Led by speedy sprinters, winning relays and other top performers, the Bishop O’Connell Knights girls and boys teams had winning and runner-up performances at the annual Draper Invitational outdoor track-and-field meet.

The 30-team high-school event was held May 2-3 at St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes School in Alexandria.

The O’Connell girls won the title for the third straight year, while the boys were a close second. When the girls won the meet’s final event, the 4×400 relay, they finished first by one point ahead of Jackson-Reed, 77 to 76. The boys scored 74 points and finished just two points behind champion Gonzaga.

“We thought we had a chance to win both, and all the close calls went to our advantage on the girls side,” O’Connell coach Jim Connor told ARLnow.

The girls winning 4×400 relay (4:06.49, school record) consisted of Madi Sullivan, Meegan Zonavetch, Lauren Smith and Isabelle Rodriguez. Sullivan also placed third in the 100 dash and fifth in the 800. Thrower Ciara Blivens had a strong meet with a second in the discus and fifth in the shot put.

O’Connell’s Gabi Jordan was second in the triple jump and seventh in the long jump; Sadie Smith was fourth in the 3,200; Raya Cobb fifth in the high jump; Sophia Lianos seventh in the 300 hurdles; Alyssa Kunigonis eighth in the discus; and Moira Kinsella eighth in the 300 hurdles.

Lena Sullivan was 10th in the 3,200, 16th in the 800 and 19th in the 1,600; Nyra Clark was 11th in the triple jump and 15th in the long jump; and Kunigonis was 15th in the shot. Also for the girls, the 4×100 and 4×200 relays each placed second.

The 4×100 consisted of Jordan, Madi Sullivan, Imani Hooks and Audrey McKeen. On the 4×200 was McKeen, Louisa Geiger, Lauren Smith and Isabelle Rodriguez. The girls 4×800 was fourth.

Leading the O’Connell boys at the Draper meet were sprinters Cameron Bowser and Avery Mosley.

Bowser, a junior, won the 200 (21.05) and 400 (47.66) sprints, with Mosley winning the 100 (10.75) and taking second in the 200. Each also ran on two winning relays, the 4×100 and 4×400, with both anchoring a race.

Bowser’s times in the sprints were both personal bests and new school records, eclipsing numbers times by former NFL player Eric Metcalf set some 40 years ago.

Bowser has been working on his starts from the blocks of late and that paid off in the meet. He got early leads in both races that he maintained.

“I focused on getting out fast, and was able to run my best,” Bowser said.

Bowser anchored the 4×400 relay and led off the 4×100. The 4×400 was his final race of the meet.

“I was pretty tired and nervous because it was my last race of the day, and I wanted to run strong for my team,” Bowser told ARLnow. “I gave it my all and focused on pumping my arms.”

The 4×100 (43.01) also consisted of Andrew Fthenos and Kadan Siodlarz and the 4×400 (3:20.39, school record) included Johnny O’Donnell and Luke Collin. O’Donnell also was 10th in the 400.

The O’Donnell boys also won the 4×800 relay (8:15.78), made up of O’Donnell, Emmet Hand, Ryan Street and Lance Jayme. The Knights 4×200 relay was sixth.

Also for the O’Connell boys, Lance Jayme was sixth in the 3,200, Kellen Colevas was ninth in the 300 hurdles and Jayse Brefczynski 10th in the 3,200 and 15th in the 1,600.

The O’Connell boys also won the Draper meet in 2022 and 2023.

“This was a great team performance. Every point mattered, and we had many athletes who came through with personal records when it mattered most,” Connor said.

O’Connell’s relay teams scored in all eight events.

“That shows our depth and great effort by many athletes,” Connor said.

Next for the O’Connell teams is the Virginia State Catholic School meet on Saturday, May 10 at St. Paul VI Catholic High School. The O’Connell girls are the defending champions.