Working hard and breezing through the competition, the boys and girls indoor track and field team not only claimed the SMAC Championship title, but also boasted impressive results as many athletes broke their individual previous records. On January 24, the Indoor Track and Field team arrived at the SMAC meet at Landover, MD ready to pay off the debts of their hard work. Dusting the competition, both boys and girls left happy, as they had conquered their goal to win the SMAC Championship.

Athletes who broke their previous records and helped to secure the team’s title on the girls team included: Valencia McDowell (16’), Rachel Nueslein (17’), Teghan Simonton (15’), and Kendra Bullock (16’). Mcdowell (16’) broke her previous record, running the 500 dash with a time of 1 minute and 15.99 seconds. McDowell also won the 800 run in an astonishing 2:22.09 and later persevered furthermore to run the winning 3,200 relay. Other teammates who ran the relay included Nueslein (17’), Bullock, and Simonton. All together, they ran a speedy 9:53.74, which set a new meet record. “It feels great to win something individually… My friend Kaliyah [Gorman] from Huntingtown was a tough competitor. Once we get around to regionals and states, the competition really increases. This is just something to get me there. Our team is like a big family. We come out here and they do the best they can.” Mcdowell said. All together, the girls racked up a whopping score of 107 points in first place, which left a mark on second place competitors, Northern and Calvert who tied a total score of 74 points.

The boys also made statements, winning nine out of fourteen events, which ultimately solidified their place on top among their rival SMAC competitors. In total, the boys scored a handsome 155 points (76 points higher than second place competitors, Westlake). North Point senior Michael Rollins (15’) broke Westlake’s DeAndre Robinson’s record in the boys 500, with a time of 1:07.03. Michael Williams (15’) claimed a double win for the Eagles in the 55 dash with a time of 6.60 and another in the 300 dash, which clocked 36.18. North Point field winners included Elijah Noel (15’), who won the triple jump with a leap of 43 feet and 7 inches and Jacorey Waltson (16’), who won the high jump event at 5-10. Fellow runners, Michael Rollins (15’), Devon Gutrick (15’), Adrian Porter (15’), and Adrian Williams (15’) later teamed up to claim the 800 relay at the winning time of 1:33.44. Williams (15’), Porter (15’), Eric Ford (15’) and Darrien MacIntosh (16’) would later go on to run a speedy 3:38.92, which won them the 1,600 event. Despite dominating teams in the regular season SMAC conference and again in the SMAC Championship, the Eagles boys and girls still remain eager as ever, as they have set an even bigger goal to take home the gold on February 4, at the 4A East meet at the Baltimore Armory.