Howard High School

Howard County saw two teams make championship appearances and three win their region this season. Glenelg and Reservoir powered their way to have a chance at a title. Howard made it to the state bracket. Here are CSZ’s awards for the best of the county this season: Team of the Year - Reservoir Gators Reservoir tied for the best regular-season record at 16-4 and won a county-high five playoff games. The Gators hit the ground running in December, winning all six of their games and keeping opponents under 40 points in four of them. Their seven-game win streak to open the year showcased that this year’s team would not take a step back, leading the county once again. A January lull, which had a 1-4 stretch for the Gators, proved to be the outlier in the year. Reservoir returned to its winning ways in February and carried that momentum for the rest of the season. Since the start of February, they won 12 straight games, including the playoffs, before the championship against the Poly Engineers. A 57-34 loss to that Poly team ended the playoff run, but Reservoir still managed to defy expectations by remaining at the top of the county. Coach Deb Taylor reflected on what she and her players accomplished this season. “At the beginning of the season, I didn’t think we would win as many games as we did…We graduated 2 all-county players and people thought we would be down. Instead, we won our first county championship and made school history,” Coach Taylor said. Most Improved Team - Glenelg Gladiators Glenelg boosted its record by six regular-season wins and eight total this year, turning the page after finishing under .500 in 2025. The Gladiators built early momentum and sustained it this year. They won their first five games of the season with a key one early against a talented Mt. Hebron team. In CSZ’s preseason power rankings, we placed Glenelg seventh with concerns about the team’s defense. The 2025 team had a 3-9 record when the defense allowed more than 40 points. The Gladiators allowed 40 points in the same number of games this season, but showed the offensive grit to overcome it. Glenelg improved by three wins in the stat to have a 6-6 record in those games, including the playoffs. Their playoff journey featured four blowout wins, taking down Southern, Wilde Lake, Frederick Douglass and Williamsport. The dominance carried into the start of the championship game, but Glenelg got outlasted by Manchester Valley, who won its first championship in the process.

Yesterday Saturday March 7th Reservoir girls team won against Howard in the state quarterfinals. It was a heated game with even one point margins at times. Both teams worked incredibly hard the whole game. This was an emotional game for Howard as they have five seniors on the team. All five played and worked their hardest. Reservoir has three seniors who also all played and worked equally as hard. Number 14 on the Reservoir team stood out as the tallest on the court, she was a powerful defensive player. She flawlessly blocked shots, but she also was a great offensive player and appeared to score with ease. Viewers should look to watch her in the future. Both teams worked well with each other and really both shined as strong teams. Viewers should look forward to seeing these teams next season!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71_P4-d5hhU

Reservoir Gators made program history and advanced to the state semifinals for the first time. They’ll take on top-seeded Edgewood in the next round.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPr_hKQvb9g

