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Around the Oval with Bob Leddy

Bob Leddy
Bob Leddy, RIT&FF Correspondent

A retired sports writer and past track official, Bob Leddy covered high school and college cross-country and track & field for twenty years with the Providence Journal. He is currently the correspondent for the Rhode Island Track & Field Foundation, and graciously continues to provide informative and interesting notes and commentary to the RITCA website.

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Class Meets Held Statewide

Falcon vaulter James Strawderman breaks state mark 2nd time in week

23 May 2010 – James Strawderman, Cranston West’s sui generis pole vaulter, keeps heading up, up and away in his quest to meet the 4.88-meter frontier. At the boys’ Class A Championship on Saturday, Strawderman cleared the bar a winning 4.75 meters (15 feet, 7 inches). In doing so, the Falcon senior broke his own recently-achieved state record by three inches, at the 15 May Classical Classic. Strawderman’s next competition is coming up this Saturday (29 May) at the Hendricken Invitational.

In Class meet highlights:

Rams, Rebels, Sentinels take team prizes

La Salle topped second-place North Kingstown, 155-105 for the Class A team title. The Rams’ Dakota Dailey-Harris won three events (high jump, triple jump and 200 meters), while teammate Amanda Terry took a pair of gold medals in both hurdles events. Molly Keating, La Salle’s distance ace, captured the 800 (2:19.7) and the 1500; the latter a battle with Cranston West’s Arianna Colella. Keating was timed in 4:46.9, while Colella came through in a school-record 4:49.2. The Rams also took all three relays.

In Class B, defending state titlists South Kingstown scored 182 points, to Barrington’s 129.5. Hope’s Angie Quiah won the 200 (25.7) and 400-meter runs (56.8). The Eagles’ Sarah Barry clocked 4:44.5 to win the 1500 over teammate Abigail Jones (4:47.6). Stephanie Beaudette, of Bay View, was the victor in the 3000 (10:06.8).

Smithfield downed second-place East Greenwich, 173-153, for the Class C championship. The Sentinels’ Georgia Elgar won the discus and javelin, and placed second in the shot. Jaimee Dorsey gave the Avengers 30 points, thanks to wins in the long jump, the 100 and 400. Central Falls, which came in third in team scoring, picked up 20 points from Aleide Fernandes. Fernandes won the hammer at 45.69 meters (149-11), and put the shot 10.26 meters (33-8).

Boys’ Class titles to Hendricken, Barrington, Classical and East Greenwich

Once again, the Hawks scored heavily in the throws, with Max Milder winning both the hammer and discus. Teammate Dan Freeman was gold in the shot and javelin. La Salle’s Kadeem Kushimo wemt 6.40 meters to win the long jump, and added 20 more points for the Rams with wins in the 100 and 200. In the 100 dash, Kushimo clocked a hand-held 10.5.

Barrington got by South Kingstown 154-142 for the Class B title. Eagle speedster Mike Read clocked 10.8 to win the 100, and went 22.9 for the win in the 200. Chariho’s Innocent Jacob was golden in the high jump and triple jump. The Chargers placed third in team scoring with a strong 125. In Class C competition, the Purple gathered 155 points for the team prize. Jerrel Forbes, of Classical, won both hurdles races. Westerly (third in team scoring) won three of the top six places in the discus, headed by Jeremy Octeau’s 46.38-meter win.

It was the Avengers, 139-129, over second-place Ponaganset in Class D action. Rogers placed a creditable third place with 128 points. Mike Mulligan won the hammer with a toss of 48.69 meters (159-9), and the Vikings’ Divon Baily was the meet’s triple gold medalist with wins in the high, long and triple jump competition. His mark in the high jump was an impressive 1.98 meters (6-6).East Greenwich’s Nick Ross went 3:57.6 to handily win the 1500, and was victorious in the 800 (2:04.9).

Oval Note: The Hendricken Invitational is set for next Saturday in Hawk Country . . . The girls will be at Conley Stadium, Providence, for the Mount Pleasant Invitational, formerly the performance meet.

Girls

Class A

Team scores

1, La Salle 155; 2, N. Kingstown 105; 3, Pilgrim 59; 4, Cr. West 52; 5, Cumberland 44; 6, Classical 40; 7, Coventry 35; 8, Chariho 27; 9, Woonsocket 23; 10, Cr. West 22; 11, E. Providence 18; 12, Tolman 8; 13, Mt. Pleasant 1.

