Mother Nature looks as though she’s going to cooperate and the competition is strong for this Saturday’s Classical Classic. Be prepared for some top performances when athletes and teams compete at Conley Stadium,
Here’s a few of the events that are of the must-see variety at the state-qualifier.
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Hammer Throw
This is an event that always make a list like this. The reason is simple. Collectively, the Ocean State always seems to have the best throwers in the country. This year is no different. The boys’ hammer features the nation’s 1-3-4 throwers right now with Exeter/West Greenwich’s Owen Spira, North Kingstown’s Jack Harmon and East Greenwich’s Ryan Evans among the competitors. All three, among other talented throwers, are in this competition. Spira, who has been red-hot since the season began, leads our entries with his all-time best of 237 feet, 8 inches from last Saturday’s Sgt. Brian St. Germain Invitational. Harmon (225-7) and Evans (217-9) also had their best efforts at the meet. In all, the top seven athletes on Saturday have seeds that are further than 200 feet. On the all-time U.S. list, Spira’s best ranks No. 16. A throw in the 244-foot range would put him among the top 10. We wouldn’t be surprised if Spira unleashed a big throw like that based on what he’s been doing this spring where he’s been knocking off PRs by big margins. His latest effort was a best by more than five feet.
The girls’ hammer features the 3-4-5-6 throwers in the national rankings with Woonsocket’s Adelaide Caron, Toll Gate’s Vanessa Jones (176-9), Coventry’s Mia Hoskins (175-9) and Woonsocket’s Isabella Piette (174-4) behind the cage this weekend. The Villa Novans’ Caron, the defending state and New Balance Nationals champion, secured the No. 1 spot in the state with her victory at the St. Germain Invite. Her latest effort continues an upward trajectory that’s included a 171-9 effort at the Throwers Pentathlon on April 16 and a 173-4 toss in a dual meet with Cumberland just a few days later.
Boys’ 1,500m
This event could be one of the top events of the meet with the potential for at least two or three runners breaking four minutes. The No. 1 seed is Narragansett’s Cole Francis based on his PR of 3:58.33 from last year’s fourth-place finish at the State Meet. Hendricken’s Colby Flynn is at the two seed with a best of 4:03.81. The Hawk sophomore ran significantly faster for the 1,500m last Friday en route to his school record performance of 4:14.54 at the BSR Elite Scholastic Mile. Barrington’s Myles Napolitano (4:04.0) and La Salle’s Eamon O’Brien (4:05.20) are among others that could make this race very fast on Saturday. Will it be more tactical or will we have an all-out effort? We’re guessing the latter will the field that’s assembled for this event. Keep an eye on O’Brien, who’s having his best season for the Rams. He’s coming off a big win and PR at the inaugural BSR Elite Scholastic 800m where he was timed in 1:52.81.
Girls’ 100m/Long Jump
We’re bunching these two events together because the top seed in each one is the same athlete, and one that has a chance to achieve a pair of milestones on Saturday. Mount Hope junior Thea Jackson came just a half an inch fro 19 feet in the long jump at the St. Germain Invite. Her biggest challenge here will be Exeter/West Greenwich’s Nini Olawuyi, the No. 2 seed at 18-6.5. Jackson is also the favorite in the 100m where she came close to a sub 12-second performance with an all-time best of 12.07. If she does accomplish that, it will make three sprinters under 12 seconds in the 100m with West Warwick’s talented siblings, Lisa and Xenia Raye being the others. Pretty impressive stuff there.The versatile and talented Jackson is also entered in the triple jump. She’s the top seed in that event, too, with a best of 38-3.
Boys’ 4x400m/4×100m
Keep an eye on the clock in both these events. Actually anytime La Salle is entered in these event. If the Rams have their ‘A’ team on Saturday, state records are possible. Two weeks ago at the Penn Relays Carnival, the Rams came close to the state 4x400m record of 3:18.09 by Central, set in 2016. The quartet of Joshua Aceto, Jackson Alves, Thaden Leomensah, and Garrett Giroux-Pezzullo, combined for a time of 3:18.32. The foursome of Aceto, Alves. Giroux-Pezzullo and Jalen Moseley are the No. 1 seed in the 4x100m with a 42.38 best. Last spring this crew won the states in 41.94, which is just clean handoff away from the 2016 mark of 41.86 by the Knights.
Girls’ Javelin
This event features defending state titlist MacKenzie Clearly of Burrillville. The Bronco senior already has a pair of 120-foot efforts this spring, including a PR of 124-1 from her victory at the St. Germain Invite. That effort ranks her No. 14 on the all-time list. A throw in the 130s will put her among the top 10.
