Parker looks to remain undefeated

BALTIMORE (Map, News) - Mount St. Joseph’s track star Duane Parker never lets inexperience get in his way.

“I wanted to compete and win everything,” said Parker. “I couldn’t win everything as a freshman, but I tried my hardest.”

A little more than a year later, the junior has won Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association titles in every individual event in which he’s competed — the 300-meter dash, long jump and triple jump. His effort at the MIAA Championships, which also included running a leg on the first-place 4x200-meter relay team and second-place 4x800-meter relay team, led the Gaels to the team title with 149 points, 82 ahead of second-place Gilman.

Parker’s time of 36.51 seconds in the 300-meter dash edged Gilman’s Jonathan McMaster before he won the long jump with a mark of 21 feet, 5 1/2 inches and triple jump with a leap of 42 feet, 11 inches.

Parker and his teammates are starting this season in the same fashion he finished last year. Mount St. Joseph is 3-0, with each victory by at least 35 points, and Parker has yet to lose in an individual event.

“We have a lot more competitive runners this year,” Parker said. “I think I can do it again, but not in an easy fashion like I did last year. I had to work for everything. Nothing came easy.”

Mount St. Joseph’s coach Vincent Fuller, who was an assistant coach at the school last season, has seen Parker blossom into one of the area’s best athletes. Parker has been on his Amateur Athletic Union team for the past four years.

“His work ethics are good,” Fuller said. “He’s very coachable and he has good work ethics. He’s a hard worker. I try to stress discipline, conditioning and hard work. I tell the kids, ‘If you follow those three things, success will follow.’ And that’s what’s happening.”

Parker’s brother, Dwight, 18, was a standout at Woodlawn High last year and is now competing for Seton Hall. The brothers, separated by two years, have competed against each other nearly every step of the way, challenging the other to bring out his best.

“I’m just trying to do better than him,” Parker said. “He had high expectations for himself, so I set high expectations for myself, too.”

mpeters@dcexaminer.com