Six team titles. Six individual crowns.
That’s what will be on the line this Saturday when teams throughout the state head down to Ponaganset for the RIIL Class Championships. So, who are the schools — and the runners — ready to battle for those coveted prizes on the Chieftains’ covered-bridge trail?
We conclude our previews with the Class A girls’ and boys’ races.
***
Class A Championships – Girls
Day/Time: Saturday, 1:30 p.m.
Teams: La Salle Academy, Cranston West, Toll Gate, Pilgrim, Coventry, East Providence, Classical, Woonsocket, Mount Pleasant, Pawtucket Co-Op, Cranston East, Cumberland, North Kingstown
Runners To Watch: As the runners pass through the mile mark, we’re expecting a large lead pack. When they make the final turn out of the woods near the tennis courts for the last 600 meters, don’t expect much separation. This is the kind of race that could come down to the final few strides. Could it be a preview of next weekend’s State Meet? Minus a few key names, it very well could be.
Take your pick? This could be a race that is won by a number of runners in this field. The top seed is North Kingstown’s Lucy Stowe, who hasn’t relinquished the No. 1 post since winning the season-opening Injury Fund Carnival in 19:00.89. Stowe was the top RI finisher at the Ocean State Invitational, clocking 19:09 to finish 14th in the featured Championship race. Two weeks ago, she took advantage of the fast terrain of the Cape Cod Fairgrounds and the high-energy atmosphere of the Bob Glennon Twilight Invitational to post a PR of 18:20.2.
There’s also outstanding freshman Molly Richardson of Coventry, a winner last week at the Skee Carter/Bronco Invitational with an 18:35.68 best.
Cumberland sophomore CC Ludwig, third at the State Meet as a freshmen, is also someone you can’t count out. But the question is will she run this weekend? Like last fall, she may sit out to prepare for next Saturday’s showdown with La Salle at the state championships. She hasn’t put in a hard effort or solid tempo since the end of September. She opened her season with a win at Injury Fund, a season best of 19:01.99. Ludwig also led the Clippers to a victory at the Bowdoin Classic in New York, where she ran the challenging 5K in 19:07.20, a time that would compute to well under 19 minutes at Ponaganset.
The list of contenders doesn’t stop there. La Salle’s Alyssa Parenteau and North Kingstown’s Abby Nicolopoulos are also worth mentioning. Parenteau, a victor at Injury Fund for the second straight year with a season best 19:16.11, delivered strong performances early in the season at the Shore Coaches Invitational, where she was seventh in the Varsity B race, a performance that lifted the Rams to the team title. She followed that with a fourth-place finish in the Varsity C race of the Manhattan University Invitational. clocking 15:29.70 for the tough 2.5-mile course, another standout effort that highlighted a team victory for the Rams. Parenteau hasn’t run a race since that Oct. 11 meet, so she’ll also be rested and ready for Saturday.
The Skippers’ Abby ‘Nicolopoulus went sub-19 at Twilight and could also be in the mix. We can’t ignore here teammate, Abbie Tighe, too. She was second in this race and the states last year. Tighe returned to racing at mid season after a long layoff due to health issues. In a season where she’s run just a limited of races, she showed that she’s starting to find her form again, running 19:17.50. How much has she improved since then? We’ll find out this weekend.
Team Outlook: The excitement we’re predicting in the individual race should carry over into the team battle, where the state’s top two squads — La Salle and Cumberland — are set to collide in an intense match-up that could preview next week’s showdown at the state championships.
That is, of course, if both teams field their full varsity lineups.
Cumberland, with its small but talented roster, can’t afford to lose anyone to injury or illness heading into next weekend. Don’t be surprised if head coach Kerrie Carpenter takes a similar approach to last year, when she opted to rest key athletes — Ludwig and Kiley DeFusco — at this meet in favor of preserving them for the State Meet. With a squad that has the ability to bunch all seven of their varsity runners within a minute of each other, La Salle is favored to take his third straight crown and fifth in the last six years. Behind Parenteau, are three more of her teammates that have broken 20 minutes this season – Stella Pelagio (19:42.0), Carolinna Terlato (19:46.0) and Olivia Walhberg (19:47.0). The Rams have four more that are in the low-to-mid 20-minute range. Talk about a stacked team.
***
Class A Championships – Boys
Day/Time: Saturday, 2 p.m.
Teams: East Providence, Coventry, Classical, Woonsocket, Mount Pleasant, Cranston West, Bishop Hendricken, Toll Gate, La Salle Academy, Cumberland, Cranston East, North Kingstown, Pawtucket Co-Op, Pilgrim
Runners To Watch: There’s no denying who the top competitors for the individual title are. Defending titlist Marshall Vernon of La Salle and Hendricken’s Colby Flynn are in a class of their own. We expect this gifted duo to break from the field early and engage in a tight battle through most of this race with very little breathing room between them.
Vernon’s course record of 15:17.66 at Injury Fund still stands as the fastest 5K in the state this season. He placed third overall, and was the second Rhode Islander, at the Shore Coaches Invitational where he was timed in 15:42, eight seconds behind individual winner, Sean Gray of Portsmouth. He took ninth at Manhattan, averaging five-minute pace with a time of 12:33.20.
Flynn, likewise, has strung together some impressive performances. He won his race at the Bowdoin Classic (15:51.60), placed fourth at Shore (15:48.0) and finishing ahead of Vernon at Manhattan, placing seventh overall in 12:25.80.
How is this race likely to unfold? That’s a good question.
We’re not expecting any records with a sub-15 effort on Saturday. It’s too risky, with a bigger showdown with Gray at the states next weekend. This race will be honest – fast and competitive. That’s how these two compete. We’d be surprised if it’s teetering at record pace. Look for something in the 15:20 range. We’ll know more after the first mile, if our prognosis is accurate. If their opening split is under 4:45, or close to it, the game is on.
After Vernon and Gray, expect a sea of green singlets. If things work out as planned, the Hendricken could fill the podium with the potential to have all five of their scorers, perhaps more, in the top 10 with Fred Russell, Brayden Seraichyk, David Hayes, Oliver Redmond and Shepherd Butler nabbing those coveted spots. North Kingstown’s Gavin Shipperley, Cumberland’s Noah Brown, Cranston East’s Cohen Brinker, and La Salle’s Will Souza, among a few others, have the potential to break through the Hawks’ lineup. All have times this year ranging for 16:11 to 16:39.
Team Outlook: After reading the above, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out who the favorite is for the team title this weekend. As we’ve mentioned before, Hendricken is a squad with national-level potential—a team capable of qualifying for Nike Cross Nationals in late November.
La Salle has been hit hard by injuries this season, most notably the loss of its No. 2 runner, Eamon O’Brien. He hasn’t raced since capturing the individual title at a league meet on Sept. 22, sidelined by slight injury. There’s a rumor he might return on Saturday, but nothing has been confirmed. Even without him, the Rams could still have a shot at a top-three finish—but it’s unlikely they’ll seriously challenge the mighty Hawks.
Cumberland and North Kingstown are two other teams we expect to contend for spots in the top three or four.
