UCBAC athletes rack up PRs, Rising Sun 4×800 steals the show at CCBC-Essex Holiday Classic

ROSEDALE, Md. — The CCBC-Essex Winter Holiday Classic delivered exactly what indoor track is supposed to bring in December: loud relays, fast straightaways and a scoreboard full of new best marks.

With 10 UCBAC schools represented — Aberdeen, Edgewood, Elkton, Harford Tech, Havre De Grace, Joppatowne, North East, North Harford, Perryville and Rising Sun — the meet turned into a season-opening celebration of progress, with a large share of the day’s performances marked by PRs and season bests from the region’s top sprinters, distance runners and jumpers.

Harford Tech sweeps the team titles, UCBAC squads pack the standings

On the team side, Harford Tech topped the boys standings with 94 points, ahead of Dundalk (74), while UCBAC programs Perryville (48), Edgewood (40) and North East (34) all landed in the top five. Havre De Grace (32) and Rising Sun (26) added strong depth, with North Harford, Aberdeen and Joppatowne also scoring.

In the girls team race, Harford Tech again took first with 108 points, while Rising Sun (44) surged into third behind Dundalk (52). Edgewood (39) and Elkton (38) finished right behind, followed by Perryville (36), and North Harford (24).

Rising Sun’s boys win the 4×800; North East and Edgewood right behind

The signature moment for the UCBAC boys came in the 4×800 relay, where Rising Sun posted a winning time of 9:15.12 behind the quartet of Trevor Eilber, Jeremiah Jianniney, Nathaniel Smith and Gage Stefanick.

North East followed in 9:23.77, with Edgewood close behind in 9:28.31. North Harford rounded out a UCBAC-heavy top four at 9:42.80, while Havre De Grace (9:46.37) and Perryville (9:50.58) also cracked the top six.

Rising Sun’s relay win wasn’t a one-off either — the Rams were busy all night, placing 10th in the boys 500 (Jianniney, 1:21.14), helping stack points in distance events and closing the night with a solid 4×400 (4:22.19).

Speed on display: Jeannot doubles, UCBAC sprinters set the tone

In the short sprints, the UCBAC boys brought the fireworks early.

Havre De Grace freshman Avery Jeannot won the 55 meters in 6.83 (PR), then returned to take the 300 in 36.52 (PR) — one of the meet’s best one-two punches.

Harford Tech’s Jayce Miller was right there in both races, finishing second in the 55 (6.96) and second again in the 300 (38.16), while UCBAC sprinters filled the lanes behind them: Sean Elam (Aberdeen) posted a PR for fourth in the 300 (39.49 PR), and Nazario Keesee (Perryville) logged PRs in both the 55 (7.05 PR) and 300 (40.42 PR). Wiair Morris (North East) added his own PR in the 300 (40.52 PR).

In the relays, Edgewood’s A team was a blink away from the win in the 4×160, finishing second in 1:22.16, while Perryville placed third (1:23.32), Elkton seventh (1:26.54), and Rising Sun 11th (1:30.79). Harford Tech won the boys 4×400 in 3:52.56, with UCBAC squads Perryville (4:04.24), North East (4:07.18) and North Harford (4:11.59) all landing in the top six.

Distance highlights: Edgewood wins the 800; Rising Sun and North East own the long races

The boys middle-distance races produced a strong UCBAC showing, led by Edgewood’s Nathan Bennett, who won the 800 in 2:15.20 (PR).

In the 1600, Harford Tech’s Michael Beser claimed the win (4:55.53), but Rising Sun’s Gage Stefanick finished second (4:56.53) and Perryville’s Logan Dempsey was third (4:59.94). North East’s Joseph Hartman earned a PR in fourth (5:04.60 PR), and that PR theme continued down the list with multiple UCBAC athletes posting bests.

In the 3200, Havre De Grace’s Robert Davis won in 10:31.44, with Stefanick back again in second (10:44.43). North East landed a big double in the top four: Joshua Owens took third in 10:51.66 (PR) and Connor Browne was fourth in 10:54.49 (PR). Perryville’s Dempsey added another PR in fifth (10:56.08 PR), while Edgewood and North Harford placed multiple runners with PR tags.

Field events: Perryville shot put depth, North East pole vault winner

UCBAC athletes found points in the ring and in the air as well.

In the boys shot put, Perryville stacked big marks behind Travis Leak (40-5.25 PR), Charles Kilby (35-8 SR) and Joel Schroyer (34-3.25 PR). Elkton’s Troy King posted a PR (28-7.75 PR), and North East’s Tim Gray scored for the Indians.

North East took a headline field win in the boys pole vault with Jonathan Kristovich clearing 11-0 (PR) for first, while Perryville’s David Hayden added a PR at 9-6.

On the girls side: Elkton’s Smith doubles, Rising Sun climbs to third in team race

The UCBAC girls brought plenty of energy of their own, led by Elkton freshman Brooklynn Smith, who won the 55 in 7.64 and the 300 in 45.57. Teammate Hunter North finished second in the 300 (47.27), giving Elkton a powerful early-season sprint statement.

Rising Sun’s Emma Bare placed sixth in the 300 (47.36), while the Rams’ depth showed up across the program: Danna Contreras finished third in the 500 (1:35.68) and Mikayla Horst delivered a huge distance double, taking second in the 1600 (5:58.05) and second in the 3200 (13:11.28).

In the girls relays, UCBAC teams filled the podium:

Elkton won the 4×160 in 1:32.53

Perryville took second (1:35.59)

Rising Sun placed third (1:37.97)

Rising Sun also finished second in the 4×400 (5:00.48) behind Harford Tech, while Elkton’s 4×400 placed seventh (5:29.25) and North East’s 4×160 also scored (1:49.28).

And in the field, North Harford’s Ashley Picha won the girls pole vault (7-3 SR), while Rising Sun’s Layne Connelly posted a PR in the shot put (21-1 PR).

UCBAC meet notes: PRs everywhere

From the results sheet, it wasn’t just a handful of athletes improving — it was meet-wide. PR markers appeared throughout sprint finals, the 800/1600/3200, hurdles, and both shot put competitions, a strong early indicator that UCBAC training blocks are already translating to race-day results.