St. Raphael Academy (Dwyer), Moses Brown (Sullivan), Cumberland (Bayha) and Classical (Headley) prove triumphant in team battle at the PCTA field house on Saturday afternoon.
PROVIDENCE – In the final few events of Saturday’s Dwyer Division Championships, there wasn’t much breathing room between Saint Raphael Academy and Mount Hope. The Saints held just a single-point advantage over the Huskies with three events left.
That close encounter proved to be short-lived in the final hour of competition, Spearheaded by Rory Sullivan’s third individual victory of the day, St. Ray’s out-scored their rival, 43-9, in the remaining events to earn their first divisional crown in 30 years with a deceiving 123-92 victory over Mount Hope. Narragansett came on strong in the end to solidify third place with 82 points.
For the day, Sullivan was a triple winner, capturing the 3,000-meter run (10 minutes, 35.66 seconds), 1,500m (5:10.04) and 1,000m (3:13.99). She also ran a leg on the Saints’ runner-up placement in the 4x400m relay (4:28.17).
“It was certainly an historic day for Rory, winning three individual events and second in the 4×400,” said SRA coach Chris Magill. “But it took a full team effort today, including the coaches. Privileged to coach aside three other coaches. Just a great day for all the girls. We had freshmen step up from the lineup from top to bottom. They all collected them small points that you may not recognize in the newspapers.”
The Saints scored 11 points in the 600m, an event won by Narragansett tenth-grader Karuna Lohmann in a near PR of 1:41.18. Senior Chandanley Boyce finished second and freshman Leah Ahmed was sixth for SRA. Jayla Grimes, a junior, added eight more by taking runner-up honors to Rogers’ Laura Hoag in the 300m (PR, 44.38). Sullivan, Boyce and senior Lindsey Cobb made the victory eminent for the Saints with a 1-5-7 finish in the 1K.
“I knew it was going to be a battle. We got some great teams in this division – Narragansett, Mount Hope, Ponaganset, all well coached, a lot of great athletes,” Magill said. “Some things went our way today and maybe not for their teams. I know some unfortunate things may have happened. We bonded together and these girls all ran for each other. You could see it in the relays (21 points total), especially. We’re very proud of what we do at St. Ray’s on Wolcott Street.”
Sullivan has been continuing the momentum from an outstanding cross-country season where she won her first individual and qualified for the Nike Cross Nationals. The recent Gatorade Athlete of he Year for the fall campaign, ran an all-time best of 10:00.29 for the 3K at the GBTC Invitational last weekend at Harvard.
“It’s been good, ” Sullivan said. “This has been my first real indoor season. I have been injured every other year. This will actually be (kind of) my first indoor states. I ran the 4×8 last year but it wasn’t great. That was basically with running one or two days a week. I am super excited. This is definitely new. It’s great.”
Mount Hope’s Thea Jackson certainly did her part to keep Mount Hope in the hunt. The Huskies talented sophomore won the 55m dash (7.39), 55m hurdles (9.30) and the long jump (16 feet, 6 inches).
“Going into it, I knew I was seeded very high and had a lot to live up to I guess,” she said. “I performed as best as I could, and was glad I did.”
Giana Decesare was a double-winner for Ponaganset by sweeping the throwing events. She took the shot with a distance of 34-6.25 and the 20-pound weight with a heave of 45-5.25.
In the high jump, state-leader Katelan Cruickshank of Middletown cleared 5-4 to win the event by eight inches over her closest rival. She came close on all her attempts at 5-6.
“Honestly, it’s feels great with starting off the championship season with a good start,” said Cruickshank, who has a state No. 1 of 5-5 this year. “I am really excited for the class (championships), Last Chance (Qualifier) and the states. They are some really great competitors.”
Headley Division
Classical’s depth prevailed in earning the team title in this meet with a convincing 139-86.5 decision over second-place North Kingstown. West Warwick was third with 83 points.
The Purple’s Grace Doyle collected 18 points by capturing the 3K (10:40.94) and taking third in the 1,000m (3:16.17), an event won by Portsmouth’s Allie Kault (3:09.30). Classical was also triumphant in the 4x400m (4:10.23) and the shot where junior Gifty Bediako was more than two feet ahead of teammate Susan Adekunie (second, 33-4.75) with a heave of 36-0..
“I am pretty sure my throw was a state lead, so I’m very excited about that,” said Bediako, whose effort was indeed a state No. 1. “I had a lot of consistent throws over 32 (feet).”
