A hot day on Saturday turned into an even hotter day for a few of our track & field athletes at the Mount Pleasant Invitational. The final state meet qualifier for girls saw four individuals or relays move to the top of the rankings.
One of the more impressive performances was turned in by the Cumberland High 4×800-meter squad. The quartet of Rose Toumisto, Charli McCue, Grace Carr and Kiley DeFusco combined for state-leading 9 minutes, 31.42. That effort broke a 10-year-old school record and is the fastest time in the state by 36 seconds!
Chariho’s Erin von Housen and Caroline Jankowich of Classical moved to the top two spots in the rankings for the 800m with their 1-2 finish. A week after her victory at the Class B meet, von Housen claimed the title with a PR of 2:16.21, just strides ahead of Jankowich, who was timed in a best 2:16.36. Mount Pleasant’s Emmy Belvin was third at 2:18.47, also a PR. Nine in the state this year have broken 2:20 this season.
Bay View’s Surely Sam moved two inches past previous leader Eva Garofano of Barrington in the discus with a PR of 128 feet, 1 inch. Sam also solidified the No. 2 seed in the shot for next weekend’s State Meet with a toss of 37-0.25.
In the pole vault, North Kingstown’s Olivia Priest moved to the No. 1 spot by clearing an all-time best of 10-6.
Things could get interesting in the hammer next week where three athletes have gone further than 160 feet this spring. A week after seeing her No. 1 spot taken over by Woonsocket’s Adelaide Caron (167-6) from the Class A meet, Lincoln’s Jillian Leahy won her speciality with a distance of 164-1. Narragansett’s Kylee Bennett became the latest member of the 160-club with a best of 160-5. Caron was third at 157-10.