Maryland 3A central region had their indoor track competition on 2/5/26. In the Girls 55m Finals Aubree Lilly from Towson won first place and ran a time of 7.13s. Samantha Amauwa from Franklin placed second and ran a time of 7.18s. Rozelyn Sarfo from Oakland Mills placed third and ran a time of 7.28s. Sarfo also set a personal record for herself and became the new Maryland 33rd place for this event. In the girls Girls 55mH 3A Finals Nyla Lavender from Baltimore Polytechnic Institute won first place and ran a time of 8.54. Lavender set a personal record for herself and became the new Maryland 19th place for this event. Taylor Moorer from Baltimore City College placed second and ran a time of 8.54s. Moorer set a personal record for herself and also became the new Maryland 20th place for this event. Ava Carr from Howard placed in third and ran a time of 8.55s. In the Girls 300m 3A Aubree Lilly from Towson also won first place (she also placed first in the 55m) she ran a time of 39.90s. With this run she gained three accomplishments she set a personal record for herself,became the new United States 75th place, and the new Maryland 14th place for this event.Samantha Amauwa from Franklin placed in second and ran a time of 39.95s. In the Girls 500m 3A Payton Buchanan from Oakland Mills won first place and ran a time of 1:17.37.Trinity Jordan from Franklin placed in second and ran a time of 1:18.00. Brooklynn Murrell from Baltimore City College placed in third and ran a time of 1:18.87. She also set a personal record for herself and became the new 22nd place in Maryland for this event. In the Girls 800m 3A Centennial High School in Howard County dominated the event with their runners coming in first,second, and third place.Kaylee Beal won first place and ran a time of 2:27.03.Beal also set a personal record for herself. Clara Curtis placed in second and ran a time of 2:27.61. Samantha Raker placed in third and ran a time of 2:27.68.Curtis set a personal record for herself as well. In the Girls 1600m 3A Kaylee Beal from Centennial also won first place (she also placed first in the 800m) she ran a time of 5:23.36. Aspen Yorek from Oakland Mills placed in second and ran a time of 5:26.67. Olivia Virago from Catonsville placed in third and ran a time of 5:27.62. In the Girls 3200m 3A Aspen Yorek from Oakland Mills won first place and ran a time of 12:11.20. Izabella McDonald from Guilford Park placed in second and ran a time of 12:14.47. Gabriela Nguyen from Centennial placed in third and ran a time of 12:20.59. Nguyen also set a personal record for herself. In the girls Girls 4x200m (3A) Oakland Mills’ team won first place and ran a time of 1:43.81 The team was R. Sarfo, J. Harriston, P. Buchanan, G. Osei-Bonsu. Baltimore City College’s The team placed second and ran a time of 1:46.51. The team was L. Pulley, T. Moorer, M. Hunt, A. Milligan. Franklin’s team placed third and ran a time of 1:47.48. The team was S. Amauwa, T. Jordan, K. Redd, K. Wallace. In the Girls 4x400m (3A) Oakland Mills’ team won first place and ran a time of 4:04.29. The team was R. Sarfo, J. Harriston, R. Martinez Romero, P. Buchanan. Baltimore City College’s team placed in second and ran a time of 4:10.22. The team was C. Shane, L. Pulley, B. Murrell, T. Moorer. Baltimore Polytechnic Institute ‘s team placed in third and ran a time of 4:17.23. The team was J. Newton, G. Jacobs, D. Griffin, K. Bastfield. They also became the new 37th place in Maryland. In the Girls 4x800m (3A) Guilford Park’s team won first place and ran a time of 10:21.97. The team was C. Logan, L. Eastman, J. Ortega, I. McDonald. They also became the new Maryland 29th place. Baltimore City College’s team placed second and ran a time of 10:37.89. The team was K. Hunt, C. Shane, J. Pulley, B. Murrell. They also became the new 41st place in Maryland. Franklin’s team placed third and ran a time of 10:42.03. The team was K. Wallace, N. Tromble, T. Clingan, S. Shon. They also became the new 47th place in Maryland. In the Girls High Jump 3 Ava Carr from Howard won first place and jumped 5-04.00 feet. She also became the new 7th place in Maryland. Patience Oyamo from Guilford Park placed in second and jumped 5-04.00 feet. She also became the new 4th place in Maryland. Julia Irvin from Howard placed third and jumped 5-00.00 feet. She became the new 24th place in Maryland. In the Girls Pole Vault 3A Kendall Shirey from Howard won first place and cleared 9-00.00 feet. She also became the new 22nd place in Maryland. Molly Van Valkenburg from Towson placed in second and cleared 7-06.00 feet. She also set a personal record for herself. Alisha Rao from Howard placed third and cleared 7-00.00 feet. In the Girls Shot Put 3A Natalie Bank from Centennial won first place and threw 32-02.00 feet or 9.80m. Amirah Curtis from Baltimore City College placed second and threw 30-07.25 feet or 9.33m. Imani Smith from Howard placed third and threw 30-06.75 or 9.32m.

Howard family!!! CHECK THIS OUT!! This past weekend, Howard wrestler Bennett C. officially joined the history books by hitting the 100‑match WIN mark! 💯🤼‍♂️ That’s right — Bennett becomes ONLY the 4th wrestler in Howard history to ever reach this milestone. Four. Ever. Let that sink in. This is grit. This is heart. This is Lion pride at its absolute peak. 💙 CONGRATULATIONS, BENNETT! 💙 Your hard work, determination, and relentless drive have carved your name into Howard history. The entire Lions community is roaring for you today. Keep climbing. Keep dominating. Keep making us proud. -Post from Howard HS facebook

Let go wild lake

On Friday January 16 2026 Howard County had their 2026 Indoor Track County Championship. The River Hills Girls team became 2026 girls county champions. Oakland Mills was second place and Reservoir was third place. Relays: River Hill’s girls 4x800 became county champions. A. Mattes, N. Mohan, L. Virmani, and M. Virmani were the runners in this relay. Oaklands Mill’s girls 4x200 became county champions. R. Sarfo, J. Harriston, P. Buchanan, and G. Osei-Bonsu were the runners in this relay. Oakland Mill’s girls 4x400 became county champions. R. Sarfo, J. Harriston, R. Martinez Romero,and P. Buchanan were the runners in this relay. Additionally they set a new meet record!. This means this team was the fastest in all Howard County indoor championship history. Individual Running Events: Kendall Hall from Long Reach became a 2026 indoor county champion in the girls 300m. She ran a 39.89, which is a new personal record for her. Additionally she is now the new 9th place girls 300m runner in Maryland and the United States 46th place. On top of that she set a new meet record! This was a great race for her. Marella Virmani from River Hill became a 2026 indoor county champion in the girls 1600m. Payton Buchanan from Oakland Mills became a 2026 indoor county champion in the girls 500m. She ran a 1:16.74, which is a new personal record for her. She set a new meet record! This means this is the fastest time run in this event at this meet. Additionally she is the new fifth place in Maryland and 33rd place in the United States. Ava Carr from Howard became a 2026 indoor county champion in the girls 55m hurdles. She ran a 8.52, which is a new personal record for her. She is now the new 15th place in Maryland and 89th place in the United States for this event. Jaidyn Augustine from Marriotts Ridge became a 2026 indoor county champion in the girls 55m. She became the new 17th place in Maryland and 94th place in the United States for this event. Lauren Virmani from River Hill became a 2026 indoor county champion in the girls 3200m. Marella Virmani from River Hill became a 2026 indoor county champion in the girls 800m. Field Events: Ava Carr from Howard became a 2026 indoor county champion in the girls high jump. Ruqqayyat Gobir from Howard became a 2026 indoor county champion in the girls triple jump. Manuela Dabiri from Glenelg became a 2026 indoor county champion in the girls shot put. She is the new 6th place in Maryland for this event. Hannah McDerment from Reservoir became a 2026 indoor county champion in the girls pole vault. She vaulted 10-03.00, which is a personal record for her. Additionally she became the new 12th place in Maryland for this event. Rozelyn Sarfo from Oakland Mills became a 2026 indoor county champion in the girls long jump. She became the new 5th place in Maryland and the new 64th place in the United States for this event. Please note titles such as __ place in Maryland/United States are subject to change as more meets happen across Maryland and the United States.