Classical scored 30 points in the throwing events with a 1-2-4 finish in the shot and 3-5-7 placements in the weight. For the weight, Woonsocket claimed the top two spots with junior Adelaide Caron becoming our state’s first 50-footer this season with a distance of 51-2.75. and fellow classmate unleashing a big PR of 48-5.5 to secure the runner-up spot.
“It feels amazing,” Caron said, “I had such a good feeling about today, and everybody else did. I just had fun.”
The WHS standout got off to a good start with a 48-footer on her initial throw. She got her state lead on the next attempt and had another throw over 50 feet in her series.
“Overall, it was a great series I had today,” she said. “(The 51-footer), I was just so happy about it.”
West Warwick was powered by Lisa and Xenia Raye, who together scored 50 points individual points and also ran legs on the school’s third-place 4x400m relay (4:18.75). Lisa Raye earned three gold medals. The Wizards sophomore captured the 55m dash (6.99), 55m hurdles (PR, 8.44) and the 300m (41.05). Xenia Raye, a junior, was second in both sprint events, clocking a state No. 2 and all-time best of 7.18 in the 55m and 41.50 for the 300m. West Warwick also had a win from Shanna Correira, who leaped 5-0 to take the high jump
For Lisa Raye, it was her second time under seven seconds for the short dash. She ran a state record of 6.94 at the East Coast Invitational two weeks ago, a time that currently ties for No. 9 in the country.
“During practice, we have been working on my block starts, and picking up my arms and pushing off the start,” she said. “It really helped a lot. I really wanted to continue running under seven (seconds), so I was really happy I was able to run 6.99.”
North Kingstown scored in multiple events to take the bronze as a team, including a victory by freshman Abbie Tighe in the 1,500m. The Skipper frosh led from the start and crossed the line with a PR of 4:59.9.
In the long jump, Portsmouth’s Claire Hook had a winning distance of 16-11.5.
Bayha Division
Cumberland survived a close one with La Salle and Barrington to take home the team hardware. The Clippers beat the Rams, 100.5-92. The Eagles were third with 91 points. Junior Kiley DeFusco scored 18 points for the Blue & White. She placed first in the 3K, coasting to a time of 11:22.99. She came back and ran an all-time best of 3:04.56 in the 1,000m, an effort that earned her second overall.
The Clippers also had 18 points in the shot where they went 1-2 with the tandem of senior Lacie Grenier (first, 34-7) and junior Payton Goulding (second, 33-10). Among other top placements, Cumberland was third in the 4x800m and 4x200m relays.
South Kingstown’s Sierra Thompson had a typical workmanlike (and successful) day at PCTA. She won two events, breaking the tape in the 55m hurdles with a time of 8.44 and clearing 5-3 in the high jump. She also ran a leg on the victorious 4x400m squad (4:16.58) and was third overall in the 55m dash (7.44).
In the 55m, Cranston West’s Ailani Sutherland won with a time of 7.32. La Salle’s Alexis Caggiano was second with a PR of 7.41. Caggiano returned the favor in the 300m where the Rams’ junior edged Sutherland with a best of 41.64 to the Falcon senior’s 41.78 effort.
Pilgrim’s Keaney Bayha looked impressive in winning the 1,500m (4:45.99) and the 1,000m (3:03.94). Mount St. Charles’ Emmy Belvin was first in the 600m (1:40.11). She was also fourth in the 1,000m (3:11.66).
Sullivan Division
Moses Brown coasted to the team title in this meet by scoring 125 points, Placing second was Lincoln with 86 points. Chariho collected 74 points for third overall in the standings.
The Quakers’ Jay Champlin claimed the 1,500m (4:59.63) and 1,000m (3:18.65) titles Skyler Maxwell took the 300m crown (45.56) and ran a leg on first-place 4x400m (4:24.84) squad. Moses Brown also had a top placements from Sophie Clyne and Sophia Mocco. Clyne was second in the 3K (11:35.94), while Mocco matched that placement in the 600m (1:45.59).
In the 1,500m, Champlin had a nearly nine-second best. Bay View’s Jackie Mattos was second at 5:03.95.
“We planned that I would just get out as fast as I could so I wouldn’t get boxed in,” she said. “I knew Jackie, the Bay View girl, would go with me. I knew I would have somebody to push me.”
Chariho’s Erin vonHousen easily won the 3,000m. She lapped the entire field (Sullivan and Bayha divisions combined) and finished at 10:15.29. With a strong kick the final lap, the Charger senior overtook the Quakers’ Mocco in the 600m where she registered a PR of 1:42.41.
“The speed in the 600 was a little hard for me,” vonHousen admitted. “I just tried to have fun with it. Just go out and race the race. I don’t run the 600 all the time. I just try to have fun with it and do what I can.”
