“Around the Oval’’/New Balance National meet
LA SALLE RUNNERS ACCOUNT FOR 3, ITS GIRLS’ 4×1-mi. RELAY U.S. CHAMPS; SALISBURY, PRINCIPE POST NEW SRs; KELLY NATIONAL TITLIST IN BOY HT; HOPE GIRLS: STATE RECORD IN 4×200; “Q” McINTOSH COPS SR IN 200 METERS
By BOB LEDDY (TAFWA)
R.I. Track & Field Foundation
21 June – – La Salle Academy’s “long rangers’’ toppled state records in their respective events, while Hope High’s 4×200 relay also eliminated a R.I. standard at the New Balance National Scholastic Track & Field Championships, held in 90-degree heat over three days at the Belk Stadium on the North Carolina A+T University campus in Greensboro.
The Rams carry a United States title back to their Smith Hill-area school. They aced the New Balance championship in the girls’ 4×1-mile relay, clocking a state and New England-record 20 minutes, 14.01 seconds for the victory. The foursome of junior’s Karina Tavares and Eliza Rego, freshman Emily Kane and senior Sheridan Wilbur did the honors for La Salle. Their performance not only betters the 2013 R.I. mark of 20:46.96, set by Barrington, but the New England record of 20:23.20, clocked six years ago by a relay from Newton South High in Massachusetts.
Also emerging as a national champ was Barrington High senior Adam Kelly in the boys’ hammer throw. This marks a clean sweep on the U.S. weight events stage, as the Princeton University-bound Kelly also was last winter’s national indoor champ with the 25-pound weight. At Greensboro over the weekend, Kelly threw the 5.44-kilo ball a winning 241-7 (73.64 meters). He finished third in this competition last year. Repeating a season-long scenario, Kelly found his keenest competition in teammate Bobby Colantonio, who went 236-1 (71.96) for the runner-up spot.
La Salle’s performance in the four-mile relay this weekend currently ranks No. 12 on Track & Field News’s all-time U.S. list. Also significantly, La Salle owns two national 1-mile relay titles; the quartet of Rego, Tavares, Wilbur and Audrey O’Neill posted a state-record time of 20:26.13 at the New Balance Indoor Nationals in New York last March.
On her own over this weekend, meanwhile, Wilbur set a new state record in the girls’ 5000 meters. She placed seventh in 17:11.32; a time that wipes out the 2013 mark of 17:31.20 set by Westerly’s Jackie Burr. In the boys’ 5000, it was La Salle’s DJ Principe going 14:42.91, good for fifth; an All-American berth. Principe’s time eliminated one of numerous state records held by Westerly High distance star Andrew Springer. The Bulldog runner 14:56.46 at the New Balance Nationals of 2007.
La Salle’s other 2015 All-American was Jack Salisbury, who placed fourth in the championship two-mile run; his time was 9:01.85 (= 8:21.9 @ 3000m).
Hope High’s 4×200 relay, with “Q” running anchor, broke the schools’ own R.I. state record by placing second (Section 4) with a time of 1:41.40. Juniors Isis Hack and Chevell Burgess, and seniors Whitney Jackson fronted Mc Intosh. The Blue Wave girls also established a state mark for the Swedish Medley Relay (100, 200, 300, 400) with a time of 2:14.83 for fourth place.
“Q” came back to place sixth in the championship 200 meters with a state-record time of 24.14 (+2.0w).
R.I. All-Americans for 2015: Adam Kelly, Bobby Colantonio, Mike Alvernaz, Barrington; Jared Briere, Woonsocket; DJ Principe, Jack Salisbury, Karina Tavares, Emily Kane, Eliza Rego, Sheridan Wilbur, La Salle; Courtney Jacobsen, Toll Gate; Carly Timpson, Narragansett; Quashira Mc Intosh, Hope.
Maine’s Kate Hall breaks U.S. record in girls’ long jump
At the New Balance meet, Kate Hall, a Lakes Region (Maine) High School senior, not only iced the national girls’ long jump championship, but broke a 39 year-old United States record in the process with her winning leap of 22 feet, 5 inches (0.0w/6.83 meters). The previous mark had been on the books since 1976, when Kathy Mc Millan, of North Carolina, posted a distance of 22-3 (6.78) at a meet in Westwood, Calif.
Hall’s next-to-last jump in Greensboro was 20-11 (6.37), the same distance she attained to win the New England Championships on June 13. Her main competition this weekend, Californian Courtney Corrin, went out at 21-5.50 (6.54), before Hall took the runway for her winning leap. In the NBN 100 meters, Hall placed third in 11.37. She will attend Iowa State in the fall.