This week features key matchups that could shake up the leaderboard. Get ready for some exciting action! 🏀

Olivia Creighton and Grace Mathews scored 18 and 13 points respectively in tonight's game vs Howard.

See you this weekend in Owings Mills. 8600 McDonogh Rd, Owings Mills, MD

Howard County basketball returns next week with most teams still in the mix for county glory. For this CSZ midseason check-in, we looked at what each school’s main goal should be for 2026. Note: The listed records are only for games against other Howard County teams. 1. Reservoir (4-0) New Year’s Resolution: Do more of the same The Gators are the best team in the county so far. Their offense is playing at an elite level in each game and the defense matches with a stifling presence. Their closest county game ended in an eight-point win, marking the only time Reservoir did not outscore opponents by at least 17. No team has commanded the court like the Gators and that dominance should extend into the rest of the season. Next up: vs River Hill on Wednesday, Jan. 7 2. Oakland Mills (5-0) New Year’s Resolution: Get ready to hit the road The Scorpions boast the best county record and fully earned that spot. The team has played in sync all season so far, with no signs of slowing down. January will be a tougher challenge for this Oakland Mills squad. Nine of their 13 games for the rest of the season are on the road. Five of their eight January games will be away from Scorpions fans, including matchups against Mt. Hebron and Reservoir. Next up: vs Wilde Lake on Wednesday, Jan. 7 3. Glenelg (4-0) New Year’s Resolution: Stay resilient on the road The Gladiators are the last of the three undefeated teams in county games. Glenelg has comfortably handled its early schedule, which included three road games against rival schools and five total. The road trips will continue through early July, with four in their next six matchups. Staying strong in the next few weeks will set the Gladiators up well for the playoff push, where they play seven games at home in their final nine. Next up: vs Glenelg Country School on Monday, January 5 4. Wilde Lake (5-1) New Year’s Resolution: Give the defense more room to breathe The Wildecats firmly sit in the county’s top tier with a strong December performance. They have limited opposing teams to fewer than 45 points in five of their games. The only outlier, coming against Glenelg, stands as their lone county loss. While Wilde Lake is still playing at an elite level, an offensive step forward could be the missing piece to leapfrog the three teams ranked higher. Their last two county games showed greater separation, with a 20-point win over Atholton and a 12-point win over Mt. Hebron. Next up: at Oakland Mills on Wednesday, Jan. 7 5. Marriotts Ridge (4-3) New Year’s Resolution: Increase possession quality Mustang basketball has been a flashback to a lower-scoring era of high school basketball. The Marriotts Ridge defense has excelled, allowing 40 or fewer points in six of their seven county games. The offense has only surpassed 40 in two of those games and the team won both. With points in short supply, the Mustangs could become a juggernaut with a slightly sharper offense, reducing their need to come through in close games. Next up: vs. Long Reach on Friday, Jan. 9 6. Howard (3-2) New Year’s Resolution: Stay on track The Lions rebounded from a close 52-48 loss to Oakland Mills with three wins in their next four county games. Howard’s offense is leading the way with 45 points in every game and wins each time they score 50. The defense has given the team enough to win and their team formula has provided plenty of momentum for the rest of the season. Next up: at Garrison Forest on Wednesday, Jan. 7 7. Mt. Hebron (4-3) New Year’s Resolution: Shrink the margins against the county’s best The Vikings almost exclusively traded off wins and losses through December. The offense and defense have been consistently solid. Mt. Hebron has handled business against the lowest teams in the standings but has struggled against the top squads. Their -21 point differential against Marriotts Ridge, Glenelg and Wilde Lake is a stark contrast to their +74 in their other games. Playing closer in those matchups is the first step in taking a seat at the top. Next up: vs Atholton on Wednesday, Jan. 7 8. Guilford Park (1-3) New Year’s Resolution: Sustain the holiday momentum The Panthers already matched their county win total from last season with a 48-32 win against Long Reach. While the other games have not gone their way, Guilford Park picked up wins against Green Street and Frederick Douglass last weekend. The team could make school history by securing its first January win in program history. Next up: at Hammond on Monday, Jan. 5 9. Hammond (1-4) New Year’s Resolution: Raise the floor The Golden Bears’ 2025-2026 season has been one of a split identity through December. Hammond had a season-best 62-55 win against Atholton before scoring 34 total points across their final two games. They have a +12 point differential in their wins, including a non-county game, and a -104 point differential in their losses. Closing those margins against the county’s best can create more opportunities to keep the pressure on opponents and find ways to win. Next up: vs Guilford Park on Monday, Jan. 5 10. River Hill (1-4) New Year’s Resolution: Tighten the defense The Hawks are undefeated when they hold opposing teams to 45 points or less. They have only accomplished that score in one county game and one non-county game. Barring a sudden offensive turnaround, the Hawks will need to lean into a defense that has given the team chances to get more wins. Next up: vs Reservoir on Wednesday, Jan. 7 11. Centennial (1-5) New Year’s Resolution: Revamp the offense The Eagles have performed at an untenable offensive level so far, which has been the defining factor of their season. They have reached 30 points in two of their games. The defense has performed solidly, holding Glenelg to 40 and Marriotts Ridge to 31. Getting games closer will be a key step in a Centennial season turnaround. Next up: vs Long Reach on Monday, Jan. 5 12. Long Reach (0-4) New Year’s Resolution: Improve in-county play The Lightning have exclusively taken care of teams beyond the Howard borders. Against DC International and Meade, Long Reach had their two highest scoring games and their two sharpest defensive efforts. Finding ways to bring that level of play against their rivals will be the only way that the Lightning can climb the standings. Next up: at Centennial on Monday, Jan. 5 13. Atholton (0-4) New Year’s Resolution: Take a page from last season’s book The Raiders struggled in December and stand as one of two teams without a win against a county opponent. They will need better play from the offense and from the defense if their season is to turn around. The 2024-2025 team, which lost its final three games in December before coming back from winter break with a commanding 80-54 win, could be a good source of inspiration. Next up: at Mt. Hebron on Wednesday, Jan. 7

