Unlike the girls’ power rankings, things look slightly different on the boys’ side. Five of our preseason picks remain in the top 10, compared to just three for the girls. We also have a 3-to-1 split for new entries, with Chariho, Pilgrim, and Portsmouth joining the rankings.
We expect to get a clearer picture once dual meets are complete and after a few key invitationals this weekend — most notably the Ocean State Invitational at Goddard State Park and the Bowdoin Classic in New York. N.Y.
No surprise here — the Hawks dominated their dual meet with Pilgrim and Coventry, seizing nine of the top 10 spots and placing their first four under 16 minutes for the three-mile course. Pilgrim’s showing was strong enough to crack the top 10, led by soccer-player-turned-runner Cornelius Zmed. The sophomore broke up the Hawks’ sweep with a seventh-place finish in 16:42. Sophomore Miles Zuniga was 15th at 17:34. The next two were also underclassmen. It will be interesting to see how this team develops over teh season.
La Salle, meanwhile, was without star runner Marshall Vernon in its league opener against Moses Brown but still controlled the race, taking seven of the top eight spots. Cross country newcomer and middle-distance standout Eamon O’Brien led the Rams with authority, cruising to victory in 15:33.20 for the 4.5-mile course — nearly a minute ahead of the field.
Cumberland turned in a solid fifth-place finish at the Manchester Invitational, cementing its hold on the No. 4 ranking. East Greenwich and Barrington also swept their dual meets to stay firmly in the mix.
***
TOP 10 – BOYS
- Hendricken
- La Salle Academy (3)
- North Kingstown (2)
- Cumberland
- East Greenwich
- Barrington
- Chariho (NR)
- Pilgrim (NR)
- Smithfield
- Portsmouth (NR)
Honorable Mention: Cranston East, South Kingstown, St. Raphael Academy
