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Smithsburg girls win first indoor state title; Rejonis claims double gold

daniel kauffman, the herald-mail
·8 min read

LANDOVER, Md. — If it's hard to be the favorites, the Smithsburg girls sure didn't perform like it during Tuesday's Maryland Class 1A indoor track and field state meet at the Prince George's Sportsplex.

On paper, the Leopards were expected to win their first-ever girls indoor team title handily. In actuality, they won it in even more decisive fashion.

Smithsburg won three events, produced seven other top-three finishes and rolled up 98.5 points to pull away from runner-up Largo, which finished with 58 points.

"I think being the favorite is hard. So much is expected of you," said Leopards head coach Adam Rudy. "But by midseason, I think they realized they were a special group. Hats off to them. They handled the pressure so well. They were so relaxed. They were the definition of champions."

The state meet was the culmination of several months' worth of anticipation and training.

"Back when school started, we all knew we had unfinished business and we knew what we wanted to do," said sophomore Grace Ellis, herself a state champion in the 500.

"For girls in August to be excited for track, they were eager to prove how good they could be," said Rudy. "They didn't shy away from any challenge. They came out today ready to rock and roll, and I thank them for buying into the program."

Roll call of champions

Smithsburg's Cameron Rejonis wins the 800-meter run during the Maryland Class 1A indoor track and field championships.
Smithsburg's Cameron Rejonis wins the 800-meter run during the Maryland Class 1A indoor track and field championships.

• Cameron Rejonis, Smithsburg, boys 500 and 800 — Rejonis' seventh career state gold, in the 500, was arguably his most impressive yet. He went out hard and stayed strong to the line to edge Catoctin rival Furious Trammel in a 1A state-record time of 1:06.12 (Trammel's 1:06.29 also was under the old record).

"I wanted to just push the pace the entire time," said Rejonis, who also set the county indoor record in the event. "I knew if I did that, I would probably get him. He's a 300-500 guy and I'm a 500-800 guy so I knew I had a little more muscular endurance."

"I've had the privilege of watching him race for three-and-a-half years and I've never been more excited to see a result as much as his 500," Rudy said. "He executed perfectly, and to see him do that and get a state record, I'm so proud of him."

Rejonis, a senior, made it eight career state golds when he led from the gun to the line in the 800, clocking an indoor personal-record 2:03.29. That tied Evan Hardy, a 2012 Williamsport graduate, for the most state titles won by a county boys athlete — with Rejonis' final outdoor season still to come.

"I didn't know about the (county career) record until my (college) signing day," said Rejonis, who will race for Division I High Point. "It's a cool accomplishment."

Led by Rejonis, Smithsburg's boys finished fifth in the team standings with 40.5 points.

Smithsburg's Grace Ellis won the Class 1A girls 500-meter run during the Maryland indoor track and field championships.
Smithsburg's Grace Ellis won the Class 1A girls 500-meter run during the Maryland indoor track and field championships.

• Grace Ellis, Smithsburg, girls 500 — Ellis kicked into high gear right from the start, getting a 5-meter lead and never relinquishing it. She stayed strong all the way to the line and clocked a personal-record 1:19.15, breaking 1:20 for the first time and also setting a school record. She was less than a tenth of a second off the county record.

"I knew from the start I had to get out strong. I run better when I lead," said Ellis. "My goal was to break 1:20 and qualify for New Balance Nationals, and that's what I did."

Boonsboro's Caroline Matthews, left, helps teammate Cami Row at the finish line after Matthews won the 3,200-meter run during the Class 1A indoor track and field championships. Row finished fifth.
Boonsboro's Caroline Matthews, left, helps teammate Cami Row at the finish line after Matthews won the 3,200-meter run during the Class 1A indoor track and field championships. Row finished fifth.

• Caroline Matthews, Boonsboro, girls 3,200 — Matthews, a junior, easily took her third straight state gold in the event, including last year's indoor and outdoor titles. She clocked 11:26.93, a little more than 2 seconds off the 1A state record, but almost 51 seconds ahead of second place.