Howard County basketball returns next week with most teams still in the mix for county glory. For this CSZ midseason check-in, we looked at what each school’s main goal should be for 2026. Note: The listed records are only for games against other Howard County teams. 1. Oakland Mills (5-0) New Year’s Resolution: Generate more offense The Scorpions are the last undefeated team in the county, earning that spot with a close 49-48 win against Marriotts Ridge. Oakland Mills will need more point separation to stay at the top of the standings. Most of their games have been within two possessions, including two very close wins against Long Reach and Marriotts Ridge. On an individual level, Daniel Ndiritu ‘27 became the first player to score 20 points this season for the Scorpions, reaching that mark in the final game of the year. Next up: vs Catonsville on Monday, Jan. 5 2. Marriotts Ridge (6-1) New Year’s Resolution: Stay on track The Mustangs are off to a nearly flawless start this season. They have scored 65+ points in six of their seven games and allowed fewer than 55 in five of those games. Marriotts Ridge closed out the year on a particularly high note, reaching a season high of 81 points scored against Reservoir. Next up: vs. Howard on Wednesday, Jan. 7 3. River Hill (5-2) New Year’s Resolution: Win on Wednesdays The Hawks have evened out after a strong 2-0 start against Hammond and Wilde Lake. A tougher schedule has contributed to a 3-3 record in their last six games, but River Hill has developed a clear split based on game time. The Hawks have not won a Wednesday game since Feb. 7, 2024, dropping the last eight across three seasons. River Hill’s four remaining midweek games could determine the fate of their season. Next up: at Reservoir on Wednesday, Jan. 7 4. Mt. Hebron (5-2) New Year’s Resolution: Enjoy being at home The Vikings opened the season with a challenging gauntlet, playing five of their first seven games on the road. Mt. Hebron pushed through and won four of those five. They have six more road games this season, but the final stretch of the season is almost exclusively on their home court, with four games in February as the playoff push intensifies. Next up: at Atholton on Wednesday, Jan. 7 5. Atholton (3-1) New Year’s Resolution: Trust the defense Atholton plays a unique brand of basketball compared to the rest of the county. The Raiders’ defense-first approach has singlehandedly brought their best county start in years. They have allowed an average of fewer than 50 points per game, including just 32 against River Hill. Before this season, they had not won three of their first four county games since 2022. Facing Marriotts Ridge and River Hill proved that this style of play can propel the Raiders into contention. Next up: vs Mt. Hebron on Wednesday, Jan. 7 6. Long Reach (3-2) New Year’s Resolution: Keep up the momentum The Lightning closed out the year on a high note with considerable improvement from last season. A 0-2 start looked like more of the same before a three-game winning streak provided a sharp turnaround. For reference, Long Reach did not have three county wins last season until Valentine’s Day. Next up: vs Centennial on Monday, Jan. 5 7. Reservoir (2-3) New Year’s Resolution: Forget the Marriotts Ridge game The Gators have hovered around .500 all season, with their longest winning streak standing at one game. For the most part, Reservoir has played solid basketball with a good defense and an inconsistent offense. The only outlier came in the final game of the year against Marriotts Ridge, where the team allowed 81 points to the Mustangs. Staying the course can keep the Gators toward the middle of the standings. Next up: vs River Hill on Wednesday, Jan. 7 8. Glenelg (2-2) New Year’s Resolution: Look for more synergy The Gladiators played fewer games than most county teams after a game against Oakland Mills was canceled. With four county games recorded, Glenelg has flashed the pieces needed for contention, but has not been able to consistently put them together yet. They did end the year with everything working in the year’s final game, beating Centennial 55-52. Next up: vs Guilford Park on Wednesday, Jan. 7 9. Hammond (2-4) New Year’s Resolution: Rediscover their offense The Golden Bears spent the first half of December playing well on both sides of the court. They took care of games against Glenelg and Wilde Lake before their season took a turn as the schedule grew more challenging. Games against Mt. Hebron and Oakland Mills closed the year in a slide that came down to the offense’s decline. In their last three county games, Hammond lost each and failed to score 55 points in all of them. Changing that will be their top priority for 2026. Next up: at Guilford Park on Monday, Jan. 5 10. Centennial (1-5) New Year’s Resolution: Trust the process The Eagles’ record is not yet indicative of their performance this season. They lost to River Hill and Marriotts Ridge, but their other games showed a team that should be better than 1-5. In two-possession or fewer games, Centennial has a 1-4 record, with the only win coming in the season opener against Reservoir. The Eagles should see more wins if they can continue to play close and wait for more late-game breakthroughs. Next up: at Long Reach on Monday, Jan. 5 11. Guilford Park (1-4) New Year’s Resolution: Tighten the defense The Panthers recorded their first December win in program history against Howard on Dec. 15. Outside of that game, the Guilford Park offense has performed well, but the defense has still not clicked. Against county opponents, they have averaged 59 points scored per game. Their win against Howard was the only time that they did not allow 55 points in a county game. Next up: vs Hammond on Monday, Jan. 5 12. Howard (1-4) New Year’s Resolution: Improve in-county scoring The Lions have stepped back so far after their strong performance last year. The offense has not recorded 50 points against a county team once this season and the team’s success is almost exclusively against other schools. Their two best wins came against Crossland and Winters Mill, which were two of their last three games. A Lions’ turnaround this season will only be possible if they can bring that offense to their 12 remaining games in the county. Next up: at Marriotts Ridge on Wednesday, Jan. 7 13. Wilde Lake (0-6) New Year’s Resolution: Turn the page on 2025 The Wildecats have not performed as many would have expected this season, following an 18-win campaign last year. Wilde Lake needs improvement offensively and defensively in 2026. Finding their first win quickly could be the spark this team needs to get back on track for the rest of the season. Next up: vs Oakland Mills on Wednesday, Jan. 7

