By BOB LEDDY (TAFWA)
R.I. Track & Field Foundation
8 Feb. – – The boys’ indoor track programs at Rogers High has made their presence known on the statewide stage since the Interscholastic League went from a class to a state championship format in 1956. Under coaches such as Charles Gibbons and Jim Grauer – and powered by such stars as high jumpers Tim Walker and Manny Toppins among others – the Vikings won the 1973 state crown, and went on to capture three consecutive titles: 1975, ’76 and ’77. (Walker, a member of the R.I. Interscholastic League Hall of Fame, has held the state indoor high jump record for 41 years with a clearance of 7-1.50 (2.17 meters). Since that run, the last time Rogers boys broke into the top ten in State Meet scoring was in the year 2000, when they placed sixth. Last year at the States, the Vikes failed to score.
But this season’s Rogers program is healthy en route to a definite turnaround. Coach Andrew Martucci’s young men placed second at the Southern Division Championship, downing third-place South Kingstown, 59-56. The Vikings received key points from such as athletes as Levon Chambell in the dash, and K-Ci Joe Rhoden, Bob Henry and Riley Bolan in field events. The team looks to enter this weekend’s Class C championship as contenders. (The Vikings’ last Class A indoor title came in 1977, when they topped Pilgrim 84-72.)
Martucci is in his 10th season at Rogers, both as assistant and head coach.
“When I first started we didn’t have big teams,’’ said Martucci, who competed for Rogers as a shot putter and discus specialist (1998-2002), and who was a member of the URI men’s track team while earning his degree in kinesiology. Martucci coached throws at Newport’s Salve Regina University for three seasons, and began at Rogers in that capacity. “We remained small, never breaking the 25-man roster mark until I became a teacher at Rogers. I feel one of my biggest strengths is recruiting. Track is such a great sport, where there is an event for everyone.’’
Thanks to Martucci’s efforts, there has been steady improvement at the Newport school. “Not until the past few years have I been able to put together the teams strong enough to win team championships,’’ the coach said. We are going for our third Class C championship in the past four years. I have a strong group of guys in the hurdled and jumps,’’ Martucci said, also mentioning hurdler and long jumper Mike Garvey, and Yaqoob Iqbal in the jumps and relays. “They should do well, and I have a strong group of throwers who should do well at the class championship.’’
“Oval Sidebar’’ A Viking retrospective
Over the last 36 years, Rogers has seen its share of top scorers at indoor state meets. The last Viking state champ was in 2002, with Ryan Fitzgerald putting the shot 51-8.25 (15.75). Rob Cochran won the 45-meter hurdles at the 2000 State Championship. Before that, Mike Gibbons was the 1988 state titlist in the shot (53-4.25/16.26). Continuing the Viking strength in the throws, shot putter Rich Ratcliffe got off a winning mark at the ’87 indoor State Meet, at 55-5.25 (16.89). At the same meet, Paul Gaines clocked 6.5 to win the 45-meter hurdles.
The last distance man from Rogers to win a state title was Mike Pieroni in 1985. He went 8:48.2 to win the 3000 meters over Hendricken’s Jim Calcione (9:02.5). Pieroni was also a cross country All-American at the 1984 Foot Locker Nationals.