Conley Stadium and Ponaganset High were the respective sites for Sunday’s Central and Northern division championships.
In the Central Division, Hendricken earned the plaque with a 238-143 win over second-place La Salle Academy. On the girls’ side, La Salle outlasted runner-up Classical, 182-175.
Alonzo Parker-Sharpe of Cranston West, scored 24 points individually in the boys’ meet. The Falcons’ senior blazed to a state-leading 10.83 seconds to captured the 100-meter dash. He finished just strides behind La Salle’s Garrett Giroux Pezzullo in the 200m with a time of 22.20 and was third in 400m with a PR of 50.64.
The Rams’ Giroux-Pezzullo raced to a state best of 22.02 for the half-lapper and anchored his team’s first-place 4x400m relay that was timed in 3:25.69, nearly six seconds ahead of Classical (second, 3:31.27).
Hendricken’s Jacob Coates became the state’s second runner of the day and third overall to break 50 seconds for the 400m with a triumphant 49.87. Finishing second was state-leader Thomas Breen of Classical at 50.56. Breen won last week’s Classical Classic with his state No. 1 of 49.15.
Hendricken’s Derek Goff moved to No. 3 in the state rankings in the hammer with a heave of 214 feet, 2 inches. Teammate and state-leader Matt Giuliano was second at 207.8. Goll’s effort currently ranks him No. 3 in the nation. Giuliano owns the top spot with his season-opening 215-3 from the Knights of Columbus Relays in early April.
Eli Ziegler of Moses Brown was a double winner, taking the 800m in 2:00.04 and the 1,500m at 4:07.51.
Among other highlights, Pilgrim’s Brandon Wolfenden went 50-plus in the shot with a winning 52-1.15 effort and Hendricken clocked a fast 42-72 to capture the 4x100m.
For the girls, La Salle’s Alexis Caggianno was a big scorer for her team. The diminutive senior won the 200m (25.20), 400m (1:00.46) and anchored the Rams’ first-place 4x400m squad (4:14.14). In the 200m, Caggianno edged Cranston West’s Ailani Sutherland, who was also timed in 25.20. Sutherland earned a top spot on the podium with a victory in the 100m (12.61). She also led off the Falcons’ triumphant 4x100m squad (49.45) that just got by second-place Classical (49.64).
Pilgrim’s Keaney Bayha had her typical busy (and successful) day on the track. She captured the three longest events on the oval with wins in the 800m (2:21.39), 1,500m (4:48.39) and the 3,000m (10:27.06).
Reece Vitale also was thrice a champion on Sunday. She was triumphant in the triple jump with a leap of 35-5 and swept both hurdle events, clocking 15.95 in the 100m HH and 49.63 in the 300m IH.
Add Gifty Bediako to the three-win circle. She earned her medals in the shot (37-1), discus (107-4) and hammer (142-2).
Photos by Sterling Vernon @rhodeandtrack. For more great pics by Sterling, click HERE.
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It was business as usual for Cumberland in the Northern Division meet. The Clippers were crowned victors in both the boys’ and girls’ competitions. The girls defeated second-place Ponaganset, 195-137.50, while the boys won with a score of 183 points to Lincoln’s 125.
The Clippers’ Rose Tuomisto moved to No. 5 in the state rankings by taking the 3,000m with a PR of 10:31.73. Teammate Kiley DeFusco outran Mount St. Charles’ Emmy Belvin to win the 1,500m, where she was timed in 4:46.81, four-plus seconds ahead of Belvin. The Mount senior came back and dominated the 800m where she clocked a season best of 2:20.76.
State-leader Adelaide Caron of Woonsocket took the hammer, unleashing a strong toss of 169-0
The Clippers’ Payton Goulding was a winner in the shot with a distance of 36-2.5.
For the boys, Woonsocket’s Shamrock Thoun made some noise in the hammer, taking over the No. 2 position in the state and third spot nationwide with a toss of 214-8, a 16-foot PR!
Cumberland’s Nolan Rogalski and Mount’s Ethan McFadden engaged in a tight battle in the 1,500m with Rogalski coming out on top with a time of 4:09.04 to Fadden’s 4:09.91.
Ponaganset’s Jeremy Roe was a victor in the 800m where he held off Cumberland’s Will O’Shea with a time of 1:58.80. O’Shea crossed the line in 1:59.36 for second.
Multiple champions in the meet included Mount’s Ryder Kinzler in the 100m (11.53) and 200m (23.20) and Smithfield’s Konny Ezeama in the long jump (20-3) and the triple jump (43-0.25).
