Deontae Blake, Jessica Franklin continuing South Hagerstown's sprinting tradition

South Hagerstown has a long history of standout sprinters, with several individual and relay state champions being crowned indoors and outdoors over the years.

In Friday's Lanham Rebel Relays at School Stadium, the Rebels showcased their latest group of fast-twitch talent on their home track.

Seniors Deontae Blake and Jessica Franklin won the boys and girls 100-meter dashes, and South also picked up victories in the boys 4x100 and 4x200 relays.

"Being a new head coach, it's definitely something I wanted to continue," said Nissa Freeman of the sprinting tradition. "I really wanted to come full circle and get those sprinters back up to speed where I know we've always been strong, and also develop all of the new, incoming kids. They've all been doing a great job."

South won the boys team title in a tight three-team race, scoring 111 points to edge out Thomas Johnson (110) and Musselman (109). Williamsport was fourth (90).

The Rebels girls placed second in the team standings with 113 points, five behind Musselman.

Blake improved his personal record in the 100 to 11.29 seconds with his victory Friday. As a junior last spring, he ranked sixth in the county in the 100 (11.48) and seventh in the 200 (23.41). So far in 2024, he ranks second in the 100, first in the 200 (22.37) and second in the 400 (52.84).

"I coached Deontae years ago in AAU and he didn't even realize it for a while. I broke out some old pictures and showed him, and he remembered," Freeman said. "He just had to get a little bit of confidence. … We talked about this being his year, his time to shine, so let's show them what you have and who you are."

Franklin also set a personal record in the prelims of the girls 100 on Friday, clocking 12.57, before running 12.94 in the final. She ranked fifth in the county in the 100 (13.12) and fourth in the 200 (27.25) as a junior last spring. So far this year, she ranks second in the 100 and the 200 (26.52).

"I was an assistant last year, and I've been trying to convince her that she is that runner," Freeman said. "She's really gotten a little wind in her sails and has realized she is that person, and she's bought into the training she's been doing, digging in and working to be No. 1."

Following in Franklin's footsteps and hot on her heels are a pair of freshmen with tantalizing promise in Trinity Savage and Wynter Cephus, who completed a 1-2-3 sweep of the 100 for the Rebels' girls on Friday. Savage ranks fourth in the county in the 100 (12.86) and third in the 200 (26.73). Cephus ranks seventh in the 100 (13.26) and the 200 (27.79).

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Providing depth behind Blake for the South boys are juniors Felix Annan and Cahauri Alford. Annan ranks fifth in the county in the 100 (11.61) and the 200 (23.64). Alford ranks tied for sixth in the 100 (11.66) and eighth in the 200 (24.04).

"I wanted people to really step up as leaders and focus not only on their own races, but showing the younger kids what it takes to get to that level," Freeman said. "(Blake and Franklin) have done an awesome job of that. It helped that some of those kids have had a little bit of track experience in AAU and things like that. They can feel like a little fish in a big pond with the older age groups, so it helps that they have someone they can look up to."

Annan, Blake, Cassius Freeman and Alford teamed to win the 4x100 in 44.63 and the 4x200 in 1:32.95 on Friday.

The Rebels have their sight set on some big goals as championship season arrives, starting with the Central Maryland Conference Large School Championships which South will host on Thursday. Counties, regions and states quickly follow.

"I definitely want top-three places in all of our sprint races, for sure, at the county level, if not even higher," Freeman said. "Our sprint relays are working for states. They know exactly what they have to run and when, and we're doing the training according to that, and they're right where they should be, so hoipefully we'll have some state-level competitors here in the next couple of weeks."

Rebel Relays champions

Other Washington County individual winners on Friday were:

• Nevaeh Goines, Williamsport, girls triple jump (33-1 1/2)

• Liam Johnson, Williamsport, boys 1,600 (4:57.89)

• Ellysa Marquis, Williamsport, girls 800 (2:51.17)

• Masiah Martin, Williamsport, boys high jump (6-0)

• David Miller, South Hagerstown, boys 800 (2:12.48)

• Wisdom Moses, South Hagerstown, boys triple jump (42-4 1/2)

• Jupiter Schellase, South Hagerstown, girls 1,600 (5:57.71) and high jump (4-4)

Williamsport's boys sprint medley relay of Patrick Rhoades, Richard Sanon, Kaleb Long and Douglas Mayer also won in 1:41.47.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: South Hagerstown's core of sprinters are ready for championship season