By BOB LEDDY (TAFWA)
R.I. Track & Field Foundation
6 Nov. – – What was not on David “DJ” Principe’s mind as he competed in Sunday’s State Cross Country Championship at Ponaganset High:
*Trying for a his third straight – and unprecedented – individual title.
*Attempting to better his own course record.
*Maintaining a national ranking.
Instead, the amazing La Salle senior cruised at his customary precision-like pace, keeping everything else blocked out as best he could, while working hard to keep the RIIL team trophy in “Ram County”.
And the Stanford University-bound “long ranger’’ bull’s-eyed all four milestones.
Leading all the way, Principe clocked 14:56.09 in cool, overcast conditions at Ponaganset, topping the 15:09.57 “Covered Bridge’’ course mark he posted at the ’15 States. In addition, he also became the first male runner in meet history to cop three consecutive gold medals, while leading his team to consecutive title No. 3.
In the girls’ championship event, South Kingstown’s impressive junior Ellie Lawler won her second individual title in a row with an 18-minute-flat performance.
Principe workmanlike on the trail
“I felt good,’’ the La Salle star said, after leading the field wire-to-wire, and turning a first-mile split of 4:35. “There was a solid wind out there.’’ As for his name possibly going into tnhe record books, “DJ’’ said: “I tried not to think about it. I tried not to get wrapped up in that.
“I tried not to think of [others in the race],’’ Principe said. “I just wanted to get out fast and win the team [trophy]. My main focus was that one [team] point. I had fun out there.’’
“I thought it was a key performance,’’ said La Salle coach Ken Skelly, “an all-out effort. He wasn’t thinking about records.’’
Sunday was, unfortunately, not the best day for North Kingstown’s Sam Toolin. Though he looked strong at the start, the Skipper sophomore wound up finishing 23rd (16:42). “It was a bad race,’’ a plainly dejected Toolin said afterwards. “I went out maybe a little too fast.’’
Finishing second in the boys’ run was Barrington senior Mars Bishop (15:53). Bishop was No. 12 in the state last year. La Salle’s promising freshman Max Dimuccio clocked in at third (15:57), while Ben Drezek, a Cumberland senior, finishing fifth (16:05. Rounding out the firs coaches all-state team were: the Rams’ Joe dos Reis (5th, 16:14); East Greenwich senior Jackson Cronin in sixth spot (16:16), and Kyle Keefe, a Chariho senior, in seventh (16:17).
Strong effort by Rebels’ Lawler
Going out quickly at the gun, Lawler ran a tactical race against an equally-talented Randi Burr, the Westerly junior. As with Principe, Lawler came into Sunday’s event as defending champ. And, as with the La Salle runner, Lawler kept extraneous matters secondary while posting a 5:35 mile pace.
“I tried not to focus on anything,’’ she said. “I wanted to enjoy it. I was a little nervous at first. “I knew Randi would be tough competition and that motivated me. [Weather] was pefect conditions’’
“Pretty good,’’ was how the Bulldogs’ Burr assessed her performance. “I went out hard and tried to challenge for the win.’’
Ram junior Grace Connolly placed third in 18:40, while teammate Emily Kane was No. 4 in 18:42. Portsmouth’s fabulous sophomore Liz Sullivan improved her finish by 12 places over last year. The Patriot runner clocked 18:42 for fifth spot on Sunday. Sullivan has bridged 18 years since Portsmouth had a dominant runner in Laura Tuners. Similarly, Cranston East senior Shayna Cousineau brought ‘Bolt female harrier glory back after many years, finishing sixth on Sunday in 18:52.
Course note: The New England Championships return to Ponaganset next Saturday after a five year haitus.
GIRLS’ RESULTS
Team scores
1, La Salle 63; 2, Bay View 116; 3, S. Kingstown 131; 4, N. Kingstown 136; 5, Portsmouth 144; 6, E. Greenwich 169; 7, Westerly 209; 8, Smithfield 211; 9, Cumberland 217; 10, Barrington 218; 11, Coventry 290; 12, Toll Gate 335; 13, Lincoln 342; 14, Prout 364; 15, Cr. East 416; 16, N. Smithfield 422; 17, Burrillville 434; 18, Ponaganset 470.
Top 50 finishers
1, Ellie Lawler, SK 18:00.7; 2, Randi Burr, West. 18:12; 3, Grace Connolly, LS 18:40; 4, Emily Kane, LS 18:42; 5, Liz Sullivan, Ports. 18:42; 6, Shayna Cousineru, CE 18:52; 7, Alyson Walsh, LS 19:07; 8, Kate Zitzmann, Barr. 19:08; 9, Claire Hanlon, BV 19:28; 10, Una Treanor Smith. 19:37; 11, Lily Nunnery, NK 19:38; 12, Wyndom Chace, NK 19:40; 13, Nikki Merrill, Ports. 19:42; 14, Kata Cummings, West. 19:53; 15, Liz La Croix, Char. 20:00; 16, Kalie Bremer, EG 20:01.2; 17, Sydney Bagus, Smith. 20:01.6; 18, Emily Watson, LS 20:02; 19, Kali Vanderlaan, SK 20:03; 20, Clara Cruz, BV 20:04.1; 21, Emma Shaw, BV 20:04.7; 22, Sarah Bain, BV 20:04.7; 23, Sophia Mayo, Prout 20:08.2; 24, Sam Leal, Linc. 20:08.7; 25, Sofia White, Ports. 20:12.
