Not everyone has extended their indoor season this far.
For the athletes that have met the qualification standards for this week’s New Balance Nationals, you should be commended for earning the rite to showcase your talents against some of the country’s finest. From Thursday to Sunday, it will be an intense four days of competition at the TRACK at New Balance with PRs and school records expected to fall in bunches by the throngs of athletes heading to Beantown for what’s been deemed, “The Fastest Party On The Planet.”
Who are the athletes that have a chance to make an impact at the New Balance Nationals? Who are the select few that can also earn All-American by finishing among the top six individuals and top six relays in the Championship events? Can anyone strike it rich and earn gold against the nation’s best?
Let’s find out.
Breaking it down day-by-day, here’s what we consider the must-see events involving our T&F stars.
***
THURSDAY
Less than two weeks ago, Barrington was part of an ultra-competitive 4×800-meter relay at the New England Championships where seven teams broke eight minutes. The Eagles were one of them, finishing sixth with a best of 7 minutes, 58.67 seconds. On an even bigger stage with a faster track, could the Eagles get closer to 7:50? In 2024, that’s a time that would have placed them among the top six.
For the girls, North Kingstown no doubt has confidence on its side after shocking the field at the New England’s with a victory and new school record of 9:21.85, a time that ranks No. 4 all-time in the state. La Salle holds the current state record of 9:02.84. That appears untouchable. Nonetheless, Portsmouth holds the No. 3 spot of 9:12.34 from New Balance in 2019. That could be within reach for NK if everyone’s on their game.
One of the day’s final events, the 5,000m, will feature Portsmouth Sean Gray. The Patriots junior ran his PR of 15:16.20 at last year’s meet. Despite a mid-season injury that derailed part of his indoor season, Gray appears to be on a similar trajectory as 2024, Both this season and last, he clocked 8:45 for the 3K at the State Meet weeks before NBN.
FRIDAY
The two mile is loaded with talent with several of our nation’s best expected to toe the line. Hendricken’s Colby Flynn is RI’s top entry and no doubt will have fire in his eyes. The Hawks’ sophomore has had a fantastic season on the indoor surface, one that’s included a near win in the 3K at the State Meet and a third-place finish at the Yale Track Classic with an all-time best of 8:28.91. The one blip to his season occurred at the New England’s where the Hawk standout was among the leaders in the two mile for the first half of the race before fading to tenth overall with a still solid 9:22. We’re guessing Flynn will have redemption on his mind and could be aiming for a time in that low nine-minute, which he’s proved he’s capable of achieving. Don’t be surprised if it’s this weekend. Gray will also join him on the line a day after his 5K race. He should be well rested for the double. His indoor PR is 9:18.92. His all-time best is 9:11.06 from the New Balance National last June. You know he’s shooting for one, or both of those times this weekend.
The girls’ two mile has its share of talent, too. Four of the top five runners in the country will share the line, including nation-leader Chloe Huyer of Oregon, who won a star-studded 2M at The CURCUIT Chicago in 10:03.32. RI state titlist Keaney Bayha is also in the field. A sickness kept Bayha out of the New England’s so she has not raced since the states, a span of about a month. If completely healthy, this break could be just what she needs with a long season of competing. Bayha comes in with bests of 9:59.38 for 3K, 10:36.76 for 3,200m and 10:45.40 for the two mile. No doubt achieving all-time bests for those distances with one big race is a goal. This is the place to do it, and she certainly has shown to us that she’s capable of accomplishing those PRs against the level of competition she’ll face at New Balance.
Friday is also the prelims of the 4x200m, an event that features a very good La Salle squad in the boys’ competition. The Rams broke 1:30 for the first time at the New England’s, winning the race in 1:29.36, a time that ranks No. 2 all-time in the state. The state mark is 1:29.05 by Central back in 2017. That’s the time the Rams will be focused on this weekend, one that could secure a top-10 finish in an event that ALWAYS has a plethora of talent.
The state’s top two teams will be in the girls’ race with Moses Brown (1:45.21) and Classical (1:45.51) in the field. Only four teams in the history of the state have gone under 1:45 with Classical the most recent with its all-time best of 1:44.52 from the adidas Track Nationals in 2024. The Quakers and the Purple (again) could do it this weekend.
La Salle is also in the boys’ sprint medley relay, an event where the Rams hold the current state record of 3:29.70 from 2019. Thaden Leomensah, who we assume is running the 400m leg for the SMR, is also entered in the event by itself on this day with the prelims taking place. He recently ran his second sub-50 of the season, a PR of 49.70 at The CIRCUIT Boston on March 9, an effort that placed him second overall.
Friday is the final day of the Pentathlon where we have Chariho’s Emily Brown. The Charger junior has an indoor PR of 3,014 points, a score that earned her a victory at the Bethel (CT) Pentathlon in mid January. In three of the five events, Brown has attained PRs this season with bests of 17 feet, 2 inches in the long jump, 5-5 in the high jump and 25-6 in the shot.
