NK’s Beth Nunnery top Rhode Islander in girls’ Champ race;
Ben Drezek, of Cumberland: 1st R.I. boys’ Champ runner
By BOB LEDDY (TAFWA)
R.I. Track & Field Foundation
26 Sept. – – Sam Toolin is perfect at Goddard Park and the Ocean State Cross Country Invitational. North Kingstown’s talented young harrier won the middle school races at this event each of his last three appearances; as a 6th, 7th and – last year at this time – an 8th grader.
On Saturday, at the ninth edition of the Ocean State event in perfect fall conditions at Goddard, Toolin made it 4-for-4 by winning the Freshman II Division 4K run in 12 minutes 53.9 seconds. The second-place runner – Eli Gappelberg, of Lexington, Mass. – hit the tape in 13:34.
In the girls’ Division I varsity 3.1-miler, Westerly High sophomore Randi Burr went 19:14.4 for the victory. Finishing behind Burr was Greenwich Central’s Brynne Wright in 19:17.
The Championship Girls’ Division saw the Skippers’ Beth Nunnery as the first Rhode Islander over the line. Nunnery, who placed third overall in last year’s Championship race, today placed 10th; her time was18:57. Margie Cullenn, of Needham, Mass. Won the race in 18:10.
In the boys’ Championship Division, the top local harrier was soccer transplant Ben Drezek, of Cumberland. Drezk clocked 16:23 for the 11th spot. Guilderland’s Noah Carey went 15:38 for the win.
“I went out poorly today,’’ said Nunnery, a coaches association first-team all-state selection (sixth place) last fall. “I went hard the first mile (5:45 split). I tried to stay with the pack. It’s still pretty early [in the 2015 season],’’ she said. “I’m still trying to get my times down.’’
Burr, who placed seventh in the state last November to earn coaches all-state honors, entered Saturday’s Varsity One race having copped the freshman title last year (15:40). “I had a good lead into the woods, said Burr, the latest in a long line of Westerly distance greats. “I was 30 meters in back [2 ½ miles into the race]. I made my kick. I found it somewhere.’’
The Clippers’ Drezek had played soccer in the fall, before switching to cross country this season. He runs track as well. He ran his 16:23 time on a 5:16 mile pace.
“Around the Course’’ sidebar
SKIPPERS’ TOOLIN COMMITTED TO SUCCESS
“He really has a passion for the sport.’’
Such was the assessment of freshman Sam Toolin given by his coach, Paul Tetreault, who in his many years of guiding prep runners has seen his share of talented athletes. “He’s very mature for a freshman.’’
Toolin is the Skippers’ No. 1 this season, and has proven his mettle. He’s undefeated in dual meet runs thus far this fall, and handily won Saturday’s Freshman Division race with a 4-kilomter time on the Goddard Park course of 12:53.
“It feels really good,’’ said Toolin, who, at the age of eight, caught the running bug from his father. “I’m thankful to have this gift.’’
He’s aiming high. “I’m hoping to be in the top five at the State meet,’’ said Toolin, whose P-R to this point is 15:18, clocked at Ryan Park in North Kingstown. He began the 2015 campaign by winning the freshman race at the Injury Fund relays earlier this month.
“He’s a rare breed,’’ coach Tetreault said of Toolin. “He loves to race, and that makes it better for everyone. We have a corps of guys who are close; not just in times. Sam is all about team. He has confidence.’’
Not surprisingly, Toolin plan to run indoor and outdoor track as his freshman year progresses.
GIRLS
Championship Division
R.I. team
6, N. Kingstown 153.
R.I. finishers (w/overall place)
1 (10) Beth Nunnery, NK 18:57; 2 (13) Marissa Mc Phillips, Narr. 19:13; 3 (21) Emma Sammartino, NK 19:41; 4 (24) Amy Laverty, Cumb. 19:49; 5 (38) Katy Btayman, NK 20:18; 6 (46) Lily Nunnery, NK 20:49; 7 (55) Meaghan Scullin, Cumb. 21:09; 8 (57) Carolina Rocchio, NK 21:12; 9 (76) Allanah Gaudreau, NK 21:58; 10 (77) Julia Martone, NK 21:59. Dist. – 3.1.