R.I. GIRLS’ RESULTS
(“EE’’ designates “Emerging Elite’’ category)
“EE” HT – 2, Carly Timpson, Narragansett 153-3 (46.72 meters); 4, Lysah Russell, Classical 143-11 (43.88); 6, Annika Kelly, Barrington 138-6 (42.23); 8, Samantha Andrews, Lincoln 138-0 (42.07); 9, Tara Rochefort, Woonsocket 134-3 (40.93); 18, Joan Mata, Mt. Pleasant 119-6 (36.43); 20, Katarina Gray, Linc. 119-4 (36.37); 25, Ashley Martinez, Woons. 112-5 (34.26); 31, Tiffany Coble, NK 110-0 (33.52).
HT (Championship) – 4, Courtney Jacobsen, Toll Gate 164-9 (50.22); 4, Timpson 162-9 (49.60); 8, Lauren Swanson, E. Greenwich 160-1 (48.81); 10, Meagan Malloy, Smithfield 157-4 (47.96); 12, Alva Hicks, Classical 156-1 (47.57); 13, Abby Cousens, Portsmouth 155-9 (47.47); 18, Russell 144-0 (43.90); 26, Kelly 135-8 (41.37); 29, Rochefort 132-7 (40.43); 30, Andrews 131-0 (39.93).
“EE” DT – 1, Hicks 136-2 (41.50).
DT (Championship) 29, Hicks 126-0 (38.42).
Frosh. LJ – 23, Laura Murphy, E. Greenwich 15-5 (4.70).
“EE” TJ – 13, Whitney Jackson, Hope 36-11.75 (11.27).
“EE” JT – 14, Paige Olausen, N. Kingstown 107-8M (32.83).
JT (Championship) – 18, Alyssa Colbert, Smithfield 112-3 (34.22).
200 – 6, Quashira Mc Intosh, Hope 24.14 (+2.0w. SR. OR: 24.21, Mc Intosh, 2013).
“EE” 400 – 16, May Stern, Class. 57.31.
Frosh. 400 – 37, Murphy 1:00.90.
“EE” 800 – 17, Nichole Barger, Cumb. 2:17.53.
“EE” Two mile – 4, Beth Nunnery, NK 11:10.79 (= 10:21.3 @ 3000m); 15, Amy Laverty, Cumb. 11:29.45 (= 10:38.4 @ 3000m).
Frosh. Two mile – 11, Grace Connolly, Barrington 11:37.31 (= 10:45.8 @ 3000m).
5000 – 7, Sheridan Wilbur, La Salle 17:11.32 (SR. OR: 17:31.20, Jackie Burr, Westerly 2013).
“EE” 400IH – 12, Chevell Burgess, Hope 1:04.41.
4×200 – 2, (S4) Hope (Isis Hack, Whitney Jackson, Burgess, Mc Intosh) 1:41.40. (SR. OR: 1:49.95, Hope 2009.)
“EE” 4×100 – 5, Hope 48.74.
R.I. BOYS’ RESULTS
(“EE” designated “Emerging Elite’’ category)
HT – (Championship) – 1, Adam Kelly, Barrington 241-7 (73.64 meters); 2, Bobby Colantonio, Barr. 236-1 (71.96); 3, Owen Russell, Moses Brown 220-9 (67.29); 5, Mike Alvernaz, Barr. 198-3 (60.43); 6, Jared Briere, Woonsocket 195-8 (59.65); 11, Joe Taylor, Lincoln 173-3 (52.80); 13, Jacob Greenless, Woons. 170-4 (51.92); 16, Dilyn Cote, Woons. 163-1 (49.70).
“EE” HT – 2, Mike Coppolino, Cumberland 174-2 (53.10); 3, Greenless 172-5 (52.56); 4, Cote 170-11 (52.11); 13, Bonilla Alexus, Prov. 148-8 (45.32); 25, Evan Grivers, Linc. 123-5 (37.63).
“EE” JT – 34, Taylor 151-7 (46.20).
Frosh. 100 – 42, Max Prescott, Warwick 11.75.
“EE” Mile – 7, Sean Laverty, Cumb. 4:30.92 (= 4:10.9 @ 1500m).
5000 – 5, DJ Principe, La Salle 14:.42.91 (SR. OR: 14:56.46, Andrew Springer, Westerly 2007).
Two mile – 4, Jack Salisbury, La Salle 9:01.35 (= 8:21.9 @ 3000m); 10, Matt Bouthillette, LS 9:21.97 (= 8:40.4 @ 3000m).
“EE’’ DMR – 2, Cumberland 10:25.24.