Boys' Track is Rounding Into Championship Form

After picking up the pace over its first four meets, Watkins Mill’s high-powered boys' track team is finding its championship stride after handily winning its tri-meet on Wednesday against Gaithersburg and Montgomery Blair.

Sterling Cadeau and William Yougnia put up their usual strong showings—each taking two events and leading the way to wins in three of the meet's four relays—to power the 80-56 win over Gaithersburg and 91-41 win over Blair. (Gaithersburg beat Blair 78-58.)

The Wolverines won 11 of 17 events:

• William Yougnia won the 100-meter dash in 11.12 seconds

•  Damiete Roberts won the 110-meter hurdles in 15.1 seconds

• Wolverine runners took three of the four top spots in the 200 meters, led by William Yougnia (21.6), with Quentin Littlejohn in second (22.9) and Darren Upson (23.68) in fourth

• In the meet’s most dramatic moment, Sterling Cadeau caught up to Blair’s Kevin Fallet in the last step of the 400 meters to share the win with at 51.87 seconds

• Patrick Schlosser outthrew the competition in both the discus and shot put

• Watkins Mill swept the top three spots in the 800 meters: Sterling Cadeau (2:08), Santon Shagavah (2:10) and Pilawe Pato (2:13)

• Dontay Hears won the long jump in 20 feet 7 inches. Daniel Upson finished third with 19 feet 5 ¼ inches, while Jeffrey Adarkwa and Damiete Roberts took fourth and fifth place, respectively

• Watkins Mill won the 4x200 in 1:32.7— a full four seconds faster than Blair and five seconds ahead of Gaithersburg

• Sterling Cadeau, Pilawe Pato, Ariel Rodriguez and Santon Shagavah won the 4x800 in 8:42, with Blair at 8:56 and Gaithersburg at 9:47

• The meet came to a close with Sterling Cadeau, William Yougnia, Dontay Hears and Quentin Littlejohn winning the 4x400 in 3:33.7, two seconds faster than Blair and 16 seconds ahead of Gaithersburg

The boys’ team is coming off a blockbuster 2010 where they won the county and regional championship.

Coach Kevin Watson expects much of the same success this year , "even though it’s going to be a lot tougher."

"Those teams in Frederick are a lot better; Quince Orchard is a lot better," he said. "But the goals are still the same, and I think we have the ability to do it.”

If so, they’ll get there by taking a different path. While last year's team relied on star Brandon Addison—who now runs for North Carolina Central University—this year’s team brings a broader pool of talent.

"Today just added more depth," Watson said.

Watkins Mill features elite runners in sprints, 400 meters and 800 meters. Dontay Hears is consistently hitting 20 feet in the long jump. And Patrick Schlosser is establishing himself as a star in the discus after recently setting a school record with a throw of 137 feet 2 inches, the best this year in the entire county.

"This team has the ability to do probably go further or do better in the state meet because of that depth."

After hosting division rival Churchill on April 26, Watkins Mill will run in a string of invitational meets ahead of the county championships on May 10 at Walter Johnson High School and the state championship on May 28 at Morgan State University.