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 pilot is seeing double, so to speak. That’s because her roster of roughly 40 girls includes two sets of twins: Arianna and Alex Stanton and Michaela and Alex Hackett.
“This is one of my most enjoyable seasons, in terms of the girls buying into the goals and wanting to be at the meet,’’ said Lagasse.
She’s speaking of her entire squad, but the coach is especially proud of her double-doubles. The Stantons are juniors. “They played soccer in the fall,’’ said Lagasse. “I discovered them when they were freshmen jogging around our [Cranston West] track in the springtime. I said, ‘Why aren’t you on the track team?’ and asked them if they’d like to come out.
“They came out [for indoor track] last season as sprinters, but they wound up distance runners. They’re both joyous to work with. I’ve made a concerted effort to put them in different events in the dual-meet season,’’ the coach continued. “The 600, 1000 and 1500. I’m thrilled with them. They’re not only good athletes, but great people.’’
The Hackett girls - Michaela and Alex - are also a boon to the Falcon program. Sophomores, the Hacketts also specialize in distances; both run cross country. “They trade places [in events],’’ said Lagasse. Alex Hackett has clocked 5:10 for 1500 meters, and ran the 3000 once thus far this season. “I like to train them, speed-wise, this season,’’ said the coach.
Other top scorers on the Falcon squad include junior Megan Hammond. “She’s really stepped up in the sprints,’’ the coach said. Hammond holds the school record in the 300 meters: a 45.5. “She’s really aggressive; really wants it,’’ Lagasse said. Nichole Cote, a sophomore, is a developing talent, who, the coach said, will be “critical’’ in the 4x400 relay.
Lagasse plans to enter her team at the Jan. 21-22 Yale Invitational in New Haven, Conn.
Boys’ Top Dual-Meet Performances (As of 13 Jan. ‘11) •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); Luis Alvarez, Mt. Pleasant 58-2.50 (17.74); Joe McGuire, West. 55-9 (16.99); Derek Benn, N. Kingstown 53-6.50 (16.32); Charlie Ionata, Barrington 51-3 (15.62); Even Fleming, Class. 49-8.50 (15.15). •SP - Joe Colao, West. 49-0 (14.93); Gus Reynoso, Class. 47-7.25 (14.51); Nakita Hazel, Rogers 46-0.50 (14.14); Velez, Class. 45-10.75 (13.99); Nolan Kiernan, BH 45-9.25 (13.95); Conway, West. 45-7.50 (13.90); Mike Maloof, BH 45-4.50 (13.82); Nick Gallagher, Toll Gate 44-10.75 (13.68); Carlos Mangum, Central 43-10.25 (13.36); Nick DeCiantis, BH 42-10.25 (15.15). •HJ - Divon Baily, Rog. 6-6 (1.98); Innocent Jacob, Chariho, Steve Vazquez, Central Falls 6-4 (1.93); Marc Sandoval, Portsmouth, Cam Murphy, Middletown, Sam Escales, S. Kingstown 5-10 (1.73); Neal Kundu and Larry Warwick, Coventry, Nate Hurd and Monzell Cooley, Rog. Erik Mateo, CF 5-8 (1.73). •LJ - Jacob, Char., 23-3 (7.08); Ben Shaw, SK 21-5.50 (6.54); Eddy Uthmann, W. Warwick 20-8 (6.30); Sandoval, Ports. 20-6 (6.24); Cosmo Johnson, Cent. 20-6; Trent DePina, E. Providence 20-3.25 (6.17); Jarell James, Hope 20-3 (6.16); Ben Mitchell, Barr. 20-2.75 (6.15); Jalen Young, La Salle 20-1 (6.12). •3000 - Bob Allen, Cr. West 8:47.9; Liam Hillery, Smithfield 8:47.9; Zach Fraielli, LS 8:54.5; Fraielli 8:56.1; Ryan Meehan, BH 8:59.4; Ryan Walsh, LS 9:01.1; Andy Andraka, BH 9:06.4; John Corbett, Ports. 9:14.9; Connor Doyle, BH 9:25.5. •1500 - Meehan, BH 4;11.6; Zach Seites-Rundlett, NK 4:13.8; Fraielli, LS 4:14.6; Andraka, BH 4:16.6; Walsh, LS 4:17.3; Tim O’Neill, LS 4:17.8; Mark Vuono, BH 4:18.1; Aaron Brunelle, Lincoln 4:18.6; Mike Coleman, NK 4:19.8; Cy Cousins, Barr. 4:20.3. •1000 - Mike Marsella, Char. 2;37.1; Andraka, BH 2:38.1; Allen, CW 2:38.5; Meehan, BH 2:40.2; Seites-Rundlett, NK 2:40.6; Ian LaPlume, Char. 2:42.8; Vuono, BH 2:43.1; Dan Kilcoyne, Char. 2:43.5; Coleman, NK 2:43.7; Sean Phayre, LS 2:44.0. •600 - John DiGangi, West. 1:23.5; Allen, CW 1:23.9; Andy Sakovits, BH 1:24.2; John Ferris, BH 1:24.3; Fraielli, LS 1:25.9; Dillin Alexander, Pilgrim 1:26.4; Kilcoyne, Char. 1:26.4; Alex Gallo, N. Providence 1:26.6; Marsella, Char. 1:26.8. •300 - Young, LS 35.8; Troy Crawford, NK 36.5; Tyler Oliveira, Ports. 36.8; Sakovits, BH 36.8; James, Hope 36.9; Ryan Brannigan, BH 37.3; Jalen Evans, Woonsocket 37.5; Zack Campo, SK 37.5; Jose Ortiz, Cent. 37.5; Fred Gobewole, Shea 37.7. •55m - Gobewole, Shea 6.3; Josh Gilkinson, Moses Brown 6.4; Johnson, Hope, Jacob, Char. Oliveira, Ports., Ryan rotondo, CW Uthmann, WW 6.5; James, Hope, Allen Tat, Class. Bill L’Europa, BH, Carl Sjogren, Pil. Sean Rainey, WW, Mike Washington, Cent. 6.6. •55mH - Jarrell Forbes, Class. 7.7; Angel Camillo, Cr. East 7.8; Ben Nyranog, LS, Chris Duarte, Cumberland, Kyle O’Connell, BH 8.0; Geoff Cheston, NK Shaw, SK, Lou Falcone, BH 8.1; Dean Rich, MP, Ryan Thomas, SK, Nyurou Ben, LS 8.2. •4x200 - Hope 1:34.8; Central 1:35.7; La Salle 1:35.8; N. Kingstown 1:36.4; S. Kingstown 1:36.5; Hendricken 1:36.8; Classical 1:37.1; Woonsocket 1:37.7; Portsmouth 1:37.7; E. Greenwich 1:38.1. •4x400 - Hendricken 3:31.1; Central 3:39.1; La Salle 3:41.1; S. Kingstown 3:43.3; Portdsmouth 3:44.9; Classical 3:45.8; E. Greenwich 3:48.1; Westerly 3:46.6; Chariho 3:48.1; N. Kingstown 3:49.0. •4x800 - Portsmouth 8:14.8; N. Kingstown 8:23.1; Hendricken 8:38.7; Lincoln 8:58.6; S. Kingstown 9:01.2; Hope, 9:07.8; Pilgrim 9:31.2; Cumberland 9:32.9; Shea 10:05.9. All times hand-held.
