Strong performances in sprints, hurdles and relays supported by clutch efforts in jumps and throws, helped Bulldogs prevail in several challenging matchups to become first Maryland program in six-year event history to capture title

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Leave it to the girls from Bullis School to save their best for last.

Although several athletes from the Maryland private school continued to compete individually June 23-25 at the USATF U20 Championships, the final opportunity this season for Bullis to showcase the strength of their entire program came June 19 at New Balance Nationals at Franklin Field in Philadelphia.

It was a fitting environment for a group that has produced so many memorable moments on the same track every April at Penn Relays.

And in the final girls relay race of the event, Bullis had Myla Greene, Mirai Bernard, Lauren Leath and Sage Hinton run a national-leading 3:40.73 to capture the championship in the 4x400-meter relay.

Three weeks later, Bullis is still the last girls team standing, following five virtual victories in the DyeStat Dual Meet National Championship tournament, prevailing by a 74-62 margin in a matchup of first-time finalists against Flower Mound High from Texas.

Bullis became the only program from Maryland to reach a final, let alone capture a title, in the event’s six-year history. The group also became the first girls team from the East regional to triumph since Miami Northwestern secured the inaugural championship in 2016.

The Potomac-based program is no stranger to success with a long line of athletes who have moved on to excel on NCAA Division 1 college teams.

"We always talk about how (the alums) are the inspiration, but we are creating our own story (too)," said Hinton, who was elected as the Bullis student body president. 

Bullis, which had never advanced past the quarterfinals in three previous tournament appearances, won the 4x100, 4x200 and 4x400 titles at New Balance Nationals, along with the 4x100 shuttle hurdles championship. Greene also secured the 400-meter hurdles crown in Philadelphia as well.

But the success of the group, especially in a dual-meet format, was more than just the excellence of the sprints, hurdles and relays, which have become staples of Bullis’ rise to national prominence under head coach Joe Lee.

"This team was very determined, very focused, very driven to reach not only their individual goals but their goals as a team," Lee said. "I think the depth is something that we have with this year’s team that we haven’t had as much of in years past. We’ve been deep, but (this group) did things like our so-called ‘B’ team running 1:38 in the 4x200 and that’s US#24."

Trinity Franklin set program records in the discus throw at 147-11.50 (45.09m) and shot put with a mark of 49-5 (15.06m), with the Michigan commit establishing herself as one of the elite throwers in the country.

Mikayla McFarland, a Kansas signee, led three athletes clearing at least 5 feet (1.52m) in the high jump, achieving a school-record 5-4.25 (1.63m) performance, with Morgan Bridges and Tatum Lynn right behind.

Juniors Reagan Schwartz and Bridges also became valuable contributors in the horizontal jumps, along with Kennedy Flynn and Brianna Maxwell, allowing Bullis to produce the advantage in the six field events against all five tournament opponents, despite not contesting the pole vault.

Bullis, which earned a measure of revenge for second-round losses against Miami Northwestern in 2018 and 2019 by producing a 62-61 quarterfinal victory against the Florida 3A state champion, also knocked off six-time tournament qualifier and perennial Northeast power Union Catholic of New Jersey by a 78-58 margin to reach the championship.

In order to overcome one of the strongest distance trios in U.S. prep history from Flower Mound, with Oklahoma State commit Natalie Cook and sophomore sisters Nicole Humphries and Samantha Humphries helping sweep the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 in the championship showdown, Bullis needed to demonstrate its depth in the sprints and hurdles when it mattered most to support victories in the 4x100 and 4x400 relays.

And the most encouraging aspect for Lee is that Jade Ofotan, Payton Payne and Sydney Sutton, as well as Bernard, Bridges, Flynn, Greene, Hinton, Leath, Lynn, Maxwell and Schwartz are all eligible to return next year, placing Bullis in contention again for not only several relay and individual titles at New Balance Nationals, but also another run at a dual-meet championship.

