Boys Coach of Year

Sam Singleton, Oakland Mills: The Scorpions finished second to River Hill in the county, then won the Class 1A-2A Central region and the 1A-2A state meets. It was the third indoor state title for the boys -- the girls won last year -- and gave Singleton 10 state championships (six in outdoors) in seven seasons as coach. "It's been a great time, and it's been a great run," he said. "We just attribute it to hard work in practice. I tell my kids the hardest thing they're going to do is practice. When you get to the meet, it's all fun."

Singleton said about the one-point victory over Middletown in the state championship: "It was strictly a team effort. We're led by Kyle [Farmer], but we had contributions from people who don't get their name in the newspapers, like Paul Phillips, Jean Brunache, Alex Bailey, Brian Fleming and Sergio Miranda. The kids did a great job. Everybody pulled together."

Singleton has a way of getting the best out of his athletes when it matters most. "Basically, we just instill to the kids to work hard," Singleton said. "It's just a good group of kids, and the tradition just keeps continuing. They know what to expect, they know they're going to work hard, and they know if they work hard, good things are going to happen to them."

Boys Top Performer

Kyle Farmer, Oakland Mills, sophomore: He earned the Iron Man award at the county championships for the second straight year, winning the 55-meter (dash 6.2 seconds) and 300 (35.9) and anchoring the winning 1,600 relay team (3: 37.2). His time of 6.2 in the 55 was a meet record, tied the all-time county record and was the best time in the area this season. "Nationwide, he's in the top 25 to 30 kids in the 55," said Oakland Mills coach Sam Singleton. Farmer had four first-places finishes in both the Class 1A-2A Central region and state meets. At the regional, he won the 55 (6.5) and 300 (36.4) and anchored the 800 (1: 37.8) and 1,600 (3: 41.1) relay teams. At states, he took the 55 (6.5) and 300 (36.6) and again anchored the 800 (1: 37.4) and 1,600 (3: 39.6) relay teams. At the state meet, Farmer came from behind in the 1,600 relay, the last event, and the 10 first-place points gave the Scorpions the title by a point. Farmer, an All-Metro performer in outdoor track and a repeat All-County indoor selection, also had second-place finishes in the 55 at the National Guard (6.4) and Pangaea (6.4) meets. "What [Kyle] brings to the table is that he almost guarantees 10 points right off the bat, and with him anchoring the relays you have a shot to win every time he touches the baton," said Singleton. "He's only a sophomore, and his up-side is tremendous. He's probably going to be the best ever to come out, and we've had some great sprinters at Oakland Mills." Singleton said Farmer is "a great, great kid" and "probably the hardest worker in practice." And Farmer, an excellent soccer player, is only going to get better. "It's not as if he's just looking to improve his times, he's looking to get better," Singleton said. "He's gotten a lot stronger since last year. We're looking forward to this outdoor season, because he's set his sights for a few records and, hopefully, he can do that."

The boys team

Steve Chu, River Hill, junior: Took first in the 1,600 (4: 44.4) at the county. He ran the first leg of the 3,200 relay team that won with a state-best time of 8: 24.2 in the Class 2A-3A West regional. He also finished sixth in the 1,600 (4: 44.4) at the regional. He took sixth in the 1,600 (4: 45.3) at the Class 2A-3A state meet. Chu also was on the winning 3,200 relay team (8: 47.5) at the Pangaea Invitational.

Nick Fambro, Oakland Mills, junior: He won the 55 hurdles at the county (8.3) and at the Class 1A-2A Central region (8.1, personal best), and took fourth (8.1) at the 1A-2A state meet. He also was fifth in the shot put (36-7) at the county meet.

Tom Fisher, Centennial, senior: Finished first at the county title in the shot put with a throw of 42 feet, 4 inches. He took third in the Class 1A-2A Central region (41-1) and third at the 1A-2A state (45-4).

Zach Heidepriem, River Hill, senior: Took second in both the 500 (1: 10.3) and 800 (2: 07.9) at the county meet and finished first in the 800 (2: 04.0) at the Class 2A-3A West regional. Also at the regional, he anchored the 3,200 relay team that produced the state's fastest time (8: 24.2). He did not compete at the state meet because of a strep throat. Heidepriem also was on the victorious 3,200 relay team (8: 47.5) at the Pangaea meet.

Aharon McKoy, Oakland Mills, senior: Second in the shot put (42-4) at the county and first (43-9) at the Class 1A-2A Central regional. His throw of 44-4 1/4 at the 1A-2A state meet was good for fourth. At December's Pangaea event, he was third (44-8).

Nkem Ohia, Wilde Lake, senior: Took two firsts -- 500 (1: 09.2) and 800 (2: 07.7) -- and was second in the 300 (37.4) at the county meet. Ohia, twice All-County, missed the region and state meets because of a muscle tear on one side of his chest.

