Principe individual titlist; SK’s Lawler top R.I. girl at No. 2
By BOB LEDDY (TAFWA)
R..I. Track & Field Foundation
14 Nov. – – The cross country programs at La Salle Academy continued to ride the heady wave of supremacy, not only in Rhode Island but regionally as well. For the second straight year, both the boys’ and girls’ teams copped honors on Saturday at the 81st New England Championships. The meet this year was held on the challenging 3.1-mile course – amid wind at snow flurries with temperatures in the 40s – at Thetford Academy in Vermont. La Salle’s squads grabbed it all a week ago at the State Championships at Ponaganset High, their third consecutive crown.
In Vermont, the girls topped 30 teams from five New England states, scoring over powerhouse Coe-Brown of New Hampshire, 60-86. The Ram entered the meet ranked 21st in the country by DyeStat. In the boys’ race it was 14th-ranked La Salle again claiming the team prize, 76-96, over the team from Pinkerton, N.H. Another 30 teams were at the “Woods Trail’’ starting line.
Individually for the boys it was the Rams’ super-poised David “DJ’’ Principe the clear winner. The two-time R.I. champ went 15:48.4 for the gold. Gabe Altopp, of Ridgefield, Conn., came in second at 16:09. “We’d never been up there before with this group of guys,’’ said Ram head coach Ken Skelly. “There was a lot of mental preparation. We told them, “Throw the splits out the window.’’ We didn’t focus on time.’’
“It was kind of a short turn-around from [State Meet last Sunday],’’ Principe said, “but we knew where we wanted to be. The race narrowed off quickly and I just took it out after the first half-mile.’’
“He had excellent control,’’ Skelly said. “He stayed focused on that. Adfter the first half-mile he was in good position.’’
Jack Salisbury, coming strong off an injury that sidelined him for the bulk of the season crossed the finish line fifth in 16:18. Sam Toolin, North Kingstown’s freshman phenom, ppalced sixth in Vermont with a time of 16:19. Toolin placed fourth a week ago in Ponaganset.
Rebs’ Lawler conquers a tough course
In the girls’ 3.1-miler, Rhode Island’s newly-crowned girls’ champ was the top local finisher. South Kingstown impressive sophomore Ellie Lawler clocked 18:32.7 for second place behind nationally-rated distance runner Hannah DeBalsi, of Staples, Conn. DeBalsi, who will be attending Stanford University next fall, hit the tape in 18:20.9.
“She ran a phenomenal race,’’ said Rebel coach Sherry Hathaway of Lawler’s effort. “She ran a strong second half [of race]’’. Lawler, who placed tenth in the region last year, was ready for the challenge.
“It’s a super-hard course,’’ Lawler said, “with lots of ups and downs. I ran the second half harder than the first. I wanted to go out really strong. [Weather conditions’ didn’t affect me that much.’’
The Rebel “long ranger’’ was also aware of DiBalsi, the Connecticut champ. “she stayed in my sights,’’ Lawler said. “I was ahead of her early on, but I just tried to run my own race.’’
La Salle senior Eliza Rego placed fourth in 19:01; teammate Karina Tavares went 19:35 for the No. 12 spot.
R.I. GIRLS’ RESULTS
Teams
1, La Salle 60; 8, N. Kingstown 287; 12, Cumberland 362; 21, Bay View 579; 22, Smithfield 579; 24, E. Greenwich 607.
