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 Mercedes Jackson of Huntingtown is a 100 meter specialist and Xauddina Whittington of Catonsville is a 400 meter specialist, but when they all meet in the middle, Le'Quisha Parker of Northwood said, "The 200 is my race."
She had to chase down Jackson on the straightaway after a fast start, but Parker said she knew that would be the case and she felt good. She out-leaned Jackson 24.64 to 24.72.
Parker finished second in both the 100 (12.27) and 400 (55.94), dipping under 56 seconds for the first time. Prior to the county championship three weeks ago, she had never been under 58 seconds.
The now three-time 200-meter state champion will be a NCAA Division I athlete at Hampton University.
Camille Bouvet had a lot to think about on Friday night. She went home mad, confused, and full of regret after her worst performance of the season. She ran nearly a minute slower in the 3200 than she did a week earlier when she won the 4A West crown, but she could not figure out why.
She woke up Saturday morning after a night of bizarre dreams focused on giving her best effort in the 1600. She threw out time and place and told herself the only thing that mattered was having no regrets in her last high school race.
She didn't want to run in the lead from start to finish, but she also didn't want to let the race come down to a kick. Earlier in the season at the Viking Invitational, she became familiar with the kick of Severna Park's Ashley Hayes and Grace Corbett. A sit-and-kick race would not do.
After 200 meters, Bouvet moved to the front of the pack and took control of the race.
"The pace did not feel fast and my instinct was to keep running hard."
She pulled Hayes, TJ's Savannah Plombon, and Corbett through the halfway point in 2:32 and 1200 in 3:52. Bouvet pressed the pace but Hayes was still drafting on the final turn. Finally a gap began to open as she entered the straightaway. She closed the final lap in 68 seconds for a personal best time of 5:00.25 while Hayes stumbled and nearly fell in the final few meters. Corbett finished second in a personal best 5:04.60.
She was relieved to have a good race heading into the summer. She will train to compete on the Virginia Tech cross country and track team.
Seneca Valley's Virginia Owusu-Mainoo started out the discus competition relaxed and with good technique. On the second throw after already taking the lead with a 105 foot throw, she let it loose and knew it was a good throw when it landed in the sector. The meet official called out "One hundred twenty two feet, five inches."
"It was exhilarating. I was on cloud nine."
It was a personal best by over two feet and the best in the 3A competition by over seven feet. Only one Montgomery County girl has a better mark in the last ten years. |
