BOYS RUNNER OF THE YEAR
Matt Sanders
Mount Hebron
When James Mullaly graduated to run at the University of Miami, Vikings coach John Sunderdick didn't have to look far to find his next team captain. Sanders, a fiery competitor, infected his teammates with the same attitude, and Mount Hebron placed third at the Class 3A state championships for the second consecutive season. The senior won four major meets, earning first-place medals at the Howard County (16 minutes, 31.24 seconds) and Class 3A East (16:57.00) championships, the Howard County Striders Invitational (16:55.34) and the small schools division at the Doc Jones Anne Arundel County Invitational (16:25). Sanders made an impression with Sunderdick when, as a freshman at the state meet at Hereford High, Sanders set the pace for the first 800 meters before faltering toward the end. "He's very competitive, and he loves to win," Sunderdick said. "But at the same time, he gets the big picture. He is irreplaceable as a leader."
BOYS
CO-COACHES OF THE YEAR
Steve Ruckert, Roger Volrath
Glenelg
The Gladiators co-coaches know a thing or two about state championships. Volrath, who has coached at Glenelg since 1973, and Ruckert, who joined the school in 1980, guided the program to its only three state crowns in 1983, 1991 and 2001. This fall had another similar feel to it, but season-ending stress fracture injuries to Tim Burt and Joe Zanetti did create some uneasiness. An early victory at the Brunswick Invitational was followed by fourth-place finishes at the Lancer Invitational and the county championships and a second-place effort at the Class 2A West region meet. But the Gladiators avenged the two-point loss to Middletown at the regionals and held off Centennial to capture their second straight state title. "I knew the kids were going to run better at states," Volrath said. Ruckert said: "All the screaming in the world isn't going to get a kid to run faster over three miles."
BOYS TEAM
Ben Adams
Glenelg
The senior's tutelage under former Gladiator Jake Hartman paid off this season. Adams, who has spent all four years on the varsity squad, preferred to let his actions do the talking as he never finished worse than 15th in the five major meets. This is Adams' second straight appearance on the All-County team.
Bret Alexander
Centennial
Perhaps no one made a bigger leap from last season than this junior. Alexander, who was the Eagles' No. 5 runner for much of last fall, emerged as the team's top runner as he ran with confidence and strength. He finished ninth at the county championships, third at the Class 2A West region meet and fourth at the state championships.
Tyler Annett
Atholton
To find out what a summer of training can do, just look at Annett. The junior, the team's No. 4 runner last year, moved up the depth chart to No. 1 after conditioning during the summer. The hard work paid off when Annett met his personal goal of a top 10 finish under the 18-minute mark at the state championships (sixth place in 17:54.53).
Mehdi Bensarghin
Wilde Lake
The junior's first foray in cross country earned him some unsolicited attention. Bensarghin, a soccer convert, blasted the field at the Howard County Striders Invitational for half of the race before collapsing from exhaustion. But he regrouped to record four top 10 performances, including second-place showings at the county and Class 3A East region championships.
Seth Kampf
Mount Hebron
The senior was not the Vikings' No. 2 runner to Sunderdick, who often said he was blessed with two No. 1 runners in Kampf and Sanders. Kampf, named to the All-County team for the second consecutive season, was third at the county championships and the small schools division at the Doc Jones Anne Arundel County Invitational.
Nicholas Keane
River Hill
Moving up from the JV squad to the No. 3 runner on the varsity level earned the sophomore the team's Most Improved Runner of the Year award from coach Earl Lauer. Keane posted top 15 performances at the county championships (eighth), the Class 3A East region meet (10th) and the Meade Autumn Classic (12th).
Greg Koffel
Glenelg Country
If the Dragons had any hope of winning the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association B Conference championship for the first time in five years, the senior would have to lead the way. Koffel, a three-sport athlete who also plays basketball and baseball, came through. A two-time All-County pick, Koffel was second at the MIAA meet for the second year in a row and first at the DC-Baltimore Metro Private Schools Invitational.
Wes McCoy
River Hill
Lauer split this year's Outstanding Runner award between Alvin Yew and McCoy. The senior was a solid presence in the lineup and juggled the No. 1 role with Yew. McCoy collected three top 10 finishes at the county championships (seventh), the Class 3A East region meet (ninth) and the Meade Autumn Classic (ninth).
David Schnorf
Wilde Lake
The senior's value to the Wildecats could not be overstated. Without Schnorf, Wilde Lake might have been a mediocre team. With him, however, the Wildecats powered their way to their first Class 3A East region crown since 1997. Schnorf lodged four top 10 performances, including a third at the Howard County Striders Invitational.
Alvin Yew
River Hill
Steady. Not flashy. Those adjectives best described Yew, who anchored the Hawks. The senior -- winner of three straight Most Improved Runner of the Year awards from Lauer between his freshman and junior years -- spearheaded the Hawks' march to their fourth county title in five seasons. Yew strung together three top 10 outings -- fifth at the county championships and seventh at the Howard County Striders Invitational and the Meade Autumn Classic.
