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The Montgomery Journal
Einstein, Magruder Capture Indoor Track Titles
Originally Published in The Montgomery Journal on Monday, March 02, 1987
By: Unattributed
Photographer: Geoffrey S. Baker


Republished with permission granted by The Washington Newspaper Publishing Co. LLC d/b/a MediaDC. Back to Montgomery Journal articles

Einstein, Magruder Capture Indoor Track Titles

Special to the Journal
While neither Einstein Coach Jim Brown nor Magruder Coach Don Gooden expected a state indoor track title Saturday at Baltimore's National Guard 5th Regiment Armory, they hoped for one.

But neither dared hope aloud.

"I felt deep down we could win, but I've always been humble," Brown said. "I go in being realistic with the guys because so many things can happen. They have in the past."

For Einstein, 54 points gave the boys their second indoor state title. The Titans, who won in 1980, trailed Parkville, 37-27, with three events remaining, but rallied for the victory.

Magruder's girls captured their first indoor title, scoring 64 points. McDonough almost stole the title away again, but finished second with 60 points. Queen Anne was third at 27.

Forever overcoming mishaps, Einstein had its share Friday. Jimmy Ward, the top seed in the 55-meter dash, was disqualified in the final because of false starts. Timmy Edwards, the Class A Region I high jump champion with a jump of 6 feet, 2 inches, was not a factor at the state meet. He cleared 5-8 and took fifth.

Einstein's self-appointed team spokesman, junior J.B. Manns, wasn't afraid to show his exuberant optimism where anybody and everybody within earshot could hear it. He finished second in the 500-meter run, ran on the winning 800-meter relay team with Ward, Timmy Edwards and his brother, Eric Edwards, and helped on the third-place 1600-meter relay team.

"That's my best by...The last time I ran (500 meters) I did a 1:11.7," Manns said. "The school record is 1:09.5, I'll get that next year. The last time I ran against (Steve) Reddick (500 champion) there was a bigger gap and I was closer today. I went through the 200 in 23 (seconds) and that's my best. And our relay team will win and we'll win."

In other events, Einstein received solid point-getting performances from senior David Moldvay, who finished second in the 800- and 1600-meter events, Tim Edwards, who finished third in the 55-meter dash and sixth in the 300, and Ivan Charles, who took fourth in the 55 hurdles.

~~~

For title-winning Magruder, sprinters Kim Plummer and Kathy Dickinson made the difference, Gooden said. Behind senior Wanda Evans, whose first-place points in the dash (7.2) and 300 (42.9) are all but written on the floor boards of the track, Plummer finished second (7.5) and Dickinson fourth (7.9) in the dash.

"I was a little disappointed in the shot putters, but the sprinters were a key factor today," Gooden said. "They were a total surprise."

Maria Moten and Tanya Kerney, the regional victor and third-place finisher in the shot put, respectively, finished second and fifth.

"I was going to enter Dickinson in the high jump, but she wanted to concentrate on the relays and it made the difference for us," Gooden said.

~~~

Richard Montgomery senios Charles Bradford continues his team's excellent high jumping. He finished second to Brad Sigsimondi of Broadneck on misses as both finished with jumps of 6 feet.

"I was hoping for 6-2," Bradford said. "My best was a 6-3 in the second round of the Junior Olympics last year. I want to get 6-4. I know I can, today was just a bad day."

~~~

Paint Branch senior Kristina Williams has devoted five years to winning a state title. She did Friday evening, capturing the 500-meter run by seven-tenths of a second over Mona West of Potomac.

"I didn't expect to win the 500," said Williams. "I didn't make the 500 in the region last year, I remember crying in the bathroom."

~~~

Most of the Class AA boys were edged out of first place.

Gaithersburg's Gene Cann was nipped at the tape of the 55-dash by Woodlawn freshman Richard Smith, both running a 6.6. In the 1600, Whitman's Gary Sherman finished third on a lean to Annapolis's Eric King.

For Whitman senior Laurie Bruce and Seneca Valley's Chrissie Buser, however, it was business as usual.

Buser won the shot put by nearly 3 feet with a put of 37-1. "I was hoping to do better, but I was sick last night," Buser said. "I just have to relax. I've gotten it down to being really relaxed, but I don't know, it just didn't work today.

In the 300, Bruce finished third to Northwestern's Leslie Dancy by a second. She reversed the order in the 500, leading Dancy through 2 1/2-half laps and winning by more than two seconds in 1:18.1.

"I knew Dancy was seeded behind me in the 500 and I was unsure about how she was going to run it," Bruce said. "I just wanted to stay ahead, she kept me going."

Rockville junior Jennifer Kuta knocked 10 seconds off her previous best in the 1600 to finish second in 5:20.8. All 10 seconds probably came off in the final lap when she sprinted past several competitors but was unable to catch Lynn Scopel of Bowie (5:19.8).



Photo Caption: Geoffrey S. Baker / Journal. Woodlawn's Richard Smith (center) edges Gaithersburg's Gene Cann by a nose (or mouth) in the 55-meter dash at the state indoor track championships.




"Einstein, Magruder Capture Indoor Track Titles." Montgomery Journal, 2 Mar. 1987, p. B3.
Transcribed by: Kevin Milsted 02/25/2020


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