Ready of not, here’s she comes!
In her final preparation for the New Balance Nationals, Lisa Raye put in one last record-breaking day on Saturday at the New England Track & Field Championships. The West Warwick junior defended her titles in the 55-meter dash and the 300m, both times establishing new meet marks at the regional meet, held at the Reggie Lewis Center.
The Wizards’ gifted sprinter, who will be attempting a 60m-200m double at the Nationals (March 13-16), won the short dash in a quick 6.79 seconds. A few hours later, Raye smashed her own state record with a US #2 of 37.76. In both races, the West Warwick standout faced some stiff competition from the region’s elite. In both races, just like she’s done all season long, Raye denied anyone from getting in front of her.
She led two more under seven seconds in the 55m with Lauren Quarm of Methuen (MA) taking second in 6.97 and older sister Xenia Raye securing the bronze in 6.99. For the 300m, the Georgia commit held off recent Meet of Champions victor Breanna Braham by just a quarter of a second. Braham finished with a US #6 of 38.00, which was also under the meet record. Xenia Raye placed third with an all-time best of 38.74.
“When I was running, I knew that I was running against some fast people and I was coming in ranked number four or number three,” said Lisa Raye, about the 300m. “I knew I had to kick in it another gear. This was definitely one of my fastest races because I just sprinted the whole thing, and went all out and maintained my pace.”
Running against the clock in the unseeded section, Xenia won her heat by almost two seconds.
“During states, I ran 40 seconds in the 300. I was kind of just running to place,” she said. “I told myself, New England’s, it’s going to be on a banked track against harder competition, and I’m going to have to try my best. I found out that I wasn’t in the seeded heat. I was running against the clock, basically. That was my goal.”
Both Rayes were consistent in the 55m with Lisa winning her prelim heat in 6.78 and Xenia taking her heat in 6.98.
It’s now off to the New Balance for the gifted siblings, who will conclude their indoor campaigns at the TRACK at New Balance. Lisa is currently ranked No. 1 in the 60m with her national record of 7.13. She’s fifth in the country in the 200m (23.39).
Raye is looking to repeat what she did during the outdoor nationals last June when she swept the two events at historic Franklin Field in Philadelphia.
“Definitely, nationals is going to be a really big moment,” she said. “I’m hoping to PR in the 60 and 200. I’m hoping to run under 23 seconds in the 200 and just PR in the 60 – 7.10, hopefully.”
With a season best in the 55m and PR in the 300m, Xenia also has momentum on her side.
“All I can pray for is to go out there, run my PRs, run as fast as I can,” she said. “I haven’t run the 60 in a good bit. I have been running lots of 4x2s instead of a solo 200. I am just trying to lower my times.”
For Rhode Island, the meet was also highlighted by a new state record from Barrington’s Bobby Wind in the 55m hurdles. For the second straight year, Wind finished second to Brockton’s Lucas Andrade.. Andrade set a meet and New England record of 7.22, a time that ranks No. 7 in the nation. Wind blazed to a PR of 7.37 to erase the 2004 mark of 7.41 by former Hope standout Yudehweh “Pete” Gbaa.
“I knew it was a fast field,” he said. “I didn’t care if I won or lost. I wanted that state record. I am super pumped. It feels so good now.”
Pilgrim shot-putter Brandon Wolfenden, who was second at the State Meet, had the best throw of his career on Saturday with a huge PR of 61 feet, 3.75 inches, an effort that placed him second overall. Wolfenden’s top throw was a nearly a three-foot best and moved him to No. 20 in the country. Finishing seventh was RI champion Kayden Thomas of Rogers with a distance of 57-1.25.
“I was definitely hoping to hit 60 (feet) but 61 (feet) is incredible,” he said. “I felt great. I never felt that great before. I could tell it was going to be good.”
La Salle was triumphant in the 4x200m relay with the foursome of Garrett Giroux Pezzullo, Thaden Leomensah, Amari Monteiro and Joshua Acento combining for a school record of 1:29.36. The Rams become only the third team from the Ocean State to break 1:30 with Central holding the No. 1 spot with a state mark of 1:29.05 from the Armory Track Invitational in 2017. La Salle moves to No. 2 all-time.
“It feels good to finally break (1:30). We’ve come close,” Giroux-Pexzzullo said. “We’ve been pushing it on a flat track. I feel like getting out here, this atmosphere, this track, the whole environment, I feel like that really helped us.”
Also coming away with a victory in the relays were the North Kingstown girls’ 4x800m squad. A sixth seed in the race, the Skippers pulled off the upset by combining for a US #13 of 9:21.85. Needham (MA) was second in 9:23.11. Comprising the quartet for NK were Maura Whitney, Abby Nicolopoulos, Lucy Stowe and Abbie Tighe.
“Our goal wasn’t necessarily to win,” Tighe admitted. “Our goal was to get the school record. The school record was 9:28. That was our goal.”
Cole Francis ran a gusty race to place second overall in the 1,000m with a three-second best of 2:30.33. Alexander Medina of Hampden (CT) won the race in 2:28.80. Francis did the pacesetting from the start, only to be passed a fast-charging Medina on the backstretch.
The Mariner standout was two weeks removed from winning his first individual title at the states with a victory in the 1K.
“Coming in, I really wanted to prove myself even more,” Francis said. “I wanted to make it a fair effort, make it honest from the gun. Honestly, going into it. I didn’t know what heat I was going to be in. I was assuming heat two. When I got here, I found out I was in (the seeded heat). I was definitely surprised. My race plan didn’t change. I took it out in 27 (seconds for the first 200m). I really wanted to take it from the start and show everyone that I can hang with whoever.”
Classical’s Gifty Bediako also garnered a silver medal by taking second in the shot with a toss of 42-6.5. In the 600m, Moses Brown’s Skyler Maxwell clocked a PR of 1:36.21 to finish third overall.
The Barrington boys were one of seven teams to break eight minutes in the 4x800m, placing sixth overall in 7:58.67.
Chariho’s Emily Brown tied for fifth in the high jump with a height of 5-5.
Among other podium placements, Moses Brown fourth in tjhe 4x400m (4:02.52) and seventh in the 4x200m (1:45.30). Classical was eighth in the 4x200m (1:45.51). Cumberland’s Kiley Defusco took fourth in the mile (5:01.23) and Portsmouth’s Sean Gray secured eighth in the two mile (9:18.92).