On December 23rd the M&D Winter HS Showcase took place. Teams throughout the state competed in field and track events. 32 schools competed in total. On the girls side Hereford HS in Baltimore County won by a landslide with 73 points. Hereford had high placements in almost all events. Olivia Clark 4th place in the 400m winning 5 points. Kylie Jacobson 3rd place in the 800m winning 6 points. Dempsey Nelson 2nd place 8 points and Charlie Brill 3rd place 6 points in the 1 mile. Eliza Fox 3rd place in the high jump earning 6 points.Maddie Drylie 2nd place earning 8 points and Belinda Wines 6th place earning 3 points. Hereford’s relays did amazing, 1st place in the girls 4x400 and 2nd place in both the 4x200 and 4x800. Congratulations to Hereford for their landslide win! 2nd place was Northwest in Montgomery County 41.5 points. 3rd place was Broadneck in Anne Arundel County 40 points. 4th place was Howard in Howard County 36 points 5th place was Governor Thomas Johnson in Frederick County 33 points. On the boys side Northwest HS in Montgomery County won with a total of 62 points. William Rivers 7th place in the 60m earning 2 points. Nathaniel Hewitt 5th place earning 4 points and Jayden Vongprachanh-Nelson 6th place earning 3 points in the 60m hurdles. Christopher Davis 8tn place in the 200m earning 1 point. Tyler Hall 1st place in the 400m earning 10 points. Richard Harris 2nd place in the 800m earning 8 points. Paul Ryoo 4th place in the long jump earning 5 points. Jayden Vongprachanh-Nelson 2nd place earning 8 points and Yao Ballogou 4th place earning 5 points in the triple jump. 1st place in the 4x400 earning 10 points and 3rd place in the 4x800 earning 6 points. Congratulations to Northwest for their win. 2nd place was Dunbar in Baltimore County 57 points 3rd place was Dulaney in Baltimore County 47 points 4th place was Milford Mill in Baltimore County 33 points 5th Broadneck in Anne Arundel County 31 points

