Triple Jump

Mona Jackson and Camille Powell of Howard High have spent a lot of time together during the past year as members of the Lions' basketball team.But it's the track where the two have shared their biggest triumphs.At yesterday's first day of the state Class 3A-4A track and field championships at Western Maryland College, Jackson and Powell finished one-two in the triple jump, reversing their finishes of a year ago and helping Howard to first place after five events.The Lions lead the 3A competition with 24 points, ahead of second-place Watkins Mill and third-place McDonough.

Top-ranked Gilman used its depth to capture a fourth straight Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association track and field title Saturday afternoon at Archbishop Spalding. Taking advantage of their talent across the board in sprints, distance, relays and field events, the Greyhounds finished with 202.5 points to easily beat No. 2 Mount St. Joseph (147) On the girls' side, top-ranked McDonogh used strong performances from Autumne Franklin, Jessica Caldwell and others for 137 points, pulling away late from Maryvale (89)

Just a year ago, Mount Hebron's Josh "Jay" Bair couldn't so much as qualify for the finals of his best event, the triple-jump, at the Howard County championships. With his other event, the 300 hurdles, taking place just before his first jump, he was simply too spent to be effective. What a difference a year of intensive training has made. At this year's Howard County meet, the senior scored victories in both, also running the leadoff leg on his team's third-place 4 x 100 relay, to help lead the Vikings to a lopsided team victory.

The Kenwood track and field team is on the rise, thanks to the performances of Travis Jenkins, his teammates and coach Mark Planamente, who has directed the program for the last two seasons. Saturday, the Blue Birds finished in the top 10 in the Pikesville Track Classic, a 40-team meet that is one of the biggest outside of the state meet. Jenkins, a senior, won the long jump (22 feet, 4 inches) and high jump (6-4) in state-best leaps . That performance followed a four-team county meet against Parkville, Loch Raven and Perry Hall in which Jenkins also won the long jump (20-9 1/2)

South Carroll's Pun Chittchang said she had an off day.To those who competed against her at yesterday's Carroll County Track and Field Championships at Western Maryland College, that's probably a scary notion.The Maryland-bound senior turned in one of the most dominating performances in meet history, winning the long jump, triple jump and 200 -- the first two in meet-record times -- and running the leadoff leg on the winning 4 x 400 team, as the Cavaliers nearly upset perennial champion Westminster.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Ralph Spry was a wistful witness to the men's long jump at the U.S. track and field trials for the Olympic Games last night. Spry is the head coach at Auburn University, which he guided to third place at the NCAA championships last month, the program's best outdoor finish ever. A generation ago, he was the most accomplished horizontal jumper the Baltimore area has ever produced. Old Mill High had a powerhouse team in 1978, when Spry set a state record and reached 49 feet, 6 1/2 inches in the triple jump.

Greg KylerPolyTrackKyler, a junior, won the 100-meter -- (10.6 seconds), the 300 intermediate hurdles (40.0) and the triple jump (45-6) in a tri-meet with Mervo and Mount St. Joseph.

Hammond rode one-two finishes in the long jump, triple jump, 110 hurdles and 300 hurdles to edge Glenelg for the Howard County boys track and field championship in the second day of competition at Oakland Mills yesterday, 114-102.The Bears overcame gold medals by Glenelg's Gerard Hogan in the 800 meters, 1,600 meters, 3,200 meters and 3,200-meter relay.Hammond's Robert Sharps won the 300 and 110 hurdles. Teammates Kris Jefferson won the long jump and Andrew Tetteh the triple jump.Howard's girls displayed a balanced team effort in winning their first county title, beating Hammond, 144-116, despite four gold medals by Hammond's Kisha Jett and three from Samantha Andersch.

Jeff McKelvinRandallstownTrackIn a tri-meet win over Milford Mill and Owings Mills, McKelvin, a junior, won the high jump, triple jump, the 110 hurdles and ran the anchor leg on the winning 4x100 relay team.

Domneys won four gold medals at the Meade Stampede. The senior placed first in the triple jump with an area-best 38 1/2 and long jump, and led the winning 1,600-meter and shuttle hurdlerelay teams.

Pikesville Track Classic Results (Saturday at Pikesville) BOYS Team scores (top 5): 1. Reservoir, 68; 2. Wilde Lake, 61; 3. Mount Hebron, 51; 4. (tie) McDonogh, Old Mill, 42. 100-meter dash: 1. Wilson (WL), 11.04; 2. Wagner (OM), 11.06; 3. Lane (CAT), 11.07. 110 hurdles: 1. Woods (CEN), 14.63; 2. Haley (MH), 14.63; 3. Ricks (CAR), 15.50. 200: 1. Motta (RES), 22.16; 2. Akosa (WES), 22.51; 3. Randlett-Tydings (CAT), 22.60.

