La Salle becomes 5th school to win both crowns
By BOB LEDDY (TAFWA)
R.I. Track & Field Foundation
2 Nov. – – This season’s three coaches polls, conducted by the R.I. Track & Field Foundation, consistently predicted that the La Salle Academy girls’ and boys’ cross country teams would emerge from the 2014 State Championship as standard-bearers. On a blustery and wintry Sunday afternoon at Ponaganset High on its “Covered Bridge’’ 3.1-mile course, the nationally-ranked Rams decisively validated that prophecy by winning titles in both races. The girls were 39-95 victors over second-place Barrington, while the La Salle boys bested defending state champs Hendricken, 25-47. The Rams took six of the first 10 finishing positions.
Both races were also slanted toward youth in those earning first and second-team All-State merits. The girls’ championship featured 11 underclassmen in the top 14. Only half of the boys’ top 14 field were seniors.
Individually, La Salle’s DJ Principe and Barrington High’s Emma Mc Millan won gold medals; Mc Millan for the third straight year. Mc Millan clocked 17:47.8. Principe hit the tape in 15:37.1.
The Rams emerged as the fifth school since the inception of girls’ cross country in 1971 to cop both championships. North Kingstown was the last school to pull off a double; that was in 2006.
GIRLS’ RESULTS
Team scores
1, La Salle 39; 2, Barrington 95; 3, N. Kingstown 115; 4, Cumberland 115; 5, S. Kingstown 122; 6, Smithfield 184; 7, E. Greenwich 186; 8, Westerly 242; 9, Chariho 266; 10, Burrillville 275; 11, Coventry 280 12, Bay View 320; 13, Portsmouth 344; 14, Moses Brown 401; 15, Lincoln 4-5; 16, Scituate 4-6; 17, Mt. St. Charles 468; 18, Classical 488.
BOYS’ RESULTS
Team scores
1, La Salle 25; 2, Hendricken 47; 3, E. Greenwich 102; 4, Cumberland 129; 5, Barrington 129; 6, Chariho 168; 7, N. Kingstown 231; 8, Scituate 258; 9, Prout 263; 10, Smithfield 273; 11, Ponaganset 3-6; 12, Mt. St. Charles 353; 13, Lincoln 355; 14, Toll Gate 366; 15, S. Kingstown 410; 16, Coventry 439; 17, Portsmouth 449; 18, Tolman 546.