On December 8th 2025 Howard County had their first indoor track meet for the 2026 season. Here are the top 3 athletes in each event. RUNNING EVENTS: Girls 55m (out of 100) Jaidyn Augustine Marriotts Ridge 7.35 Rozelyn Sarfo Oakland Mills 7.39 (7.385) Dara Akinsanya Reservoir 7.39 (7.386) PR Girls 55m Hurdles (out of 11) Patience Oyamo Guilford Park 9.03 Julia Irvin Howard 9.18 PR Sarah Opara-Murambiwa Hammond 9.33 Girls 300m (out of 68) Kendall Hall Long Reach 40.76 Eniya Headspeth Centennial 41.43 Payton Buchanan Oakland Mills 41.65 PR Girls 500m (out of 26) Payton Buchanan Oakland Mills 1:22.14 Tiffany Berry Wilde Lake 1:24.80 PR Cate Staley Glenelg 1:24.81 Girls 1600m (out of 41) Marella Virmani River Hill 5:20.08 Lauren Virmani River Hill 5:20.13 Olivia Alvarez Atholton 5:51.75 Girls 3200m (out of 11) Izabella McDonald Guilford Park 12:07.72 Eleanor Zadora-Smierciak Howard 12:18.93 Johanna Ortega Guilford Park 12:39.09 Girls 800m (out of 39) Alyssa Mattes River Hill 2:27.79 Izabella McDonald Guilford Park 2:29.67 Charleigh Logan Guilford Park 2:34.29 Girls 4x400m (out of 10) Centennial J. Franklin, L. Crawford, J. James, E. Headspeth River Hill 4:13.29 L. Virmani, L. Schoenberg-Grevbo, N. Mohan, M. Virmani Oakland Mills 4:26.41 G. Osei-Bonsu, K. Robinson, R. Martinez Romero, R. Oyedeji Girls 4x200m (out of 25) Hammond 1:48.23 N. Butler, J. Krause, S. Opara-Murambiwa, I. Woodward Long Reach 1:49.78 K. Hall, T. Flynn, A. Norton, P. Pittman Guilford Park 1:53.07 M. Mbullu, K. Alford, A. Igbinovia, G. Hart Girls 4x800m (out of 6) River Hill 9:28.30 L. Virmani, A. Mattes, N. Mohan, M. Virmani Glenelg 10:04.03 S. Clark Guilford Park 10:36.72 C. Logan, L. Eastman, J. Ortega, I. McDonald FIELD EVENTS Girls High Jump (out of 9) Patience Oyamo Guilford Park 5-00.00 Madison Xokoli Reservoir 4-08.00 Janelle Laughner Reservoir 4-08.00 PR Girls Pole Vault(out of 12) Hannah McDerment Reservoir 8-06.00 Isabella F. Hagan Marriotts Ridge 8-06.00 PR Shea O'Brien Reservoir 8-00.00 Girls Triple Jump (out of 9) Jaidyn Augustine Marriotts Ridge 36-07.50 PR Ruqqayyat Gobir Howard 34-11.25 Tayden White Howard 31-10.75 Girls Shot Put (out of 29) Hannah McDerment Reservoir 30-06.00 Imani Smith Howard 29-07.25 Manuela Dabiri Glenelg 29-02.00 Girls Long Jump (out of 24) Jaidyn Augustine Marriotts Ridge 17-00.00 Nyia Bedell Howard 16-09.00 Jasmine Alston Reservoir 15-06.50 Congratulations to all these top athletes! Keep an eye on these girls as they progress through the indoor and the upcoming outdoor season.

On December 8th 2025 Howard County had their first indoor track meet for the 2026 season. 1 Guilford Park-78 2 Oakland Mills-77.5 3 Reservoir-75 4 Howard-68.5 5 River Hill-67 6 Marriotts Ridge-45 7 Centennial-36 7 Glenelg-36 9 Hammond-32 10 Wilde Lake-21 11 Long Reach-19 12 Atholton-15 13 Mount Hebron-11 GP: Junior Patience Oyamo won both the 55m hurdles (9.03) and the women's high jump (5 ft). In both events she earned 10 points for a total of 20 points for GP. In the 55m Giovanna Hart came in sixth place running 7.62s and earned 3 points. Kaitlyn Alford came in eighth place running 7.67s and earning 1 point. In the 800m Izabella McDonald (2nd,2:29.67, 8pts) and Charleigh Logan (3rd,2:34.29,6pts) For a total of 14 points for GP. With several other amazing athletes earning points from Gilford Park they have cemented themselves as a competitive group for the rest of the indoor track season! OM: Oakland Mills like usual were an extremely competitive group this first meet. Rozelyn Sarfo was second in the 55m with a time of 2.39s winning 8 points for Oakland she also was fourth in the 300m running 41.95s winning 5 points with a total of 13 points from her. Payton Buchanan was third in the 300m with a PR of 41.65 earning 6 points. She won 1st place in the 500m running 1:22.14 earning 10 points. Jordyn Harriston came in fourth for the 55m running 7.44s and earning 5 points. In the 55m hurdles she came in fifth running 9.90 earning 4pts. Lastly in the 300m she was fifth place running 42.53s and earning 4 points for OM. Oakland Mills has many great athletes who will continue to shine throughout the season! Resi: Reservoir came in third and notably did amazing in their field events. Senior Hannah McDerment won 1st in shot put throwing 30-06.00 and earning 10 points additionally she won 1st in pole vault clearing 8-06.00 earning 10 points for 20 points in total. In pole vault Shea O'Brien was third place clearing 8 feet earning 6 points. Joanna Manela also cleared 8 feet and earned 5 points. In high jump Madison Xokoli cleared 4 foot 8 inches she came in second place and earned 8 points. Janelle Laughner also cleared 4 foot 8 inches she came in third place earning 6 points. In long jump Jasmine Alston was third place jumping 15-06.50 earning 6 points and Janelle Laughner came in fourth place jumping 14-07.25 earning 5 points. In the 55m Dara Akinsanya was third place, running 7.39 and earning 6 points. Keep a tab on these amazing field competitors as well as the runners from Resi! Congratulations to all the runners who competed during this meet!