GIRLS
RUNNER OF THE YEAR
Meghan Bolton
Atholton
What a difference a season can make. Last fall, Bolton struggled to finish races and complained of shortness of breath. This year, the senior was diagnosed with exercise-induced asthma and got the treatment she needed. Feeling energized and refreshed, Bolton had a campaign to remember. She captured her first county championship in 20 minutes, 25.39 seconds after finishing 27th at the same meet a year ago. "She's been very determined that this was going to be the year she did well," coach Elizabeth Cookson said. "She worked really hard all season toward that goal."
GIRLS COACH OF THE YEAR
Mark Reedy
Mount Hebron
Grabbing the program's second straight county title wasn't as easy as it seemed. Despite fielding a team ranked weekly in the Top 10, Reedy had her hopes somewhat jolted by some personnel changes. Sarah Lancos, the team's No. 2 runner last fall, transferred to Centennial. Then senior Tara Wolven was lost for the season after suffering a knee injury. Finally, junior Darya Fakory, who could've been the No. 1 runner, went down with a foot injury. But Reedy rallied the troops, insisting to them that personal performances -- not victories -- were the keys to success. After the Vikings upended then-No. 2 Severna Park, then-No. 9 Glenelg and Montgomery County powerhouse Walter Johnson at the Howard County Striders Invitational, Reedy saw a team on the rise. "I think the only reason we were able to pull it off was that we didn't place an emphasis on winning," he said. This is Reedy's second consecutive Coach of the Year honor.
GIRLS TEAM
Mallory Heinke
Glenelg
Sometimes track experience doesn't pay off on the cross country course. After a successful outdoor track debut last spring, Heinke tried to use her sprinting speed in cross country. The sophomore learned to conserve her energy for the 3-mile distance, and she never finished below 16th in six major meets. Heinke won the Brunswick Invitational.
Jessica Hibbert
Glenelg
Gladiators coach Roger Volrath knew the sophomore would improve, but he was looking for positive changes in her form. Hibbert was more efficient in her body motion, developing a longer stride while cutting down on any wasted movement. Those adjustments helped Hibbert collect top 20 outings in five major meets.
Laura Holtrop
Chapelgate
For the first time, injuries took a toll on the senior. Holtrop missed the St. John's at Prospect Hall Invitational, but did heal in time to secure a second-place effort at the Howard County Striders Invitational. Holtrop missed out on her bid to capture three consecutive Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland B Conference crowns. This is her fourth appearance on the All-County team.
Sarah Lancos
Centennial
The sophomore made a seemingly easy transition after transferring from Mount Hebron. Lancos, who probably would have battled several Vikings runners to be the No. 1 runner, automatically assumed the top spot with the Eagles. She never finished worse than 16th in five major meets.
Elise Lindenmayer
Mount Hebron
Two years on the varsity level hadn't prepared the junior for her next challenge: leading the Vikings as the team's No. 1 runner. But her resiliency and doggedness came forward, and the two-time All-County choice swept up her first Class 3A East region crown in 20:49.94.
Katie Mason
Mount Hebron
In just her first season of cross country, the senior shot up from the No. 10 spot to the No. 2 role behind Lindenmayer. In another turn of events that stunned Reedy, Mason recorded four top 10 postings in six major meets.
Jessica Reitz
Long Reach
The year may change, but the results are almost the same for Reitz. The senior was sixth at the county and Class 3A East region championships and eighth at the Howard County Striders Invitational. Last fall, she was seventh, eighth and sixth at those respective meets. She is a two-time All-County selection.
Tracy Singer
Oakland Mills
When Allison Densmore struggled a bit while dealing with knee tendinitis, coach Phil Lang turned to Singer to lead the Scorpions. The junior did not let her coach down. She produced top 20 results in all five major meets in which she competed. Singer lodged a runner-up performance at the Class 1A Central region meet, a sixth-place effort at the state championships and a seventh at the county championships.
Laura Walls
Glenelg Country
The Dragons' first foray into the IAAM A Conference waters seemed doomed at the start. The team's No. 2 and No. 3 runners were sidelined for the season by injury. But the two-time All-County choice led the charge as Glenelg Country finished a respectable eighth. Walls, a junior, was sixth at the DC-Baltimore Metro Private Schools Invitational.
Calinda Yew
River Hill
The junior forged such an impressive campaign that she earned two year-end awards from Hawks coach Earl Lauer: the Most Improved Runner of the Year and a share of the Outstanding Runner with Anne Cunningham. She was third at the Meade Autumn Classic, fifth at the Class 3A East region meet and eighth at the county championships.
Team selection
The Sun's 2002 All-Howard County cross country teams were selected by Edward Lee after consultation with The Sun staff and area coaches.