Individual results

Class B

Team scores

1, S. Kingstown 182; 2, Barrington 129.5; 3, Toll Gate 85; 4, Hope 62; 5, Bay View 32; 6, Shea 24; 7, (tie) Westerly and W. Warwick 21; 9, Portsmouth 12; 10, Warwick 10; 11, Lincoln 9; 12, N. Providence 1.5.

Individual results

Class C

Team scores

1, Smithfield 173; 2, E. Greenwich 153; 3, Central Falls 70; 4, Ponaganset 39; 5, Rogers 34; 6, Mt. St. Charles 32; 7, Ex./W. Greenwich 30; 8, Prout 22; 9, Burrillville 15; 10, Narragansett 9; 11, St. Raphael 5; 12, Middletown 2.

Individual results

Boys

Class A

Team scores

1, Hendricken 236; 2, La Salle 90; 3, Cumberland 60.5; 4, E. Providence 56; 5, N. Kingstown 54; 6, Woonsocket 35; 7, Cr. West 30; 8, Coventry 25.5; 9, Cr. East 1.

Individual results

Class B

Team scores

1, Barrington 154; 2, S. Kingstown 142; 3, Chariho 125; 4, Central 52; 5, Hope 28; 6, Pilgrim 24; 7, Tolman 20; 8, Mt. Hope 17; 9, Warwick 13; 10, Mt. Pleasant 11.

Individual results

Class C

Team scores

1, Classical 155; 2, Portsmouth 97; 3, Westerly 96; 4, W. Warwick 71; 5, Central Falls 50; 6, Lincoln 42; 7, N. Providence 40; 8, Shea 19; 9, Toll Gate 10; 10, Burrillville 1.

Individual results

Class D

Team scores

1, E. Greenwich 139; 2, Ponaganset 129; 3, Rogers 128; 4, Smithfield 58; 5, Narragansett 36; 6, Mt. St. Charles 35; 7, St. Raphael 24; 8, N. Smithfield 16; 9, Middletown 10; 10, Prout 6; 11, Ex./W. Greenwich 3.

Individual results
*All times hand-held.


Mark Strawderman Sets New State PV Mark;
Hendricken, Classical Take Meet Titles

16 May 2010 – It was only a matter of time before Cranston West pole vaulter extraordinaire James Strawderman would break the state record in that event - his state record, that is.

Yesterday at the annual Classical Classic meet for boys, held at Conley Stadium in Providence, Strawderman, a senior, made it happen. The University of Rhode Island-bound Strawderman cleared the bar at 4.67 meters (15 feet, 4 inches) surpassing his previous state standard by one inch. (Strawderman broke Brad Holtz’ state pole vault record last year at the Hendricken Invitational).

The Classical meet traditionally breaks events into Large and Small categories. Hendricken took the Large School team title, and the host Purple handily won the Small School championship.

Strawderman’s achievement highlighted a day in which other notable performances took place. In the Large School portion of the meet, Chariho junior Innocent Jacob won gold in the high jump (1.98 meters/6 feet, 6 inches) and the long jump (6.93/22-9). Central’s Craig Amado went 13.63 meters (44-9) in winning the Large bracket triple jump, and beat out teammate Jose Ortiz for the win in the 400. Amado posted a 50.4 to Ortiz’ 50.7. Amado also ran a leg on the Knights’ winning 4x100 relay; a meet-record 3;24.7. Kadeem Kushimo, the La Salle senior, clocked 10.3 to win the 100 meters.

In the Large Schools 1500, Cranston West’s Bob Allen waged a back-and-forth with Hendricken’s Brian Doyle and Jake Sienko. But it was the Falcon junior hitting the tape in 4 minutes, 2.4 seconds. Doyle finished second (4:03.0) and Sienko third in 4:03.5. Ram junior Zach Fraielli posted a 1:58.1 to take the 800.

Central Falls sophomore Steve Vazquez won the Small Schools high jump at 1.93 (6-4), while Ponaganset’s Nick Keeling improved on his javelin marks this season, winning the Classic Small Schools competition with a throw of 59.53 meters (195-4).

The Purple’s Allen Moise was a double winner in both horizontal jumps. Moise, a junior, won the long jump at 6.03 meters (19-9.50), and the triple with a distance of 12.16 (39-11). Westerly sophomore Jeremy Octeau dominated the discus competition with a winning toss of 44.70 (146-8). His teammate John DiGangi ran 53.0 to win the 400.

