Outdoor T&F Preview: Boys’ Jumping Events
Long Jump
It could be an historical season in this event as our state’s oldest record has a chance at getting erased. The late Don Blunt, a Moses Brown alum, leaped to the current mark of 24 feet, 1 inch way back in 1936. That’s a record that is within sight of our top two athletes, and 1-2 finishers at the indoor states, Moses Brown’s Salter Arms and Saint Raphael Academy’s Ethan McCann-Carter. Arms thrice leaped further than 23 feet this past winter, including his all-time best of 23-10.25 from the states. McCann-Carter went 23-plus twice on the indoor surface, including a PR of 23-3.5 from the East Coast Invitational, a meet he was also second to Arms, These two leapers always seem to be at their best when facing each other so a possible record would seem likely to happen at a meet like the Class C Championships or the states. Other athletes we expect to be competitive this season are La Salle’s Brady Fisher (22-5.5), Central’s Gabriel Dosunmu (21-11.75). South Kingstown’s Isiah Carter (21-3.5), North Smithfield’s Nick Lamoureux (21-4) and Barrington’s Eli Terrell, to name a few.
High Jump
There’s plenty of athletes capable of winning gold in this event at the State Meet. The versatile Fisher, who captured his second straight indoor crown this past winter, is among the favorites. Fisher has a best of 6-4, which he did at the indoor states. The Rams’ standout, a multi-talented athlete, will once again split time by playing on the school’s lacrosse team. There’s also Hendricken’s Jakob Reyes. The Hawk sophomore leaped a state-leading 6-7 at the Class A Championships. Reyes’ effort was nearly 7 inches higher than his best of 6-0.75 from the New Balance Nationals last June. You can’t ignore Central’s Demetrius Outland, who was a runner-up to Fisher this winter with an identical leap of 6-4, an effort he matched at the New Balance Nationals. Lamoureux, a runner-up at last year’s outdoor states, has a best of 6-4 from that meet. Four times this past winter, the NS junior cleared an indoor PR of 6-2. Saint Raphael’s Ethan McCann-Carter, East Providence’s Kenaz Ochgwu, and Moses Brown’s Gabe Lane are among others that should be fighting for those top podium positions.
Triple Jump
McCann-Carter is the returning champion in this event after leaping a PR of 43-9.5. The SRA standout will have a few worthy challengers that could make things interesting this season. As a ninth-grader last year, Hendricken’s Nae’shaun Montgomery was third at the State Meet with a leap of 42-2.75. A week earlier, Montgomery soared to a PR of 42-9.5 to beat a slew of seniors at the Hendricken Invitational. Smithfield’s Konny Ezeama (41-8), Lamoureux (40-8.5), Coventry’s Nick Kelling (40-8) and Rogers’ Devon-Ta Campbell (40-0) all exceeded 40 feet last season and could be a factor come championship time.
Pole Vault
The top three finishers from last year’s State Meet are gone to graduation, leaving the Knotty Oakers’ Kelling as the top returnee this spring. The Coventry senior was fourth at the outdoor states with a height of 11-0. He cleared a PR of 11-6 at the Hendricken Invitational a week earlier and also went 11-feet even to win the Southern Division Championships and place second at the St. Germain Invitational. A host of returning athletes cleared 10-6 last spring, including Ponaganset’s Grady Kaminski, North Kingstown’s Oliver Lawton, South Kingstown’s Aiden Hurley, North Kingstown’s Quinn O’Connell and Smithfield’s Will Schiller. Schiller, O’Connell, Kaminski and Hurley matched thier best at the State Meet to take the fifth through eighth spots.
