Do you think our track & field athletes are ready to explode at the State Meet in two weeks?
Across the state at all three class meets that was proven in a big way on Sunday. In the hammer throw, alone, we had a new national leader (North Kingstown’s Ethan Wordell) in the boys’ rankings and now have the 1-2 spots in the country. For girls, a new face (Woonsocket’s Adelaide Caron) occupies the state’s No.1 position. Some of our usual suspects were back at it again with multiple victories. We had nearly 20 make the top of the podium more than once with Saint Raphael’s Devan Kipyego (1,500m, 800m, 3K), West Warwick’s Lisa Raye (100m, 200m, 100m HH, 300m IH), Moses Brown’s Sophia Gorriaran (1,500m, 800m, 3K), and Pilgrim’s Dasani Stewart (high jump, long jump, triple jump) making three (or more) visits this weekend.
Below we highlight some of the top performances from each meet. Congratulations to our team champions, Bishop Hendricken (boys) and Cranston West (girls) in Class A, Barrington (boys) and South Kingstown (girls) in Class B and Saint Raphael Academy (boys) and Moses Brown (girls) in Class C.
Class A – Girls
Cumberland’s Alyssa Yankee became our state’s first shot-putter to exceed 40 feet this season with a winning toss of 41 feet, 1.5 inches. Yankee had three of her throws go 40-plus at the meet. The Clipper senior also won the discus where she had a toss of 122-0.
How about the effort of the Villa Novans’ Caron? She overtook the top spot in the rankings with a distance of 167-6, a 10-foot PR! She jumped ahead of Lincoln’s Jillian Leahy, who held the No. 1 position since the start of the spring with a heave of 167-1.
“I had a feeling I would have a big throw, but of course not as big as I had it,” Caron said. “But I’ve been working hard and tweaking a few things because last meet it was very close. I just worked on fixing those and trying to get faster and work the ball as best as I can.”
After missing the entire indoor season due to a stress fracture, Cumberland’s Grace Carr proved that injury is behind her with an important win in the 800m. The defending state champion won the race by more than three seconds with a season best of 2:18.87.
The Clippers’ Kiley DeFusco captured the 3,000m with a PR of 10:23.37. What makes her victory more impressive was the fact that she did it alone from virtually the start of the race. At 400 meters, DeFusco already held a sizable lead over the chase pack. By the finish, she was nearly 200m ahead of runner-up Caroline Jankowich of Classical, who was timed in 10:58.55.
In the 1,500m, Toll Gate’s Alison Pankowicz raced to a best of eight seconds to claim gold. After hanging behind Jankowich for much of the race, Pankowicz let loose with a devastating kick the last 200-plus meters to break the tape in 4:44.36.
As predicted, Cranston West scored a considerable amount of points in the sprints, led by junior Ailani Sutherland, a winner in 100m (PR, 12.09) and the 200m (PR, 25.09). In the 100m, senior teammate Praise Mayson was second at 12.49. The Falcons racked up 21 points in the 200m with Sutherland, Quiana Pezza (second, 25.93) and Mayson (sixth, 26.23). The Falcons improved on their state-leader in the 4x100m, combining for a triumphant 48.05.
Class A – Boys
The Skippers’ Wordell had a 12-foot PR to take the hammer with a heave of 231-1. That effort moved him ahead of Lincoln’s Christian Toro’s 228-0 toss, set earlier at the Class B meet.
Hendricken scored 59 of its 254 points in the 800m through 3K. Jack Moretta won the 3K (8:56.83) to lead a 1-2-4-5 finish by the Hawks. Elliot Gauvin gutted out a victory in the 800m where he was timed in 2:01.0, just two hundredths of a second ahead of teammate Anthony Manna.
The Hawks’ Xavier Wilkens was a double-winner, sweeping the sprints with times of 10.82 for the 100m and 22.01 for the 200m. His times in both events are state-leaders.
Maintaining his consistency and success this season, Cumberland’s Cole McCue won the 1,500m in 4:04.33.
Setting up what should already be a thriller at the states, Hendricken beat La Salle in the 4x100m with a meet record of 42.76 to the Rams’ 43.43 effort.
Tolman’s Youton Doe, the top 400m runner in the state, eked out a close victory in his specialty. Doe held off Cumberland’s Ryan Bourke in the closing stages of the race to win in 51.05. Bourke was timed in 51.39 for second.
Class B – Girls
The Wizards’ Raye clocked all-time bests in all four of her victories with times of 12.03 for the 100m, 24.70 for the 200m, 15.0 for the 100m hurdles and 44.83 for the 300m IH. In addition to her win in the 400m (59.88), Xenia Raye was second in the 100m (12.29) and the 200m (25.36).
East Greenwich’s Rylee Shunney was a runaway victor in the 3K where she raced to a best of 10:09.67. More than a minute ahead of her closest rival.
Portsmouth’s Morgan Casey leaped a season best of 5-5 to capture the high jump.
Lincoln’s Jillian Leahy continued her consistency this spring in the hammer with a solid 162-10.
Class B – Boys
Shea’s Tyrell O’Connell was the fastest on the track, taking the 100m (11.09) and the 200m (22.99).
Jesse Principe of West Warwick had his typical strong meet. Principe was first in both the 1,500m (4:05.83) and the 800m (2:00.95).
State-leader Ethan Knight of Barrington dipped under 15 seconds once again in the 110m hurdles, crossing the line at 14.86.
For a short time, Toro improved on his nation-leader in the hammer. A few hours later, that performance would move down to No. 2 with Wordell’s huge effort at the Class A meet. The Lincoln senior also struck it rich in the discus at 146-8.
Class C – Girls
Gorriaran was responsible for more than 30 of the Quakers’ 151.50 points. She raced to a state No. 1 of 4:39.88 to take 1,500. She also coasted to a 2:18.77 for the 800m, went 10:14.57 for the 3,000m and anchored the first-place 4x400m, which combined for a state-leading time of 4:02.36..
MB freshman Addie Fitzsimmons swept the sprinting events with times of 12.93 for the 100m and 26.76 for the 200m.
Bethany Marsella looked strong in winning the 100m hurdles. She won by nearly two seconds with a time of 15.93.
Class C – Boys
It was a typical workmanlike day for Kipyego. For his victories,the Saints’ senior posted times of 2:01.63 for 800m, 4:08.20 for the 1,500m and 8:35.60 for the 3K. In the latter, he overtook East Greenwich’s Nick Martin in the late stages to inch out the win. Martin was timed in a best and state No. 2 of 8:36.58. Kipyego was also third in the 400m at 51.73. Winning the event was Moses Brown’s THomas Speltz, who broke the tape in 50.55.
In the hurdles, it was North Smithfield’s Aidan Bienvenue. The NS junior went 14.83 for the 110m HH and 41.32 for the 300m IH.
Moses Brown’s Salter Arms and the Saints’ Ethan McCann-Carter had their expected duel in the long jump with Arms beating his rival by a mere three inches with a state No. 1 of 22-5.75. McCann-Carter leaped 6-2 to claim the high jump crown.
Middletown’s Jason Hayes had two state-leaders with his victories in the shot (54-3) and discus (167-6).