Oval Notes: It had come to our attention - through RITFF chief Rick Marshall - that the boys’ state outdoor shot put record does not, after all, belong to Classical’s Charles Ajootian. A letter Marshall received from Ajootian “clearly states that he does not own the outdoor record.’’ It was listed at 18.97 meters (62 feet, 3 inches), and was credited to Ajootian from a Hendricken Invitational meet in 1964. Ajootian “affirms that he never threw 62-3 at the Hendricken Invitational . . . and that in fact his best put outdoors was 18.72 meters (61-5) at the State Championships of 1965.’’

Classical Classic

Large School team scores

1, Hendricken 151; 2, Central 57; 3, N. Kingstown 44; 4, S. Kingstown 43; 5, Chariho 38; 6, (tie) Barrington and La Salle 37; 8, (tie) Woonsocket and Cr. West 36; 10, E. Providence 31; 11, Cumberland 28; 12, Hope 21; 13, Pilgrim 10; 14, Coventry 8; 15, Mt. Pleasant 5; 16, Warwick 4; 17, Mt. Hope 3.

Small School team scores

1, Classical 173; 2, Westerly 92; 3, Ponaganset 76.5; 4, E. Greenwich 69; 5, Lincoln 49; 6, Central Falls 34; 7, Rogers 22.5; 8, (tie) N. Providence and Smithfield 19; 10, Middletown 16; 11, Toll Gate 10; 12, Prout 5; 13, N. Smithfield 2.

Large School individual results
Small Schools individual results


Sentinels, Rebels, Eagles Post Division Team Titles

14 May 2010 – With three of the four girls’ division championships completed, teams from Smithfield, South Kingstown and Barrington emerged as champions in their respective brackets (North, South and East).

The Central Division Championship - like the others postponed because of rain on Wednesday - will be played tomorrow afternoon (15 May) at Toll Gate.

In the Eastern meet, Barrington’s Robyn Mc Fetters posted wins in two field events. She won the hammer throw with a distance of 44.88 meters (147 feet, 3 inches), and was the discus champ at 28.09 meters (92-2). The Eagles’ Linnea Totushek took gold in the high jump (1.49/4-11) and long jump (5.53/18-1.75).

Bay View junior Daria Braboy was another double winner; she clocked 1:00.0 in the 400, and won the triple jump with a distance of 10.97m (36-0.25). Bengal senior Stephanie Beaudette won the 3000 meters in 10:04.0. Sarah Barry’s 2:19.4 in the 800 gave Barrington 10 points.

South Kingstown dominated the Southern Division teams, and senior hurdler Molly Reilly chipped in 20 of her team’s points. Reilly clocked 45.0 to win the 300 intermediates, and won the 100 highs at 14.9. Rebel senior Amanda Graham went 2.59 meters (8 feet) to win the pole vault. In the 3000 meters, Westerly’s Rachel Orlando was victorious with a 10:35.4. Orlando, a sophomore established a R.I. state record in the girls’ 2000-meter steeplechase on May 8 at the Hartford Invitational meet in New Britain, Conn.

At the Northern Division meet, Smithfield’s Kim Ezeama won the 100 (12.8), and leapt 10.41 meters (34-2) to take the triple jump. Angie Quiah, of Hope, was gold in the 200 (25.5), and the 400 in 58.6. Naomi Takita, of Burrillville High, won double gold with wins in the 1500 (5:19.9) and 3000 (11:53.9). Cumberland’s Emily Trudeau captured the shot put (11.93/39-2), and discus (31.06/101-11). The Sentinels’ Angela Ragosta won the 100 (16.3), and the long jump (4.69/15-5).

OVAL NOTES: Also on tap tomorrow is the Classical Classic for boys at Conley Stadium, Providence. Results on those will be sent out later this weekend.

Northern Division Championship

Team scores

1, Smithfield 206; 2, Cumberland 82.3333; 3, Hope 72; 4, Woonsocket 69; 5, Ponaganset 48.3333; 6, Lincoln 40.3333; 7, Burrillville 34; 8, St. Raphael 16; 9, Mt. St. Charles 10; 10, N. Providence 4.

Individual results

Southern Division Championship

Team scores

1, S. Kingstown 227; 2, N. Kingstown 91; 3, E. Greenwich 83; 4 (tie) Westerly and Chariho 48; 6, Coventry 37; 7, W. Warwick 24; 8, Prout 11; 9 tie) Ex./W. Greenwich and Narragansett 10.

