Tuesday afternoon when Northern High School hosted an outdoor track and field meet that included longtime county rival Huntingtown as well as Charles County squads Lackey and St. Charles, there was a notable absence among the usual participants.
One day earlier when the focus locally, regionally and nationally was on the solar eclipse, longtime Northern track coach Josh Dawson abruptly resigned as coach of the Patriots while in the midst of completing his 15th season at the helm. Dawson had recently guided the Patriots girls’ team to its third straight 3A state indoor title and Northern looms a contender for SMAC, region and state titles this spring.
Dawson said he had sought to discipline five female athletes on the team for violating team rules, a week-long suspension that was set to expire last weekend after an invitational meet. But Dawson was notified by a Calvert public school system official that he could not enforce the suspension when one of the parents appealed his action, so Dawson notified the school and the team that he was stepping down.
“Right now, I just feel that in my state of mind I could not coach the team,” Dawson said in a phone interview with Southern Maryland News on Tuesday evening.
Northern hosted the meet on Tuesday afternoon with a number of assistant coaches tending to their responsibilities and others Dawson may have had previously. Northern athletic director Stacey Karcesky, who confirmed that Dawson resigned on Monday, said the school does have a plan for the track team for the remainder of the season but she was unable to elaborate on any details.
On Tuesday afternoon Northern junior Gentry Bowie solidified her status as one of the best middle distance runners in SMAC when she captured the 800-meter run (2:24.26) and also anchored the Patriots’ 3,200-meter relay that prevailed in 10 minutes flat. Bowie, who played a key role in Northern’s indoor state title last winter, is eager for the upcoming postseason events.
“I thought our relay was really good,” said Bowie, who intends to run track and pursue a law degree in college beginning in 2025. “We wanted to break 10 minutes and we were a little disappointed that we ran exactly 10 minutes. I felt really good in the 800. I am hoping to place in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 at SMAC.”
Huntingtown sophomore Syndey McClain won the 1,600 (5:32.84) on Tuesday but chased Bowie in the 800 to no avail while placing third. McClain and teammate Sophie Bryan had finished one-two in the 1,600 by setting the tempo in tandem from the midway point on, but their strategy was obliterated early in the 800 where Bowie set the tempo from the opening gun.
“We definitely wanted to stay together as long as we could in the 1,600,” McClain said. “Me and Sophie push each other every day in practice and that type of competition makes us both better. In the 800, Gentry was just too fast. But I think we’ll do well at SMAC, regions and states. I’m going to focus on the 800 and the 1,600 and see how well I can place.”
St. Charles High School junior Sydney Watson had a good showing in numerous events on Tuesday, competing primarily in the sprints. Watson was second in the 100 (12.07) and the 200 (25.57) to Northern’s Mya Summers, and her 400 relay team also finished second in a busy afternoon.
“I’ve learned to relax a little more at the start of my events,” Watson said. “I used to get too ramped up for the 100 and the 200. But I’ve learned to relax and then finish up better. In the 400, I really want to break a minute and in the 200 I would like to go 24 [seconds].”
In the boys meet on Tuesday, Huntingtown recorded three wins, defeating Northern 78-58, St. Charles 81-56 and Lackey 93-44. Northern downed St. Charles 83-54 and topped Lackey 82-49, while the Spartans defeated the Chargers 81-46.
On the girls’ side, Northern earned a trio of wins by defeating Huntingtown 87-49, Lackey 90-43 and St. Charles 92-36, while the Hurricanes topped the Chargers 73-55 and the Spartans 82-45, and the Chargers averted the sweep by edging the Spartans 69-55.
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