by Nicole Wesche, Opinions Editor
After winning the county, regional, and state championship, the River Hill Girls’ Track team has high hopes for the outdoor season. The indoor team won the state championship by a margin of 15 points, over runner-up South Carroll. Many of their athletes are returning for the outdoor season, so this one will be something to look forward to.
Junior Sydney Robinson placed first in the 300 meters with a time of 40.88 seconds at the indoor state championship, and freshman Faith Meininger with senior Jasmine Tiamfook took first and second respectively in the 1,600 meters with a time of 5:14.08. Meininger also placed second in the 3,200, while Tiamfook took second in the 800 meters.
Coach Paul Hugus felt like the “indoor season went well and we are ready to have success in the spring season.” He hopes that the team will repeat “winning the county, region, and state meet during the outdoor season. We would also like to see a few school records this spring.”
Coach Hugus will be relying on Sydney Robinson, the reigning Howard County girls indoor track and field Athlete of the Year from the 2016-17 season who excels in the 100-200-400 meters and the long jump, to help carry the team to victory. He also will look to seniors Jasmine Tiamfook, the 2017 Cross Country Runner of the Year, who runs the 800-1600 and Olivia Island, who leads the team in 100 hurdles-300 hurdles and pole vault. Freshman Faith Meininger will also play a significant role in their success in the 800-1600-3200 meters.
Olivia Island, a senior, says that after their state title win, “we have so much momentum and excitement going into the outdoor season. We have so many of our top performing girls returning, and [we] really expect to kill it these next few months!” This last season Island hopes to shave off a few seconds of her 300 hurdles times and to get a personal record in all of the events that she is running. Each practice “we push and build off each other to reach our full potential as athletes” and to hopefully claim another girls’ state title.
Sophomore Kennedy Clark, who did not run indoor as she started as point guard for the Girls’ Basketball team in the winter, is very excited to run again and be part of the outdoor team. She ran varsity Cross Country in the fall, and is now working very hard by “running and adjusting workouts to get into running shape.” Clark continues that this season “I hope to get PRs [personal records] in her 800 and 400 races…and I also have a goal to help my team get to states and hopefully win.”
Coach Hugus anticipates that their toughest in-county competition will be Mt. Hebron and Atholton this season. But, “the other 2a schools that challenged us at the state meet will be the biggest test” this season.
This outdoor season for Girls’ Track is one to look forward to, and definitely keep an eye out as they push to reach their state championship goals.