Times, Records Keep on Falling For Zahorodny

Wil Zahorodny had never led the state of Maryland in anything before, much less the nation, so when he ran the fastest 500 meters in the country a month ago, it all felt like one big dream.

In the weeks since, the Damascus senior has frequently checked Web sites to see if he still sat atop the leader board. One of Ohio's best sprinters had been a source of particular worry. The thought of that athlete bumping him down the rankings caused Zahorodny's heart to race, and sometimes made it difficult for him to sleep at night.

At the Maryland 3A indoor track and field championships yesterday, Zahorodny continued to make the prospect of anyone catching him unlikely. He won the 500 in 1 minute 4.71 seconds, a 3A record.

"It's still kind of hard to believe," Zahorodny said.

Meade scored 70 points to win its first boys' state championship since 1990. Westlake was runner-up with 51 points and Damascus third with 43.

Bethesda-Chevy Chase won the girls' team title with 43 points, edging runner-up Westlake (42) and Largo (35).

Zahorodny's dream season began last fall, when he finished fourth at the Maryland 3A cross-country championships. He made a splash on the national scene in January when he won the 500 at the Montgomery Invitational in 1:05.09, the top time in the country at the time.

Yesterday, in addition to setting a 3A record in the 500, he anchored the 4x800 relay that also featured Thomas Arias and Ben and Jon Constantinides to a win in 8:07.25, also a 3A record.

"His speed is phenomenal," second-year Damascus coach Robert Youngblood said. "His distance base is so solid. He can maintain his kick longer than anyone."

A strong core of distance runners propelled the girls from Bethesda-Chevy Chase to their first state championship since 1980. Alex Doll, Paige Donnelly, Addie Tousley and Hannah Richardson won the 4x800 relay in 9:40.74. Doll and Tousley also finished first and third, respectively, in the 1,600. Richardson scored in the 500 and the 800.

Meade had just one individual male winner in Matthew Brinkley, but its depth in the dashes and in the field events helped carry the day. Senior Anya Uzoh was runner-up in the high jump and third in the pole vault, an event he had competed in only twice this season.

"It's just a testament to these kids for them to come out and do this," Meade Coach Nigel Holder said. "They were incredible."

Maryland 3A Championships

Hurdles, Cleared: Westlake senior Christina Manning won the 55-meter hurdles in a career-best 7.98 seconds and was runner-up in the 55 dash to Long Reach's Funmi Alabi. Alabi won in seven seconds, the fastest girls' time in the Washington area this season.

Redemption: Eight months after suffering life-threatening injuries in a car crash and being told by several doctors that he might not compete again, Huntingtown senior T.J. Ricchiuto won the 55-meter hurdles in 7.96 seconds.