Feelings of accomplishment are running deep for the Maryvale Prep indoor track and field team.
The Lions’ team depth is what carried them to the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland championship Jan. 17. It was their fifth title in the past six seasons that the event has been contested.
A whopping 20 athletes scored points for Maryvale as it rolled to victory in the two-day meet held at Loyola Blakefield. The Lions piled up 155 points, outdistancing their top competitors, McDonogh (128) and Notre Dame Prep (98), in the A Conference competition.
While the Lions secured first-place efforts from Abby Myers (shot put), Lauren Savage (800-meter run) and the 4×800 relay team, their depth of finishers scoring points from second to eighth place is what made the difference.
“We knew we had to maximize our points from our depth,’’ Maryvale coach Jason Miller said. “And that’s exactly what we did.”
Miller said he directs a team of about 50 athletes and more than a dozen of them routinely score points at meets.
This season was a unique challenge, juggling nearly complete outdoor training and COVID-19 protocols.
“The girls showed their dedication,” Miller said. “We really are like a big family and the athletes feed off that.”
Miller said the team’s depth has been bolstered over the years by soccer and lacrosse athletes using indoor track to diversify their training.
“Success breeds success, and the kids have done a good job of in-house recruiting and training during the summer,’’ Miller said of his team that didn’t get to compete for a title last season because of the pandemic.
Senior Clare O’Malley, who scored in the maximum four events at the finals, said the team built a sense of camaraderie through its experience of working out through the pandemic and in trying conditions.
“We worked out in the cold and snow, and when it was too cold to go outside, we ran laps around the gym, shared the weight room,’’ O’Malley said. “Every single person truly wants to be here and contribute to this team. The depth is so important. We had freshmen and sophomores score points. When we’ve won the titles, we’ve always won by collecting those points with fifth-, sixth-, seventh- and eighth-place finishes.”
The list of point scorers for the Lions was lengthy with several scoring in multiple events: Sarah Becker (pole vault), Leanely Cruz (55 dash, 300 dash, 55 hurdles), Kristen Debolt (pole vault, shot put), Grace Flanagan (800 run), Asa Fulton (55 dash, 300, 4×200 and 4×400 relays), Riley Gerbereux (3,200 run), Kayley Harris (800 run, 4×800), Addi Joerres (4×200), Min Joo Kim (1,600 run, 3,200 run), Kayla Morris (high jump, shot put), Abby Myers (shot put), Clare O’Malley (55 dash, 300, 4×200, 4×400), Mary Petila (4×200), Corinne Quaerna (high jump), Alex Savage (pole vault, triple jump), Courtney Savage (500 run, 4×400, 4×800), Lauren Savage (800, 4×800), Sydney Schiavone (500, 4×400), Katie Shaver (3,200 run, 4×800), Alicia Vo (55 hurdles, high jump).
The Savage triplets – Alex, Courtney and Lauren – had an especially poignant meet, winning a title where their late grandfather, legendary basketball coach Jerry Savage, taught for more than three decades.
Other A Conference winners from area Catholic schools included: Olivia Sobkowicz, Notre Dame Prep (1,600 run); Arden Martino, Archbishop Spalding (pole vault); Athena Stith, Archbishop Spalding (long jump); and Gracy Back, Notre Dame Prep (triple jump).
St. Mary’s (149 points) won the IAAM B Conference title, racing past Mercy (114), John Carroll (85) and Catholic High (83). Chloe McCarthy won the 1,600 and 3,200 runs and the Saints swept to victory in the 4×200 and 4×400 relays.
Other B Conference winners from area Catholic schools included: Gabrielle LaCroix, St. Mary’s (55 hurdles); Tamiya Parker, Mercy (55 dash); Olivia Cesla, John Carroll (300 dash); Laney Shanahan, Catholic High (high jump); Emily Baranoski, John Carroll (pole vault and triple jump); Olivia Stone, Catholic (long jump); and Harley Hartman, Catholic (shot put). Mercy won the 4×800 relay.
Email Gerry Jackson at gjackson@CatholicReview.org.
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