"It was just really fun to push myself (this season)," Matthews said. "I love all the girls in 1A and racing against them is just a treat."

Up next for Matthews is the Emerging Elite girls 2-mile run at New Balance Nationals — "I'm hoping to get a PR," she said. Her current personal record is 11:18.52, set in the county meet in January.

Matthews' victory was the top highlight for a Warriors team that finished third in the standings with 55.5 points.

Hancock's Joslyn Foltz won the girls shot put during the Maryland Class 1A indoor track and field championships.
Hancock's Joslyn Foltz won the girls shot put during the Maryland Class 1A indoor track and field championships.

• Joslyn Foltz, Hancock, shot put — Foltz, a senior, entered the meet with the third-best performance among the participants, but left it with gold after throwing 33 feet, 7 1/2 inches — a personal record and more than 2 feet longer than her previous season-best.

It was Foltz's first win of the season, having previously finished second in the county and 1A West meets, both times to Boonsboro's Kaitlyn Queen. This time, Foltz edged Queen — who also threw her personal best — by 4 inches.

"It was awesome. I cried," said Foltz. "If I could rip that medal in half, I'd give the other half to Kaitlyn. … So many emotions. After getting second last year, winning this year, it's amazing."

Clear Spring's Jacob Faith won the boys high jump during the Maryland Class 1A indoor track and field championships.
Clear Spring's Jacob Faith won the boys high jump during the Maryland Class 1A indoor track and field championships.

• Jacob Faith, Clear Spring, boys high jump — The favorite entering the meet, Faith exceeded his seed height, clearing a personal-record 6 feet, 2 inches to win gold by 6 inches.

"I was beyond excited," Faith said. "Just the thought of this happening, I never thought it would happen."

Faith, a sophomore, said he did it for former teammate Tyler Josenhans, himself a high jump state champion indoors last year. Josenhans, along with Kannon Shives and Clayton Knode, was killed in a car accident in August.

"He's the one who got me into (high jump)," Faith said.

From left, Smithsburg's Cora Gentzel, Taylor King, Kayla Hawbecker and Ella Fisher won the Class 1A girls 4x800 state title.
From left, Smithsburg's Cora Gentzel, Taylor King, Kayla Hawbecker and Ella Fisher won the Class 1A girls 4x800 state title.

• Smithsburg girls 4x800 relay — Cora Gentzel blasted out to a 40-meter lead by the end of the first leg, and the Leopards cruised to the first gold medal of the day to start their team title quest.

Taylor King held the lead steady through the second leg, Ella Fisher extended it another 10 meters in the third leg and Kayla Hawbecker finished the event in style, stopping the clock at 10:28.96 — more than 11 seconds faster than Smithsburg's previous season-best. It also was about 20 seconds better than second-place Snow Hill.

All four Leopards are sophomores.

Smithsburg's Trenity Green, right, and South Carroll's Lauren Chelsey battle it out for first place in the Class 1A girls 4x200 relay. Smithsburg won the event after South Carroll was disqualified.
Smithsburg's Trenity Green, right, and South Carroll's Lauren Chelsey battle it out for first place in the Class 1A girls 4x200 relay. Smithsburg won the event after South Carroll was disqualified.

• Smithsburg girls 4x200 relay — This victory, combined with Largo's dropping the baton while in the lead at the end of the second leg, all but guaranteed the Leopards' team championship with three events left.

Sophomore Jenna Howe, senior Amanda Hawbecker, King and senior Trenity Green clocked a season-best 1:51.96. Originally, they appeared to place second by a single thousandth of a second to South Carroll, but the Cavaliers were disqualified after a collision at the finish that sent Green sprawling to the track.

Medalists (top-three finishes)

  • Caroline Matthews, Boonsboro, girls 1,600, 5:23.71 (personal record).

  • Becca Sanon, Williamsport, girls high jump, second, 5 feet (personal record).

