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BOYS ALL-COUNTY INDOOR TRACK
2002-2003 JOURNAL ALL-COUNTY BOYS TRACK
Photo 1 caption: Magruder's Awit Yohannes dominated the distance events in the indoor track season, winning two state titles to earn Performer of the Year honors. Photos by Katherine Frey/Journal.
Performer of the Year
Awit Yohannes, Sr. ..................Magruder
Coach of the Year
Steve Bettis.........................Paint Branch
First Team
Edwin Campbell, Sr. .................Paint Branch
Aharon Conerly, Jr. .................Blake
Adam Durham, Sr. ....................Paint Branch
Andrew Lewis, Jr. ...................Sherwood
Andrew Lukacs, Sr. ..................Walter Johnson
Chad Miller, Sr. ....................Paint Branch
Matthew Morrison, Sr. ...............Paint Branch
Peter Novick, Sr. ...................Walter Johnson
Eric Pauley, Sr. ....................Gaithersburg
Brian Porter, Sr. ...................Gaithersburg
Jared Wasser, Sr. ...................Wootton
Dewayne Whitaker, Sr. ...............Northwest
Awit Yohannes, Sr. ..................Magruder
4x200 Relay..........................Paint Branch
4x400 Relay..........................Paint Branch
4x800 Relay..........................Walter Johnson
Honorable Mention
Azariah Conerly (Paint Branch, Sr.)
Josh Crone (Gaithersburg, Sr.)
Arnold Davies (Northwest, Jr.)
Chris Dooley (Gaithersburg, Sr.)
Jeff Lyon (Whitman)
Motombo Matomba (Gaithersburg, Jr.)
Brenton Peterson (Watkins Mill, Sr.)
Tony Pine (RM, Sr.)
Ricardo Prado (Churchill, Sr.)
Robert Price (Magruder, Jr.)
Tom Rathbone (Northwest, Sr.)
David Simms (WJ, Jr.)
Brian Skelly (WJ, Sr.)
Brian Yost (Poolesville, Sr.)
Performer of the Year
Awit Yohannes
Senior
Magruder
Distance Runner
Yohannes dominated the 1,600 and 3,200 meters, culminating his season with a remarkable performance at the state championship. In the 1,600, Yohannes broke an 18-year-old state record for all classes with a time of 4:19.62. He followed that by winning the 3,200 by more than 14 seconds. Yohannes also was the county and 4A West Region champion in the 3,200 and won the region in the 1,600. Also a member of Magruder's 4x800 relay team, Yohannes is waiting on an acceptance letter from American University.
Coach of the Year
Steve Bettis
Paint Branch
In his first season as head coach, Bettis guided Paint Branch to a state championship. The state title was the first for a Montgomery County school since Richard Montgomery won the 3A in 1996. Bettis came to Paint Branch from Whitman, and also coaches cross country for Churchill.
First Team
Edwin Campbell
Senior
Paint Branch
Middle Distance Runner
Campbell was the top performer on Paint Branch's 3A/2A state championship team, contributing in a variety of events. At the state meet, Campbell won gold medals in the 500 and the 4x400 relay. In addition, he placed second in the 300 and was part of the second-place 4x200 team. The senior also won both the 300 and the 500 at the 3A/2A West Region meet and was the county champion in the 300. The repeat first-team choice hopes to run for the University of Connecticut.
Aharon Conerly
Junior
Blake
Middle Distance Runner
Conerly was a workhorse for the Bengals, turning in consistently strong performances. In his best event, the 500, Campbell won the county championship, placed second in the 3A.2A West Region meet and finished fifth at the state. In the 4x800 relay, Conerly helped Blake to a region title and a fourth-place finish at the state. In the 4x400, Conerly led the Bengals to second place at the state meet.
Adam Durham
Senior
Paint Branch
Hurdler
Durham was the most consistent hurdler in the county and was a key contributor to Paint Branch's outstanding relay teams. Durham won the 3A/2A West Region and finished third in the state in the hurdles and also placed first at the Montgomery Invitational. Durham also was a member of Paint Branch's state champion 4x400 relay team and the second-place 4x200 team. The two-year varsity runner is considering Maryland, North Carolina, George Mason, Penn State and Temple.
Andrew Lewis
Junior
Sherwood
Sprinter
In his first season, Lewis quietly emerged as a top sprinter. He saved his best for last, as he finished fourth in the 4A/3A state competition, the top performance of any county sprinter. Lewis also finished fourth in the region and third at the county meet. The junior also was named Sherwood's MVP.
Andrew Lukacs
Senior
Walter Johnson
Pole Vault
Lukacs was the best pole vaulter in the area. He won the 4A/3A West Region meet with a jump of 11-foot-6, then placed fourth at the state meet with an identical height. His top jump of the year was 12-6. Lukacs lists West Virginia as a top choice for college.
