By BOB LEDDY (TAFWA)
R.I. Track & Field Foundation
26 Nov. – – La Salle runnin’ Ram, senior David “D.J.’’ Principe on Saturday punched his second straight ticket to next Saturday’s (3 Dec.) Nike Cross National Championship in Portland, Oregon by way of a record performance at Bowdoin Park.
The Stanford University-bound Principe captured the Nike Cross Northeast Region race at Wappinger Falls, N.Y. in a course-record time of 15 minutes, 18.0 seconds. As such, the La Salle distance ace posted the first-ever under-15:20 time on the Bowdoin Park route, cruising well ahead of the second-place finisher, Jordan Brannan, of Colt’s Neck (15:51). Three hundred and nine boys toed the line.
La Salle placed eighth in team standings; the top two clubs (Brothers TC and Westport Harriers) qualified for Portland.
“I wanted to go out hard,’’ said D.J., who last year at this meet finished third in 15:52. His thoughts on Saturday were not necessarily focused on the meet record. Instead, he said, “I was cranking, going as fast as I could. I felt strong. The course was good, no slippery footing. I’ve had a good deal of success on this course.’’
Indeed, competing at the Bowdoin Classic on the same Wappinger Falls trail last September, Principe went 15:23 – then a course mark – in winning the boys’ Varsity II event.
Earlier this month, “D.J.’’ iced his third consecutive state title, and second New England crown.
For Lawler, a strong effort at Foot Locker Regionals
At the Foot Locker Northeast regional qualifier at Van Cortlandt Park, N.Y. , also on Saturday, South Kingstown junior Ellie Lawler finished 12th in a field of 92 runners; her time was 18:29.5. The top 10 finishers qualify for the national meet next month in San Diego. Alyssa Aldridge, a junior from Linwood, N.J., was the race winner in 17:40.
Last year at this event, Lawler qualified for the U.S. championships with an eighth-place performance (17:57). She went on to earn All-American status in San Diego, finishing 14th on the Balboa Park course.
“It was a very competitive field,’’ Rebel coach Sherry Hathaway said of Saturday’s event. “Ellie ran a great race. She ran the way she’s run all season. She was wiped out at the finish, but she gave it her all.’’ Lawler was in No. 6 position at the one-mile point. She won her second straight Rhode Island harrier title earlier this month.
NXN notables: In the Girls’ Championship run, Westerly junior Randi Burr placed 17th in a field of 229 runners. She clocked 19:15 . . . Portsmouth sophomore Liz Sullivan finished a respectable 30th in the Championship race (19:38) . . . In the Open Division race, North Kingstown – running as Excelllerate North – won the team title. The Skippers’ Wyndon Chace was the first local finisher; seventh in 20:20 . . . La Salle freshman Maxwell Dimuccio, impressive all season, finished No. 20 in the boys’ Championship event (16:28).
NIKE CROSS COUNTRY NORTHEAST QUALIFIER
At Wappinger Falls, N.Y.
GIRLS’ CHAMPIONSHIP
R.I. team results
13, Portsmouth TC 347.
Top R.I. individuals
17, Randi Burr (UNA) 19:15; 30, Liz Sullivan, Portsmouth TC 19:38; 50, Nikki Merrill, Ports. 19:56; 59, Shayna Cousineau (UNA) 20:03; 60, Alyson Walsh, La Salle TC 20:04; 85, Emily Kane, La Salle TC 20:28; 92, Sofia White, Ports. 20:32.
GIRLS’ OPEN
R.I. team
1, Excellerate North 54.
Top R.I. finishers
7, Wyndom Chace, Exc. No. 20:10; 9, Kate Zitzmann (UNA) 20:18; 12, Claire Hanlon (UNA) 20:26; 15, Lily Nunnery Exc. No. 20:35 31, Jamie Hazel, Exc. No. 21:08.
(UNA) = Entered as unattached runner.
BOYS’ CHAMPIONSHIP
R.I. team
8, La Salle TC 290.
Top R.I. finishers
1, DJ Principe, LATC 15:18.0 (Course record); 20, Max Dimuccio, LSTC 16:28; 57, Kyle Keefe, Charger TC 16:56; 58, Joe dosReis, LSTC 16:57; 79, Jordan Dagrin, Hawk TC 17:07; 89, Max Waite, Hawk TC 17:13; 94, Hayden Ivatts, Eagle TC 17:15; 99, Dom Campagna, LATC 17:18.
FOOT LOCKER CROSS N.E. QUALIFIER
At Van Cortlandt, Park, N.Y.
R.I. result
12, Ellie Lawler, S. Kingstown 18:29.