  • Kaitlyn Queen, Boonsboro, girls shot put, second, 33-3 1/2 (personal record).

  • Cora Gentzel, Smithsburg, girls 3,200, second, 12:17.53.

  • Ryder Brown, Clear Spring, boys shot put, second, 42-7.

  • Grace Ellis, Smithsburg, girls 800, second, 2:25.57 (personal record).

  • Michaela Carney, Boonsboro, second, girls pole vault, 9 feet.

  • Smithsburg boys 4x800 relay (Liam Fisher, Michael Wynkoop, Tyler Younker and Cameron Rejonis), third, 8:41.26.

  • Jenna Howe, Smithsburg, girls 300, third, 42.87 (personal record).

  • Cora Gentzel, Smithsburg, girls 1,600, third, 5:32.98.

  • Aidan Faith, Hancock, girls high jump, third, 4-10.

  • Michaela Gross, Smithsburg, girls 3,200, third, 12:20.44 (personal record).

  • Jakob Davidson, Boonsboro, boys 3,200, third, 10:34.32 (personal record).

  • Kayla Hawbecker, Smithsburg, girls 800, third, 2:33.38.

  • Smithsburg girls 4x400 relay (Jenna Howe, Amanda Hawbecker, Taylor King and Grace Ellis), third, 4:18.48 (season-best).

Place winners (top-eight finishes)

  • Kayla Hawbecker, Smithsburg, girls 1,600, fourth, 5:34.83.

  • Dana Hammond, Clear Spring, girls high jump, fourth, 4-10 (personal record).

  • Kailyn McCauley, Clear Spring, girls shot put, fourth, 30-0 1/2.

  • Richard Sanon, Williamsport, boys 55 hurdles, fourth, 8.04 (personal record).

  • Dylan Parker, Williamsport, boys shot put, fourth, 41-5.

  • Caroline Matthews, Boonsboro, girls 800, fourth, 2:37.33.

  • Kara Yaukey, Boonsboro, girls pole vault, fourth, 8-3.

  • Mythius Smith, Smithsburg, boys high jump, tied for fourth, 5-6.

  • Grace Ellis, Smithsburg, girls 300, fifth, 43.62 (personal record).

  • Taylor King, Smithsburg, girls 500, fifth, 1:23.86 (personal record).

  • Cami Row, Boonsboro, girls 3,200, fifth, 12:43.29.

  • Alexandria Spithaler, Smithsburg, girls pole vault, fifth, 8-3 (personal record).

  • Kara Yaukey, Boonsboro, girls 55, tied for fifth, 7.72 (ran a personal-record 7.66 in prelims).

  • Jenna Howe, Smithsburg, girls 55, tied for fifth, 7.72 (ran a personal-record 7.64 in prelims).

  • Liam Fisher, Smithsburg, boys 800, sixth, 2:08.09 (personal record).

  • Nicole Malasky, Boonsboro, girls pole vault, sixth, 7-6.

  • Ben Gilroy, Smithsburg, boys pole vault, tied for sixth, 9-6.

  • Tyler Younker, Smithsburg, boys 1,600, seventh, 4:59.38.

  • Liam Fisher, Smithsburg, boys 500, seventh, 1:12.26 (personal record).

  • Emma Joyal, Smithsburg, girls 55 hurdles, seventh, 10.16.

  • Cami Row, Boonsboro, girls 1,600, eighth, 5:55.33.

  • Xavier Douge, Smithsburg, boys 55 hurdles, eighth, 8.92.

  • Chad Wyand, Boonsboro, boys 55, eighth, 6.80 (ran a personal-record 6.75 in prelims).

Lighting up the track

In the finals of the boys 55, Catoctin's Brody Buffington broke the overall state record with a time of 6.19 seconds. According to athletic.net, that ties Buffington for the second-fastest time in the country this year, trailing Montverde Academy's Issam Asinga by just a hundredth of a second.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Smithsburg girls dominate Maryland Class 1A indoor state meet