Green leads Walter Johnson to fifth straight title

By Brian Towey for DyeStat

PARKTON, Md. -- Abby Green ran mostly alone Saturday at Hereford High at the MPSSAA Championships. She won her first Maryland Class 4A state title, covering 3 miles in 18 minutes, 17.4 seconds and leading Walter Johnson High to a state-record fifth consecutive championship.

"The thing I learned about this course is that you don't want to go out too hard," said the senior Green, who finished second to Providence College freshman Maria Coffin last year. "I was kind of surprised to be leading. I kept pushing and when I got to 800 meters, I let 'er rip."

Green held off a late-charging Anna Coffin, Maria's younger sister and a junior from Annapolis Senior, who finished second in 18:56.4. Severna Park junior Kamryn Eveleth was third in 18:57.3.

Walter Johnson scored 83 points. Severna Park was second with 96 points and Thomas S. Wootton was third with 116.

"There is something unique about this team, but I've seen it before," Walter Johnson coach Tom Martin said. "These girls, with whatever they face, don't panic. If somebody has a bad race, somebody else fills in. It's just the mark of a really good team."

Walter Johnson will run Nov. 25 at NXR Southeast Regional in Cary, N.C. However, Green will run at the Foot Locker Northeast Regional on the same day in the Bronx, N.Y. She was 21st at Foot Locker Nationals last year. 

Runners faced temperatures in the high 30s all day.

Bethesda-Chevy Chase senior Adam Nakasaka, who was a runner-up last year to University of Virginia freshman Rohann Asfaw, used a similar approach to Green to win in 15:50.6. He waited until the 2-mile mark before making a break to pull away from Severna Park junior Garrison Clark (second, 15:57.73) and Howard senior Nick Deamer (third, 15:59.92).

"I've finished second in state championships in cross country, indoors and outdoors, so it was frustrating," Nakasaka said. "It's exciting to win, but it's a relief."

Severna Park won the team championship with 40 points over Dulaney (77 points), which had prevailed by one point last year. Severna Park was led by Clark (second), senior Jonah Lane (fifth, 16:11.94) and junior Samuel Martin (eighth, 16:23.82).

"We had two seniors who'd been injured for the last three years -- Sean Englefried and Nick Plummer -- run in their first state championship," Severna Park assistant coach Justin Marvel said. "This win was for them as much as anyone."

Nakasaka, whose aunt was a cross country All-American at Division III University of St. Thomas, is hopeful this wins signals a pick-up in his college recruitment.

"The only Division I schools I've spoken with so far, I've taken the initiative," Nakasaka said. "Hopefully now more will be interested."

Bel Air senior Kieran McDermott, who finished fourth in the 4A championship a year ago, won the 3A title in 15:59.19. 

"It felt a lot more comfortable (today) than the pace I ran at last year," McDermott said.  

McDermott has scheduled a visit to Georgetown this weekend. He's also considering the University of Michigan, La Salle, American and Princeton.

Linganore won the 3A team championship over Centennial, 73-126.

C. Milton Wright sophomore Haley Cummins won the girls 3A race in 19:00.30 over Northern-Calvert senior Abby Sweene (19:24.02).

Northern-Calvert won the team championship with 37 points over C. Milton Wright (92 points).

Poolesville senior Ryan Lockett won the 2A championship in 16:13. Lockett, who'll run for the University of Virginia next year, finished second in the 3,000 meters (8:24.43) at the Penn Relays in April.

"I won the state championship last year so I knew what to expect," Lockett said. "I went out with the lead pack then pulled away."

Lockett will run Nov. 25 at the Foot Locker Northeast Regional.

Junior Emily Konkus led Hereford to the 2A team title with her individual win in 19:40.4.

In Class 1A, Zachary Laird led a 1-2 finish for victorious Bohemia Manor (16:09.1). Ashley Betz of Patterson Mill won the girls race in 20:18.1.

RESULTS - Class 4A | Class 3A | Class 2A | Class 1A 

Team Champions

Class 4A Boys - Severna Park 40 points

Class 4A Girls - Walter Johnson 83 points

Class 3A Boys - Linganore 73 points

Class 3A Girls - Northern 37 points

Class 2A Boys - Liberty 68 points

Class 2A Girls - Hereford 81 points

Class 1A Boys - Bohemia Manor 34 points

Class 1A Girls - Boonsboro 64 points