High School Track and Field Season Preview
By Odell B. Ruffin
WI Contributing Writer
Thursday, April 24, 2008

As the track and field season is set to open, Dematha looks to return to the national stage, seeking their fourth straight championship. In the short sprints, the squad is not as strong as it has been in recent years, but senior standout Rodney McLeod should be a key contributor, as he has posted some of the league’s best 200m and 400m times.

Dematha’s key to winning, however, lies in the great potential of its distance squad. Seniors Chad Rogers and Lloyd Foster are expected to both finish in the top three in the 800m at the championship meet. Junior Brian Benkhadra is one of the league’s best milers and distance runners Robert Patterson and Cory Puffett should dominate the 3200m just as they dominated the WCAC Cross Country Championship for the past two years.

Along with the league’s best shot-putter in Aaron Brooks and last year’s discus champion Charles Kelley, Dematha has an excellent chance at yet another championship.

Dematha plans to compete in several big meets this year, including the Norfolk State High School Invitational, the Penn Relays and Nike Outdoor Nationals.

For the first time in nearly a decade, Good Counsel also looks to have a legitimate shot at winning the WCAC track championship. After winning the Cross Country Championship, the Good Counsel team has their best chance at an upset, thanks to an extremely balanced team led by sprinter Caleb Porzel.
  
Porzel holds the league’s fastest 55m indoor and 100m outdoor times by a wide margin, and he is Good Counsel’s best shot at a gold medal at the championship. Other top performers are expected to be senior Chris Brown in the 400m, senior Pat Vaughan in the 800m, senior Ian McDermott (Good Counsel’s lone gold medal returnee from last year) in the 1600m and 3200m, senior hurdler Brandon Clark in both the 110 and 300 hurdles, and senior shot-putter Cory Boatman.
  
Good Counsel also plans to compete at the Penn Relays and host a private school championship track meet after the WCAC Championship.
  
The strongest teams on the women’s side are Prince George’s County powerhouses Elizabeth Seton and Bishop McNamara. Prince George’s County is a national-class sprinting hotbed, and will be returning several indoor track All-Americans to assist them in their quest for the WCAC team title. Good Counsel also looks to be in contention, thanks to their depth and balance among sprints, distance and field events.

Odell Ruffin can be reached at urbanman12@yahoo.com.