Healthy DeCoster, Elizabeth Seton End Season on Top

After hearing her time in the 400-meter dash yesterday, Jameice DeCoster buried her face in her hands, collapsed in her father's arms and cried. Moments later, she gave her mother an enthusiastic kiss on the cheek.

DeCoster isn't normally given to such public displays of emotion, but she made an exception at the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference championships. After battling a months-long illness that almost made her quit the season early, the Elizabeth Seton senior rebounded to win the 400 in a personal-best 54.52 seconds at Good Counsel and cap her high school career on a brilliant note.

"The season's over, but I made it back," DeCoster said.

Behind DeCoster and meet most valuable female performer Dionna Hayes -- the senior captured the 100 and 200 and ran on the winning 4x100 and 4x200 relay teams -- Elizabeth Seton breezed to its third straight team title over Bishop McNamara and O'Connell.

Gonzaga captured the boys' championship over DeMatha and Good Counsel. Stacey Robinson scored the most points for the Eagles -- he won the 300 hurdles (38.77), long jump (21 feet 6.75 inches) and triple jump (44-9) and was runner-up to teammate Aaron Shepperd in the 110 hurdles -- and teammate Bill Ledder was voted the meet's most valuable male performer.

No one had a harder road to the championships -- or was more elated once she got there -- than DeCoster. The 17-year-old started to cough uncontrollably in February, but kept competing because three separate doctors diagnosed her with cold symptoms. It wasn't until she saw a pediatric pulmonologist in March that whooping cough was diagnosed.

The disease got so bad that DeCoster woke up nights because she couldn't breathe. She was bedridden for two weeks and was forced to miss school and practice. DeCoster, who was hoping to peak during her final high school season, said she lost about 15 pounds because she would vomit anything she ate.

"I felt like I was cursed," DeCoster said.

Said James DeCoster, Jameice's father, "As parents, we were at our wit's end."

DeCoster said residual disease still remains, but that was difficult to tell when she powered around the last turn in the 400 meters, picking off three runners and kicking to victory. It wasn't detectable when she finished second in the 100 in 12.22.

DeCoster's private battles this school year made her well up with public tears of joy and relief.

History: Roberto Hylton of St. John's won the boys' 100 in 11.27, becoming the first Cadets sprinter to capture the race in 32 years. The last to do it? Alfred Buckley, who was on hand yesterday as the meet announcer.