The county's top-heavy world of indoor track finally might feature alittle parity this season.
Underclassmen have come out in droves at several county schools, giving promise for later in the year.
Old Mill and Meade have been on top of the numbers game for years, which gives them a distinct advantage in experience.
Meade's boys contingent will try and defend its postseason titles without the assistance of pole-vaulting twins Jeff and Eric Miller, who were 1-2, respectively, in last year's county, region and state meets.
SeniorBrian Glock, a pleasant surprise for the Mustangs last season, returns with his sights set on the three postseason pole-vaulting titles.
"We're expecting big things out of Brian, but we'll miss the Millers," said Meade coach Jay Cuthbert. "We only have two feet to fill four shoes, so that's a big hole to fill."
With versatile athletes Anthony Lowe and Ray Burleson gone, too, Cuthbert is relying heavily on the high-jumping of Derrick Barr and the shot-putting of Levaniel Hicks.
Barr already has leaped 6-4, in last week's Baltimore Metro Invitational at Catonsville Community College. Hicks exhibited his strength at the Catonsville meet and the first county meet at the 5th Regiment Armory in Baltimore as he gained two second-place finishes ineach meet with throws of 44-9 1/2 and 43-11 1/2, respectively.
"We don't have the depth that we've had in past years, so it's going tobe pretty tough defending our titles," Cuthbert said. "Our turnout was lighter than in past years, and (Old Mill coach) Ron (Evans) has aton of kids out, so it's going to be tough to compete with those kind of numbers."
The Mustangs' girls team was hit hard by graduation, but it has senior sprinters Amanda Simmons, Chelsea Williams and Tawana Wilson and junior middle- and long-distance runner Amy Bell backto help soften the blow. Erica Kearns, Yuvette Johnson and Alesa Rubendall are expected to assist Meade in sprints and long sprints, while Ulanda Archie will represent the squad in the high jump and sprints.
Old Mill's girls are seeking their seventh straight county title, while the Patriot boys battle to regain the county crown from the Mustangs.
"Our girls are pretty solid, and we have some outstandingkids," said Coach Evans. "I think both our boys and girls teams havea very good shot at the county title. I'm expecting good things, butyou never know."
One person Evans can depend on is senior Tisha Washington, who returns to defend her county title in the 300-meter run. Washington, who finished second at the regions and sixth at the state meet in the 300, should receive some assistance from sprinter-hurdlers Amy Tolley and Raina Domneys, long-distance runner Marisa Sanders, and Michele Smith, who competes in a variety of track and field events, including the shot put, high jump and several sprinting events.
Rocky McMillan will pace the Pats' boys team, which finished second in the region and a disappointing 10th in the state meet. McMillan was a triple winner for the Patriots at last year's county meet, ashe claimed the 100 and 300 hurdles and was the lead-off leg of the county champion 400 relay team.
The Patriots fared well individually at the states, as McMillan emerged as state champion in the 55 hurdles, and sophomore Mickey Matters claimed the top honors in the 800 run.
Glen Burnie second-year coach Aaron Walker hopes his young Gophers can maintain the type of intensity that earned his boys team a third-place finish and girls a fifth-place finish at last year's county meet.
The Gophers' boys team will get a boost from senior Alphonso Generette, who will defend his county championship in the 300 run while also competing in the 55 --. Seniors Cindy Silate and Natalie Biamby should help keep the girls squad competitive.
"We're not really that young, but we don't have a lot of experience," said Walker. "We have a lot of first-year people, so we're looking for this to be a fun, growing season.
"As a coach, I'm just looking for personal improvement throughout the season from each of my kids."
At Severna Park, distance runners are the core of a team, which Coach Jim Patton said "aren't as good as they will be come January."
Seniors Fran Mackney and Cindy Symancyk, along with freshmen Briana Weidman and Jessica Schlagel, compete in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 events.
Senior Erin Wylde will make her presence felt in the 500 and 800 runs, while sophomores Coutnay Stanke and Laurie Reed add stability in middledistances. Stanke also doubles as a high-jumper, while Reed finishedfourth in the 1,600 at the Catonsville meet.
"Sprinters were never one of our strengths, but we're a lot deeper than in the past," said Patton, who has a very young batch headed by sophomore Monique Washington. Others include junior Kristin Wilson and freshmen Gretchen Young, Megan Smith and Michelle Reese.
Senior Jenny Schmeltzer and sophomore Shea Seibles, who also runs sprints, will throw the shot put. Sophomore Gwen Glister will handle both high jump and hurdles duties.
"We're definitely off to a good start, and I think by the end of the season, we'll be able to fight for the county title," said Patton, whose girls placed third out of 24 teams in the Metro Invitational, while the boys finished fifth.
Senior cross country runners Brian Kaupa, Jarrett Hon, Jeremy Kokalis, Jaime Jankowski and Rich Joneshead the distance events. Seniors Colin Harding and Paul Lavallee, along with juniors Mark Latchaw and Chris Johnson are Severna Park's best hopes in the hurdles. Lavallee is also the team's leading pole-vaulter.
