Nicole Leach (New Enterprise, Pa./Northern Bedford) and Maura Jones (Frostburg, Md./Mountain Ridge)
 
After two days of hard work and perseverance, the Red Flash gave it their all. The women's team finished fourth overall with a few first places and the men's team finished sixth overall. In the field events, Falbo placed sixth overall to give the men's squad three points. Also, Richard Somiari placed seventh in the triple jump adding two points to the men's team. Christin Bridge (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) got first in the shot and fifth in the weight to add 14 points to the women's team. Moving on to the sprints, Keishana LaRose (Brooklyn, N.Y./Acorn Community) received the most outstanding track athlete award after winning the 400m, and the 200m, and adding to the third place 4x400m as the third leg (Maura Jones (Frostburg, Md./Mountain Ridge) first, Christy Stailey second, Keishana, then Nicole Leach (New Enterprise, Pa./Northern Bedford) as the anchor). Including the relay, she added 26 points for the women's team.
 
In the 400m, Christy placed seventh adding two more points and Maura Jones (Frostburg, Md./Mountain Ridge) added six more points by placing third in the 500m. Alexis Hurd (Manchester, Md./North Carroll) placed fifth in the 200m and third in the 60m adding 10 more points to the women's' team. In distance events for the women's, Jen Haffner (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) got fourth in the 800m and mile and Katie Cianci (Greenville, Pa./Kennedy Catholic) got seventh in the mile combined the pair added a total of 12 points to the team. The distance medley (Katie, Gloria Roberts (Upper Marlboro, Pa./Frederick Douglass), Jen, and Alexis) placed sixth overall adding three more points.
 
For the men's, Chris Mills stole the show. He received the most outstanding track athlete and most outstanding overall athlete. It was well deserved after winning the 3k and the 5k and helping to place the distance medley in fourth. Overall he added 25 points to the men's team. Kennedy also placed eighth in the mile adding a point to the men's team. Overall the women's ended with 73 points and the men's acquired 31. On and off the track, there was never a dull moment.
 
On the more social aspect of the weekend, the athletes enjoyed each other's company during the first overnight outing of the season. As the bus pulled up to the DeGol Fieldhouse Friday afternoon, the team was ready to roll waiting on the sidewalk to get on the bus and get going. After a three and half hour drive, we made it to the Prince George's Sports Complex and everyone got off the bus for a light shakeout. Then we all headed to the hotel while Coach Thomson went to a coaches meeting.
 
Dinner was late that night at an Italian restaurant up on a hill. The bus had a risky three point turn in the middle of an intersection to finish a U-turn and make it to dinner. Everyone got their fill of the food, and it was back to the hotel for the night. Ice baths were in order to prepare for competition the next day along with a good night's sleep. The first bus was off in the morning for competition and the second bus left two hours later. The night of the first competition, we all went to Applebee's for dinner to recover and recharge.
 
Ice baths were prepared for the second night and most people took advantage of them. While everyone was ice bathing and elevating, Lion King was a popular evening activity on the TV. Some of the team also made a trip to a Wal-Mart within walking distance of the hotel.
 
Another event for the evening was a small bible study that we had with mostly the women's team, but the guys did have some representation with Chris Friedhoff joining us. It was a total success with Keishana giving us all a quote to take with us into competition the next day, “God has created me beyond human belief. I can do anything I put my mind to.” A night of rest got all the competing athletes ready for day two of the meet.
 
In the morning, the first bus was off to the track bright and early. The second bus had to leave without some of the athletes because of a situation with a locked laundry room still containing the uniforms of some of the sprinters. The situation was eventually resolved after an hour of frustrations. The final athletes were eventually picked up and the day was underway. After the events of the day, the athletes left the Sports Complex after a hard weekend of sweat, tears, and determination.
 
The ride home was a fun trip highlighted by dinner at Cracker Barrel and rapping/ singing from none other than Tim Wertner. We arrived back at Stokes around 10 p.m., and after a team meeting, the weekend was finished. All in all, it was a good weekend for the Red Flash.
 
Quote of the meet: “God had created me beyond human belief, I can do anything I put my mind to.”