Discus

When I pass the statue of the discus thrower in front of the Johns Hopkins University field house, my glorious athletic career flashes before my eyes. There's lifelong dreaming in these moments, a double dose bit of Walter Mitty and James Thurber. I'm the dreamer (Mitty) and the writer (Thurber). Such contemplations arise at various times, year's end among them. The dockworker-fighter figures in as well. I feel his pain. But I console myself with the fact that I actually was a contender.

The Milford Mill boys track and field team needed the last event of the day in the Baltimore County track championship on Saturday to secure its first title since 1999. Milford Mill trailed Hereford, the two-time county champion, by five points heading into the 1,600 meter relay. Senior Maurice Hawkins outkicked Pikesville's Maury Sall in the final 30 meters to finish third and give Milford Mill just enough overall points to capture the title, 69-68. "I'm shocked," said Milford Mill coach Sharon Johnson, noting she only brought 10 boys to the meet.

PHILADELPHIA -- He did the discus dance -- a frenzied, arm-propelling windup, a violent two-revolution pirouette across a concrete circle, an explosive uncoiling, a primal scream, and then the platter was a hissing arc, climbing into dishwater sky.It fluttered there, a silver bird struggling into a gusting head wind, and then it sliced toward earth and even as it was gouging out a chunk of sod, Ramon Jimenez was thrusting both arms to heaven.He knew.He knew it was enough to take the lead.

At 68, Wayne Reisberg likes to stay active. A volunteer track and field coach at Century, he walks a lot, throws the discus and enjoys traveling around the country with his wife Pauline. Reisberg combined sports with travel a few years back and began competing in the Senior Olympics. Last month, he finished ninth in the discus in the 65-69 age group at the national senior games in Houston with a throw of 109 feet, six inches. It was an improvement from his 14th-place finish in the 60-64 age group four years ago in Louisville.

Atholton senior Lindsay Grigoriev has a chance to join some elite track and field company. Grigoriev is aiming at her third straight Class 2A state championship in the discus. If she succeeds, Grigoriev will join a list of athletes with three consecutive state crowns that includes Dulaney's Amanda White and Tenke Zoltani(both at 3,200 meters) and Long Reach's Teyarnte Carter (400). "I don't want to think about it too much," Grigoriev said. "I've just tried to train so that I could get here.

Nicole Brown always has been willing to help out her Coppin State track teammates during trying times in an important meet. Like earlier this month at the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championships, when Brown, primarily a high jumper, was asked to compete in the heptathlon for the first time. She finished fifth despite fouling on all her javelin attempts. Brown also was called into action during the season in the 100- and 400-meter hurdles. She is now facing the biggest individual meet of her life, the NCAA East Regional that opens today at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., although her first event is not until tomorrow.

The Milford Mill boys track and field team needed the last event of the day in the Baltimore County track championship on Saturday to secure its first title since 1999. Milford Mill trailed Hereford, the two-time county champion, by five points heading into the 1,600 meter relay. Senior Maurice Hawkins outkicked Pikesville's Maury Sall in the final 30 meters to finish third and give Milford Mill just enough overall points to capture the title, 69-68. "I'm shocked," said Milford Mill coach Sharon Johnson, noting she only brought 10 boys to the meet.

Chris Molloy, Westminster SPORT TRACK AND FIELD BOYS STATS -- Molloy is one of the county's top throwers, achieving personal bests of 46 feet, 5 inches in the shot put and 138-9 in the discus. A week ago, he won the county title in the discus. He will continue his career at Mount St. Mary's. SIDELINES -- After some friends heard him sing in the school's lobby, Molloy, a senior, decided to put his talent to the test and wound up as one of the leads in his school's recent production of Bye Bye Birdie.

Name: James JohnsonHonored by The Carroll County Sun for: Winning the Class 1A state championship in the discus in the state track and field meet for Francis Scott Key High SchoolAge: 17Residence; hometown: TaneytownEducation: Senior atFrancis Scott Key in Uniontown; graduate of Northwest Middle School in Taneytown; graduate of Taneytown ElementaryFamily: Mother: Betty, works at English American Clothier in Westminster; father: John, works at Staley's Body...

BOYS TRACK Performer of the Year Shannon Glover Meade The senior had a big performance at the right time in the Class 3A state meet. He won the discus in 152 feet, 7 inches to give the Mustangs 10 key points and clinch the state title (the Mustangs were subsequently stripped of the crown due to having an ineligible performer). Glover took third in the shot put and won the discus at the East regional meet. That came after winning the discus and finishing fourth in the shot put the county meet.