26, Kyle Fish, SK 20:15; 27, Sophia Maynard, TG 20:21; 28, Leah Chace, EG 20:22; 29, Ashlyn Maio, Smith. 20:23; 30, Abby Murdock, West. 20:24; 31, Katy Brayman, NK 20:27.3; 32, Ella Hanley, MH 20:27.8; 33, Bryn Shunney, EG 20:28; 34, Sydney Decesare, LS 20:30; 35, Jamie Hazel, NK 20:31; 36, Emily Haviland, Cumb. 20:32; 37, Abby Cobb, SK 20:34; 38, Vickie Thurley, NS 20:35.3; 39, Adah Anderson, Cumb. 20:35.8; 40, Brooke Forcier, LS 20:41; 41, Colleen Enestvedt, Cumb. 20:43; 42, Ana O’Callaghan, Cumb. 20:46; 43, Leinni Valdez, Hope 20:47; 44, Isabella Regine, Cov. 20:48; 45, Natalie Keefe, Char. 20:50; 46, Abby Gerrish, MB 20:55; 47, Lily Van Petten, Ports. 20:56; 48, Ana Caliri, EG 20:57; 49, Caitlin Randall, Cov. 20:58; 50, Michele Renzi, LS 20:59. Dist. – 3.1.
BOYS’ RESULTS
Team scores
1, La Salle 34; 2, Hendricken 69; 3, Barrington 115; 4, Chariho 124; 5, E. Greenwich 150; 6, N. Kingstown 182; 7, Cumberland 219; 8, Ponaganset 261; 9, Burrillville 273; 10, Lincoln 294; 11, Prout 318; 12, Smithfield 323; 13, Scituate 330; 14, S. Kingstown 355; 15, Classical 360; 16, Toll Gate 365; 17, Coventry 409; 18, Portsmouth 466.
Top 50 finishers
1, DJ Principe, LS 14:56.1 (CR. OR: 17:09, Principe 2015); 2, Mars Bishop, Barr. 15:53; 3, Max Mimuccio, LS15:57; 4, Ben Drezek, Cumb. 16:05; 5, Joe dos Reis LS 16:14; 6, Jackson Cronin, EG 16:16; 7, Kyle Keefe, Char. 16:17; 8, Matt Walker, West. 16:27; 9, Nik Reygadas, TG 16:31; 10, Jordan Dagrin, BH 16:32.2; 11, Hayden Ivatts, Barr. 16:32.4; 12, Elijah Akindolie, Hope 16:32.7; 13, Aidan Tierney, BH 16:33.1; 14, Dom Campagna, LS 16:33.3; 15, Tom Colucci, LS 16:33.7; 16, Max Waite, BH 16:34; 17, Evan O’Neil, Char. 16:35.2; 18, Garrett Miller, Char. 16:35.8; 19, Sean Meehan, BH 16:37; 20, Jon Iamarone, BH 16:38; 21, Dan Ruggiero, BH 16:39; 22, Connor O’Marra, LS 16:41; 23, Sam Toolin NK 16:42; 24, Noah Tellier, NK 16:43; 25, Eliot Laidlaw, Barr. 16:44.3.
26, Willy Por, EG 16:44.7; 27, Jack Sommer, EG 16:45; 28, Ryan Mardo, Cumb. 16:47; 29, Ben Carlisle, LS 16:49; 30, Jeff Pichie, Burr. 16:50; 31, Nate Coogan, NP 16:51; 32, Sam Harwood, Pon. 16:52.4; 33, Jon Wahl, Pon. 16:52.7; 34, John Pagliaro, Smith. 16:54; 35, Jonny Eckel, Prout 16:54; 36, Matt Vinacco, Scit. 17:01.1; 37, Dan Collard, Cumb. 17:01.3; 38, Joe Poccia, Scit. 17:01.7; 39, Nick Januario, MH 17:04; 40, Cam Doherty, Prout 17:06; 41,
Eli Mitnick, Barr. 17:07; 42, John Fuller, NK 17:08.3; 43, Aidan Enright, Linc. 17:08.3; 44, Ed Golas, Char. 17:08.9; 45, Cam Charron, Burr. 17:11; 46, Nick Cehelsky, TG 17:13; 47, Brian Donahue, Barr. 17:15; 48, Conor Murphy, Class. 17:16; 49, Joe O’Rourke, Class. 17:17.1; 50, Tim Champlin, Class. 17:17.4. Dist. – 3.1.