Shane Stroup and Jim Peterson led Montgomery County's athletes with record-breaking performances in Saturday's state track meets. Sherwood's Stroup cleared 6-6 in the high jump in the Class B championship and Wheaton's Peterson won the mile again, clocking 4:10 flat in Class AA.
As a team, Springbrook fared the best in AA, taking second with winning performances from Tom Nichols (first, triple jump and second, long jump), Make Harper (third, two-mile), Barry Paige (third, 220), Leo Cole (third, 100) and a third by the 880 relay team of Cole, Richard Pope, Richard Berger and Paige.
Among the more dramatic events of the AA meet at Annapolis High School was the 880-yard run in which Peterson and teammate Mike Adderly finished holding hands, tied for first.
In the 440, Jerry Fuller of Blair finished first in 49.1, the fastest the event was run in any of the three meets.
In the A meet at Magruder, the host Colonels also came up with a second-place team finish. Eleven of the day's events had Magruder athletes among the top six finishers with Alan Miller (220) and John Tyler (triple jump) winning the state crown.
Also adding to the Colonels' strong showing were Pat Destefano (fifth, 120 hurdles), Dave Wimsatt (second, shot put and third, discus), Keith Jackson (sixth, long jump), Mo Hughes (third, triple jump), Miller (fourth, 440), Jeff Shelton (fourth, two-mile), Galen Sidall (third pole vault), and a second by the mile relay team of Mike Destefano, Tyrone Turner, Greg Clifford and Miller.
B-CC's Pete Slevin won the two-mile run in 9:36.2, well ahead of the second-place runner. Ralph Perrey of Einstein finished fifth in that event.
LaPlata High School was host of the B league meet where county athletes took three firsts. In addition to his record-breaking performance in the high jump, Stroup also won the pole vault, clearing 13 feet.
Mike Grant of Rockville High won the 120 high hurdles, clocking 14.6 and also placed in the 330 intermediate hurdles, finishing third.
In the 880-yard run, Keith Armstrong of Paint Branch was second followed by Woodward's Willie Schroeder and Tim Mertz, third and fourth, respectively.
Other top performances in the Class B competition were Buddy Crutchfield of Sherwood (fifth, 120 hurdles) and Mark Chasser of Rockville (fifth, discus).
Prince Georges' County schools took top team honors in all three meets with Crossland winning the AA, Friendly winning the A and Fairmont Heights the B.
220-YARD RUNNERS round the first curve on the Annapolis track.
Left: BARRY PAIGE runs the anchor of Springbrook's second-place 880 relay team
Center: LENNY BRANSON of Walter Johnson goes over the high jump.
Right: JOHN PHILBIN of Peary competes in the pole vault
Pusey, Lyn. "Stroup, Peterson Set Records." Montgomery Journal, 30 May. 1974, p. B8. Transcribed by: Kevin Milsted 02/29/2020
