The state championship meet is the final event for track and field, but for the North Carroll team, this year's competition is something different and more emotional — and it's easy to understand why.
North Carroll is being shut down after this school year, and the Panthers are hoping to go out with a bang at the state meet. The boys started well in the first day of competition Thursday at Morgan State, sitting in third place in Class 1A with 21 points. Smithsburg leads with 34.
The first day of competition for Class 1A and 2A teams was Thursday, while the Class 3A and 4A schools have their initial day today at Morgan State. All four classes come back for their second and final day on Saturday.
Jim MacDonald, the North Carroll coach for about 20 years, said this meet carries plenty of emotion because of the impending closing of the school.
"The kids know this is the last sporting event in our school's history, and they certainly want to do the best they can to make it memorable," said MacDonald, who will teach at Manchester Valley next year. "It means a lot to the kids representing the school. They want to do the best they can, for sure."
North Carroll got 13 of its points in the high jump when Adam Melville (6-0) finished second and Carson Miller took third place. The Panthers scored eight more points in the 3,200 relay with their second-place finish behind Smithsburg.
The Randallstown girls and Century boys were the other local leaders. Randallstown was first in Class 2A with 23 points. Amiya Anoma (triple jump, 40-9.5) was the only winner, but Tre'j Johnson helped the Rams with second place in the high jump.
The No. 6 Century boys were in front in Class 2A with 39 points, ahead of Liberty (34) and South Carroll (24). For the Knights, Kyle Bryant led the way with his victory in the pole vault (14-3). Alex Stefanick finished third in the high jump.
The Liberty boys and South Carroll's girls started the meet with victories in the first race. Liberty's Alec Pellicciotti, Brendan Sudol, Nick Tilson and Ben Carroll edged La Plata to take the 3,200 relay in 8:12.13, winning by 1.24 seconds.
South Carroll had an easier time in its 3,200 relay. The Cavaliers won in 9:39.12, beating Hereford by nearly seven seconds.
The South Carroll quartet of Megan O'Neill, Jamie Anderson, Erin Langille and Allison Zolkiewicz is the same group that won the state title indoors. They stayed together and ran well this spring.
"They're talented girls, but staying healthy is important," said South Carroll coach Bill Gerhold. "They've been running hard since last summer [and] keeping them healthy is the number one thing."
Dimeon Wright from Winters Mill won the 2A high jump (22-8). Brian Cave of South Carroll, who won the cross country 2A state title, captured the 3,200 in 9:44.12. Teammate Silas Kelly took the high jump (6-6).
There were a few more local victories: Brit Lang of Oakland Mills in the Class 2A 3,200 (10:48.41). Hereford's Mike Nash in the Class 2A shot put (56-9); the Patterson Mill girls in the Class 1A 800 relay (1:49.64) and Western Tech's girls in the Class 2A 800 relay in 1:42.60.