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 School Invitational. The dozen races were held on a clear, brisk day, but with punitive winds that knocked down the occasional portable tent.
Gallo was the first Rhode Islander over the line (eighth place overall) in the 3.1-mile Championship run, clocking 15 minutes, 31 seconds. “This [today’s time] was my P-R by 20 seconds, so I’m happy,” added Gallo, a third-place finisher at last year’s State Championships. He won this year’s Columbus Day race at Roger Williams Park.
Going over today’s performance, Gallo acknowledged that he went out fast in a race that was governed - and won - by sophomore Ed Cheserek in 15 minutes flat, tying the course record. “That kid is fast,” Gallo said. “I knew I had to get out quickly.” Gallo ran a 4:50 pace.
The top local finisher in the girls’ Championship Division was North Kingstown sopomore Aisha Mc Adams, who crossed the line third overall in 17:54. “I felt like I went out a little too fast,” said McAdams. “I felt like my finish wasn’t strong enough.”
Neither Gallo nor McAdams complained about the strong wind gusts that whipped across and around the course. In that regard, Gallo was almost Whitmanesque: “It was refreshing,” he noted.
In the girls’ Varsity I race, Exeter/W. Greenwich senior Amy Cunningham was the top Rhode Islander, placing 13th in 19:55. Westerly junior Rachel Orlando was the first local runner to finish the girls’ Varsity II event: 29th overall in 20:01.
Bulldog freshman Jackie Burr continued her front running ways. Burr handily won the girls’ Freshman Division race with a time of 15:18, 12 seconds ahead of the next finisher.
Around the Course notes: Longtime track and cross country official Keith Lawton was presented an award by Brown for service to cross country. This year’s award marked the tenth annual . . . Teams will take the next weekend off (from competition; not from training) to prepare for the Class Championships, to be held next Saturday at Ponaganset . . . The Chieftains’ course will once again be the site of the State Championships, Nov. 7.
Rhode Island results, with overall placings:
Girls Championship Race Team scores 7, N. Kingstown 162; 9, Barrington 191; 11, Coventry 285. Top finishers (w/overall place) 1 (3), Aisha McAdams, NK 17:54; 2 (16), Molly Malinowski, Barr. 18:57; 3 (30), Fiona Paine, Barr. 19:44; 4 (33), Alice Burgess, Barr. 19:53; 5 (34), Kate DelGreco, NK 19:59; 6 (37), Allie Lomas, NK 20:12; 7 (43), Kelsey Maymon, NK 20:23; 8 (49), Jenn Haley, Cov. 20:23. Dist. - 3.1. Varsity A-I Race Top finishers (w/overall place) 1 (13), Amy Cunningham, EWG 19:55; 2 (14), Alex Rearson, Linc. School 19:57; 3 (71), Danielle Stonley, SRA 21:53; 4 (75), Martha Cooper, Class. 22:03; 5 (91), Maggie Sheerin, Prout 22:29. Dist. 3.1. Varsity A-II Race Top finishers (w/overall place) 1 (29), Rachel Orlando, West. 20:01; 2 (59), Lauren Lapierre, Cumb. 20:59; 3 (77), Lauren Sullivan, Cumb. 21:31. Dist. 3.1. JVI Race Top finishers (w/overall place) 1 (54), Prout 24:27; 2 (62), Kendre Rodriguez, Linc. School 24:41; 3 (95) Kayla Gillespie, Linc. School 26:16; 4 (98), Jen McGunigal, Prout 26:25. Dist. 3.1. JVII Race Team scores 9, N. Kingstown 212; 15, Barrington 463; 17, Coventry 508. Top finisher (w/overall place) 1 (4), Becca Sherwood, NK 20:57. Freshman Race Team scores 1, N. Kingstown 57; 4, Prout 122; 7, Coventry 207; 13, Classical 354. Top finishers (w/overall place) 1 (1), Jackie Burr, West. 15:18; 2 (4), Jess Elliott, Prout 16:03; 3 (5), Jullianna Portelli, Barr. 16:09; 4 (9), Tori Deangelis, NK 16:40; 5 (10), Vicky Matrullo, Prout 16:40; 6 (13), Melissa Coble, NK 16:45; 7 (18), Hannah Travers, Cumb. 16:56; 8 (26), Peyton Wallace, NK 17:15; 9 (27), Sofia Grego, NK 17:16; 10 (31), Emma Vogel, NK 17:31. Boys Championship Race Team scores 6, N. Kingstown 186; 9, Barrington 241; 10, Coventry 252 Top finishers (w/overall place) 1 (8), Alex Gallo, NP 15:31; 2 (16), Zach Sietes, NK 15:58; 3 (22), Cyrus Cousins, Barr. 16:10; 4 (27), Brian Pughe, NK 16:21; 5 (28), Dennis Ryan, Cov. 16:21; 6 (32), Dylan Verner, Barr. 16:28; 7 (34), Nick Paiva, Cov. 16:29; 8 (42), Mike Coleman, NK 16:34; 9 (49), Dan Clarkin, Cov. 16:41; 10 (54), Evan Bolton, NK 16:48; 11 (63), Tom Barry, Barr. 16:56; 12 (66), Mark Rini, Cov. 16:59; 13 (75), Ryan Saeger, Barr. 17:09; 14 (79), Rob Wilkinson, NK 17:10; 15 (81), Marr Brunelle, NK 17:12. Dist. 3.1. Varsity A-I Race Top finishers (w/overall place) 1 (15), Robert Parker, SRA 16:40; 2 (46), Mike Cooney, Class. 17:29. Dist. 3.1. Varsity A-II Race Team score 11, Cumberland 287. Top finishers (w/overall place) 1 (19), Trevor Crawley, Cumb. 16:57; 2 (29), Matt Sutcliffe, Cumb. 17:08. Dist. 3.1. JVI Race Team score 7, Prout 175. Top finishers (w/overall place) 1 (1), Dan Irwin, Prout 17:11; 2 (8), Matt Peacock, Prout 17:59; 3 (44), Jake Dyer, Prout 19:08. Dist. 3.1. JVII Race Team scores 7, Barrington 202; 11, Cumberland 302; 12, N. Kingstown 322. Top finishers (w/overall place) 1 (6), Will Casazza, Barr. 17:34; 2 (21), Austin Labbe, NK 18:03; 3 (27), Tim Woulfe, Barr. 18:15.7; 4 (28), Riley Mellen, Barr. 18:15.7; 5 (45), Steve Healey, Cumb. 18:37; 6 (76), Rob Reedy, Cumb. 19:06; 7 (85), Dan MacKenzie, Cumb. 19:19; 8 (88), Nick Melagrino, Cumb. 19:29; 9 (92), Dan Beisel, NK 19:34; 10 (Alex Stein, Barr. 19:35. Dist. 3.1. Freshman Race Team scores 5, Hendricken 184; 6, N. Kingstown 202. Top finishers (w/overall place) 1 (3), Colin Tierney, BH 13:37; 2 (7), Dallin Smith, NK 14:08; 3(15), Mike Dampier, EWG 14:22; 4 (16), Collin Manning, BH 14:23; 5 (18), Ben Stewart, NK 14:24; 6 (35), Ryan Pinch, Prout 14:53.1; 7 (36), Kevin Seaver, Cumb. 14:53.4; 8 (38), Jon Carney, NK 14:54.2; 9 (39), Tucker Alberigo, BH 14:54.4; 10 (43), Alex Southiere, Cumb. 15:04.