Varsity I Division
R.I. teams
13, Westerly 387; 14, Wheeler 408; 16, Bay View 439; 17, Prout 443; 24, Toll Gate 588; 26, Moses Brown 671; 27, N. Smithfield732.
Top 10 R.I. finishers (w/overall place)
1 (1) Randi Burr, West. 19:14; 2 (20) Camila Michaels, Wheeler 20:24; 3 (42) Kyla Raos, Linc. Sch. 21:29; 4 (45) Sarah Levine, MB 21:41; 5 (46) Anastasia Psilos, Prout 21:42; 6 (47) Amy Harff, Wheeler 21:42.2; 7 (53) Meg O’Brien, MH 21:50; 8 (Sophoa Maynard, TG 22:02; 9 (64) (Sarah Bain, BV 22:19; 10 (80) Cassie Gendron, BV 22:52.
Varsity II Division
R.I. teams
18, Barrington 421; 19, Chariho 469; 20, Coventry 473; 28, Cr. West 776.
Top 10 R.I. finishers (w/overall place)
1 (4) Julia Zitzmann, Barr. 19:21; 2 (5) Danika Wayss, Pil. 19:24; 3 (9) Kate Zitzmann, Barr. 19:48; 4 (30) Natalie Keefe, Char. 20:49; 5 (31) Liz LaCroix, Char. 20:51; 6 (45) Amanda L’Esperance, Linc. 21:17; 7 (49) Sam Leal, Linc. 21:19; 8 (62) Lauren Jacobs, Cov. 21:30; 9 (94) Jade Wilcox, Cov. 22:10; 10 (103) Kaci Perry, Cov. 22:23.
JV I Division
R.I. teams
7, Wheeler 184; 11, Westerly 301.
Top 10 R.I. finishers (w/overall place)
1 (11) Amelia Nishimura, Wheeler 22:58; 2 (24) Bri Wu, Wheeler 24:27; 3 (63) Renee Cordio, West. 26:57; 4 (Fran Kamara, Wheeler 27:00; 5 (80) Alana Juan, Wheeler 27:51; 6 (86) Johnson Cooper,. Wheeler 28:07; 7 (92) Caeles Garvey, West. 28:27; 8 (98) Quinn Chappelle, West/ 28:54; 9 (100) Julie Smith, West. 29:20; 10 (104) Mirada Moss, Prout 30:14.
JV II Division
R.I. teams
4, N. Kingstown 133; 12, Coventry 336; 20, Cr. West 625.
Top 10 R.I. finishers (w/overall place)
1 (7) Quillyn Smith, NK 21:18; 2 (17) Jamie Hazel, NK 21:58; 3 (21) Lila Suryanarayan, NK 22:02; 4 (42) Kait Breaerd, Cov. 22:57; 5 (58) Kayla Lavallee, Cov. 23:24; 6 (69) Erin Corcoran, NK 23:34; 7 (77) Maura Reilly, NK 23:43; 8 (78) Sophie Cleland, NK 23:44; 9 (80) Kate Spitalnic, NK 23:48; 10 (88) Allie Lenox, NK 23:58.
Freshman II race
R.I. teams
3, Barrington 78; 5, N. Kingstown 143; 7, Coventry 182.
Top 5 R.I. finishers (w/overall finishers)
1 (5) Chris Curran, Barr. 17:02; 2 (8) Keara Fontaine, NK17:14; 3 (11) Hannah Petrone, NK 17:33; 4 (21) Lily Stefanik, Barr. 18:21; 5 (29) Alyssa D’Ercole, CW 18:52.
BOYS
Championship Division
R.I. teams
7, Cumberland 187; 11, Barrington 224.
R.I. finishers (w/overall place)
1 (11) Ben Drezek, Cumb. 16:23; 2 (25) Mars Bishop, Barr. 16:39; 3 (30) Will Connelly, Barr. 16:45; 4 (35) Ethan Wyllie, NK 16:50; 5 (39) Will Mardo, Cumb. 17:01; 6 (40) Nick Musumeci, NK 17:01; 7 (49) Harry Travers, Cumb. 17:15; 8 (50) Quinn Vinbury, NK 17:15; 9 (52) Ryan Mardo, Cumb. 17:18; 10 (57) Grant Auber, Barr. 17:27; 11 (59) Jim Haupt, Cumb. 17:30; 12 (60) Mike O’Brien, NK 17:32; 13 (65) Derek Sullivan, NK 17:34; 14 (67) Hayden Ivatts, Barr. 17:35; 15 (69) Eli Mitnick, Barr. 17:36; 16 (71) Kylie Creamer, Cumb. 17:41; 17 (75) Alex Norris, NK 17:45; 18 (78) Matt Osmanski, NK 17:46; 19 (82) Dom Portelli, Barr. 17:51; 20 (93) George Wicker, Barr. 17:52. Dist. – 3.1.
