With so many variables, it’s never easy. But we’ll give it our best shot predicting who we feel will be some of our top track & field athletes this outdoor season. Here we feature the boys’ throwing events, which includes the shot, javelin and discus.
HAMMER
Among all our top returnees, none have gone further than 200 feet in this event. We expect that will change this season with a plethora of throwers we believe are capable of achieving that mark, including a few that weren’t even a factor last year at the state level. During the indoor season, we had about a half dozen athletes that held the top position in the weight throw at one point. It could be similar this spring. Expect a significant improvement in this event from Hendricken’s Matt Guiliano, who had a best of 163 feet, 4 inches in 2023. In his first season of indoor track, the Hawk senior captured the state title in the 25-pound weight with near 70-footer. That should transfer to a 200-plus effort in the hammer. Woonsocket’s Shamrock Thoun is another athlete that could be right there, too. The Villa Novan sophomore, who was seventh at the JV State Meet last June, had a stellar season with the weight this year and was our state’s top finisher at all three national meets, including a second-place finish and PR of 69-9 at the adidas Track Nationals last week. We expect he’ll be far ahead of his current best in the hammer of 157-10 by the time the season ends. In a text exchange with Woonsocket coach Marc Piette, he feels at least seven to nine athletes could reach 200 feet this season. We agree. Narragansett’s Owen Degnan came just eight feet short of that number at last year’s states, where he finished fourth overall with a distance of 192-0. Coventry’s Zack Del Sasso won the Southern Division Championships with an all-time best of 185-2. Lincoln’s Tyler Durang (184-7), Exeter/West Greenwich’s Owen Spira (183-3) and Hendricken Derek Goll (180-7) also went 180-plus last spring. Add in athletes like Barrington’s Joe Adams, Woonsocket’s Adam Beaudry and Hendricken’s Ethan Charnely (and more) and this event could get very interesting and super competitive. We’re not going to predict who we feel will win it come early June, simply because it’s a near-impossible task.
SHOT
We’re expecting a competitive season in the shot. The top three returnees from last year appear to be the leading contenders for individual title at the State Meet with Rogers’ Kaden Thomas, Pilgrim’s Brandon Wolfenden and indoor state titlist Tyler Durang occupying those spots. The talented trio were the only athletes to exceed 50 feet with Thomas unleashing a best of 52-11, Wolfenden at 52-10.75 and Durang at 52-9.75. As a tenth-grader last year, Wolfenden was the only non-senior to place among the top 10 at the outdoor states, finishing fifth overall. Thomas, a junior, had a breakthrough season where he went 50-plus seven times and hit 49 feet on four other occasions after a best of 46-6.75 in 2023. After teetering near 50 feet the last two years, Durang achieved the milestone the last three meets of the season this winter, including his PR at the states. Among a few more than could be battling for podium spots are La Salle’s Jonathan Cheshire, Pilgrim’s Cole Menning, East Greenwich’s James Gemma and Lincoln’s Mitchell Murtha, who had throws between 47-48 feet this past winter.
JAVELIN
The favorite nod goes to defending titlist Damon Buchanan of Bishop Hendricken, who last year tossed a state No. 1 of 169-2 at the championship meet. South Kingstown’s Sai Sorien is the second best among returnees. As a ninth-grader in 2023, he was the frosh state champion and also took the bronze at the varsity states with his current best of 154-3. Other possible returnees and 150-plus throwers are East Greenwich’s Javier David (153-10), St. Raphael’s Alex Ramos (152-0.5) and Rogers’ Neil Porter (150-10). Moses Brown’s Gabe Lane was on the brink of breaking 150 feet with a best of 149-9.
DISCUS
At this point this event appears to be wide open. The Lions’ Durang (137-3) and Murtha (136-8) are the top two returnees. Hendricken’s Marcus Sukkar (133-2) and Rogers’ Nicholas Kennedy (128-11) and Thomas (127-5) are few others that should be in the mix based on last year’s performances.
