PHOTOS by Kate Manning
Youton Doe may have been a John Doe prior to the outdoor track & field season, but the secret is no longer.
The Tolman High senior is a bona-fide 400-meter runner and a legitimate threat to win the individual title at next month’s State Meet.
Doe was one of multiple athletes that produced eye-catching performances at Saturday’s St. Germain Invitational at West Warwick. Competing in his initial year of high school track, he became the first to break 50 seconds this spring with a winning time of 49.62. Doe held off Hendricken’s Jacob Coates for the title. The Hawks senior also joined the sub-50 club with an equally-impressive 49.78 clocking. Taking the next two spots was Westerly’s Robbie Wade (third, 50.69) and La Salle freshman Garrett Giroux-Pezzullo (fourth, 50.79).
Moses Brown’s Thomas Speltz, the 600m state runner-up in the winter, was an impressive winner in the 800m where he was timed in an all-time best and state No. 2 of 1:55.71. The Quaker senior led two others under two minutes with Cumberland teammates Cole McCue (second, 1:57.15) and Ryan Bourke (third, 1:58.51) taking the next two spots.
La Salle’s Jared Gibbons ran a near best of 10.88 in the 100m dash to improve his time at the top the rankings. Nathan Rivas of Hendricken claimed the runner-up position with a PR of 10.98.
Lincoln’s Christian Toro took his customary position in the hammer, by copping the title with a distance of 218-7. Less than three feet separated the next three spots with Hendricken’s Keith Daigneau (199-0), Barrington’s Michael Fay (196-7) and Tiverton’s Joshua Wood (196-5) going 2-3-4.
Patrick Conserve of Cumberland regained his No. 1 spot in the shot with a best of 52-3.5. Hendricken’s Alex Morin was second with a distance of 51-3.
West Warwick’s Jesse Principe ran a strong race in the 1,500m where he was timed in 4:04.8.1. Connor Magill of Cumberland nearly knocked five seconds off his PR with a second-place time of 4:07.67. La Salle freshman Marshall Vernon was third at 4:08.71.
