Howard County Times game balls and top performers (May 8-13)

The Howard County Times awards five game balls to the top individual performances across the county throughout the last week.

Game Ball No. 1

Arayana Ladson, Mt. Hebron, outdoor track and field, junior

Ladson won a trio of county titles in the 100-meter dash (12.20), 200 (24.37) and 100-meter hurdles (14.66). Her 30 points from winning those three events, helped the Vikings girls secure a third-place finish at the county championships. She also displayed her versatility, placing third in the long jump (17-02.50), continuing to cement herself as one of the top athletes in Class 3A East.

Game Ball No. 2

Shivaani Selvan, Hammond, tennis, junior

Selvan won the No. 1 girls singles title at the Howard County Cup, defeating River Hill’s Adele Lair in the final, 8-2. She was the Golden Bears’ lone county champion at the county cup and has been one of their best players throughout the season. The junior has come back in a big way this season, missing most of last season after winning her opening match.

Game Ball No. 3

Christian Brower, Long Reach, outdoor track and field, senior

Brower continued to shine in the distance events winning both the 800 and 1,600 at Monday and Tuesday’s Howard County Championships at Marriotts Ridge. The senior finished the 800 in 1-minute, 59.4 seconds, edging out Howard’s Joey Ensor. He completed the 1,600 in 4:24.11, beating out Oakland Mills’ Ethan Aidam, now entering Class 3A East regionals as one of the top qualifiers in both events. Brower was also a member of the Lightning’s relay teams that placed second in the 4x800 and third in the 4x400.

Game Ball No. 4

Alex Artazov, River Hill, tennis, senior

Artazov won the Howard County Cup title at No. 1 singles, defeating Centennial’s Vijay Jagarapu, 8-3, in the final match. The senior has consistently been of the best players in Howard County, coming off a Class 3A boys singles state title last season. His win played a key part in the Hawks securing the County Cup team title, also helping the River Hill boys capture an undefeated 15-0 regular season record.

Game Ball No. 5

Trevin McHargh, Oakland Mills, outdoor track and field, senior

McHargh continued to lead the charge for the Scorpions, securing first place in the 100 (10.82) and second in the 200 (22.16), finishing narrowly behind teammate Shane King in the 200. A staple of Oakland Mills relay teams for several seasons, McHargh was part of the victorious 4x100 and 4x200 relay teams. as the Scorpions went on to secure another county title with 179 points, winning by a wide margin.