Howard County Boys Outdoor Track All-Decade

Howard County has long been known for its proficiency on the track and during the last decade, particularly on the boys side, local teams have more than upheld that reputation.

County squads have won five state championships and finished as a state finalist three times since 2010, with an individual or relay squad from one of the area teams winning a state championship in every outdoor track event but one.

In an effort to look back and spotlight some of these elite talents and teams, we combed through the archives to come up with a snapshot look at the best of the best. All athletes who graduated or are scheduled to graduate between 2010 and 2022 are eligible for the lists, although accomplishments before 2010 (2007-2009) were not factored in. Therefore, the merit of the graduating class of 2010 being included was based solely on the performance of those players during their senior year.

The previous All-Decade packages can be viewed here: Baseball; Boys lacrosse; Girls lacrosse; Softball

Vote below in the Fan’s Choice Player of the Decade poll or by clicking HERE.

Questions or comments can be sent to bkennedy@baltsun.com.

TEAM OF THE DECADE

2010 Reservoir

The 2010 campaign was a season full of firsts for the Gators, with this going down as the only time this decade where a county squad won county, region and state titles in the same season. Reservoir won the program’s first county championship, scoring 109 points to beat second-place Atholton by 17. It followed that up with a region title and then put together another dominating effort for the program’s first state title as well. At Morgan State, the Gators scored 75.5 points — 27.5 points ahead of second-place Potomac. Yao Adantor, Kyle Mitchell and Chris Yamoah were all named first-team All-County.

PROGRAM OF THE DECADE

Reservoir

Since 2010, the Gators have won more county titles (four) and region titles (eight) than any other county program. To go along with it, under the guidance of head coach Phil Rogers, Reservoir also won a state title in 2010 and finished as a state finalist in 2018. The team won three straight county and region titles between 2010 and 2012. There were 25 Reservoir athletes this decade named first-team All County, including Kai Muniz being named Outdoor Athlete of the Year in 2018.

ATHLETE OF DECADE

Robby Creese, Glenelg (2011)

One of the most accomplished distance runners in county history, Creese won a combined six region titles, five county crowns and four state championships in an individual event between his final two seasons of outdoor track in 2010 and 2011. Along the way, he set a Class 2A state record with his time of 9:17.28 in the 3,200-meter run at states as a junior and a county-meet record of 9:15.28 in the 3,200 the same year. Creese went on to have a standout running career at Penn State University.

“As tremendous of a runner as he is, Robby is an even better kid,” Glenelg coach Phil Johnson said in 2011. “He’s quiet, but he’s smart and a wonderful teammate. I’ve truly enjoyed coaching and getting to know him these last couple years. I expect tremendous things from him at Penn State.”

FIRST TEAM ALL-DECADE

Sprints

Justin Marsh, Howard (2014). Named first-team All County as a junior and senior, Marsh was a standout in the 200 and 400. He won the 400 at the county championship meet in 2013 and 2014, while adding a victory at regionals in the same event as a senior. He added a regional championship in the 200 as a senior, and finished second in both the 200 and 400 at the state meet the same season. His time of 47.95 seconds in the 400 at the county championships in 2014 was a county-meet record.

Tosin Oyewole, Long Reach (2014). Building on first-team recognition as a junior, Oyewole brought home co-Athlete of the Year honors as a senior. In 2013, he won the 100-meter dash (10.73 seconds) and finished second in the 200 (21.67) at the state meet. Then he upped the ante in 2014 by sweeping his way through the postseason in each of those two events. He posted the fastest postseason times this decade by a county athlete in both the 100 (10.66 seconds) and 200 (21.49 seconds) at the county championship meet in 2014.

Darnell Pratt, Mt. Hebron (2017). He was with the Vikings' program for just one season in 2015 as a sophomore — following a freshman year at DeMatha and before transferring to Good Counsel to finish high school — but he made the most of it. Pratt was named Howard County outdoor Athlete of the Year in 2015, sweeping his way through the postseason in the 200 and 400. He also added a county championship in the 100 (10.81 seconds). Pratt’s region championship times in the 200 (21.61 seconds) and 400 (48.11) rank as the second-best postseason times by a county runner in those events this decade.

