Rhode Island Track and Field Coaches Association

Around the Oval

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.

For the most recent Around The Oval writeups, please visit the News Section.

Rhode Islanders Among N.E. Leaders
2/9/2012
Several Rhode Island athletes can be found on the New England High School Track and Field Leader Board.
The list was updated in February 7th, and includes recent performances by Classical's Maddy...
Weekend Roundup
10/3/2011
HENDRICKEN PLACES FOURTH AT GREAT AMERICAN R.O.C.
FOUR R.I. TEAMS COMPETE AT THETFORD (VT.) TRAIL RUN EVENT
CLIPPERS SCORE AT MAINE RACE
By BOB LEDDY
R.I. Track & Field Foundation...
La Salle Girls Take New York Meet
9/25/2011
“Around the Course’’
R.I. Track & Field Foundation
25 Sept. - - The La Salle girls’ cross country team took first place at a meet in Bowdoin, N.Y., and senior Molly Keating finished second in the...
La Salle Girls, Hawks Lead First Poll
9/14/2011
R.I. Track & Field Foundation
14 Sept. - - Defending state champions Hendricken and the La Salle girls’ squad garnered the highest number of points in the first of three RIT&FF polls. The surveys...
Hawk, La Salle Girls Post Top Team Scores at Relay Carnival
9/11/2011
“Around the Course’’
By BOB LEDDY
R.I. Track & Field Foundation Correspondent
11 Sept. - - The season-opening Relay Carnival races were staged yesterday on the Burrillville Middle School grounds, ...
Cross Country Preview
8/11/2011
‘11 CROSS COUNTRY OPENS; HAWKS, LA SALLE GIRLS ARE DEFENDING STATE CHAMPS
By BOB LEDDY
Falk Fund/R.I. Track & Field Foundation Correspondent
August 11, 2011 -- At last year’s State Cross Country...
Berkson, Dailey-Harris Winners at Duke Univ. Meet
7/24/2011
July 24 - - Competing for the Providence Cobras Track Club, Classical High incoming sophomore Maddy Berkson won a pair of events over the weekend at the Russell E. Blunt East Coast Invitational...
Former La Salle Runner, Now Living In Rome, Shares Her Experience
7/17/2011
R.I. TRACK & FIELD FOUNDATION NOTE TO INTERESTED PARTIES
 Occasionally over the summer, we will feature articles written by Liz Johnson-Mottola, a transplanted Rhode Islander now living in Rome. ...
Daily-Harris, Cheatham, Braboy, Johnson Top Scorers at USTF Club Championships
7/9/2011
R.I. TRACK & FIELD FOUNDATION
9 July - - Competing for the Providence Cobras Track Club, a number of top prep athletes were entered at the USATF National Club Championships, held over the weekend...
Former La Salle Runner, Now Living in Rome, Shares Her Experiences
6/27/2011
R.I. TRACK & FIELD FOUNDATION NOTE TO INTERESTED PARTIES
Occasionally over the summer, we will feature articles written by Liz Johnson-Mottola, a transplanted Rhode Islander now living in Rome. ...
R.I. Has One State Record, Three All-Americans at New Balance Nationals
6/18/2011
By BOB LEDDY
R.I. Track & Field Foundation Correspondent
18 June - - The Ocean State produced a trio of track & field All-Americans over the course of the three-day New Balance National...
Chariho Boys' 4x800 Relay Sets New SR at Regional Meet
6/12/2011
Rams’ Young also a New England champ;Classical’s Velez, Barrington’s Mc Fetters capture New England hammer crowns 
 By BOB LEDDY
R.I. Track & Field Foundation Correspondent
12 June - - Fresh...
Chariho Wins 1st Title; Rams Take Girls' Crown; Two State Records Fall
6/5/2011
By BOB LEDDY
R.I. Track & Field Foundation Correspondent
5 June - - There were numerous races to the finish at yesterday’s State Outdoor Track Championships, held at Brown Stadium in fine, ...
Hawks, Rams Repeat as State Track Team Champs
2/19/2011
La Salle’s Dailey-Harris sets girls’ HJ record
19 Feb. 2011 – Dakota Dailey-Harris, La Salle’s super high jumper, knows when she nails a good height. “I love to jump,’’ said the Ram junior, who on...
Boys’ Freshman States Results
2/10/2011
10 Feb. – North Kingstown’s Ben Stewart won four events at the Freshman State Track Championship at the PCTA facility. Stewart won the long jump (6.13 meters/20-1.50), the hurdles (8.3), 300 (37.6)...
Classical, Pilgrim Win Division Team Titles
2/9/2011
9 Feb. – In a thriller, the Classical girls’ track team nosed out La Salle, 134-130, at the Headley Division Championships Wednesday night at the PCTA track. In the accompanying Sullivan Division...
