COACH OF THE YEAR

Jerry Martin, Perry Hall -- The inclement weather took its toll on all area indoor track coaches this winter, but through it all, Martin kept his Perry Hall boys team in focus en route to a county championship. The veteran coach attributed much of his team's success to his corps of pole vaulters, high jumpers and hurdlers that he called "Breakfast Club" because of their pre-dawn practice sessions. "They got me out of bed early, but it was worth it," said Martin, whose boys team captured the county championship. He was most proud of the fact that his team "ran better after the snowstorm than [it] ran before the storm." "The weather being the way it was actually helped us," said Martin, whose team later finished third at regions and sixth at the 4A state meet. "With the kind of kids I have, I knew that they would find a way to get the job done and they did everything they could to stay in shape."

BOYS PERFORMER OF THE YEAR

Dave Russell, Perry Hall, Jr. -- This junior swept postseason honors in the pole vault by winning at the county, region and state meets. Russell cleared the bar at 13-6 for his gold at states, soared 13-0 to win the East Region crown and needed only 12-6 to win at the county level. Russell, who was pushed all season by teammates Jeff Newman and Bill Mockabee, won at the Diamond State Invitational at the University of Delaware and took first at the Virginia Tech Invitational.

THE BOYS TEAM

Alphonso Darby, Woodlawn, Sr. -- Darby took second at the states and regions in the 500 behind North County's Dennis Lomax, but came away with a gold medal by running the second leg of the Warriors' state champion 800 relay team (1:34.8). At the county meet, he won the 500 run and was a member of the county champion 800 and 1,600 relay teams.

Jamie Davies, Catonsville, Sr. -- He was a double champion at the county meet, where he took first in the boys 1,600 and 3,200 runs. At regions, Davies took second in the 1,600 after winning the 3,200-meter event. In the state meet, Davies only ran the 3,200 and took home a gold medal.

Andre Eure, Milford Mill, Sr. -- He was a double champ at the county meet, where he won the 55 hurdles (7.8) and the high jump (6.2). At regions, Eure won the high jump and took second in the hurdles. He was state runner-up in the jump and earned a bronze medal in the hurdles.

Karmann Henderson, Woodlawn, Sr. -- This talented senior won two gold medals at the county meet in the 55 -- (6.5) and 300 run (37.5). At regions, he finished third in the 55 --, fifth in the 300 and ran on the 800 relay that won. At the Class 4A state meet, Henderson finished third in the 55 -- and fourth in the 500, but came away with a gold medal as a member of the Woodlawn's state champion 800 relay team.

Joe Leilich, Perry Hall, Jr. -- This Gator took first in the 800 and second in the 1,600 at the county meet, where he ran a personal best 4:41 in the 1,600. He took fifth in the region in the 1,600 and was runner-up in the same event at the Class 4A state meet.

Mike Pucci, Perry Hall, Jr. -- Pucci won the 55 hurdles at the East Region meet, took second in the hurdles at the county meet and was sixth at states, .04 of a second out of third. He also took second in the 55 hurdles at the Baltimore Metro Classic at Catonsville CC.

Troy Thomas, Woodlawn, Jr. -- This junior finished second in the county in the 500 and was third at states behind Lomax and Darby. Darby, third in the region behind Darby and Lomax and finished seventh in the same event at states. Thomas was also a a member of the Warriors' county, region and state champion 800 relay team.

Frank Trimble, Perry Hall, Jr. -- This distance runner took second at the county meet in the 3,200 (10:31), was third in the regions and fourth at states. He also high jumped 5-10 during the regular season.

Ian Vair, Dulaney, Sr. -- Vair emerged as county champion in the shot put with a toss that traveled 47-feet 9 1/4 inches. He closed out the season by taking fourth at regions and sixth at states. "He's the perfect package," said Dulaney coach John Britt. "He's tall, strong and really works hard on his technique."

GIRLS PERFORMER OF THE YEAR

Christina Chillemi, Dulaney, Jr. -- Chillemi was the state and county champ in the high jump and was second at the regions, where she recorded a personal 5-3. "She started off slow but she really pulled through at the very end of the season when it counts most," said Dulaney coach Ann Herrold, whose team needed every point to outlast Catonsville, 90-78, for the girls county team title.

THE GIRLS TEAM

Abby Bausman, Dulaney, Jr. -- Bausman was county runner-up in the girls 55 -- and was third in the regions and fifth in the states in the same event. She also anchored the 1,600 and 800 relay teams.

Marjorie Erickson, Franklin, Jr. -- In just her first year on Franklin's track team, this junior emerged as county high jump champion with a personal best leap of 4-10. Hindered by an ankle injury sustained shortly after the county meet, she settled for second at regions and seventh at states. "She just steadily improved all year long," said her coach, Bob McIvor.

Toni Fleming, Woodlawn, Sr. -- This multi-dimensional athlete was busy at the county meet, where she took first in the 55 hurdles and third in the 300 run before helping the Warriors' 800 relay team to a second-place finish and the 1,600 relay team to third. At the region meet, she finished tied for third in the high jump, took third in the hurdles and ran on the 800 relay team that took third. At states, Fleming took home a bronze medal in the high hurdles.

Ann Giardina, Catonsville, Jr. -- She won the 800 run at the county meet in 2:27.2 and ran on the Comets' 3,200 relay team that took second. At regions, Giardina won the 1,600, placed second in the 800 run and was member of the Comets' region champion 3,200 relay team. She closed out the season with a second place in the 1,600 at states and third-places finishes in the 800 and 3,200 relay.

Krissy Jost, Perry Hall, Sr. -- A bacterial infection from a "cat scratch disease" kept Jost out of the county meet, but she recovered in time to take third at region and states in the 800. She was also healthy enough to set county-best times in the 800 (2:24.9), 1,500 (4:56.9) and 1,600 (5:22.1).

Megan Makowski, Perry Hall, Jr. -- This gifted junior was the county champion in the 3,200 and 1,600 runs and second to Arundel's Christy Nichols in both events at regions and states. She won the 3,200 at the Baltimore Metro and Virginia Tech meet and she won the 3,000-meter run at the Pangaea Games. She ran a personal best 5:26.8 in the 1,600 at states.

Tiana Seeney, Catonsville, Sr. -- At the county meet, Seeney won the 300 and 500 --es and ran the leadoff leg of the 1,600 relay team that took second. She appeared to have won the 500 at the region meet but was disqualified for an equipment violation -- "she had bobby pins in her hair." Seeney's second-place finish in the 300 helped the Comets' female contingent claim the Class 2A East Region championship.

Niccole Walker, Towson, Sr. -- Walker showed some versatility at the county meet by claiming the gold in unrelated events. Walker took first in the shot put with a toss of 35-8 and later won the 55 --. At regions, she took first in shot put and second in the --. She wrapped up the indoor season by winning a state championship in the shot put and taking third in the 55 --.

Meghan White, Dulaney, Fr. -- This underclassman was runner-up at the county meet in the 1,600 and 3,200 runs and was third in the state in both events. At regions, White took fifth in the 800, third in the 1,600 and 3,200 and anchored the county and region champion 3,200 relay team.

PICKING THE TEAM

The Baltimore Sun All-County Indoor Track and Field team was selected by Steven Kivinski after consultation with staff writers and area coaches.