Individual results

Eastern Division Championship

Team scores

1, Barrington 221; 2, Bay View 91; 3, E. Providence 80; 4, Rogers 60; 5 (tie), Portsmouth and Shea 30; 7, Mt. Hope 22; 8, Middletown 30; 9, Tolman 5.

Individual results


Westerly’s Orlando Establishes State Record

Bulldog sophomore goes into the books with her performance at Hartford Invite. Meanwhile, S. Kingstown, La Salle take team titles at the annual Schomp Invitational

8 May 2010 – Westerly sophomore Rachel Orlando established a state record in the girls’ 2000-meter steeplechase. Running at the Hartford Invitational meet in New Britain, Conn. (which contests the steeplechase for boys and girls), Orlando finished eighth with a time of 7 minutes, 52.28 seconds. The United States girls’ 2000 steeple record is a hand-held 6:33.7, set last year by Shelby Greany, of Suffern, N.Y. (Greany is currently at Providence College, and a member of the school’s track squad).

At the Schomp meet, which returned this year to its original site of Chariho High - and is the only co-ed meet before the state championships - the South Kingstown Rebels gathered 124.833 points to easily take the team prize. The Rebs are defending state team titlists. S.K.’s Amanda Graham won two events. She clocked 16.1 seconds to capture the 100-meter high hurdles, and cleared the pole vault bar at 3.04 meters (10 feet).

Hope’s Royal Cheatham was another double gold medalist at Schomp. Cheatham leaped 4.77 meters (15-8) to win the long jump. She also won the 200 meters with a time of 25.7.

Angie Quiah, the Blue Wave’s nonpareil dash specialist, took the 100-meters in 12.4. Over at the hammer circle, Barrington’s Robyn McFetters was victorious; she threw the 4-kilo ball 45.61 meters (149-8). La Salle’s Molly Keating won the 800 (2:20.8), and the Rebels’ Kendall Feaster’s 4:56.6 was good for gold in the 1500.

Wesley DeChristofaro was a double-winner in the boys’ portion of the Schomp. He clocked 15.4 to win the 110-meter high hurdles, and leaped 6.75 meters (22-2) to take the long jump.

Cranston West senior James Strawderman won the pole vault at 4.57 meters (15 feet), three inches shy of his state outdoor record. Teammate Bob Allen won the 1500 in 4:01.6, and Alex Gallo, of North Providence, captured the 3000 meters in 8:51.8.

Ponaganset’s Nick Keeling was the meet’s javelin champ (59.43 meters/195 feet), and Hendricken’s Max Milder won the boys’ hammer with a toss of 61.84 (202-11).

Rhode Island had one representative at the Glenn Loucks Games, held in White Plains, N.Y. Cranston West senior (and Providence College-bound) Arianna Colella finished 18th overall in the 1600 metetrs (equal to a 4:55.4 at 1500 meters).

Girls’ Schomp Results

Team Scores

1, S. Kingstown 124.833; 2, La Salle 93; 3, Smithfield 50.3333; 4, Hope 48; 5, (tie) Barrington and N. Kingstown 30; 7, E. Greenwich 26; 8, Chariho 24.5; 9, Pilgrim 22; 10, Woonsocket 19; 11, W. Warwick 13; 12, (tie) Rogers and Prout 12; 14, Cr. West 10.3333; 15, (tie) Westerly, Warwick and Coventry 10; 18, Toll Gate 9; 19, Central Falls 8; 20, (tie) Lincoln and Ex./W. Greenwich 6; 22, Portsmouth 6; 23, Bay View 5; 24, Narragansett 2.

Individual Results

Glenn Loucks Games at White Plains, N.Y.

1600 - 18, Arianna Colella, Cr. West 5:17.01 (= 4:55.4 @ 1500m).

Hartford Invitational At New Britain, Conn.

HT - 2, Angela Onye, Classical 163-4 (49.78 meters); 3, Robyn McFetters, Barrington 154-2 (46.99); 6, Cate Lauro, Classical 128-8 (39.22); 10, Jenn Leo, Classical 109-7 (33.40); 13, Melanie Adams, Barrington 97-2 (29.62).

2000STP - 8, Rachel Orlando, Westerly 7:52.28 (Est. State record).

Mile - 13, Sarah Barry, Barrington 5:19.76; 18, Jenna Moen, Toll Gate 5:24.14; 30, Haley Moen, Toll Gate 5:42.62.

