What seems to be a ritual for some of our top RI teams and athletes this time of the season s to head across the border for the annual CT Distance Festival, an event that never seems to disappoint in attracting quality fields each and every year.
The eight edition of the top regional meet, which features the mile and 5,000-meter run, was held Saturday at Xavier High in Middletown. Rhode Island was represented by runners from Cumberland, Bishop Hendricken, Narragansett, St. Raphael Academy, East Greenwich and Smithfield.
In the boys’ Championship Mile, Cumberland’s Will O’Shea and Narragansett’s Cole Francis both cracked the top 10. O’Shea, who two weeks earlier anchored his team to a victory at the Knights of Columbus 4xMile Relay, was timed in a PR of 4 minutes, 21.01 seconds, an effort that placed him sixth overall. Francis was seventh among the 75 runners with a time of 4:22.91. The Clippers’ Sam Henderson, the state cross-country champion, was 18th overall in 4:29.54.
St. Ray’s Rory Sullivan, who on May 3 will be competing against a field that features New England’s finest at the BSR Elite Scholastic Mile, appears to be ready to give it her best shot to battle with the front runners. She dipped under the five-minute barrier for the first time in her career, placing fifth in the girls’ Championship race with a PR of 4:59.43. Cumberland’s Rose Tuomisto was 11th (5:24.79) and Narragansett’s Madeleine O’Neil was 21st (5:24.79).
The seeded section of the boys’ 5,000m had five local runners break 16 minutes. Smithfield’s Jason Padula was first across the line for the Ocean State, averaging sub-five-minute pace with a time of 15:22.12, good for fifth overall. The remaining four all wear the Hendricken singlet. Will Olson led the way for the Hawks by taking tenth in 15:39.04. He was followed by teammates Sam Zabbo (11th, 15:39.96), Jacob Silva (14th, 15:47.81) and Emmitt Rattley (20th, 15:54.67).
Freshman Olive Willis of East Greenwich was the lone RI runner in the girls’ seeded 5K. She was ninth overall in 19:24.71.
Click on the video below to view complete coverage of Friday’s meet.