Cameron Vereen, Oakland Mills (2018). A three-time first-team All County outdoor track performer, Vereen won the 100-meter dash at the county meet his final three years of high school. After finishing second at states in the 100 as a sophomore, he won gold in the event at the state championships as a junior and senior. It was his time of 10.73 seconds in the 100 as a senior that ranks as the second-fastest postseason time in the event this decade by a county runner.

Distance

Chris Heydrick, River Hill (2015). A two-time first-team All County selection, Heydrick was an absolute force in the 800 and 1,600 during his final two years of high school. As a junior, he swept all three postseason races in both events. He then again posted sweeps in those races at counties and regionals as a senior, before placing second in both events at states. Heydrick owns the county’s fastest postseason times in both the 800 (2015 states: 1:54.00) and 1,600 (2015 regionals: 4:15.94) this decade.

Tim Virostek, Wilde Lake (2013). After being named first team as a junior, Virostek capped his high school career with outdoor track Athlete of the Year honors as a senior. He was a county champion in both the 1,600 and 3,200 as a junior. Then, as a senior, he swept his way through the postseason to titles in the 800 at counties, regional and states to go along with a county title in the 1,600. His time of 1:55.18 in the 800 at states as a senior ranks as the second-fastest postseason time in the event by a county runner this decade.

Kikanae Punyua, Wilde Lake (2010). On his way to first-team All-County honors as a senior, he posted some of the county’s fastest postseason times this decade in both the 1,600 and 3,200. He finished second to Robby Creese in the 3,200 at the county championship meet (9:18.95) before rebounding to win the same event at regionals and states. He also won the 1,600 at regionals and finished second in the event at states with a postseason-best time of 4:18.76 — the third-best postseason time be a county runner in the 1,600 this decade.

Hurdles

Robert Carter, Long Reach (2014). Carter owns the fastest postseason times by a county athlete this decade in both the 110- and 300-meter hurdles. He was named first-team All County as a junior, sweeping both hurdle events at the county and region meets before placing in the top three in both at the state meet. Then, as a senior co-Athlete of the Year, Carter won titles in each of the hurdle events at both regionals and states. His time of 14.20 seconds in the 110 hurdles at regionals was a personal record and the fastest by a county runner this decade, while his time of 37.74 seconds in the 300 hurdles at states set the all-time Howard County record in the event.

Kyle Mitchell, Reservoir (2011). Named first-team All County twice, Mitchell started the decade by winning the county title in the 300 hurdles to go along with region championships in the 110 and 300 hurdles. He was even better as a senior, making first-team All-County again after sweeping both hurdles events at the county and regional meets. His time of 14.26 seconds at the 2011 3A East region meet in the 110 hurdles is the second-fastest postseason time by a county runner this decade. For an added bonus, Mitchell also finished second in the triple jump at both the county and region meets as a senior.

Pole Vault

Calvin Pitney, Glenelg (2015). Pitney is the county record-holder in the pole vault and a two-time first-team All-County selection. As a junior, he won region and state championships and then was even more dominant as a senior. He again made first team, this time sweeping the postseason titles at the county, region and state meets. It was at the outdoor county championship meet in 2015, when he cleared 15 feet, 6 inches, that he put himself in the record books.

Jumps

Jordan Carr, Howard (2012). A two-time first-team All-County selection, Carr was the county’s best in the high jump as a junior and senior while also earning several top three postseason finishes in the triple jump. Carr swept through the postseason as a junior in the high jump, including clearing a height of 6-6 on the way to winning the 3A state championship. He then won the high jump again at the county championships as a senior, while also helping the Howard 4x400 relay squad to titles at counties, regions and states.

Bryan Sosoo, Reservoir (2014). An elite performer in the triple jump, who also established himself as one of the area’s top sprinters, Sosoo put together a special 2014 campaign. He finished second in the 100 at counties, regionals and states behind Tosin Oyewole with a postseason-best time of 10.78 seconds at the county meet — the third fastest postseason time by a county runner this decade. He then won the triple jump at counties and states, with his distance of 46-11 at the state championships going down as the farthest postseason distance by a county athlete in the event this decade.