R.I. finishers
2, Ellie Lawler, SK 18:32; 4, Eliza Rego, LS 19:01; 14, Karina Tavares, LS 19:35; 16, Grace Connolly, Barr. 19:37; 18, Emily Kane, LS 19:38; 31m Beth Nunnery, NK 20:03; 40, Melisa Mc Phillips, Narr. 20:10; 44, Audrey O’Neill, LS 20:15; 48, Danika Wayss, Pil. 20:19; 49, Claire Hanlon, BV 20:19.6; 50, Amy Laverty, Cumb. 20:21; 52, Katy Brayman, NK 20:22; 57, Alyson Walsh, LS 20:24; 58, Lily Ninnery, NK 20:25; 69, Liz La Croix, Char. 20:37; 76, Elise Papazian, LS 20:40; 79, Ana O’Callaghan, Cumb. 20:47; 80, Una Treanor, Smith. 20:47.9; 85, Sydney Bagus, Smith. 20:53; 86, Kalie Bremer, EG 20:54; 91, Kate Zitzmann, Barr. 20:56; 103, Randi Burr, West. 21:05; 112, Julia Dempsey, Cumb. 21:14; 116, Emma Sammartino, NK 21:16; 133, Elizabeth Sullivan, Ports. 21:31; 134, Tea Bishop, Barr. 21:33; 137, Meaghan Scullin, Cumb. 21:34; 144, Sarah Bain, BV 21:38; 145, Colleen Enestvedt, Cumb. 21>38.5; 155, Ashton Deakin, EG 21:42; 160, Cassie Bissitt, Smith. 21:47; 164, Alanah Gaudreau, NK 21:52; 168, Cassie Gendron, BV 21:56; 179, Emma MacDonald, EG 22:09; 182, Grace Henson, Cumb. 22:14; 185, Wyndom Chace, NK 22:16; 194, Abby Reynolds, EG 22:33; 198, Caroline Rocchio, NK 22:25; 199, Sarah Basler, EG 22:37; 200, Emma Shaw, BV 22:37.5; 206, Isabella Muratore, EG 22:40; 213, Lauren Salvadore, EG 22:46; 216, Clara Cruz, BV 22:51; 217, Audra Ravenelle, Smith. 22:51; 221, Kait Votta, Cumb. 23:04; 223, Isabella Cournoyer, Smith. 23:06. Dist. – 3.1.
R.I. BOYS’ RESULTS
Teams
1, La Salle 76; 5, Hendricken 235; 9, Cumberland 299; 11, Barrington 326; 13, E. Greenwich 376; 16, N. Kingstown 406.
R.I. finishers
1, DJ Principe, LS 15:48.4; 5, Jack Salisbury, LS 16:18; 6, Sam Toolin, NK 16:19; 8, Matt Bouthillette, LS 16:23; 10, Dom Parlato, BH 16:36; 12, Ben Drezek, Cumb. 16:39; 27, Charles Berg, MSC 16:55; 31, Alex Campagna, LS 16:58; 40, Mars Bishop, Barr. 17:04; 44, Sean Laverty, Cumb. 17:08; 57, Will Connelly, Barr. 17:16; 63, Alan Greenleaf, Pon. 17:22; 67, Jack Cronin, EG 17:24; 74, Nick Musumeci, NK 17:27; 75, Alex Martinez, LS 17:28; 76, Kyle Keefe, Char. 17:28.8; 80, Zach Durand, Burr. 17:31; 86, Mike Kiernan, BH 17:34; 95, Alec Gannon, EG 17:38; 101, Max Waite, 17:40; 105, Dante Proseda, EG 17:42; 106, Harry Travers, Cumb. 17:42.9; 107, Hayden Ivatts, Barr. 17:43; 108, Tom Mc Mahon, BH 17:43.7; 110, Matt Walker, West. 17:44; 117, Ethan Wyllie, NK 17:50; 119, Grant Auber, Barr. 17:52; 125, Ben Carlisle, LS 17:54; 130, Matt Vinacco, Scit. 17:59; 135, Will Mardo, Cumb. 18:00; 137, Joe Murphy, Class. 18:01; 140, John Pagliaro, Smith. 18:03; 142, Jake Cardello, BH 18:05; 145, Tom Sanzi, EG 18:06; 148, Ryan Mardo, Cumb. 18:07; 157, Dylan DePriest, EG 18:11; 164, Tom Colucci, LS 18:14; 165, Dom Portelli, Barr. 18:14.8; 167, Hank Perretta, EG 18:17; 170, Quinn Vinbury NK 18:23; 181, Jordan Dagrin, BH 18:26; 196, George Wicker, Barr. 18:35; 207, Dan Collard, Cumb. 18:40; 208, Mike O’Brien, NK 18:41; 213, Derek Sullivan, NK 18:44; 215, Eli mitnick, Barr. 18:46; 221, Jim Haupt, Cumb. 18:50; 230, Jack Perreault, NK 19:04. Dist. – 3.1.