Runner of the Year: Pat Bailey, C. Milton Wright
Bailey can add his name to a list that includes Jason Santucci of Westminster (1997-98) and Marcus Hershberger of Gaithersburg (1999-2000) as runners who have swept the county, regional and state crowns in consecutive seasons.
Bailey capped his sturdy campaign by winning the Class 4A state title in 16 minutes, 11.18 seconds, the fifth-best time at Hereford High, the site of the state championships. The senior also owns two more top-10 marks at the state's pre-eminent course.
Bailey never lost a multi-team invitational in which he competed this fall, winning the Class 4A East region, Harford County championships, Harford Invitational, Bull Run (elite division) and Knights meet. After powering the top-ranked Mustangs to their second straight state crown, Bailey's time of 16:31.42 in the seeded race at the Foot Locker Northeast regional was the best by any Maryland runner. This is his second straight All-Metro appearance.
Coach of the Year: Gene Hoffman, Archbishop Curley
Droughts can be devastating to a program, but Hoffman believed he was close to finding that oasis. Despite coaching a Friars team that won just two dual meets in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association's A Conference last season, Hoffman never wavered in his expectation that Archbishop Curley would be a force this fall.
To encourage his charges, the 26-year coach called and wrote letters to them during the summer. His persistence paid off as the Friars finished off an undefeated dual-meet season by capturing the MIAA championship and ending a 12-year title drought.
The last time Archbishop Curley won a crown of any kind was in 1990 when the school was a member of the Maryland Scholastic Association, a league of private and Baltimore City public schools. In addition to the MIAA meet, the Friars also won the Mervo Mustangs, Bull Run (small schools) and McQuaid Jesuit (N.Y.) invitationals.
First Team
Mehdi Bensarghin, Wilde Lake
In just his first season, Bensarghin guided the Wildecats to a Class 3A East region championship. An aggressive runner who liked to set the pace, the junior finished in the top five in four of five invitationals. Bensarghin was second at the regional and Howard County championships, third at the Lancer Invitational and fifth at Bull Run (elite division).
Robbie Dauses, Loch Raven
The Raiders claimed their first Class 1A state crown courtesy of Dauses' leadership. The senior's determination helped him place no worse than ninth in all seven major meets in which he participated. The Baltimore County champion also won the Class 1A East region race and was second at the state championships and in the Barnhardt Memorial Invitational.
Brian Eagan, C. Milton Wright
Eagan was the area's best No. 3 runner that hardly anyone knew about. The senior was a powerful complement to teammates Bailey and Jesse Slowikowski, finishing in the top five of the last four races he ran. Eagan was third three times - at the Class 4A East region and Harford County championships and the Harford Invitational.
Will Eden, Annapolis
Seemingly out of nowhere, Eden exploded to win the Anne Arundel County title. The sophomore laid down the foundation by finishing in the top five at the Knights Invite, the Bull Run (large schools) and the Doc Jones Anne Arundel County Invitational (large schools). Only a bruised tailbone prevented Eden from competing at the Class 3A East region and state championships.
Dan Reedy, South Carroll
Reedy has upheld the Cavaliers' tradition of producing top-notch runners. The senior grabbed his second consecutive Carroll County crown, earning him the county's Runner of the Year honors for the second straight fall. Reedy also placed second at the Westminster Invitational, fourth at the Central Maryland Conference championships, and sixth at the Howard County Striders Invitational.
Matt Sanders, Mount Hebron
Sanders emerged as Howard County's premier runner. The senior was either first or second in all six invitationals. The reigning Howard County Runner of the Year won the Class 3A East region and county titles, the Doc Jones Anne Arundel County Invitational (small schools) and Howard County Striders Invitational. This is his second consecutive selection to the All-Metro team.
Jesse Slowikowski, C. Milton Wright
All Slowikowski did was cement his reputation as a tough competitor who finished in the top five in five of six races. The senior was runner-up at the Class 4A East region and Harford County championships and the Harford Invitational. Throw in a fifth place at the Knights Invite, and it's easy to see why Slowikowski was named to the All-Metro team for the second straight year.
Tristram Thomas, McDonogh
His campaign is the stuff movie scripts are made of. Bombarded with questions about his recovery from a removed appendix that interrupted his season last fall, Thomas bested rival J.J. Wetzel of Archbishop Spalding to become the Eagles' first MIAA A Conference champion since Mike Robinson won the MSA crown in 1983. The sophomore is the Baltimore City/County Runner of the Year.
J.J. Wetzel, Archbishop Spalding
Wetzel solidified his place on the All-Metro team for the second straight year by placing first at four invitationals. The senior, who is the Anne Arundel County Runner of the Year for a second consecutive season, won at Bull Run (small schools), the Doc Jones Anne Arundel County Invitational (large schools), the Meade Autumn Classic, and the St. John's at Prospect Hall Invitational.
Second Team
Name School Class
Ben Adams Glenelg Senior
Andy Carmer Dulaney Senior
Ryan DiMauro Fallston Junior
Phil Diven South Carroll Junior
Eric Hanson Arch. Curley Senior
Jonathan Julian Annapolis Junior
Seth Kampf Mount Hebron Senior
Chris Magette Severna Park Senior
Chris Mantz Loch Raven Junior
Austin Steg Bel Air Junior
Note: Teams selected by Edward Lee after consultation with The Sun staff and area coaches.