Dante Garner, Wilde Lake (2012). A three-time first-team All County performer, Garner saw consistent success in all the jumping events throughout his career. He kicked things off as a sophomore in 2010 by winning a 3A state title in the high jump. The next year, he won the triple jump in each of the three postseason meets with a top distance of 46-10. Finally, as a senior, Garner won the long jump and triple jump at both the county and regional meets.

Elijah White, Centennial (2017). One of only two athletes to be named outdoor Athlete of the Year multiple times this decade, White also earned All-County recognition as a sophomore. In that 2015 season, he swept his way to titles in the triple jump at counties, regionals and states to go along with a county title in the long jump. As a junior, White was even better with county titles in the high jump, long jump and triple jump before winning the high and triple jumps at regionals. He wrapped things up with a state championship in the high jump. As a senior, he captured another three county titles in the jumping events and then a region crown in the triple jump all while setting new personal record marks in the high and triple jump.

Throws

Yao Adantor, Reservoir (2010). One of the most accomplished throwers in county history, Adantor was dominant in both the shot put and discus. He set a county record in the shot put with a distance of 56-8 during a regular season meet in April and then proceeded to sweep his way through the postseason in the event. He won the 3A state title with a throw of 55-2.75. In the discus, he won titles at counties and regionals and finished second at states. His throw of 153-11 at the 3A East regional was the furthest postseason distance by a county athlete in the event this decade.

Dae’trell Gordon, Atholton (2017). Named to the All-County squad as a junior and senior, Gordon was a two-time region champion in the shot put and also won a county title in that event as a junior. His distance of 53-5 at the 3A East regional in 2017 was the second-best postseason throw in the shot put by a county athlete this decade. He also finished second in the discus at counties and regionals as a senior, before recording a distance of 149-0 at states to finish fourth.

SECOND TEAM ALL-DECADE

Sprints

Damon Brockenberry, Hammond (2019). The 2019 outdoor Athlete of the Year as a senior, Brockenberry bounced back from an injury as a junior to win two county titles (100 – 10.92 seconds; and 400 – 48.50) in addition to region and state championships in the 400.

Terrance Drew, Oakland Mills (2011). A two-time first-team All County selection, Drew sustained an unfortunate hamstring injury as a senior at the county championship meet that derailed his hopes of back-to-back state titles. Still, he took first in the 200 and 400 at the county and regional meets as a junior ahead of winning a state championship in the 400 (48.22 seconds). Before his injury as a senior, Drew added another county title in the 400.

Stephen Marsh, Howard (2012). The 2012 outdoor Athlete of the Year as a senior, Marsh was a standout performer in the 200-meter dash individually and a key member of Howard’s two state championship relay squads (4x200 and 4x400) in 2012. Marsh was second in the 200 at both the regional and state meets, including a top time of 21.87 seconds at regionals.

Jackson Porter, Mt. Hebron (2012). On his way to All-County honors as a senior, Porter won the 100- and 200-meter dashes at both the county and region championship meets. His times of 10.81 seconds in the 100 and 21.69 in the 200 are both among the four fastest postseason times this decade in those respective events by a county runner.

Distance

Kai Muniz, Reservoir (2018). Named the 2018 outdoor Athlete of the Year as a senior, Muniz was also a first team performer as a junior. In 2017, he won a county title in the 3,200 and added second-place finishes in the 1,600 at counties and regionals. Then in 2018, he swept the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 at the county and region championships before adding his first outdoor state title in the 3,200.

Daniel Rau, Howard (2013). A county-champion in the 3,200 as a senior, Rau had several other near misses in the 1,600 and 3,200 during the postseason en route to earning All-County honors. Still, his personal record time of 9:18.11 in the 3,200 at the 3A state meet — earning him second place — goes down as the second-fastest postseason time by a county runner in that event this decade.