4x800 - 2, Toll Gate 9:34.85.

Boys’ Schomp Results

Team scores

1, La Salle 67; 2, Chariho 51; 3, Barrington 50; 4, Hendricken 43; 5, Ponaganset 39; 6, Woonsocket 33; 7, Cr. West 32; 8, E. Greenwich 26; 9, (tie) E. Providence and Coventry 22; 11, (tie) Hope and Rogers 20; 13, Cumberland 19.5; 14, N. Kingstown 19; 15, N. Providence 17, 16, S. Kingstown 16; 17, (tie) Portsmouth, Middletown and Smithfield 14; 20, Narragansett 11; 21, Mt. Hope 10.5; 22, Warwick 8; 23, Pilgrim 6; 24, (tie) Lincoln and Westerly 3; 27 (tie), Central Falls and Mt. Pleasant 2; 28, Toll Gate 1.

Individual results

Hartford Invitational at New Britain, Conn.

HT - 2, Max Milder, BH 209-6 (63.86 meters); 4, Gabre Winters, Classical 180-0 (54.86); 6, Wilson Adams, Barrington 178-4 (54.36); 8, Remy Steele, Barrington 171-0 (52.12); 9, Tim Phok, Classical 170-2 (51.86); 10, Joe Valez, Classical 168-8 (51.40); 12, Kevin Conway, Westerly 160-6 (48.92); 13, Luc Lacerte, Barrington 149-2 (45.46); 14, Evan Fleming, Classical 133-10 (40.79); Robert Palazzo, Classical 120-6 (36.72).

3000STP - 9, Drew Manning, Hendricken 10:40.76.

Mile - 3, Nick Ross, E. Greenwich 4:11.49; 17, Ryan Meehan, Hendricken 4:28.30; 26, Mark Vuono, Hendricken 4:37.45; 34, Max Molina, Classical 5:05.40; 35, Martin Gallogly, Classical 5:06.64.

4x100 - 20, Westerly 46.09.

4x800 - 3, Hendricken 8:03.31; 4, Westerly 8:06.64.



R.I. Preps at Penn Relays

25 April 2010 – Relay teams from Hope, Central and Hendricken - plus two individual competitors - posted performances at the Penn Relays, Franklin Field, Philadelphia. Blue Wave girls’ scored in the 4x100- and 4x400-meter relay events. In boys’ relays, Hendricken and Central fielded teams.

Individually, East Greenwich’s Nick Ross finished 11th in the high school mile with a time of 4 minutes, 14.72 seconds. That event was won by Pat Schelberg, of New Jersey, in a meet record 4:08.07. Ponaganset’s Nick Keeling placed ninth in the javelin, with a throw of 56.28 meters (184 feet, 7 inches).

In the Hope girls’ 4x400, runners listed as entries were Angie Quiah, Royal Cheatham, Lakiesha DaCruz and Hawa Kanneh. (Names for the Hope girls’ 4x100 were unavailable).

The Hawk distance medley relay team of Brian Doyle, Dave Revens, Andy Sakovits and Jake Sienko finished tenth in 10:20.60. Revens joined Rya Brannigan, John Ferris and Andre Collins on Hendricken’s 4x400, which placed ninth (3:28.83). Revens, Brannigan and Collins joined Derek Johnson on the Hawks’ 4x100 relay that placed sixth in their heat (45.89).

Oval Notes: Locally-based collegians competing at Penn included UConn’s Victoria Flowers, a Classical High All-Stater. Flowers placed second in the shot, putting the ball 14.46 meters (47 feet, 5.25 inches), and finished fifth in the 4-kilo hammer with a throw of 54.74 (179-7) . . . Former La Salle All-State distance runner Jeanne Mack - now at Harvard - ran third leg on the Crimson’s 4x1500-meter relay. Mack clocked a 4:38.7 hand-held split. Harvard’s relay finished 11th with a combined time of 18:28.72 . . . Georgetown’s Andrew Springer, again competing unattached, ran the “Olympic Development’’ 5000 meters at Franklin Field. He finished fourth with a time of 14:17.60 in a race won by Ryan Blood, of the Keystone Elite TC, in 14:02.17 . . . Once again, local high school relay teams mentioned here are based on those names listed on the entry forms. Coaches may insert different runners on the day of the event.

Girls’ Penn Results

Boys’ Penn Results

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This information is provided by the Rhode Island Track Coaches Association.