Howard senior Joey Ensor felt he had something to prove after not making the soccer team as a sophomore. He instead ran cross country that fall — the beginning of a decorated distance running career.
When working out, Ensor thought about not making the soccer team. It pushed him.
Two years later, the senior concluded his career in rarified air. Ensor won individual gold medals at the 3A state championships in the 800 (1 minute, 52.6 seconds), 1,600 (4:13.80) and 3,200 (9:29.75). He became the first Howard County male distance runner to accomplish the feat since Glenelg’s Robby Creese in 2010.
A University of Maryland Baltimore County commit, Ensor also ran on the 3A state champion 4×800 relay team. As the anchor, Ensor ran a staggering 1:49.63 split to help the Lions come from behind. Ensor also swept all four of those events at counties and the 3A South Regional.
Ensor is the 2024 Howard County Times boys outdoor track and field athlete of the year.
“It’s extremely rare, hard to put into words how rare it is,” Howard coach Tyler Wade said. “He trains really hard. Joey’s insanely competitive. That’s another thing that allows this to even be possible is his competitiveness, and doing what he has to, to win those races.
“Joey is an extremely aggressive racer. One thing that I think really clicked with him this year more than other years was being a little more strategic and not just hammering every race. When it comes to championship season, being a little strategic, but also that competitive nature of, ‘I’m going to do this and there’s not much anybody can do about it.'”
As a junior, Ensor placed at states in both the 1,600 and the 800. However, he showcased the potential to be special in the fall. During Howard’s cross country time trials, he set a new course record, beating the times of a laundry list of former Lions who went on to run collegiately.
Wade and the Lions coaching staff always envisioned Ensor running the 800, but his performance opened their eyes to so much more for both indoor and outdoor seasons. While Ensor was successful during cross country and the indoor season, he truly mastered the strategic aspect in outdoor.
“I feel like I didn’t really become a good runner until outdoor,” Ensor said. “All of indoor and cross country, I would just get out front at the start and go. Outdoor started and I faced new competition. I realized that going out front is not going to help me run fast times. When you’re behind somebody or have somebody near you, adrenaline kicks in and it helps you go faster.
“Sitting back for a race or two and sitting and kicking helps a lot and increases my chances of winning because I feel like I lean on my speed a lot. When I sit and kick, I feel like I have one of the better sit and kicks in the state.”
That mentality shift transformed Ensor into one of the most decorated runners in program history. Yet, his distance running journey is only just beginning. Ensor will now face more talented and experienced competition, which will only intensity his competitive drive.
“I think Joey is going to have an opportunity to have some really good training partners that can push him,” Wade said. “I think that’s one thing Joey does well. He definitely matches the level that he’s with. I think one of the reasons he’s been able to run such good times in the postseason is because he’s been able to be on the track with some other high-quality athletes. Whenever he has these high-caliber athletes around him, he really rises to the occasion. In college with these higher caliber kids will push him to go even further.”
That competitiveness is also fueled by prior frustrations. Ensor didn’t meet his standard at nationals in the 800, placing 27th. However, that’s only motivated him to work harder entering college.
If anyone told a younger Ensor about all his accomplishments, “I would think you’re lying,” Ensor said. “If you would’ve asked me as a junior when I was more driven, I would have believed you. It’s something that I feel like I was working toward for a long time.”
All-County first team
Chase Burke, Hammond, senior
Burke placed third in the 400 at counties with a personal record (48.12). At 2A West regionals, he won the 400 (49.32), was second in the 200 (22.47) and fourth in the 100 with a personal record (11.07). Burke ended his career with a bronze medal and personal best in the 400 at 2A states (48.02). He also won a pair of silver medals as a member of the Golden Bears’ 4×200 and 4×400 relay teams.
Jayden Deleon, Oakland Mills, sophomore
Deleon shined at counties with a meet and personal record in the 400 (47.4). He also set a personal record in the 200 (21.91). The sophomore was runner-up in the 400 at regionals and finished fourth in the 200. He concluded the year with a pair of bronze medals in the 200 and as part of the 4×200 relay team.
Xavier Gardner, Howard, senior
Gardner won the 110-meter hurdles title at counties (15.39) and placed fourth in the event at regionals. The senior concluded his career by improving on his qualifying time and finishing fifth in the 110 hurdles at states.
Coleman Hallums, Mt. Hebron, senior
At counties, he set a new meet record winning the 200 (21.18). He also finished as runner-up in the 100. At regionals, Hallums placed second in the 100 and third in the 200. The senior ended his season with a pair of state bronze medals in the 100 and 200, highlighted by a new personal best time in the 100 (10.68).