As winter sports approaches upon us one of the Howard High School teams sticks out from the rest. The Howard Girls Basketball Lady Lions. Last season they went 15-4 making a run into the first round of the 3A state championship just falling short to Oakland Mills 3A State finalists. As coach Scott Robinson enters his 16th season he returns with a very senior heavy squad. Seniors Brynn Bartlett, Alana Harrison, Raymah Quist-Therson, Kadirah Carroll, Kelsea Campbell, and Mariyah Hammock will act as leaders for the Lions alongside lone Junior Charlotte Mager. Sophomores Paige Watson and Kelsey Wimmer look to make waves alongside this squad. Wimmer as a Freshman burst onto the scene averaging 14.8ppg making her an All-County First team selection and will be a standout for this Lions squad. The Underclassmen also consist of Sophomore Maggie McCarthy, Freshman Ania Richardson, Zombie Obioha and Mia Shiller. For the Q&A I got responses from some of the returning Seniors and Junior Charlotte Mager. What are the outlook/goals for this season? “The goal for every season is of course to win but for this season I think our main goal should be staying together as a team throughout the season, win or lose. ”-Kadirah Carroll “One of our goals is certainly to win the County Championship. We have not won this since the 2022-23 season. No matter what, we always strive to win every game and every trophy, no matter how big or small.” -Raymah Quist-Therson “The goals for this season are to play hard every single game and leave everything on the court. No matter what the end result of the game is, our team will move onto the next with a fierce attitude and desire to win.” - Alana Harrison How will the team plan to fill in the spots left by the previous seniors? “We plan to fill the spots by having the next person in the team step up. Every single person on our team has the skill and ability to make a positive difference.” -Raymah Quist-Therson What is the team's play style going to look like this season? “Our team’s play style is going to mainly rely on defense which is what our program has always cherished and fast pace transition basketball.”-Kadirah Carroll “Our team relies on strong defense to win games because if the shots aren’t falling we can always be aggressive on defense.” -Charlotte Mager “Our team's play style this year is going to be all about the little things. We will be the team that gets after loose balls, sprinting up and down the court, and playing intense defense all game.” - Alana Harrison Who do you think your biggest competition will be for this season? “Every team is going to be our biggest competition this season because every game matters. We have to be able to hold each other down to be able to get past each opponent.”- Kadirah Carroll “All of the teams in the county this season have the potential to be difficult opponents and give us tricky games. In particular, Glenelg, River Hill, Oakland Mills, and Reservoir have been some of our most difficult games recently.” -Raymah Quist-Therson What team(s) will you look forward to playing this season? “I am looking forward to playing all the teams we lost to last season to be able to prove ourselves and have our hard work paying off.”-Kadirah Carroll “There is no game in particular that I am looking forward to playing. I am excited to get back on the court and show that we have some unfinished business this season.” -Raymah Quist-Therson The Howard Lady Lions have their first matchup this Friday at the Den against the Mt. Hebron Vikings. The Lady Lions handed the Vikings two losses last season with a 48-31 and 56-35 win to knock them out of the playoffs. The Lions look to secure a win to start the season strong.

Here are CSZ's rankings of all 13 Howard County Girls' Varsity Basketball teams for this season. Each team's 2024-2025 record is included inside the parentheses. 1. Oakland Mills (17-2) The Scorpions enter 2025 after their first championship appearance since 1991. They had a 21-1 record against county rivals and scored 45 points in all of the wins. Coach Michael Coughlan said he hopes that this year’s team will have a “stifling half-court defense and up-tempo fast-paced offense.” Oakland Mills’ path to another title starts on Friday vs Reservoir. 2. Reservoir (18-3) The Gators improved by six wins last season, leading as a team at the top of the county. They beat every other team except Oakland Mills. Reservoir earned two playoff wins, including an 81-9 victory. Their season starts today against Richard Montgomery. 3. Howard (15-4) The Lions advanced the furthest in the playoffs outside of Oakland Mills. They picked up strong wins against Glenelg and Mt. Hebron but otherwise struggled against the county’s best, including two losses to River Hill. Howard’s first game is against Mt. Hebron on Friday. 4. River Hill (15-6) The Hawks got off to the best start in the county last year, winning ten of their first eleven games. Their offense scored 49 points in all of those wins, but they only reached that mark in two of their final ten games. River Hill will look to keep its elite level throughout the whole season, starting today against Urbana. 5. Mt. Hebron (12-8) The Vikings played up and down throughout 2024. They went 5-1 to start the season, 4-7 in the middle of the winter and won their final three games. Mt. Hebron made a deeper playoff push with wins against Old Mill Senior and Chesapeake. Their season starts against Howard on Friday. 6. Wilde Lake (8-10) The Wildecats made the biggest improvements of any county team last season. They won eight games after recording a 2-39 record between 2022 and 2023. That momentum carried into two playoff wins, advancing to the state tournament. Wilde Lake opens its season against Meade tomorrow. 7. Glenelg (10-12) The Gladiators returned to double-digit wins last year after a down 2023. Glenelg performed well offensively, but the defense played more inconsistently. They had a 3-9 record when they allowed 40 points. Glenelg will face Century on Friday for the season opener. 8. Atholton (9-11) The Raiders picked up a playoff win last year for the first time since 2022. They played evenly throughout the season and did not have luck on their side, losing four games by one possession. Atholton’s first game of the season will come against Century tomorrow. 9. Centennial (7-11) The Eagles surged last year with an exciting run to the second round of the playoffs. After falling to a 2-8 record on Jan. 24, Centennial rallied to a 5-3 record to close the year, despite five straight games on the road in that span, and earned a playoff win against Long Reach. The Eagles will make their season debut tomorrow, facing Walkersville. 10. Hammond (9-10) The Golden Bears reached a season-best 7-5 record last year on Jan. 31. They took a step back in February with a 2-5 record that sank them under .500. Hammond will look for increased stamina at the end of the season this year. Their first game is on Friday at River Hill. 11. Long Reach (7-13) The Lightning improved by five wins last year in their best performance since 2018. They hung around .500 for most of the season before a late losing streak brought the record down. Long Reach went 4-3 in December, 2-5 in January and 1-6 in February. They will try to find more consistency this season, starting on Friday against Atholton. 12. Marriotts Ridge (3-17) The Mustangs snapped a 14-game losing streak last season, which dated back to Jan. 26, 2024. Their season highlight came in a 33-32 win over 9-11 Atholton. Marriotts Ridge will look for offensive improvement this season after reaching 30 points in five of their 21 games. That could come as early as tomorrow against Catonsville. 13. Guilford Park (1-17) The Panthers had a challenging debut season last year. They had one win on Dec. 9, 2024, against Marriotts Ridge. The season unravelled after that point, ending in a 17-game losing streak. Guilford Park will look for its first home win this Friday against Centennial.

