It all comes down to this weekend.
The best of the best. The cream of the crop. The elite.
Call it what you will. They’ll all be at the PCTA field house. They’ll all be ready to go at Saturday’s RIIL State Track & Field Championships. As we often say, “Folks, is doesn’t get any better than this!”
(Above photo by Sterling Vernon @rhodeandtrack)
Over the next few days, we’ll preview our top individuals and teams that will be part of the Best Show in Town. Who has the best chance to earn that coveted gold medal? Who are the others we feel can contend this weekend? We’ll give it our best shot with our predictions of the day’s happenings.
Ready, set, go!!! It’s time to get started!!!
Here we feature the boys’ throwing and jumping events.
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WEIGHT THROW
We’re giving the favorite nod in this event to Woonsocket’s Shamrock Thoun…but only slightly. Based on how this event has gone this winter, you simply have to. Thoun has been the most consistent of all the entries with four 79-footers and a bunch more in that mid-to-high 70-foot range. He owns a nation best of 79 feet, 11.75 inches from the World Trophy Invitational. Right behind the Villa Novan junior is North Kingstown’s Alex Harmon, who was second to his rival at the World Trophy Invite and the Class A meet with his current best of 79-1.5, an effort that ranks No. 2 in the country. Last Thursday, both throwers were beaten at the Millrose Games with Exeter/West Greenwich’s Owen Spira taking the crown with a three-foot best of 77-4.75. This field also includes two more throwers that have exceeded 70 feet with East Greenwich’s Ryan Evans (74-11) and Barrington’s Joe Adams (70-11.75) entered. Could this be the meet we see our first 80-footer? With the magnitude of the meet and the quality of competition, we think so. Potentially, by more than one athlete.
SHOT
Speaking of milestone efforts, we might see one here, too. The top two seeds and the athletes we’re expecting to be battling for the individual title are Rogers’ Kaden Thomas and Pilgrim’s Brandon Wolfenden. Thomas took over the No. 1 spot in the rankings this past weekend by winning the RITCA Last Chance Qualifier with a mammoth throw of 59-4.75, a PR by three feet!. Finishing right behind Thomas was Wolfenden with a near best of 58.2. The Patriot senior held the top position from the start of the season and thrice has gone 58-plus with an all-time best of 58-8.5. With both back circle again for the second straight week, we could possible see an effort in that 60-foot range. It’s something Thomas has stated he wants to do after his victory at the qualifier. It’s also a mark that Wolfenden could certainly accomplish with one big throw.
HIGH JUMP
This should be a good one. The top seed is Barrington’s Caleb Satisfield with a best of 6-6 from his win at the Class B Championship. Right behind are our 1-2 finishers at the recent Last Chance Qualifier, La Salle’s Antonio Bearden and Portsmouth’s Aiden Chun, who both cleared 6-4. North Kingstown sophomore Cole Shotwell is the fourth seed at 6-3. In all, eight have cleared six feet.
LONG JUMP
We’re expecting La Salle and Barrington to be are two top schools battling for the team title this weekend. This event could be a make-or-break event in the outcome. La Salle’s Jalen Moseley is the No. 1 seed with his best of 22-9.5 from the divisional championship on Jan. 21. The versatile sophomore, who is also a star hurdler and sprinter, has had four straight 22-footers leading up to Saturday’s meet. We expect he’ll be in that range again with an outside shot at hitting the 23-foot mark. At the fifth seed is the Rams’ Beardon (21-7.25) Barrington has four athletes in this field that are among the top eight with two seed Patrick Trainor (22-0.75), four seed Aden Memoli (21-7.25), sixth seed Charley Potter VI (21-0.5) and Satisfield as the No. 7 seed (20-11). We can’t forget Pilgrim’s Hunter Schobel, too. The Patriot senior was the bronze medalist at the Class A meet with a best of 21-6.5, an effort that ranks third among his peers.