All-County soccer selection Brian Peterson headlines the list of sprinters along with junior Drew Brought, while J. J. Novak will give the Falcons added depth after getting over early-season injuries.
Patton predicts twin brothers Bill and Bob Habicht will show their versatility, as they will fill in anywhere from the 200 up to the 1,600.
Over in Cape St. Claire, Broadneck coach Gerald Kiple is looking for a way to make his team competitive with perennial powers Meade and Old Mill.
Kiple has yet to find an answer.
"Meade andOld Mill will be tough to beat," said the five-year coach. "It's tough to compete against those schools, because they have the numbers. Alot of races, I don't put anyone in or just one person and they put three, so it's hard to cover that."
The Bruins' boys team will be led by senior Tim Collins, last year's regional champion in the 800 run, while their female contingent will be headed by senior Jean Rimar, a 1- and 2-miler with enough speed to handle the middle distances.
Seniors Adrienne McCray and Anne Arundel County Sun Football Player of the Year Anthony Walker lead North County's largest team ever (35 boys, 20 girls). McCray, a three-year outdoor/indoor standout, willbe the Knights' stalwart in the 55 hurdles, 500 and 800 runs and thehigh jump.
Walker, who placed second in the county in last spring's outdoor championships, will run in the 55 -- and 300 run. Other sprinters include Reggie Dukes, John Martin and Brent McCullers. JuniorSam Lomax and senior John Bilheimer return to fill in at the middle-distance races.
Reggie Carter and Will Neibauer will handle the long-distance chores, while John Sena and All-County football player Damon Martin will compete in the high jump and hurdles.
Tanya Hecox will run the 1,600 and 3,200 events, while Martha Hill will be expected to garner points at hurdles. Newcomers to the squad include Sheronda Johnson, Kenda Johnson, Tonya Ford and April Hall.
Cindy Herbert and Mattie Cymek will handle the shot-put duties at Chesapeake, as Herbert will attempt to improve on her second-place finish in last year's county indoor championships.
Jennifer Light will lead the Cougars in long distance, while Tracy Starke and Monica Gibson return inthe middle-distance races.
On the boys side, the Cougars will tryto make up for the loss of long-distance juggernaut Mike Sokoloff with the help of sophomore shot-putter Kareem Bennett and sprinter PaulJones.
Arundel 12-year coach Ralph Luce is hoping that the addition of a ninth-grade class in the Gambrills school will help him builda strong nucleus.
Senior captain Danny Chesela and junior Jonathan Nichol will handle long distances, while senior Ed Briese hopes to return following a leg injury and make a mark in the middle distances.
Senior distance runner Cindy Kelly will be called on to lead theWildcats' female contingent, along with junior transfer Kirstin Master, whom Luce described as "a quality hurdler."
"I'm hoping the team grows and that the runners develop as individuals," said Luce. "Wehave a lot of young runners who hopefully will stay with the sport awhile."
South River first-year coach Beverly White was not informed of her new duties until the eve of the indoor track season. The Seahawks are not only thin but inexperienced.
In spite of their shortcomings, the Seahawks boys team should get something out of seniors John Dawson, Pat Hogan and K. C. Palmer, while Chrissy Burke and Necole Singleton try to raise South River's girls team out of anonymity.
"We're a very young team, but I'm hoping I can get them to at leastgo to the county, regions and states," said White, a 1988 graduate of Broadneck. "If they apply themselves, I think they can make it.
"The key will be wanting to win and wanting to run. A lot of them right now will run if they have to and go home if they can. They have tobe more dedicated."
Both Denny DeWitt and his Annapolis team are making fresh starts. DeWitt, who last coached indoor at Brooklyn ParkHigh seven years ago, brings hope to a program that disbanded two years ago.
"We have a total of 56 kids on the team and 47 with no track experience whatsoever, but they're working hard, and they're sticking with the program," said DeWitt. "I'm very pleased with the turnout we had. They are really showing me that they want to compete."
DeWitt points to freshman long-distance runner Kristin Nicolini and seniors Liz Magiera (first in the high jump in Tuesday's meet) and Cassidy Smith to be the Panthers' main point-getters.
The boys will be led by second-team All State cross country selection Eric Van Gieson.
Said DeWitt, "It's very nice to see that the kids look forward to practice, and they have a positive reaction to everything. The future is definitely ahead of us."
Northeast coach Charles "Buck" Boxwell is hoping his Eagles can soar their way out of the county and regional basement.
The Eagles, who hail from one of the smallest schools in the county, finished at the bottom in both postseason meets.
Northeast should benefit from Lansdowne transfer John Austin Kelley, who runs the 55 hurdles and 55 --. Another senior, Matt Burford, is expected to compete in the 55 --, 300 run and high jump, while senior Jerome Walton and junior Jeff George will handle the distance running.
Northeast finally attracted enough interest in the sport to field a girls team. Leading the way for the Eagles in their inaugural season will be sprinter-hurdler Jennifer Boyer and shot-putter Joan Coppage.