Boys’ Division Championships
2/6/2011
6 Feb. 2011 – Chariho’s Innocent Jacob captured three events yesterday at the Southern Division Championships at the PCTA track. The Charger senior clocked 6.4 seconds - a meet mark - to win the...
Bayha And Dwyer Girls’ Division Meets
2/4/2011
4 Feb. 2011 – North Kingstown’s Aisha McAdams continued her winning ways at the Bayha Division Championships at the PCTA track Thursday night. Running in the 3000 meters, the Skipper sophomore...
Boys’ Dual-Meet Performances
2/1/2011
As of 1 Feb.
•WT - Joe Velez, Classical 71-1 (21.66 meters); Kevin Conway, Westerly 61-10.75 (18.86); Joel Cabello, Class. 61-7.50 (18.78); Reuben Horace, Hendricken 60-5 (18.41); Mike Maloof, BH...
"Last Chance" Meets Held; RITCA HOF Plaques Dedicated
1/30/2011
Girls’ dual-meet performance list
30 Jan. 2011 – A pair of “last chance’’ meets were staged as the PCTA track over the weekend; meets designed as additional qualifiers heading into the...
Latest Coach/Media Poll
1/26/2011
Spotlight: Classical’s Berkson; Hope’s Cheatham
 26 Jan. 2011 –
Mike Green in pinching himself.
The Classical girls’ track coach has, among other talented people on his roster, a runner who excels...
Sentinels’ Liam Hillery Wins Yale 3,000; Is No. 3 U.S.
1/23/2011
23 Jan. 2011 – Smithfield distance man Liam Hillery struck gold in the boys’ 3,000-meter run at the annual Yale High School Classic in New Haven. The Sentinel junior clocked 8 minutes, 40.57 seconds...
SPOTLIGHT ON: Falcons’ Double Twins
1/13/2011
(Boys’ dual-meet performances listed)
13 Jan. 2011 – In her 14 years as head coach of the Cranston West girls’ track program, Sheila Lagasse has guided countless runners. But this season, the Falcon...
Locals Perform Well At Dartmouth, Rhody Meets
1/9/2011
Girls’ top dual perfs. as of 1/9 listed
9 Jan. 2011 – It was a nice homecoming to the track for Barrington senior Abigail Jones. After an injury last fall, Jones had been sidelines from competition. ...
Westerly’s Di Gangi; Portsmouth distance twins; First-year coach at Wheeler School
1/7/2011
State records listed
7 Jan. 2011 – John Di Gangi’s favorite race on the track is the 800 meters, but since the Interscholastic League indoor track schedule includes the 600-meter run, the Westerly...
Top Boys' Performances
1/1/2011
(As of 1/1/11)
•WT - (Covered in earlier mailing).
•SP - Reynoso, Class. 47-7.25 (14.51 meters); Hazel, Rog. 46-0.50 (14.03); Velez, Class. 45-10 (13.97); Kiernan, BH 45-9.25 (13.95); Colao, West. ...
Locals Shine at R.I. Classic Invitational
12/30/2010
Jacob keeps breaking LJ records; locals take first 5 spots in boys’ 3000; Hope girls win 4x200
30 Dec. 2010 – The daylong R.I. Classic Track & Field Invitational yielded some great performances from...
Top Track Performances
12/27/2010
(As of 12/27/10)
Girls’ list
•WT - Aleide Fernandes, Central Falls 53-11 (16.43 meters); amber Jones, Classical 47-0.50 (14.45); Robyn McFetters, Barrington 45-6 (13.86); Maggie Dufault, Pilgrim...
Jacob Breaks His LJ Mark, (Twice) At RITCA Invitational
12/18/2010
18 Dec. 2010 – After eliminating a 22 year-old state record for the boys’ indoor long jump last week, Chariho’s Innocent Jacob was determined to better than mark. The Charger senior did that, and...
Walker, Selvidio Elected to RIIL Hall of Fame
12/14/2010
14 Dec. 2010 – Two All-Staters from R.I. track and field have been inducted into the R.I. Interscholastic League’s Hall of Fame in the 2011 Class. They are Tim Walker (Rogers High, ‘75), and Emily...
Local Harriers Compete at Foot Locker, Nike Runs
11/27/2010
27 Nov. 2010 – Rhode Island cross country runners competed at two major meets, held in New York. At Foot Locker’s Northeast Regional race at Kings Park on Long Island, R.I. state champ Bobby Allen...
Cross Country Déjà Vu: Rams, Hawks Team Titlists, Falcons’ Bob Allen, Rams’ Molly Keating Are Individual Champs
11/7/2010
7 Nov. 2010 – Hendricken copped its third straight team championship (its 19th overall), while the La Salle girls earned a fourth consecutive team prize at the RIIL State Cross Country Championships...
