s possession, as his 6-02 winning jump equaled teammate Austin Castleberry’s winner in 2014.

Here is a listing of champions in 2015…

MPSSAA Division 4A State Indoor Track State Champions 2015 – Boys

55 Dash – Brenen Garrett – Henry A. Wise – 6.33

300 Meters – Jaron Woodyard – Thomas S. Wootton – 35.14

500 Meters – Aaron Robinson – Oxon Hill – 1:06.20

800 Meters – Diego Zarate – Northwest – 1:58.3

1600 Meters – Diego Zarate – Northwest – 4:22.96

3200 Meters – Eric Walz – Dulaney – 9:37.97

55 Hurdles – Shyheim Wright – Northwest – 7.27

4×200 – Bowie – 1:30.51

4×400 – Bowie – 3:27.59

4x 800 – Paint Branch – 8:05.85

High Jump – Aaron Beidleman – Northwest – 6:02

Pole Vault – Trey Clark – Howard – 13-00

Shot – Noah Vernick – Quince Orchard – 53-02.50

Team Standings – Top 5

1 – Northwest – 73

2 – Bowie – 55

3 – C.H. Flowers – 40

4 – Paint Branch – 39

5 – Oxon Hill – 36

4A Girls – Clarksburg Tops Bowie and South River by 11 Points Each

The Clarksburg girls indoor track team was second to South River just a year ago, but they flipped places this season. They also topped 2013 champion Bowie by the same 11-point margin.

Clarksburg’s lone individual state champion was junior Alexus Pyles in the 55 hurdles, defending her title from 2014. Her freshman sister, Cierra, took fourth place in the event for an additional five points.

The only other Clarksburg individual scoring on the track came from Lucie Noall, who placed fourth in the 1600 in 5:23. The 4×200 relay squad gained six points on a third-place finish.

But the biggest pile of points came from the high jump with a total of 16, as the Plyes girls took second and seventh, along with Naja Mcadam finishing third.

Here is a listing of champions in 2015…

MPSSAA Division 4A State Indoor Track State Champions 2015 – Girls

55 Meters – Adassa Phillips – Paint Branch – 7.18

300 Meters – Martha Sam – James H. Blake – 39.28

500 Meters – Taylor Williams – Bowie – 1:15.51

800 Meters – Clare Severe – Walt Whitman – 2:15.3

1600 Meters – Kiernan Keller – Walter Johnson – 5:01.47

3200 Meters – Nora McUmber – Bethesda-CC – 11:03.93

55 Hurdles – Alexus Pyles – Clarksburg – 8.07

4×200 – Paint Branch – 1:44.53

4×400 – James H. Blake – 3:58.62

4×800 – Walt Whitman – 9:40.67

High Jump – Reilly Wagner – South River – 5-04

Pole Vault – Lea Carter – South River – 10-06

Shot – Taylor Scaife – Howard – 41-07.50

Team Standings – Top 5

1 – Clarksburg – 46

2 – Bowie – 35

2 – South River – 35

4 – Paint Branch – 34

5 – Northwest – 31.5