The top-ranked McDonogh girls have relied heavily on depth to grow into the area's dominant track and field team the past few years. But unranked Franklin surprised the Eagles with that same formula Saturday. Franklin didn't take first in a single event at the Pikesville Track Classic, but the Indians earned top-three finishes in nine of the 18 events to win with 84 points. McDonogh won seven times, but that wasn't enough, as the Eagles (72 points) settled for second. No. 8 Mount Hebron finished third with 70 points, as Michaela Wilkins won the 400 meters and 800 meters and the Vikings also took the 1,600 relay.

LANDOVER - Gilman didn't enjoy the first part of Friday's Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association championship meet, as Mount St. Joseph got off to a very fast start. But the top-ranked Greyhounds rallied back from a 59-point hole to edge the No. 3 Gaels by one point and win a third straight title at the Prince George's Sports and Learning Complex. Gilman finished with 152 points, and the entire meet came down to the final event, the 1,600-meter relay. Peter Merritt ran the last leg and rallied late to pull out the victory in 3 minutes, 31.29 seconds.

It was a good weekend at Morgan State University for track and field athletes from Aberdeen and Perryville high schools at the Maryland State Track and Field championships. Perryville senior Cody Richardson led the way, winning the lone state title among the locals, while a handful of other top five performances highlighted the action. After placing fourth in the 110 hurdles in 15.25, Richardson won the Class 1A state title in the 300 hurdles in 39.01. Richardson also turned in an 11th place effort in the long jump.

SATURDAY  BASEBALL  STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (at Ripken Stadium) CLASS 3A J.M. Bennett 5, LaPlata 2, 8 inn. CLASS 2A N.Caroline 17, No. 10 Lansdowne 6  CLASS 1A St. Michael's 4, No. 7 Patterson Mill 0 SOFTBALL  STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (at College Park) CLASS 4A Urbana 5, No. 1 Chesapeake-AA 3 CLASS 3A Northern-Calvert 3, No. 3 Howard 0 CLASS 2A Easton 8, No. 6 Lansdowne 5 CLASS 1A Catoctin 10, No. 15 Loch Raven 0 TRACK AND FIELD  STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS (at Morgan State)

Following up on their UCBAC track and field crown, the Perryville boys won the Class 1A north region title last Saturday at Owings Mills High School. Led by seven first-place finishes the Panthers racked up 134 points to easily out-point runner-up Owings Mills' total of 77. The Perryville girls, meanwhile, placed third with 70 points. Harford Tech won with 149 and Western Tech was second with 138. Perryville, a well as athletes from Aberdeen and Havre de Grace, will compete in the Maryland State Track and Field Championships at Morgan State University today (Friday)

The Kenwood track and field team is on the rise, thanks to the performances of Travis Jenkins, his teammates and coach Mark Planamente, who has directed the program for the last two seasons. Saturday, the Blue Birds finished in the top 10 in the Pikesville Track Classic, a 40-team meet that is one of the biggest outside of the state meet. Jenkins, a senior, won the long jump (22 feet, 4 inches) and high jump (6-4) in state-best leaps . That performance followed a four-team county meet against Parkville, Loch Raven and Perry Hall in which Jenkins also won the long jump (20-9 1/2)

Brad Williams, Liberty SPORT TRACK AND FIELD BOYS STATS -- Despite taking a shorter approach due to a recent hamstring injury, Williams still has the best triple jump in the county this spring (44 feet), as well as the second-best long jump (20 feet, 1 inch). He's also a standout in the 200- and 400-meter sprints. SIDELINES -- The senior earned All-County honors in outdoor track last spring and indoor track this winter. Expected to be among the top contenders for a Class 2A state title in the triple jump later this month, Williams is also a standout in the classroom.

Jessica Caldwell McDonogh, junior -- Versatile runner and field participant in Eagles' indoor track machine -- At IAAM championship meet, won triple jump (40 feet, 8 inches) to set meet record by almost 8 feet, claim third best jump in nation this year -- Won long jump, took third in high jump at IAAM championships -- Ran on hurdle-relay team at nationals recently, helping McDonogh place fourth, earn All-America status Alexis Franklin Old Mill, junior -- Scored points for Patriots in so many ways, earning reputation as one of area's most versatile athletes -- Won 55 hurdles, took second in 300 and ran on 800 relay (fifth)