Hawks, La Salle Girls Top Pre-State Meet Polls
11/3/2010
3 Nov. – Continuing a trend that began with the first of four polls conducted by RIT&FF, the La Salle girls and Hendricken again topped the final poll of the season. Voting was done by a number of...
Hawks, Rebels, Sentinels Win Boys’ Class Titles; Rams, Eagles, Avengers Take Girls’ Team Crowns
10/30/2010
30 Oct. 2010 – Both defending state team titlists captured the Class A boys’ and girls’ titles at the Class Championships in windy weather at Ponaganset High’s woodsy, hilly course. The Hawks took...
Cougars’ Gallo; Skippers’ McAdams Top R.I. Finishers at Brown Invitational
10/16/2010
16 Oct. 2010 – North Providence senior Alex Gallo declared himself “relatively happy” with his performance today in the boys’ Championship Division race at the 28th annual Brown University High...
Cougar’s Gallo Leads the Charge
10/11/2010
11 Oct. 2010 – Declaring that he was “in the zone” throughout the race, North Providence senior Alex Gallo cruised to victory in the boys’ varsity race during today’s Columbus Day Invitational. The...
Hawks, Rams Shine in Eastern States Race at Manhattan Invitational; Keating Paces La Salle in Manhattan Girls’ Race
10/9/2010
Falcon girls also do well in NYC
9 Oct. 2010 – Hendricken’s Ryan Meehan was Rhode Island’s top finishers in the Eastern States Championship race, the highlight event of the Manhattan Invitational...
La Salle, Hendricken Continue to Lead Poll
10/1/2010
1 Oct. 2010 – The La Salle girls’ team, and the Hendricken harriers topped the second of four coaches/media polls, conducted by the Track & Field Foundation. The Rams, who are currently ranked 15th...
La Salle’s Zach Fraielli Wins New Balance/O-State Championship Division
9/25/2010
Ram senior comes from behind to overtake Falcon Bob Allen on summer-like day at Goddard
25 Sept. 2010 – Running in temperatures reminiscent of mid-July, La Salle senior Zach Fraielli created his own...
Hawks Top Boys’ Poll; Rams, Eagles, Rebels Close in Girls’ Survey
9/10/2010
10 Sept. – The results of this week’s Injury Fund cross country events, held in Burrillville, were ample proof of a highly competitive season ahead. In the girls’ races, Barrington’s Abigail Jones...
Rhode Island Does Well At Rain-Soaked N.E. Meet
6/13/2010
Rebels’ Reilly takes two girls‘ races; four local boys are regional champs
13 June 2010 – Molly Reilly, the South Kingstown senior who a week ago broke two R.I state relay records en route to...
State Championships
6/6/2010
THREE R.I. RECORDS FALL; QUIAH POSTS 40 POINTS; RAMS, HAWKS TOP TEAMS
 6 June 2010 – Three Rhode Island state records were broken yesterday, and one mark equaled at the State Track & Field...
Oakers, Hendricken Win Jv Titles; Final Girls’ Coaches Poll
6/3/2010
3 June 2010 – Hendricken and the Coventry girls won their respective Junior Varsity team titles in meets yesterday. In the final girls’ coaches poll of the 2010 outdoor season, South Kingstown...
Hendricken, Mt. Pleasant Invitationals Held
5/29/2010
Final meets before State Championships
29 May 2010 – The two final major meets before the June 5 State Championships were held today. In “Hawk Country’’ the annual Hendricken Invitational for boys...
Mark Strawderman Sets New State PV Mark;
5/16/2010
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...
Sentinels, Rebels, Eagles Post Division Team Titles
5/14/2010
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...
Westerly’s Orlando Establishes State Record
5/8/2010
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...
R.I. Preps at Penn Relays
4/25/2010
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...
Rebel Girls Top Poll
4/23/2010
23 April 2010 – The South Kingstown girls’ track team received the highest number of votes in the first of three coaches polls, administered by the Falk Fund/R.I. Track & Field Foundation. (Boys’...
K of C Relays Open '10 Outdoor Season
4/3/2010
3 April 2010 – Distance runners and hammer practitioners had their first taste of the 2010 outdoor track season on Saturday at the 42nd annual Knights of Columbus Relays at Conley Stadium track in...
State Outdoor Track Marks
3/21/2010
21 Mar. 2010 – With the upcoming 2010 outdoor track season, here are the current R.I. state records for girls’ and boys’ events. The records are maintained by Track & Field News, and are routinely...
Hawks Win Relay; Two State Marks Fall at Nike Indoor Meet
3/14/2010
La Salle’s Kushimo breaks an individual standard; runs leadoff leg on record-setting DMR
14 Mar. 2010 – Hendricken won the “New England’’ 4x400-meter relay for New England schools at the Nike Indoor...
Rhode Islanders Competing at Nike Indoor Nationals
3/11/2010
11 Mar. 2010 – Here is a list of local track and field student/athletes slated to compete at this weekend’s Nike Indoor National meet at the Reggie Lewis Center, Roxbury, Mass. The meet will be held...