Ruichen He, Glenelg, junior
He won the Howard County discus title (152-05) and finished fourth in shot put. He also won the 3A South discus title. The junior ended his strong season at states by winning a 3A gold medal in discus with a new personal best distance of 181-2.
Michael Heinemann, Mt. Hebron, junior
Heinemann excelled at counties with top-three finishes in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200. He was the runner-up in the 3,200 with a personal best (9:38.13) and third in the 800 (1:58.59). At regionals, the junior was runner-up in the two-mile and finished third in the mile. At states, won a bronze medal in the two-mile and placed fifth in the mile with a new personal best time (4:21.44).
Zamir Herald, Howard, senior
At counties, Herald won the triple jump (44-02 3/4) and was the runner-up in long jump. He also won the triple jump at regionals with a new personal best (45-07 1/4) and finished second in high jump (5-11). The senior ended his decorated career by winning a 3A gold medal at states in the triple jump with a new personal best distance (46-00 1/4).
Gabriel Murray, Oakland Mills, junior
At counties, Murray set a new meet and personal record in the 300 hurdles (38.71) and was also the runner-up in the 110 hurdles. The junior won the 300 hurdles at regionals and also finished third in 110. Murray concluded the season with a pair of new personal records. He won the 3A state gold medal in the 300 and set a new school record (37.91). He also won silver in 110 (14.40).
Marlin Newsome, Centennial, senior
Newsome won the 100 title at counties (10.81) and finished as the runner-up in the 200 (21.70). The senior then won a pair of 3A South Regional titles in the 100 (10.85) and 200 (21.43). Newsome closed out a decorated career with a personal best and gold medal in the 100 (10.45), the fastest time in Maryland. He also won a second gold medal in the 200 (21.50).
Adeeb Pender, Oakland Mills, senior
Pender won the Howard County and 3A South Regional boys pole vault titles, highlighted by a 13-6 personal record height at counties. The senior closed out his career by clearing 12 feet at 3A states and finishing fourth.
Logan Ruehl, Mt. Hebron, senior
Ruehl was the Howard County discus runner-up. He then finished third in both shot put and discus at regionals. The senior ended his career with two bronze medals and personal bests, 50-4 in shot put and 170-4 in discus.
Keshon Tate, Oakland Mills, junior
Tate won the long jump at counties (21-07 1/2). At regionals, he set a pair of new personal records by winning the long jump (22-05 1/2) and finishing sixth in the 400 (50.02). The junior earned a 3A state silver medal in long jump (22-06 3/4). He also ran on the Scorpions third place 4×200 relay team.
Max Vom Saal, Howard, senior
Vom Saal was county runner-up in the 1,600 and finished third in the 3,200. At regionals, he finished second with a new personal best in the mile (4:21.11) and was third in the two-mile. The senior ended his career with a sixth-place finish in the mile and won a gold medal as part of the 4×800 relay team.
Sherwin Yarema, Marriotts Ridge, senior
In his final counties, Yarema finished as the runner-up in the 800. The senior also placed second in the event at regionals and ran a pair of the Mustangs’ relay teams. He concluded his career by finishing fourth at states in the 800 with another personal best (1:55.9).
AJ York, Oakland Mills, sophomore, jumps/hurdles
York placed third in high jump and fourth in long jump at counties. He then won the high jump at regionals and finished third in the long jump (21-6). The sophomore concluded his season in style with two new personal bests, winning the 3A high jump title (6-04) and placing fourth in the long jump (21-11).
All-County second team
Karell Clement, River Hill, junior, sprints
Jaxon Collins, Hammond, junior, mid-distance/distance/relays
Amadeus Davis, Howard, senior, distance/relays
Jaylen Etheridge, Long Reach, senior, middle distance
Connor Fries, Mt. Hebron, sophomore, hurdles
David Herzberger, Centennial, junior, distance
Kaiden Lee, Oakland Mills, junior, shot put/discus
Juan Macatangay, Atholton, senior, shot put/discus
Steeve Nwalal, Wilde Lake, senior, high jump
Jonathan Okorie, Glenelg, senior, distance
Nolan Racette, Hammond, senior, sprints/relays
Isaac Ramsey, Oakland Mills, junior, hurdles
Yashvasin Rekula, Marriotts Ridge, sophomore, pole vault
Kenny Stevens, Howard, junior, jumps
Greg Whitfield, Wilde Lake, junior, hurdles
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