Visitors to the Catonsville Room in the lower level of the Catonsville Library can now check out an original piece of artwork dating back to before the start of the Civil War that the Friends of the Catonsville Library had restored. On display is a large, framed original chromo-lithograph by E. Sachse and Co. entitled "Panoramic View of the Scenery on the Patapsco River for 7 miles above and below Ellicott Mills, circa 1859". The image is particularly interesting because it was made before the disastrous floods of 1866 and 1868 that destroyed most of the buildings south of Frederick Road on the Baltimore County side as well as the B&O's Patterson Viaduct.

BOYS TRACK Performer of the Year Shannon Glover Meade The senior had a big performance at the right time in the Class 3A state meet. He won the discus in 152 feet, 7 inches to give the Mustangs 10 key points and clinch the state title (the Mustangs were subsequently stripped of the crown due to having an ineligible performer). Glover took third in the shot put and won the discus at the East regional meet. That came after winning the discus and finishing fourth in the shot put the county meet.

When I pass the statue of the discus thrower in front of the Johns Hopkins University field house, my glorious athletic career flashes before my eyes. There's lifelong dreaming in these moments, a double dose bit of Walter Mitty and James Thurber. I'm the dreamer (Mitty) and the writer (Thurber). Such contemplations arise at various times, year's end among them. The dockworker-fighter figures in as well. I feel his pain. But I console myself with the fact that I actually was a contender.

Shannel Shivers first came to an Aberdeen track and field practice in the eighth grade. She wanted to get a feel for becoming a high school hurdler, but she got off to a bad start. Shivers crashed into the first hurdle and fell during an early drill. She couldn't make it over any of the hurdles in that drill. That experience was the main reason she skipped the sport the following spring, but Aberdeen coaches convinced her to try again. The only difference in 10th grade was that Shivers didn't need to come anywhere near the hurdles.

Maketa Ruffin sets some pretty high goals for herself. By the time she goes to college next fall, the New Town senior wants to throw the discus 150 feet and hurl the shot put 45 feet. Reaching those goals during summer competition with the Randallstown Track Club would put her in some pretty distinguished company. The area records for the high school season are 160 feet, 5 inches for the discus and 44 feet, 1 1/4 inches for the shot put. But Ruffin has proved she can make progress quickly.

Chris Molloy, Westminster SPORT TRACK AND FIELD BOYS STATS -- Molloy is one of the county's top throwers, achieving personal bests of 46 feet, 5 inches in the shot put and 138-9 in the discus. A week ago, he won the county title in the discus. He will continue his career at Mount St. Mary's. SIDELINES -- After some friends heard him sing in the school's lobby, Molloy, a senior, decided to put his talent to the test and wound up as one of the leads in his school's recent production of Bye Bye Birdie.

Bethaney Perna doesn't mind stretching herself thin. The Winters Mill junior competes in the long and triple jumps, the discus and the pole vault and would participate in more if not for the four-event limit imposed by high school regulations. "I feel like I'm helping the team more," said Perna, who has been drawing plenty of attention this spring. "When you're well-rounded, people notice you more." Last night, Perna did more of the same at the Monocacy Valley Athletic League's Piedmont Division championships, where she captured the pole vault by clearing 9 feet, 6 inches, placed second in both the long and triple jumps and finished third in the discus.

Diane Gentile never ran track during her years at Old Mill, but Patriots coach Ron Evans had a profound effect on her approach to coaching the sport.Gentile played girls soccer, basketball and lacrosse,but became the boys track coach at Eleanor Roosvelt in Prince George's County. Saturday, Old Mill and Roosevelt tied for the state Class 4A boys title, and the awards ceremony was a bit emotional.The Maryland Public Secondary School Athletic Association had just one first-place trophy at the formal presentation, and tongue-in-cheek suggestions to cut it in half were rejected.

Lock Haven University discus thrower Ginger Williams has learned how difficult it can be to get to the NCAA Division II track and field championships. Williams (Chesapeake-AA) had a perfect scenario developing on Mother's Day at Lock Haven to make a charge for one of the 16 spots in the NCAA discus competition. She had a breeze at her back, her mother and grandmother in the stands, dinner out was planned. Everything went smoothly as the 5-foot-11 sophomore spun the discus 147 feet to win the LHU Last Chance Qualifier and destroy a 16-year school record by 9 feet, 6 inches.

Bethaney Perna doesn't mind stretching herself thin. The Winters Mill junior competes in the long and triple jumps, the discus and the pole vault and would participate in more if not for the four-event limit imposed by high school regulations. "I feel like I'm helping the team more," said Perna, who has been drawing plenty of attention this spring. "When you're well-rounded, people notice you more." Last night, Perna did more of the same at the Monocacy Valley Athletic League's Piedmont Division championships, where she captured the pole vault by clearing 9 feet, 6 inches, placed second in both the long and triple jumps and finished third in the discus.