Smithfield’s Ezeama Ties 10-Year-Old Tj Mark
2/14/2010
Falcons’ Strawderman excels in pole vault
14 Feb. 2010 – A day after the State Indoor Track & Field Championships debuted at the new PCTA track, an event billed as a “Jump Fest’’ took place, in...
Hawks Grab 16th Team Crown; Ram Girls Make it Four Straight
2/13/2010
An exciting day of track at new PCTA site
13 Feb. 2010 – The Providence Career & Technical Academy track - a 200-meter, six-lane beauty that opened to the RIIL indoor league last December - made its...
Rams, Clippers, Hawks, Skippers Win Boys’ Division Team Titles
1/31/2010
Numerous meet records fall
31 Jan. 2010 – A total of 16 meet records - spread among four divisions - were broken over the weekend at the boys’ divisional championships, held at the Providence...
Top Three Performances Listed Ahead of Divisional Meets
1/23/2010
24 Jan. 2010 – Here are the top three track and field dual-meet performances in each event going into next weekend’s divisional meets for boys and girls. The girls division championships will be held...
Locals Compete at Dartmouth Relays; URI 'Rhody Classic'
1/10/2010
10 Jan 2010 – Rhode Island prep track athletes were to be found at two major meets yesterday: at the Dartmouth Relays in Hanover, N.H., and the “Rhody Classic’’, hosted by URI at the Mackal Track in...
Boys’ Track Performances
1/8/2010
Jan. 8, 2010 – Here are the top three performances for boys, based on dual meets, as of 8 Jan.
Weight throw
(SR: 81-8.75/24.91m)
Max Milder, Hendricken 59-1 (18.00 meters)
Tim Phok, Classical...
Rams Continue to Lead Girls’ Poll
1/6/2010
Jan. 6, 2010 – La Salle maintained its lead in the second seasonal poll by a group of girls’ track coaches. The Rams collected 90 points, including four first-place ballots. Toll Gate, meanwhile, ...
Local Athletes Shine at Inaugural "Classic"
12/31/2009
Falcon’s Strawderman; Rams’ Kushimo are individual gold medalists
Dec. 31, 2009 – The new track facility at the Providence Career & Technical Academy hosted its first major meet yesterday with the...
RITCA Invitational Ushers In Major-Meet Indoor ‘09-‘10 Season Boys'/Girls' Events Held At New P.C.T.A Fieldhouse
12/20/2009
Dec. 20, 2009 – The inaugural R.I. Track Coaches Association Invitational meet took place on Saturday (19 Dec.) in the new indoor facility of the Providence Career Technical Academy. The meet...
LaSalle Heads Pre-season Coaches Poll
12/11/2009
Dec. 11, 2009 – Coach Dave Wright’s La Salle Rams, who are defending state indoor track champions, collected 85 points (including six first-place ballots) from coaches voting in the initial 2009-10...
Hawks Finish 10th In U.S.; La Salle Girls Are 21st
12/5/2009
Barrington’s Jones is first Rhode Island girl at Nike National meet
Dec. 5, 2009 – The Hendricken Hawks are the tenth-best boys’ cross country team in the United States on the strength of their team...
Gawrych, Mack, Carmone In College Cross Country
11/22/2009
Nov. 22, 2009 – Three former All-State harriers performed well over the weekend in their respective collegiate races. At the IC4A/ECAC Championships in Van Cortlandt Park, New York City, Boston...
Colella, McLaughlin Top R.I. Finishers at Foot Locker
11/20/2009
Nov. 20, 2009 – A pair of 2009 All-State harriers were the first Rhode Islanders to finish in their respective events Saturday at the Foot Locker Regional cross country at Sunken Meadows State Park, ...
New Indoor Track Has Preview
11/19/2009
Nov. 19, 2009 – A group of track officials and coaches last night toured the impressive new field house and indoor track facility at the Providence Career & Technical Academy (PCTA). The site will...
Correction to New England Results
11/16/2009
Nov. 16, 2009 – In listing the girls’ results for New England Championships, held Saturday at Wickham Park, Manchester, Conn., I omitted the name of Bay View’s Stephanie Beaudette among the top 20...
Hendricken, LaSalle Girls Capture Regional Team Titles
11/14/2009
Eagles’ Jones top R.I. finisher; Cranston West’s Robert Allen for boys
Nov. 14, 2009 – It was not the ideal day for a cross country championship, but Rhode Island harriers braved the elements at...
Hendricken, LaSalle Repeat as State Champs
11/8/2009
Hawks' Sienko, Rams' Keating take individual honors
Nov. 8, 2009 – Put an "18" up on the board to represent the number of state team titles won by cross country teams from Hendricken High. At the...
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