First-round summaries: BOYS | GIRLS

Second-round summaries: BOYS | GIRLS

Regional semifinal summaries: BOYS | GIRLS

Regional final summaries: BOYS | GIRLS

TOURNAMENT BRACKETS

DUAL MEET CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS

Bullis School MD 74, Flower Mound TX 62

In a matchup showcasing two programs with contrasting strengths, Bullis School relied on a pair of exceptional relay performances to pull away from a formidable Flower Mound lineup to become the first Maryland school in either gender to capture the championship.

Bullis’ victory also denied Texas from becoming the first state to sweep titles in both genders in the same year. Humble Summer Creek captured the boys crown, becoming the first Texas school since Conroe The Woodlands in 2017 to secure the boys championship and the first overall from the state since the DeSoto girls prevailed in the 2019 tournament.

The teams combined to sweep eight of the 14 individual events, with Bullis taking the top three spots in the 200 and 400 meters, along with the long jump and triple jump, and Flower Mound dominating the 800, 1,600 and 3,200, in addition to being uncontested in the pole vault.

The schools each had an event where they finished first and second, with Flower Mound achieving the feat in the high jump and Bullis in the 100 hurdles. Bullis added victories in the discus, shot put and 300 hurdles, and Flower Mound prevailed in the 100-meter dash, with the opposing team placing second and third in all four events.

Although Bullis held a 29-25 advantage overall in the six field events, despite Flower Mound earning nine points for being unopposed in the pole vault, it was the performances in the 4x100 and 4x400 relays that ultimately produced the final margin.

Bullis never trailed during the entire competition, with Flower Mound pulling within one point following a sweep of the 1,600. But Bullis needed the 10 points earned from running 45.96 and 3:40.73 in June at New Balance Nationals to secure a 45-37 overall advantage in the track events, contributing significantly to the final margin of victory.

Dayana Felicien achieved one of the most significant wins for Flower Mound in the 100 with her wind-aided 11.69 effort from the Texas 6A regional meet, prevailing against Bullis sprinters Payton Payne (11.72) and Jade Ofotan (11.86). Mirai Bernard, an 11.81 performer, didn’t factor into the scoring for Bullis, since she was entered instead for the 200, 400 and both relays.

But the rest of the track events offered little drama, with Bullis comfortably sweeping the 200 behind Sydney Sutton, Sage Hinton and Bernard all running under 25 seconds, and taking the top three spots in the 400, with Hinton and Bernard both producing sub-55 performances and Sutton clocking 56.82.

Flower Mound easily swept the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 behind Samantha Humphries, Nicole Humphries, Alexandra Fox and Oklahoma State signee Natalie Cook. Bullis didn’t field an entry in the 3,200.

Junior Myla Greene rose to the occasion to double in the 100 hurdles (13.57) and 300 hurdles (41.70) for Bullis, winning important matchups against Flower Mound senior Eva Vreeland.

Trinity Franklin, a Michigan signee, triumphed in the discus and shot put for Bullis with performances of 147-11.50 (45.09m) and 49-5 (15.06m), with her victories supporting sweeps in the long jump and triple jump.

Reagan Schwartz, Morgan Bridges and Kennedy Flynn all had long jump marks of 17-11 (5.46m) or better, with Schwartz winning at 18-10 (5.74m). Brianna Maxwell joined Bridges and Schwartz in producing efforts of 34-5.50 (10.50m) or stronger in the triple jump, including Bridges securing victory at 38-4.25 (11.69m).

Riley Ward cleared 5-10 (1.77m) and Grace Bettencourt provided support with a 5-6 (1.67m) performance against a trio of 5-foot Bullis competitors in the high jump for Flower Mound, which also showcased Maddison Goodin, Amanda Quinn and Mikaela Honsinger all achieving clearances of at least 11 feet (3.35m) in the uncontested pole vault.

Meet Results