Chad Miller
Senior
Paint Branch
Middle Distance Runner
Miller was another member of Paint Branch's deep boys squad. The 300 meters was his top event, and had it not been for teammate Edwin Campbell, Miller would be the county and regional champion, having finished second to his fellow Panther at both distances. Miller also finished fourth at the state meet and was a member of Paint Branch's state champion 4x400 relay team and second-place 4x200 squad. Also an outstanding long jumper, Miller has drawn interest from Georgetown and Long Island University.
Matthew Morrison
Senior
Paint Branch
High Jump
Morrison finished the year in style, placing second at the 3A/2A state meet with a jump of 6-foot-2. Morrison hit a personal record earlier in the year at the Montgomery Invitational at 6-4, and finished third at the county championships. Morrison will attend Morehouse next year.
Peter Novick
Senior
Walter Johnson
Middle Distance Runner
Novick had a remarkable senior season, accomplishing three major goals. He won both the county and region championships in the 800 meters and then anchored the 4x800 relay team to a state title. Fatigued from the relay, Novick finished seventh in the state 800. Novick was WJ's MVP, and will run at James Madison next year.
Eric Pauley
Senior
Gaithersburg
Pauley continued his seasonal battles with Awit Yohannes in distance events, and again acquitted himself well. Pauley defeated his rival in the 1,600 meters at the county championships and placed second in 3,200. Pauley was sick at the region meet, but still finished second in the 1,600 before opting out of the 3,200 meters. At the state meet, Pauley was third in the 1,600. The four-year varsity runner is looking at William & Mary and Pennsylvania for next year.
Brian Porter
Senior
Gaithersburg
Sprinter
The football star was also the county's top sprinter. He consistently posted the best times, and won the Montgomery County championship with a time of 6.49 in the 55 dash. Unfortunately for Porter, he slipped on the multi-purpose floor at the Baltimore Armory in his 4A/3A West Region heat, which knocked him out of the competition and the subsequent state meet. Porter will play football for Western Kentucky next fall.
Jared Wasser
Senior
Wootton
Shot Put
Wootton's three-time MVP owns the school record in the shot put at 55-10. This season, his best throw was 52-10, which won the 4A/3A West Region meet. Wasser was also the county champion and finished third in the state. Wasser, a repeat first-team choice, is headed to High Point next year, though he is also considering Monmouth and Robert Morris.
Dewayne Whitaker
Senior
Northwest
Hurdler/Middle Distance Runner
In the county meet, Whitaker blew away the field in the 55 hurdles with a time of 7.85, better than three-tenths of a second faster than his closest pursuer. At the 3A/2A Region championships, Whitaker slipped, which kept him from qualifying for the state meet. The senior will play football at Hofstra on a full scholarship.
Paint Branch
4x200 Relay
The team of Justin Germany, Chad Miller, Adam Durham and Edwin Campbell was consistent throughout the year. The Panthers won the county and region meets and finished second in the state. That second-place finish wrapped up an overall state title for the boys team.
Paint Branch
4x400 Relay
Azariah Conerly, Chad Miller, Adam Durham and Edwin Campbell won all three major events this winter. They beat Blake by more than a second at the County meet, won the regional title and blew away the field at states.
Walter Johnson
4x800
Walter Johnson pulled off a surprised to open the state meet, winning the 4x800 relay. The team of Ben Fowler, Andrew Jesien, Peter Novick and David Simms ran a time of 8:12.68 to beat Mergenthaler of Baltimore by nearly a second. The foursome improved dramatically from a sixth-place finish at the county meet. The Wildcats rebounded with a second-place showing at the 4A/3A West Region championship.
Photo 2 caption: The 2002-03 Journal All-County Indoor Track and Field team is pictured. Front row (left to right): Andrew Lewis (Sherwood); Awit Yohannes (Magruder), Brian Porter (Gaithersburg). Second row: Adam Durham (Paint Branch), Chad Miller (Paint Branch), Matthew Morrison (Paint Branch), Edwin Campbell (Paint Branch). Third row: DeWayne Whitaker (Northwest), Peter Novick (Walter Johnson), Jared Wasser (Wootton), Aharon Conerly (Blake). Back row: Eric Pauley (Gaithersburg), Andrew Lukacs (Walter Johnson).
Photo 3 caption: 2002-03 Journal All-County relay teams. Front row: Walter Johnson 4x800 team (left to right) Ben Fowler, Andrew Jesien, David Simms, Peter Novick. Back row: Paint Branch 4x200 and 4x400 team Justin Germany, Adam Durham, Edwin Campbell. Missing: Azariah Conerly from Paint Branch 4x400.
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