It’s a habit Smithsburg runners could get used to getting.
The Leopards collected another major championship on Saturday as the boys indoor track team won the Maryland Class 1A West regional title on Saturday at Prince George’s Sportsplex.
The postseason continues to be the right time of the year for Smithsburg’s boys. This title comes on the heels of the Leopards’ earlier triumph when they won Maryland Class 1A state cross country title last fall.
Smithsburg’s success highlighted a nice outing by Washington County in the Class 1A and 3A meet as 11 individuals and a relay team won region championships.
Dylan Herbst and Dylan Lowe paced Smithsburg as the Leopards scored 76 points to outdistance for the team title.
Herbst earned three spots in the state meet by winning the 1,600-meter run, clocking in 4:34.78, while placing third in 800 (2:08.33) and fifth in 3,200 (10:22.19).
Meanwhile, Lowe won the 800 in 2:07.24.
The top two finishers in each event automatically qualified for the state meet along with any runners who finished under the state qualifying standards.
Levi Miller scored another automatic spot for Smithsburg at states by finishing second in the 300 (37.45).
Michael Wynkoop qualified in two events with a third in the 3,200 (10:19.15) and fourth in the 1,600 (4:40.18).
Cadyn Nesbitt tied for third in the pole vault (12-6), and Luke Scott finished sixth in the pole vault (11-6) for Smithsburg via qualifying standards.
Smithsburg will also send two relay teams to the state meet as the 4×400 team of Miller, Lowe, Herbst and Wynkoop (3:46.24), and the 4×800 team of Lowe, Camilo Mellott, Gavin Gross and Charles Higgins (8:54.20) each finished second in the events.
Boonsboro will send two to states as Wyatt Hegedus placed third in the 300 (37.87) and Harley Paugh qualified for state while placing ninth in the pole vault (11 feet).
Clear Spring gave Boonsboro a run for the title by winning four events.
Daniel Apiou won the 55 hurdles (7.88) and high jump (6-4), while Jay McConnaughey won the 55 (6.63) and Brooks Myers won the shot put (44-2).
Nate McDonald earned an automatic spot with a second in the 55 hurdles (8.27), as did the 4×200 relay team of Jaxon Stewart, McConnaughey, McDonald and Jaren Wade (1:37.61), which also finished second.
Clear Spring qualifiers were: Gage Crampton third in the 500 (1:10.92) and Dean Edwards tied for seventh in the pole vault (11 feet).
1A West girls
Smithsburg’s Lilian Hade finished second in the pole vault (9-6) to earn an automatic invite to the state meet.
Boonsboro had a trio advance to states by bettering qualifying marks in third-place finishes – Sarah Mohler in the shot put (33-10 3/4), Evelyn Briggs in the pole vault (9 feet) and Emily Franko in the 800 (2:31.53).
Clear Spring produced three individual champions as Brielle Morales won the 55 hurdles (9.08), Hadley Elwood won the high jump (5 feet) and Katelyn Moffitt won the shot put (36-1).
Juliet Hodge placed third in the 500 (1:22.97) and Audrey Roberts took fourth place in the pole vault (8-6) to earn qualifying invitations.
3A West boys
Walker Mason will be North Hagerstown’s only state representative after winning the 3,200 in 9:36.96.
Mason lowered his school record time from 9:41.75 with the effort.
3A West girls
North Hagerstown finished second to Oakdale by a 61-56 score, but the Hubs had two individuals and a relay win region titles.
“We are extremely excited about our girls team finish,” said North coach TJ Hood. “We really didn’t expect to finish this high as a team, which is a testament to our girls. Not a single girl or relay team was the No. 1 seed coming into the meet, so to have two individual champions and a relay champion is incredible.
“All this on top of missing four days of school because of the snow. We couldn’t be prouder of this group. The senior leadership, along with the talent and determination of underclassmen has made for some outstanding team chemistry that really showed.”
Taraji Nartey won the 300 with a school-record time (41.81), while Caroline Philp won the 3,200 (11:40.62), lowering the Hubs record for freshmen from 11:46.84.
The 4×400 relay team of Nartey, Anna Chamberlin, Caroline Philp and Mackenzie Philp rounded out the group with a 4:17.28 clocking for another North Hagerstown record
Chamberlin also finished second in the 55 hurdles (9.35) for an automatic state berth and joined the qualifying field with a third in the high jump (5 feet).
Mackenzie Philp was second in the 800 (2:26.01). lowering the school freshman record by 1.75 seconds. The team of Nartey, Belle Schaberl, Day Brunson and Chamberlin broke a 16-year-old school record with a 1:49.46 in the 4×200 relay. Both earned automatic spots to the state meet.
The state meet will be contested on Feb 17-18 at the Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Shepherd 78, Lock Haven 73
LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – Junior Marcus Banks scored a game-high 24 points to lead Shepherd University to a win over Lock Haven on Saturday in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference East game.
Banks connected on 8-of-14 field goals with an 8-of-12 effort from the foul line, to go four assists, three rebounds, two steals, and a blocked shot for the Rams (12-8, 8-5).
Sophomore Elwyne Wordlaw added 16 points, while sophomore Favor posted a double-double with 11 points and a career-high 17 rebounds. Sophomore Brody Davis contributed nine points and eight boards.
Shepherd came back for a 33-31 halftime deficit to lead by as many as 11 points at 70-59 with 2:54 left in the second half after a three-pointer by Wordlaw before holding off Lock Haven with six foul shots in the final 30 seconds to ice the game. The Bald Eagles rallied to within three points three times to challenge in the late stages.
Dyllon Scott scored 18 points to pace the Bald Eagles (5-13, 3-10).
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Lock Haven 59, Shepherd 58
LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – Alana Robinson hit a jumper with eight seconds remaining to lift Lock Haven past Shepherd University on Saturday in PSAC East matchup.
Robinson led the Bald Eagles (13-5, 10-3) with a game-high 20 points, while Rhlyn Rouse added 17 points and seven boards and Madeline Evans had nine points and 15 rebounds.
Shepherd took a 10-point lead at 56-46 with 4:14 left in the fourth quarter before Lock Haven mounted a 13-2 run to pull out the win.
Junior Kara Wehner led the Rams (5-13, 3-10) with 17 points, including three 3-pointers. Sophomore Lamaria Estridge added 16 points, eight rebounds, three assists, two blocks and a pair of steals.
