By BUDDY HURLOCK
Staff reporter
05/12/2002

WILMINGTON -- Glasgow won the last race of the day, the 1,600-meter relay, to clinch the team title at Saturday's 24th annual New Castle County High School Track and Field Championships at Baynard Stadium.

In the closest race for first place in seven years, Glasgow won with 89 points to Brandywine's 86.

Though she did not run in the final, Glasgow junior Kamilah Salaam powered the Dragons by becoming the first to win four individual track events at the meet.

The team championship came down to the 1,600 relay. Glasgow won in 4 minutes, 3.63 seconds with senior Tiara Hudson, juniors Maureen LaFate and Rachael Salter and sophomore Renee Salter (the two are sisters). Padua was second and Brandywine third.

Rachael Salter and LaFate were among Dragons who had personal bests in each event, including their 400-meter legs in the meet-ending relay.

"I was really tired, but you have to put that aside," said Renee Salter, who ran in three relays.

Said Hudson: "Everybody did a little something for us to win this whole thing."

Salaam won the 300 hurdles with an exciting finish - she edged McKean junior Mandy Stille by .04 seconds.

Salaam also won the 100 (12.14), 200 (25.01) and 100-meter hurdles (14.76). The 100 and 100 hurdles were the meet's first two events.

"I don't know where the stamina came from but it was just the will for my teammates and me to win [Saturday]," Salaam said. "We wanted to win the meet, and I know if I start off well that helps the team win it."

Glasgow also won the 800 relay (1:45.95) with the Salters, LaFate and Melissa Johnson.

The Dragons' only other titles came in 1996 and '97.

Tatnall senior Meredith Lambert swept the 1,600 (5:03.17) and 3,200 (10:57.04). She won the 3,200 by more than a minute in meet-record time.

Brandywine's winners were sophomore Aysha Gregory (discus, 131-9) and senior Amanda Hubert (high jump, 5-2). On Friday, the Bulldogs won the 3,200 relay and Gregory the shot put with a meet-record 40-6 1/2 .

McKean's Stille won the triple jump (36-7.5) and Friday's long jump.

Other winners were Concord senior Schachia Murphy (400, 57.41) and McKean senior Cetera Bunche (800, 2:20.21). Hodgson's Jonita Christmas, Sierra McQueen, Trisha Singleton and Sharise Moore won the 400 relay (50.65).