Boys track: First team

Sun staff

June 4, 2008

Graham Bazell, Atholton

Bazell spent much of the winter training to stay in shape after a stress fracture of his ankle sidelined the junior. But Bazell came back strong this spring, looking as good as ever in the 3,200, which he won in the Class 3A division of the state meet.

He took an early lead in that race and Bazell held on against rival Joey Thompson of Howard to capture the race in 9 minutes, 18.69 seconds. It avenged a loss to Thompson in the Howard County title meet.

Pat Boyle, Calvert Hall

The senior was one of the state's top performers in the shot put during the winter, and it was more of the same in the spring. He was again dominant for the Cardinals and easily won the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association championship with a throw of 57 feet, 2 inches.

That gave the Temple-bound Boyle a victory of nearly 7 feet over his brother, Sean.

Matthew Brinkley, Meade

He was part of a group of four athletes who helped carry Meade to a second straight outdoor state title. Brinkley, like teammates Justin Murdock, Anya Uzoh and Dahmar Smiles, helped the Mustangs with his versatility.

The senior showed that versatility at the state meet by taking second in the Class 3A 300 hurdles and the open 800. Brinkley also took fourth in the 110 hurdles.

Lane Clelland, McDonogh

He was one of the area's top performers in the discus this spring. Clelland's best effort came in the MIAA championship meet, where his throw of 148-10 gave him an easy victory. That throw was one of the best in the metro area this spring.

The senior had several throws in that range, including one that went 143-1 at the McDonogh Invitational. He's headed to Notre Dame in the fall to play football.

Jermol Dix, Western Tech

The senior capped an outstanding career with a strong performance at the state meet that carried the Wolverines to their first state title. Dix won the 300 hurdles (40.80) despite clipping the final hurdle and falling. He got up and lunged over the finish line to win. He also was second in the long jump and ran on the winning 1,600-meter relay team.

Dix's emergence was a big reason the Wolverines swept the Baltimore County, regional and state Class 1A titles. He is headed to UMES.

Anthony Drumgoole, Digital Harbor

The junior helped carry Digital Harbor to a second-place finish in the Class 1A state meet. Drumgoole missed the Baltimore City meet after spraining his knee, an injury that limited him in the regional the following week.

But Drumgoole was back on track in the state meet, winning the 100 (10.98) and 200 (22.06) and running on the first-place 400 and 800 relay teams.

Eric Franklin, Archbishop Curley

The Friars needed all of Franklin's help to edge Mount St. Joseph and repeat as the MIAA champion. Franklin won the 100 hurdles (14.85), took fourth in the 300 hurdles and sixth in the 100.

The junior was undefeated in the 110 hurdles this spring and ran on the MIAA record-setting 800 relay team. He is being recruited by a number of Division I schools for football.

Corey Fuller, Woodlawn

He's been ranked among the nation's best in the triple jump throughout his senior year, and Fuller stepped up in the big events this spring. His recorded the area's best, 47-10.5, at the Penn Relays.

Fuller then captured the Class 4A state title with a mark of 46-11.25, giving him a margin of victory of more than 2 feet. He will be going to Kansas in the fall.

Dorian Johnson, Mount St. Joseph

He helped the Gaels push Archbishop Curley at the MIAA championship meet as Mount St. Joseph was second, just three points behind the Friars. Johnson won the long jump (22-0.75) and took second in the triple jump (45-3), narrowly losing to McDonogh's Justin Gross. (45.4.5).

Johnson, a junior, was one of the area's top performers in both of the events throughout the spring, just as he was during the indoor season.

Sumanth Kuppali, Perry Hall

The senior had shown flashes of his talent the past few years in track and cross country, but he broke through in the fall and became one of the area's dominant runners this spring.

Kuppali won the 800 (1:57.53) and 1,600 (4:30.40) at the Baltimore County meet. He came in second in the Class 4A 1,600 at the state meet and third in the 3,200.

Shawn Myers, Perry Hall

The pole vaulter followed up his indoor state championship with another state title this spring. The senior captured the Class 4A crown with an impressive vault of 14-6, which was the best vault in any of the four classes at the state meet.

That followed a victory at the Baltimore County meet, where his vault of 13-6 gave him an easy win.

Dahmar Smiles, Meade

He did a little bit of everything to help Meade win another state title this spring. Smiles won the Class 3A 110 hurdles in 14.27 by taking the lead midway through the race and pulling away late to edge out Zach Ray of Huntingtown -- who had beaten him in the preliminaries.

Smiles took third in the 300 hurdles and fourth in the 400. The senior also helped the Mustangs by running on the second-place 800 relay team.

Joey Thompson, Howard

The senior continued to be one of the area's top distance runners, aided by the signature kick that left his opponents behind. He used it to beat rival Graham Bazell of Atholton in the 3,200 at the Howard County title meet.

Thompson won the 1,600 (4:20.74) in the Class 3A state title meet and nearly caught Bazell in the 3,200 with a flat-out sprint on the final lap. He finished second, less than one second behind him.

Anya Uzoh, Meade

The versatile senior was one of coach Nigel Holder's "Four Horsemen," who led the Mustangs to a second straight outdoor state title (they also won the indoor state crown this past winter).

Uzoh was able to score points in a number of ways. He won the Class 3A high jump (6-2) at the state meet and finished sixth in the 400. Uzoh also ran on the 800 relay team that finished second.