MoCoRunning

Olivia Ekpone Transfers to Northwest

By: Kevin Milsted

2009-02-27

Olivia Ekpone will clean out her locker and exit the hallways of Wootton High School for the last time on March 5, 2009. If all goes as it should, she will be enrolled at Northwest High School and participating in track practice for a new team the next day.

The Ekpone family was looking to get out of a renting situation and buy a home. The Northwest High School district seemed like the best fit for Olivia. For the most high-profile female athlete in Montgomery County, a strong track program was a high priority. The Northwest track team, coached by Beth Muehl, fields a team of talented athletes year after year.

Olivia is excited to see how another high school team practices and will be happy to see a few familiar faces. The Northwest track is also the practice location for her club track team, the Maryland Titans. Several teammates from the Titans are on the high school track team at Northwest.

Olivia admits that it has not been easy saying goodbye to her teammates at Wootton. A few tears were shed when she gave them the news of her transfer, but they understood her situation and wished her the best. She promised to keep in touch and spend time with her Wootton pals at future track meets [Note: Wootton hosts Northwest in a dual meet on March 31].

Ultimately, Olivia and her family feel that Northwest is the best place for her and her younger brother - oh yes, there is a younger brother - to finish out their high school careers.

Analysis
What does Olivia's transfer mean for the rest of the state? Well, Northwest isn't going to beat Eleanor Roosevelt just yet, but this makes them pretty darn good. Just as she raised Wootton to a championship caliber team on the county level last year, she will do the same for Northwest by joining Britt Eckerstrom, Alyssa Henshaw, India Knight, Alice Chang, and others. For now, the indoor county champs of Churchill High still seem to be the team to beat this spring while the Clarksburg girls (you read it here first) and Paint Branch girls should also contend for the county title.

Article Comments - Add A Comment
Name		Comment

Sbtrack 2009-02-27 23:21:24		yeah when I first heard this I was like wow that makes NW up there now at counties. and yeah Page Harris of clarksburg will wreck this year

l33tweasley 2009-02-28 07:56:39		man wtf

MUSCLES 2009-02-28 08:59:15		Aw! I feel sad that Olivia is leaving her Wootton friends/teammates, but, it's happy that she's joining Northwest High School. That ought 2 b exciting 4 her & Northwest. Best of Luck goes out to Olivia. Have fun & Good Luck!!

fellow wootton teammate 2009-02-28 11:48:39		we're going to miss olivia soo much but its for the best... :[

Anonymous 2009-03-01 02:35:44		Coach Dave Knight and Lexi Knight are the real sprint coaches at NW. Beth Meuhl is for distance. Can't everyone see that NW sprinters have gotten more competitive. NW girls and boys will be hard to beat this year. There is girl talent who played basketball just like the Clarksburg girls that will be out for outdoor who were not out for indoor. look out moco, NW is HOT!!!!!!

Anonymous 2009-03-03 18:56:51		NW is amazing with distance and mid distance running, and now will Olivia going there, their sprinters and the entire team will be AMAZING!!! I'm nervous to compete against NW!

Anonymous 2009-03-03 23:03:15		I'm excited to see how counties 4x2 and 4x4 will turn out......

Anonymous 2009-03-27 01:45:50		Well this completely screws Wootton over. Sounds like a thinly-veiled excuse for Olivia to run for Dave and Lexi Knight after they left Wootton last year. Then again, if she's going to run for some legit D1 program in the future, I guess it's every girl for herself...

Anonymous 2009-03-31 22:20:48		Having Olivia on the NW side is really good for us but we still have other really good spritters like India camry Tiffany Andrea achankeng amber alana sierra and alot of other people so even thought it amazing we can have her we would have still done pretty well without her.

Ekpone Fan 2009-04-03 07:48:11		Good job Olivia because you were going down hill at Wooten. It was killin me and the rest of your fans to see decline. We know that you are in good hands now.... Keep working hard and stay focus!!!

Anonymous 2009-04-03 22:50:41		Good luck at NW... but coaches ain't the reason for any bad race/s -- u gotta own that your self! Any runner no's that. Should b a hot season!!

Ekpone Fan 2009-04-16 08:14:51		Unless you been under a rock you know that Wooten coaches do not specialize in sprints. I'm not sure if they specialize in anything. She's now with her long time coach that has been coaching her since she was 8 years old. He has college and professional sprint experience.

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