Varsity I Division
R.I. teams
8, E. Greenwich 336; 16, Westerly 471; 18, Toll Gate 483; 19, Wheeler 498; 27, EWG 654; 29, St. Raphael 768; 30, Mt. Hope 812; 31, Moses Brown 840.
Top 10 R.I. finishers (w/overall place)
1 (23) Trent Walker, EWG 17:25; 2 (37) Nick Cehelsky, TG 17:46; 3 (54) Riley Rancourt, MH 18:13; 4 (58) Ivatts 18:18; 5 (65) George Ward, Wheeler 18:23; 6 (68) Willy Por, EG 18:31; 7 (74) Nick Regadas, TG 18:39; 8 (75) Mike Matt, Wheeler 18:39.7; 9 (76) Liam Carberry, Narr. 18:40; 10 (78) Matt Plympton, EG 18:42.
Varsity II division
R.I. teams
15, Coventry 403; 2,4 Cr. West 746.
Top 10 R.I. finishers (w/overall place)
1 (58) Trevor Campbell., Cov. 17:54; 2 (74) Jared Wheeler, Cov. 18:07; 3 (79) Cam Frrazier, Cov. 18:10; 4 (92) JP Adourian, Cov. 18:28; 5 (95) Brandon Lawton, Pil. 18:29; 6 (98) Dean Russo,. Pil. 18:33; 7 (102) Mike O’Connell, Cov. 18:37; 8 (120) Ed Cascella, Pil. 18:51; 9 (126) Zach Najarian, Cov. 18:57; 10 (127) Joe Pelletier, Cov. 18:58.
JV I Division
R.I. teams
10, Wheeler 258; 12, E. Greenwich 308; 17, Westerly 431; 19, Moses Brown 462.
Top 10 R.I. finishers (w/overall place)
1 (10) Quin Mason, EG 19:06; 2 (51) Dave Steller, Wheeler 20:34; 3 (54) Cooper Bennett, Wheeler 20:41; 4 (57) Oscar Bruno, Wheeler 20:44; 5 (63) Andy Lee, Wheeler 20:52; 6 (68) Kyle Riggs, EG 21:07; 7 (Harry Preston, EG 21;07; 8 (70) Ben Calitri, West. 21:10; 9 (78) Zach Adams, Wheeler 21:36; 10 (85) Fred Butler, Wheeler 21:49.
JV II Division
R.I. teams
6, N. Kingstown 199; 8, Barrington 272; 9, Cumberland 277; 15, Coventry 417.
Top 10 R.I. finishers (w/overall place)
1 (19) Max Augustin, Barr. 18:10; 2 (28) Mike Emby, NK 18:15; 3 (29) Noah Tellier, NK 18:16; 4 (35) Nick Crowe, Cumb. 18:26; 5 (38) Tony Oliveri, Cumb. 18:27; 6 (39) Randol Denny, NK 18:28; 7 (40) Shaye Anis, Barr. 18:29; 8 (47) Ken Abeywardane, NK 18:32; 9 (51) Chris Lally, Cumb. 18:35; 10 (65) Cam Roth, Cov. 18:44.
Freshman II race
R.I. teams
2, N. Kingstown 133; 6, Barrington 212; 8, Cumberland 223; 16, Chariho 413; 17, Coventry 434; 18, Cr. West 449; 22, Lincoln 599.
Top 5 R.I. finishers (w/overall place)
1 (1) Sam Toolin, NK 12:53; 2 (4) Jack Perreault, NK 13:46; 3 (11) Dan Collard, Cumb. 14:20; 4 (18) Brian Donohue, Barr. 14:38; 5 (25) Jim Gunness, Barr. 14:48.