Freddie Hendricks wore many hats at yesterday's inaugural Baltimore City Indoor Track and Field Championships at the Fifth Regiment Armory.
Hendricks kept score, served as public address announcer and meet director, all while coaching his Mervo boys to a team title in what organizers hope will become an annual event for the city's growing number of indoor track teams.
"I've been fighting to have this thing since 1972, and I just wanted everything to go right so we can do it again next year and start a tradition," said Hendricks, whose team to taled 137 points, more than double that of co-runners-up Patterson and Poly (62).
Teams from 12 District 9 schools were on hand, some with only a few representatives and others with good numbers.
Western's squad had the numbers and it paid off big as the Doves racked up 123 points and won the girls team title. Northern took second with 48 points, followed by Southwestern with 44.
Western's Gabrielle Butler emerged as city champ in the girls shot put with a toss of 30 feet, 11 inches and later showed her versatility in winning the 55-meter hurdles in 8.8 seconds. Lashawn Palmer of Poly was second in the girls shot put, and Western's Cornelya Mims took third.
Janel Stewart of Northern won the girls 300 -- in 44.3 and the 55 -- in 7.4, but the Doves picked up 14 points in the 300, courtesy of a 2-3 finish by Tamara Lang (44.6) and Jane Ward (44.8). Lang was also the runner-up in the 55 --.
Jason Panniell of Mervo cleared 5-8 1/4 to win the boys high jump and teammates Gerard Smith, Zakkee Hendricks, Tyree Byron and Marlon Harty combined to win the boys 3,200 relay in 9:30.2, 1.4 seconds ahead of runner-up Patterson and 1.5 seconds before third-place Poly.
Panniell earned his second city indoor title by diving across the final hurdles to win the boys 55 hurdles.
James Carter and Royston Lyttle finished 1-2 for Mervo in the boys 300 --. Lyttle added a first-place trophy to his collection by edging Sony Bullock of Poly in the 55 --.
Antoine Collins helped Mervo's cause with a first-place finish in the boys 800 run and Crystal Richburg gave the Doves an added boost by claiming first in the girls half-mile.
Shareese Stamper of Southwestern won the girls 3,200 run by nipping runner-up Nasha McCoy of Carver by one second, and Stephen Patterson of Patterson held off Kevins Sewers of Poly in the boys two-miler.