Here are CSZ's rankings of all 13 Howard County Boys' Varsity Basketball teams for this season. Each team's 2024-2025 record is included inside the parentheses. 1. Mt. Hebron (20-2) The Vikings firmly led the county last year with the deepest playoff run and the most wins. An outlier in the season opener did not stall their dominance, giving way to a 20-1 run and playoff victories over Chesapeake and Marriotts Ridge. Mt. Hebron’s season will open on Friday against Howard. 2. Marriotts Ridge (15-7) Marriotts Ridge enjoyed another strong season last year with momentum for 2025. They will try to get past Mt. Hebron after three losses in 2024. Coach Seth Willingham said fans should have high expectations again because of a “tough man defense and uptempo fast paced offense with multiple scoring options.” Marriotts Ridge starts its season against Wilde Lake on Friday. 3. Wilde Lake (18-5) The Wildecats powered their way to 18 wins with remarkable consistency. Interestingly, four of their losses came at home. They also had a close home loss to Southern in the first round of the playoffs. They will try to earn their first playoff win since 2022 this year. Wilde Lake opens its season against Marriotts Ridge on Friday. 4. Howard (15-6) The Lions took a big step forward last year with their best start in five years. They burst out to a 10-1 record before dealing with midseason adversity. Howard battled through and ended the season on a high note, carrying their strong offense into the playoffs. Howard will try to push their way further this year, starting with a key test against Mt. Hebron on Friday 5. Atholton (11-8) The Raiders used a late-season surge to go on a playoff run last year. They hovered around .500 through the middle of January before winning five of their last eight games. Postseason wins against Long Reach and Centennial highlighted their strong season. Atholton basketball returns on Friday against Long Reach. 6. Centennial (12-9) The Eagles tied Mt. Hebron for the best start in the county last season. They had an 11-1 record before things rapidly changed. They closed the year 1-8 and lost to Atholton in the second round of the playoffs. Centennial will try to put two strong halves of basketball together this year, opening their season against Guilford Park on Friday. 7. Hammond (8-12) The Golden Bears have serious momentum entering the season. They rebounded from a 2-10 start to win six of their last eight. Coach Kyle Duffie said that Hammond fans should expect a “hard nosed, fast and fun style of play” this season. Their journey starts on Friday against River Hill. 8. Reservoir (8-13) The Gators made significant improvements last season. They played hot-and-cold basketball all winter but picked up steam as they went. They beat High Point in the first round of the playoffs 79-37. With an all-new starting five, Reservoir will take on Centennial on Dec. 8. 9. Glenelg (8-12) The Gladiators battled through adversity in the first half of the 2024 season. They reached a season-best 7-5 record on Jan. 31 with a chance of securing a strong playoff seed. February became a struggle as the team went 1-7 before losing in the first round to Marriotts Ridge. Glenelg will try to find more stamina this year, starting on Friday against Century. 10. Oakland Mills (6-14) The Scorpions picked up a playoff win against Guilford Park last season. They rebounded from a 1-9 start and won three of their last four games, securing a better record than in 2023. Oakland Mills will face Howard on Dec. 8 for their first game. 11. Long Reach (5-17) The Lightning finish ahead of River Hill on this list because they beat the Hawks in the playoffs last year. They will try to return to the program that won 19 games in 2023 and prove 2024 is an outlier. Long Reach will face Atholton on Friday in a playoff rematch from last season. 12. River Hill (7-14) The Hawks struggled to maintain consistency last season. After posting a 3-3 record in December 2024, they lost 11 of their final 14 games. Their season starts on Friday against Hammond. 13. Guilford Park (5-17) The Panthers had a challenging debut season last year. They lost their first 11 games but rebounded to win five of their next eight. Their season ended in a four-game losing streak. Guilford Park will open their season this Friday against Centennial.