Bailey can add his name to a list that includes Jason Santucci of Westminster (1997-98) and Marcus Hershberger of Gaithersburg (1999-2000) as runners who have swept the county, regional and state crowns in consecutive seasons.
Bailey capped his sturdy campaign by winning the Class 4A state title in 16 minutes, 11.18 seconds, the fifth-best time at Hereford High, the site of the state championships. The senior also owns two more top-10 marks at the state's pre-eminent course.
Bailey never lost a multi-team invitational in which he competed this fall, winning the Class 4A East region, Harford County championships, Harford Invitational, Bull Run (elite division) and Knights meet. After powering the top-ranked Mustangs to their second straight state crown, Bailey's time of 16:31.42 in the seeded race at the Foot Locker Northeast regional was the best by any Maryland runner. This is his second straight All-Metro appearance.
Coach of the Year: Gene Hoffman, Archbishop Curley
Droughts can be devastating to a program, but Hoffman believed he was close to finding that oasis. Despite coaching a Friars team that won just two dual meets in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association's A Conference last season, Hoffman never wavered in his expectation that Archbishop Curley would be a force this fall.
To encourage his charges, the 26-year coach called and wrote letters to them during the summer. His persistence paid off as the Friars finished off an undefeated dual-meet season by capturing the MIAA championship and ending a 12-year title drought.
The last time Archbishop Curley won a crown of any kind was in 1990 when the school was a member of the Maryland Scholastic Association, a league of private and Baltimore City public schools. In addition to the MIAA meet, the Friars also won the Mervo Mustangs, Bull Run (small schools) and McQuaid Jesuit (N.Y.) invitationals.
First Team
Mehdi Bensarghin, Wilde Lake
In just his first season, Bensarghin guided the Wildecats to a Class 3A East region championship. An aggressive runner who liked to set the pace, the junior finished in the top five in four of five invitationals. Bensarghin was second at the regional and Howard County championships, third at the Lancer Invitational and fifth at Bull Run (elite division).
Robbie Dauses, Loch Raven
The Raiders claimed their first Class 1A state crown courtesy of Dauses' leadership. The senior's determination helped him place no worse than ninth in all seven major meets in which he participated. The Baltimore County champion also won the Class 1A East region race and was second at the state championships and in the Barnhardt Memorial Invitational.
Brian Eagan, C. Milton Wright
Eagan was the area's best No. 3 runner that hardly anyone knew about. The senior was a powerful complement to teammates Bailey and Jesse Slowikowski, finishing in the top five of the last four races he ran. Eagan was third three times - at the Class 4A East region and Harford County championships and the Harford Invitational.
Will Eden, Annapolis
Seemingly out of nowhere, Eden exploded to win the Anne Arundel County title. The sophomore laid down the foundation by finishing in the top five at the Knights Invite, the Bull Run (large schools) and the Doc Jones Anne Arundel County Invitational (large schools). Only a bruised tailbone prevented Eden from competing at the Class 3A East region and state championships.
Dan Reedy, South Carroll
Reedy has upheld the Cavaliers' tradition of producing top-notch runners. The senior grabbed his second consecutive Carroll County crown, earning him the county's Runner of the Year honors for the second straight fall. Reedy also placed second at the Westminster Invitational, fourth at the Central Maryland Conference championships, and sixth at the Howard County Striders Invitational.
Matt Sanders, Mount Hebron
Sanders emerged as Howard County's premier runner. The senior was either first or second in all six invitationals. The reigning Howard County Runner of the Year won the Class 3A East region and county titles, the Doc Jones Anne Arundel County Invitational (small schools) and Howard County Striders Invitational. This is his second consecutive selection to the All-Metro team.
Jesse Slowikowski, C. Milton Wright
All Slowikowski did was cement his reputation as a tough competitor who finished in the top five in five of six races. The senior was runner-up at the Class 4A East region and Harford County championships and the Harford Invitational. Throw in a fifth place at the Knights Invite, and it's easy to see why Slowikowski was named to the All-Metro team for the second straight year.
Tristram Thomas, McDonogh
His campaign is the stuff movie scripts are made of. Bombarded with questions about his recovery from a removed appendix that interrupted his season last fall, Thomas bested rival J.J. Wetzel of Archbishop Spalding to become the Eagles' first MIAA A Conference champion since Mike Robinson won the MSA crown in 1983. The sophomore is the Baltimore City/County Runner of the Year.
J.J. Wetzel, Archbishop Spalding
Wetzel solidified his place on the All-Metro team for the second straight year by placing first at four invitationals. The senior, who is the Anne Arundel County Runner of the Year for a second consecutive season, won at Bull Run (small schools), the Doc Jones Anne Arundel County Invitational (large schools), the Meade Autumn Classic, and the St. John's at Prospect Hall Invitational.
Second Team
Name School Class
Ben Adams Glenelg Senior
Andy Carmer Dulaney Senior
Ryan DiMauro Fallston Junior
Phil Diven South Carroll Junior
Eric Hanson Arch. Curley Senior
Jonathan Julian Annapolis Junior
Seth Kampf Mount Hebron Senior
Chris Magette Severna Park Senior
Chris Mantz Loch Raven Junior
Austin Steg Bel Air Junior
Note: Teams selected by Edward Lee after consultation with The Sun staff and area coaches.