The boys’ shot is also on this day and it features our state’s newest 60-footer, Pilgrim’s Brandon Wolfenden. The Patriots senior will be looking to carry the momentum from his runner-up finish at the New England’s where he unleashed a three-foot best of 61-3.75. State titlist Kayden Thomas of Rogers is also in the field and owns a near 60-footer of 59-4.75 from his win at the Last Chance Qualifier last month.
SATURDAY
This will be a busy and, what we’re expecting, very productive day for the Ocean State. It’s a day where the chances are high we’ll have two national titles and will set up for two more on Sunday. The events were talking about are the boys’ and girls’ weight throw and the prelims of the girls’ 60m and 200m dashes.
In the boys’ weight throw, four of the top five athletes call RI their home with Woonsocket’s Shamrock Thoun (79-11.75), North Kingstown’s Jack Harmon (79-1.5), Exeter/West Greenwich’s Owen Spira (77-4.75) and East Greenwich’s Ryan Evans holding the 1-2-3-5 positions. If Thoun comes out on top, he’ll become the second Villa Novan to earn the coveted prize since Tarik Robinson-O’Hagan won it all in 2022.
Like their counterpart, the girls’ competition with be populated by some of Rhody’s best. Four of the top five seeds will represent our little state this weekend with Toll Gate’s Vanessa Jones (59-2), Classical’s Gifty Bediako (58-1.75), Coventry’s Mia Hoskins (56-9.75) and Smithfield’s Taylor McGinness (56-3.5) representing the 1-2-4-5 spots.
The dashes include West Warwick speedster Lisa Raye, who will begin her quest to repeat what she did at the outdoor nationals with victories in the two shortest events on the track, the 60m and the 200m. Raye leads the country in the 60m with her national record of 7.13 from last month’s Millrose Games. She ranks No. 7 in the nation in the 200m with her best of 23.30 from the VA Showcase. The fastest in the field for the 200m is Elise Copper of McDonogh (MD), who ran 23.04 to snag top honors at the The CIRCUIT Philadelphia earlier this month. Raye is seeded No. 2 behind her. In their only head-to-head battle, the Wizard standout beat Cooper in the 60m at the VA Showcase. West Warwick’s Xenia Raye will also be competing in the two races and brings bests of 7.67 and 24.49 to the line. Both times were achieved at the New York International Showcase.
At last year’s meet, a time under17:50 in the 4xMile placed among the top 10. That’s a time we believe our lone RI squad, Bishop Hendricken, is certainly capable of achieving. We did the math and came out with a time around 17:45 with the runners we expect will pass the baton. Let’s see if our prediction holds true.
We’re figuring a time between 20:40-20:45 for our only girls’ squad in this race, the Blue and White of Cumberland. If the Clippers make us sound like geniuses, they could finish among the top 10, perhaps even challenge for podium position. Last year, 20:39.82 was the cut-off point.
Cumberland’s Kiley DeFusco is our top entry in the 800m, her first of two individual events this weekend. She’s also scheduled to compete in the mile on Sunday. We’re assuming that she’s also running the anchor for the Clippers’ 4xMile, which takes place nearly three hours after the 800m. For the four-lapper, DeFusco has an all-time best of 2:17.87 from her Class A win last May. The Clipper senior, who won the 1,500m and 1K at the states, appears to be in peak condition and should be ready to roll this weekend.
La Salle’s Eamon O’Brien and Narragansett’s Cole Francis are our top runners in the boys’ 800m. O’Brien is a few weeks removed from clocking his all-time best of 1:57.20 from the USATF-NE Championships. Francis is coming off a silver-medal performance in the 1,000m at the New England’s where he had a three-second PR of 2:30. He’s also ran 1:55 for the 800m at the GBTC Invitational back in January.
SUNDAY
Ah…the final day of competition. It’s all about the Championship races with expected thrillers in the 60m, 200m, mile and the 4x400m, the meet’s finale. Beside Lisa Raye going for the 60m-200m double on this day, La Salle’s Marshall Vernon and DeFusco will be looking to improve on their PRs in the mile and La Salle will be looking to prosper in the 4x400m.
There’s no question that Vernon will be focused on a sub 4:10 effort in his race. In his last time competing at the TRACK at New Balance, the Rams’ talented senior ran his all-time best of 4:09.36 to place third at the MSTCA Boston Holiday Challenge. He’s hasn’t competed since his impressive performance at the State Meet where he defended his 3K and 1,500m crowns with two gutsy races. Vernon always comes to race and we expect it will be status quo this weekend.
DeFusco has an all-time mile best of 4:57.94 from the Glenn B. Loucks Games last spring and recently ran her indoor PR of 5:01.23 to finish fourth at the New England’s. Undoubtedly, she be looking to erase both those times on Sunday.
A top-10 finish is certainly possible by La Salle in the boys’ 400m. The Rams were 12th in this race last year with a best of 3:21.04. With basically the same team coming back, La Salle is on pace to better that time and placement this weekend. The Rams clocked a best this winter of 3:23.49 at the New England’s, an effort that won the seeded heat but placed them second overall.
Ocean State Running will add to this story