Hurdles

Loick Amouzou, Hammond (2020). While he didn’t get a chance to compete as a senior during outdoor because of the coronavirus pandemic, Amouzou set a high bar as a first-team All County selection as a sophomore and junior. He won a county title in the 110 hurdles and a region crown in the 300 hurdles as a sophomore, and then as a junior he finished first or second in every postseason race for both hurdle events. He won both hurdle races at the 2A South region meet.

Purcell Freeman, Long Reach (2012). A three-time All-County selection, Freeman won at least one postseason championship each of his final three years of high school. He won county and region titles in the 110 hurdles as a sophomore. As a junior, he won a state championship in the 110 hurdles (14.76 seconds). Then, as a senior, he again won the 110 hurdles (14.54) at the county championships.

TJ Lyles, Wilde Lake (2017). Making All-County his final two years of high school, Lyles was a dual threat in the hurdles and jumps. As a junior, he won the 110 hurdles at the county meet to go with victories in the 110 hurdles and 300 hurdles at regionals. As a senior, he again won a county title in the 110 hurdles and finished second at counties in the triple jump. Lyles then won a region championship in the long jump and finished second in that event at states.

Pole Vault

Trey Clark, Howard (2015). As a first-team All-County selection as a junior, Clark finished second in the pole vault at regionals before winning a state championship by clearing at height of 14-0.

Kareem Press, Wilde Lake (2018). A two-time All-County performer, Press won titles in the pole vault at counties and regionals as a junior. He then was even better as a senior, repeating as a county and regional champion before adding a state championship (14-6) to cap off his high school career.

Jumps

Gage Ealey, Oakland Mills (2010). His senior year, Ealey won titles in the long jump at the county, region and state championship meets. His best distance of the postseason was 22-9 at the county championships. He added several top three finishes in the 400 during the postseason to go along with serving as a key piece on the Scorpions' 4x200 and 4x400 relay teams that swept all the postseason races.

Tre Hopkins, Oakland Mills (2016). A two-time All-County selection, who didn’t even compete as a senior, Hopkins was a force in all three jumping events. He was a state champion in the high jump as a sophomore and added top three finishes in the long jump and triple jump at the county championships. As a junior, he added titles in the high jump at the county and region meets and again was top three at county and regionals in the long jump.

David Kaiser, River Hill (2012). A transfer into the program for his senior year from Mount St. Joseph, Kaiser saved his best performance for last — winning the 3A state title in the long jump. His distance of 23-3.5 not only secured the championship but also goes down as the best postseason distance in the event by a county athlete this decade. Kaiser added a second-place finish in the triple jump at the county championships in 2012.

Jordan Palmer, Atholton (2013). Palmer made his mark in the triple jump his senior year, winning the event at the county, region and state championship meets. His best distance of 46-8.5 came at states.

Throws

Bryce Bruce, Reservoir (2017). Bruce was the county’s best in the shot put and discus as a senior, winning county titles in both events and then also bringing home a region title in the discus. His top distances of the postseason were 48-9 in the shot put and 152-8 in the discus.

Collin Greene, Howard (2020). Greene never got a chance to compete during outdoor as a senior because of the coronavirus pandemic, but he had already established himself as an elite talent. As a junior, he won an outdoor county and region titles in the shot put. Then he earned indoor Athlete of the Year honors as a senior while being the county’s best in the shot put and discus.

THIRD TEAM ALL-DECADE

Sprints

Matt Brown, Long Reach (2011)

Nate Gainey, Mt. Hebron (2013)

Erick Soetje, River Hill (2013)

Distance

Erik Jenks, Howard (2017)

Mark Moody, River Hill (2015)

Pole Vault

Kyle Kroll, Reservoir (2014)

Hurdles

Ethan Cadogan, Long Reach (2017)

Tenard Childs, Oakland Mills (2012)

Jumps

Ademola Abdulkadir, Howard (2016)

Khari Jackson, Wilde Lake (2014)

Curtis Pumphrey, Atholton (2011)

Kenny Thomas, Atholton (2010)

Throws

Brenden Chavis, Mt. Hebron (2014)

Nicholas Coburn, Centennial (2015)

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