Here’s the one thing to remember about Lisa Raye. She’s only a freshman. She’s just a ninth-grader, competing in her initial year of high school track.
What will no doubt be something we’ll be getting used to on a regular basis the next three years, the West Warwick phenom continued her magic on the track oval on Saturday. A week after winning four events against the state’s best. Raye proved equally dominant against some of the best the region has to offer. The Wizard frosh won all three of the events she was entered in at the 76th annual New England Championships in Bangor, Me., including a state record in the 300-meter hurdles and a near mark in the 100m dash. After falling a mere tenth of a second short at the State Meet, Raye clocked a triumphant 43.06 seconds in the 300m IH to smash the 2010 record of 43.91 by South Kingstown’s Molly Reilly. She blazed to a huge PR of 11.75 in the 100m, the second fastest time in the history of the state. Hope’s multiple all-stater Quashira McIntosh holds the No. 1 time based on her 11.63 effort at the New England’s in 2015. Raye finished off her day by winning the 200m with an all-time best of 24.20 . McIntosh, again, holds that record with a 23.64 from the NE meet eight years ago.
Raye told head coach Jeff Parenteau at the meet – “I prayed and was focused on PR’ing and going after state records.”
She got her wish.
In the 100m, Raye led a 1-2-3 sweep by the Ocean State. Just like they did at the states, following the Wizard freshman across the line was Cranston West junior Ailani Sutherland (second, 12.13) and West Warwick sophomore Xenia Raye (third, 12.24 PB). Xenia Raye also earned a bronze in the 400m where she raced to an all-time best of 56.98, She was also sixth in the 200m with a PB of 24.99. Sutherland, who placed seventh at 25.06, also anchored the Falcons’ third-place 4x100m relay (48.65).
(Photo courtesy of mysportsresults.com)
East Greenwich’s Nick Martin and Middletown’s Jason Hayes also struck gold at the New England’s. Hayes continued his winning ways from the states by taking the discus with a best of 175 feet, 11 inches. Martin, who swept the 1,500m and 3K at last weekend’s meet, captured the 3,200m. In a tight race throughout the eight-lapper, the Avenger senior edge Mathew Giardina of Bishop Guertin (NH) by less than a second at the finish with a PR of 9:13.74 to Giardina’s 9:14.58 effort. Hendricken’s Brayton Gazerro was fourth at 9:17.92. In the girls’ race, recent state titlist Erin von Housen of Chariho was third overall in 10:49.93. The Charger junior ran near identical splits, hitting her opening 1,600m in 5:24.48.
Moses Brown’s Thomas Speltz won his heat and finished fifth overall in the 800m where he was timed in a PB of 1:54.68. Hendricken was third (42.80) and La Salle was seventh (43.46) in the boys’ 4x100m. Recent state champion Ethan Knight was fourth in the 110m hurdles. The Barrington junior crossed the line with a best of 14.85.
Cumberland’s Alyssa Yankee took second in the shot by unleashing an all-time best of 41 feet. 6.75 inches. Yankee was also fifth in the discus with a distance of 126-11. Barrington’s Eva Garofano was sixth (124-5).