Tony Pesce, Atholton, senior: Undefeated the entire season, Pesce thrilled the crowd at the county meet with a recording-setting performance in the pole vault. His winning mark of 14-7 1/2 set a meet, county and school record and also was a personal best. He won the Class 1A-2A Central region at 13-6 and the 1A-2A state at 13-8. A two-time, All-County pick, Pesce vaulted 13-8 at the National Guard meet in January.

Mike Prada, River Hill, senior: Was first in the 3,200 (10: 25.8), third in the 1,600 (4: 45.1), fifth in the 800 (2: 12.2) and was the second leg of the winning 3,200 relay team (8: 51.1) at the county meet. At the Class 2A-3A West regionals, he ran the third leg of the state record-setting time of 8: 24.4 in the 3,200-relay and finished third in the 3,200 (9: 59.8, third best in the metro area). Prada finished fifth in the 3,200 (10: 11.2) at the Class 2A-3A state meet. He also ran on the 3,200-relay team that won (8: 47.5) at the Pangaea meet.

Evan Prucha, River Hill, sophomore: Won the county high jump (6-0) but sprained his left foot the next day and could not compete in the region or state meets.

Randy Van Allen, Centennial, junior: At the county meet, he finished second in the high jump (5-10), third in the 800 (2: 09) and tied for third in the 500 (1: 11.6). He took three firsts at the 1A-2A Central regional -- 500 (1: 10.5), 800 (2: 08.5) and high jump (5-10). Van Allen was third in the 500 (1: 12.4) and fourth in the high jump (5-10) at the 1A-2A state meet.

Girls Coach of Year

Mike Selmer, Glenelg: The Gladiators finished second by seven points to Long Reach in the county, then captured their third straight Class 1A-2A Central region title and first 1A-2A state championship. "The team, overall, was just really deep," said Selmer, whose team finished second in last year's state meet. "We had a lot of kids who may not have been the top two in the county but were good enough to help us."

Some of those athletes included junior Melissa Wilder, senior Christa Vent, freshman Melissa Coble and sophomore Ashley Hall. The Gladiators qualified in all 13 events at the state meet and scored in 10 of them. Selmer calls himself "a pretty active recruiter. I make sure I go to the soccer, field hockey and volleyball games during the fall to let the kids see my face and know I'm interested in them trying indoor."

He works hard to get his athletes to believe in themselves. "A lot of the girls don't come into the program with a lot of confidence in their abilities. Most of them have ability. It's just a matter of having them trust themselves, convincing the girls that they're really as good as they already are."

Selmer, who will coach outdoors this season for the first time, also is a strong motivator and believes in the sport's "mental aspect. "The more motivated you are the better you're able to perform. We do a lot of mental drills.

Girls Top Performer

Lee McDuff, River Hill, sophomore: McDuff has won a lot of races, but perhaps what her teammates and coach Norm Belden will remember most about this indoor season is the race she finished second. Seeded fifth in the 800 at the Class 2A-3A state championships, McDuff finished second with a time of 2: 28.2. The eight points pushed the Hawks past Thomas Johnson and into second place by a point. "She put her personal goals aside to save herself for the 800, because we needed the points," said Belden. "Instead of going out [in the 1,600 and 3,200] and getting some good times, she saved herself. She let other people take the lead then came on strong in the last few laps [to win both events]. She was actually more excited taking second in the 800 then winning the other two because it helped the team. She's a real team player." McDuff won the 1,600 in 5: 25.7 and the 3,200 in 11: 51.3 at the state meet, and also anchored the 3,200 relay team that finished second (10: 20.3). In the county championships, McDuff anchored the winning 3,200-relay team (10: 13.6) and took firsts in the 1,600 (5: 27.0) and 3,200 (11: 43.8) and second in the 800 (2: 26.5). She ran a personal best in winning the 1,600 (5: 20.1) at the Class 2A-3A West regional and also placed first in the 3,200 (1: 37.4) and fourth in the 800 (2: 26.8). McDuff, named the Performer of the Year last fall in cross country, also finished third in the 1,500 (5: 05.1) at the National Guard meet and won the 1,500 (4: 59.8) at the Pangaea Invitational. Belden said McDuff has "a very strong work ethic" and "her mental toughness is just unbelievable. She doesn't know the word quit."

The girls team

Bridget Baker, Howard, sophomore: Took second in the 3,200 (11: 55.8) and sixth in the 1,600 (5: 41.4) at the county, and first in the 3,200 (11: 58.6) and fifth in the 1,600 (5: 36.7) at the Class 1A-2A Central regional. She was third in the 3,200 (12: 17.0) at the 1A-2A state.

Julie Bergin, Wilde Lake, senior: She won the high jump at the county (5-0) and Class 2A-3A West region (5-2) meets and took second at the 2A-3A state meet (5-2). She is a three-time All-County selection.

