2011-12 All-County Boys Indoor Track: Hardy excels on all fronts

There often are two sides to everything and everyone.

Just look at Evan Hardy.

The Williamsport senior seemingly is as nice and polite as they come. He’s an Eagle Scout and a straight-A student.

But put him in a pair of track spikes, and he’ll dish out pain and punishment like there’s no tomorrow — lap after lap after lap.

“He’s a very ferocious competitor. He likes fighting his way to the top,” said Williamsport track coach Teresa Weaver. “He’s a nice guy until the gun goes off, and if you’re on the track, you’re fair game.”

Hardy set his sights on another pair of Maryland state titles this winter in the Class 2A 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs, and he bagged them both, while collecting numerous other accolades along the way.

He is The Herald-Mail’s 2011-12 Washington County Boys Indoor Track & Field Athlete of the Year.

“I was coming off cross country and was a bit disappointed, and I wanted to get at it,” Hardy said of the indoor season.

His disappointment was finishing second to Rising Sun’s Austin McGinley at the state cross country meet in the fall.

“That was a bit of a wake-up call, that I still had a lot of work to do,” Hardy said.

As a junior, he swept the Class 1A state titles in the 1,600 and 3,200, both indoors and outdoors. But now he was in the more competitive ranks of 2A, as Williamsport moved up in class this school year.

It didn’t seem to faze him at the indoor state meet, where McGinley was waiting for him in the 3,200.

“I was looking forward to that rematch,” said Hardy, who first had to get through the 1,600, which he won convincingly. “After the mile (1,600), I just wanted to stick with him and see what I could do.”

He ended up blowing McGinley away, winning by 10 seconds in 9:35.61  — the fastest time at states of all four classes.

He finished as the county’s top season performer in the 800 (2:00.98), 1,600 (4:23.22) and 3,200 (9:32.04). He even ran the 500 once and won it too, clocking 1:09.56, a time surpassed by only one other runner in the county this year.

But that’s all behind him, as he now is shooting for even faster times this spring, perhaps even some all-time county marks.

The county record in the 1,600 is 4:18.94, set by North Hagerstown’s Jeff Scuffins in 1980, while the county record in the 3,200 is 9:14.44, set by Williamsport’s Terry Baker in 1973.

“Those numbers are stuck in my head. I just want to do the best that I can and hopefully reach those times,” Hardy said. “I just want to work hard and try to reach my potential.”

Think twice before getting in his way.

Joining Hardy on the all-county first team are:

Nick Berchock, Williamsport

The junior was a county champ and 2A state placewinner in the pole vault.

Cody Bowman, Williamsport

The junior was a county champ in the 1,600 and 2A state qualifier in the 3,200.

Luke Daigneault, Smithsburg

The junior won 1A state titles in the 1,600 and 3,200.

Zane Gardenhour, Smithsburg

The junior was a 1A state champ in the 4x200, a county runner-up in the 300 and a state placewinner in the 500.

Cody Grams, Williamsport

The junior was the county champ in the 3,200 and runner-up in the 800.

Chad Greene, Smithsburg

The senior captured 1A state gold in the 4x200 relay and state bronze in the 55 and 300 dashes.

Daniel Hockensmith, South Hagerstown

The junior was the county runner-up in the 500 and 1,600 and placed third in the 800. He was the lone 3A state qualifier for the South boys.

Collin Linton, Williamsport

The senior was a county champ and 2A state qualifier in the 55 dash.

J.R. Lowery, Boonsboro

The senior went undefeated in the shot put until states, where he finished second.

Theron Palmer, Williamsport

The junior won a county title and was a 2A state placewinner in the 500.

Nick Seabright, Boonsboro

The junior was the 1A state champ in the pole vault and a state placewinner in the high jump.

Devon Stover, Smithsburg

The senior captured 1A state silver in the 55 hurdles and bronze in the pole vault.

Jesse Zeger, Williamsport

The junior won county titles in the 55 hurdles and high jump.

Kevin Zeger, Williamsport

The junior won county gold in the 4x400, silver in the 55 hurdles and bronze in the high jump.

ALL-COUNTY SECOND TEAM

Ethan Allnut, Middle distance, Boonsboro, Junior

Brandon Athey, Relays, Smithsburg, Junior

Caleb Cardone, Sprints, Smithsburg, Sophomore

Bryan Durboraw, Distance, South Hagerstown, Junior

Cody Gardenhour, Relays, Williamsport, Senior

Jordy Hose, Hurdles, North Hagerstown, Junior

Matt Kirby, High jump, Smithsburg, Senior

Preston Miller, Shot put, Smithsburg, Sophomore

Nick Porter, Pole vault, Smithsburg, Senior

Isiaha Smith, Sprints/shot put, South Hagerstown, Sophomore

Sean Snyder, Distance, Boonsboro, Sophomore

Dan Stokes, Shot put, South Hagerstown, Junior

Matt Toth, Sprints, North Hagerstown, Senior

Vaughn Wallace, Hurdles, Boonsboro, Sophomore

Aaron Waters, Sprints, South Hagerstown, Senior