BOYS PERFORMER OF THE YEAR
Charles Devaud
Archbishop Curley, senior
Devaud's contributions were as wide and varied as the events in which he competed. Regarded as the No. 4 Friars' best athlete, Devaud participated in six events this winter.
For the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association championship meet, he concentrated on four - the 55-meter hurdles, pole vault, triple jump and 800 relay. Devaud walked away with MIAA crowns in two of those events, winning the hurdles in 7.6 seconds and the pole vault with a mark of 13 feet.
He never lost a hurdles race to a conference opponent and dropped only one pole vault contest in four league meets. By placing second in the triple jump with a leap of 41 feet, 7.75 inches and running a leg of the second-place 800 relay squad that finished in 1 minute, 34.6 seconds, Devaud delivered 36 of Archbishop Curley's 88 points at the MIAA championships.
BOYS COACH OF THE YEAR
Eric Depkin
Loch Raven
Few observers tabbed the Raiders as a contender at any level. After all, as a Class 1A school, Loch Raven had a much smaller talent pool than its Class 4A and 3A rivals. But a third-place finish to Annapolis and Woodlawn, powers in Class 4A and 3A, respectively, at the 40th annual National Guard Meet, legitimized the Raiders' campaign.
Armed with a solid contingent of distance runners from the school's Class 1A state champion cross country team, Depkin found a talented foursome of sprinters in Quentin Burley, Adam Dickson, Franklin Richburg and Stann Waithe.
Despite placing third at the Baltimore County championships and fourth at the Class 2A-1A Central region meet, Loch Raven recorded 39 points for second place at the state championships. The finish - just two points shy of Middletown's 41 - was the Raiders' best showing at a state meet.
FIRST TEAM
Tony Cole
Oakland Mills, junior
The Howard County Performer of the Year won the 55-meter dash at the Class 2A-1A state meet with a time of 6.51 seconds. That effort completed a sweep in the 55 with titles at the Central region (6.5) and county championships (6.3).
Cole, who finished second in the 300 at the state (36.2) and region (38.7) levels, reaped four gold medals at the county championships.
Martin Dougherty
South River, senior
He established himself as the Seahawks' first state champion in the past 10 years by winning the pole vault at the Class 4A-3A state meet with a vault of 13 feet - the best mark among any gold-medal winners at the state level.
Dougherty also took first place in the event at the Central region meet by clearing 12 feet, 6 inches.
Will Eden
Annapolis, sophomore
The Anne Arundel County Performer of the Year helped the No. 2 Panthers take second at the Class 3A-2A state championships. Eden's win in the 3,200 in 9 minutes, 50.8 seconds and second-place outing in the 1,600 in 4:31.2 gave Annapolis 18 of its 46 points.
He was second in both events at the East region meet and second in the 3,200 and third in the 1,600 at the county meet.
Damon Gasque
Mount Hebron, senior
He topped off his second season of indoor track by collecting a Class 3A-2A state title in the high jump with a mark of 6 feet, 2 inches. That leap was an eight-inch improvement from his first foray in the event last winter.
Gasque was the top high jumper at the West region meet (6-2) and the Howard County championships (6-3). He was second in the 55 hurdles at the county championships.
Drew Graybeal
Glenelg, junior
He owned the 500 at every level. Graybeal was first in the event at the Class 2A-1A state championships (1 minute, 6.3 seconds), the Central region meet (1:11.2) and the Howard County championships (1:07.7).
He finished second in the 300 with a time of 35.9 seconds at the county championships.
Jesse Slowikowski
C. Milton Wright, senior
When teammate Pat Bailey was sidelined by complications from Achilles' tendinitis, the Mustangs turned to Slowikowski. A cross country veteran, Slowikowski placed second in the 1,600 (4 minutes, 21.70 seconds) and the 3,200 (9:58.90) at the Class 4A-3A state championships.
He captured both events at the Central region meet - the 1,600 in 4:33.2 and the 3,200 in 10:13.0.
Sean Stewart
Hammond, senior
He added an average of four feet to his shot put throws from last winter to become the event's top performer. Stewart collected his second consecutive Howard County title with a toss of 48 feet, 11.25 inches.
He placed second in the event at the Class 3A-2A West region meet with a mark of 49 feet, 2.75 inches and third at the state meet with a throw of 49 feet, 1.75 inches.
Tristram Thomas
McDonogh, sophomore
The premier distance runner in the MIAA, Thomas never lost to a conference rival in the 1,600 or the 3,200 this season.
He won crowns in the 1,600 (4 minutes, 27.7 seconds) and the 3,200 (9:54) at the MIAA championships.
Stann Waithe
Loch Raven, senior
He became the first Raider to pick up three gold medals at the Class 2A-1A state championships. Waithe, who is this year's lone repeat All-Metro selection, was first in the 300 (35.3 seconds) and ran legs of the winning 800 relay (1 minute, 32.55 seconds) and 1,600 relay squads (3:31.75) at the state meet.
He also had three gold medals at the Central region and Baltimore County championships.
Ambrose Wooden
Gilman, senior
The All-Metro Player of the Year in football transferred his speed from the gridiron to the track. Wooden registered wins in the 55 dash in 6.2 seconds and the 300 in 36.0 seconds at the MIAA championships.
Those victories accounted for 20 of the No. 9 Greyhounds' 48 points at the championship meet.
Frankie Wright
Mervo, senior
He played a pivotal role in the top-ranked Mustangs' third-place showing at the Class 4A-3A state championships. Wright collected a state title in the 500 with a time of 1 minute, 6.43 seconds and ran a leg for the winning 800 relay squad that finished in 1:31.19.
He brought home four gold medals from the Central region meet and three more from the Baltimore City championships.
Second team
Name School Class
Darrin Arbaugh South Carroll Senior
Mike Bukosky Perry Hall Senior
Brandon Duckett Mount St. Joseph Senior
Demario Harris Annapolis Senior
Jason Mead Oakland Mills Senior
Andrew Peresta Southern-AA Senior
Andy Rejent Calvert Hall Senior
Matt Sanders Mount Hebron Senior
Luke Stewart McDonogh Senior
Brandon Taylor Mount St. Joseph Senior
J.J. Wetzel Arch. Spalding Senior
Ronald Wright Mervo Senior
Note: Teams selected by Edward Lee after consultation with The Sun staff and area coaches.