Teyarnte Carter, Long Reach, junior: Carter, a three-time All-County selection, played a leading role in Lightning wins at the county and Class 2A-3A West regional meets. She had three first places at the county -- 55 (7.1), 300 (43.9) and anchored the winning 800-relay team (1: 48.5). At regions, she won the 55 (7.2), the 300 (41.9, personal best) and anchored the winning 800-relay team (1: 48.4). Ill at the Class 2A-3A state meet, she still managed to finish first in the 55 (7.0, a state record) and sixth in the 300 (43.9). Carter also anchored the second-place 800-relay team that finished in 1: 48.1, the metro area's second-best time. She also had victories in the 55 at the National Guard (7.0) and Pangaea (7.0) meets.

Blair Heinke, Glenelg, senior: She finished third in the 3,200 (12: 14.7) and fifth in the 1,600 (5: 39.4) at the county and at the Class 1A-2A Central regional was third in the 1,600 (5: 32.4) and second in the 3,200 (12: 09.7). She captured the 1A-2A state title in the 3,200 (12: 12.9) and was fifth in the 1,600 (5: 38.7).

Lindsay Martin, Centennial, freshman: Improving as the season went on, Martin took fifth in the high jump (4-8) at the county, second (5-0) at the Class 1A-2A Central regional meet and first (5-2, personal best) at the 1A-2A state championship.

Michelle Nelson, Atholton, senior: Took second (7.3) in the 55 dash at the county, and was first in the 55 dash (7.4) and fourth in the 300 (45.6) at the 1A-2A Central regional. She won the 55 dash at the 1A-2A state in 7.3.

Cynthia Nicholls, Long Reach, junior: She won the 55 hurdles (8.7), was second in the high jump (5-0), fourth in the 55 dash (7.5) and ran the second leg of the winning 800-relay team (1: 48.5). At the Class 2A-3A West regionals, Nicholls was first in the 55 hurdles (8.7), second in the high jump (5-0), third in the 55 dash (7.4) and on the winning 800-relay team (1: 48.4). She took third in the 55 hurdles (8.5), tied for sixth in the high jump (4-10) and ran the second leg of the 800-relay team that finished second with the second-best area time of 1: 48.1 at the state meet.

Courtney Savoy, River Hill, junior: She won the shot put at the county (35-7 1/2), finished third at the Class 2A-3A West regional (38-7 1/4, personal best) and was fourth at the 2A-3A state (35-10). She also was second at the National Guard (36-2 1/2) and Pangaea (36-3) meets.

Danielle Stoddart, Oakland Mills, junior: She earned the Iron Woman awared at the county championships by taking first place in the 500 (1: 21.1) and 800 (2: 22.4) in meet record times, and third place in the 1,600 (5: 36.3). Stoddart had three first-place finishes at the 1A-2A Central regional -- 500 (1: 21.0), 800 (2: 28.7) and 1,600 (5: 26.8). At the 1A-2A state meet, she was first in the 800 (2: 26.3) and third in the 1,600 (5: 38.2). A two-time All-County pick, Stoddart also won the 800 (2: 21.7) at the National Guard meet.

Lori Tvarkunas, Glenelg, senior: A three-time All-County selection, Tvarkunas set meet, county and personal best marks with a 10-10 in the county championship pole vault competition. She also finished third in the county in the 55 hurdles (9.3). She placed first in the pole vault (10-7) and second in the 55 hurdles (9.5) at the 1A-2A Central regional, and took first in the pole vault (10-6) and fourth in the 55 hurdles (9.4) at the 1A-2A state meet. At the state meet, she ran a personal best 9.1 in the semifinals of the 55 hurdles. Tvarkunas was second in the pole vault (10-6) at the National Guard meet and first (9-3) at the Pangaea Invitational.

Final track polls

Boys top 10

(Final three-way tie)

1. Old Mill

Mount St. Joseph

Woodlawn

4. Oakland Mills

5. River Hill

6. Westminster

7. Arundel

8. Mervo

9. Meade

10. Dulaney

Other teams considered: North County, Annapolis, Calvert Hall, Broadneck, Milford Mill.

Girls top 10

(Final two-way tie)

1. (tie) Dulaney

Western

3. Annapolis

4. Westminster

5. Long Reach

6. Glen Burnie

7. River Hall

8. Glenelg

9. Arundel

10. Archbishop Spalding

Other teams considered: Perry Hall, North Carroll, Catholic, Mount Hebron, Old Mill.

How the poll was conducted: The Baltimore Sun poll was compiled weekly by the sports staff after observing events and consulting with coaches.

Team Selections

The Baltimore Sun 1998-99 All-Howard County boys and girls indoor track and field teams were selected by Stan Rappaport after consulting with The Sun staff and area coaches.

Pub Date: 3/09/99