“Around the Oval’’
By BOB LEDDY R.I. Track & Field Foundation Correspondent
8 Dec. - - Chariho runner Mike Marsella’s performance last weekend at the Nike Nationals in Oregon brought to a close the 2011 cross country season. Now it’s time to focus attention on the Providence Career Technical Academy (PCTA) track, where all meets during the ‘11-’12 indoor campaign will be held. This promises to be an exciting season, what with a number of champions from last winter returning to the track, and an added in-state invitational meet.
The defending state team titlists are Hendricken and the La Salle girls. Here’s a brief look at who to watch for:
GIRLS Rams’ are loaded Senior Molly Keating, La Salle’s All-State distance ace, was out of last year’s competition due to an injury. She recovered, had a fine spring track campaign, and this past fall won her third consecutive state cross country title. Keating will be surrounded by a talent-rich Ram squad. Twins Madison and MacKenzie Meehan finished in the top five at last year’s State Indoor Championship 1500 meters. Emily Papazian, Caitlin Marino, Maddie Byrnes, Caroline Falvey and Evie Jansen are expected to return to the lineup.
The Rams also have senior Dakota Dailey-Harris in the fold. Last year, Dailey-Harris smashed both indoor and outdoor state records in the high jump. She broke the indoor mark, clearing the bar at 5 feet, 7 inches (1.70 meters). She finished second in New England with a 5-5 (1.65) leap.
Cheatham: Mission Accomplished Hope High star Royal Cheatham didn’t accomplish much at the Indoor States last year. All she did was win three events. She clocked 7.23 seconds to take the 55 meters, cleared 18-11 (5.76) in the long jump and won the 300 in 41.07. In addition to that, Cheatham broke the state indoor 60-meter dash record with a 7.85 performance at the New Balance Championships in New York. She was All-New England in the 55 dash and the long jump. Cheatham is a senior this year.
Berkson in good form . . . As a freshman last season, Classical’s Maddy Berkson won the state 1500 in 4:52.69, and the 1000 meters in 3:02.12. In both races, Berkson was challenged by the Rams; Madison Meehan. Berkson finished second in New England at the Reggie Lewis banked track, clocking 2:57.74 in the 1000 meters.
. . . as is Skippers’ Mc Adams At that same New England meet last March, North Kingstown sophomore Aisha Mc Adams beat the country’s No. 1 indoor miler (Connecticut’s Lindsay Crevoiserat) in the two-mile run. Mc Adams clocked an R.I.-record 10 minutes, 42.36 seconds (9:54.9 @ 3000m) to become a New England champ. At the state ‘11 Indoor Championships, Mc Adams ran a smooth 10:21.34 to take the 3000 meters.
Notables, notables Aleide Fernandes, of Central Falls High, dominated the indoor throws last season, winning both the shot and the 20-pound weight. Fernandes has graduated, which leaves the throws field wide open. (Barrington star Robyn Mc Fetters also graduated). Pilgrim senior Maggie Dufault, Rogers senior Grace Janes, Becky Cousens, a Portsmouth senior, and Toll Gate’s Kate St. Amand will score in these events. Also back is The Prout School’s Karly Gregory. As a sophomore last season, Gregory paced second in the long jump (17-9.75/5.76), and second in the 600 (1:38.65). Gregory placed sixth in the New England long jump (17-2.25/5.24). La Salle’s Dailey-Harris was challenged at the ‘11 State Meet by Woonsocket’s Kaylnn Pitts, now a junior. Ali Sayles, a Mount St. Charles senior, will also be in the high jump field.
On the track, Westerly has a talented distance runner in sophomore Jackie Burr. Last year, Burr scored in the 3000 meters. Bay View, a school with a long record of track and cross country All-Staters dating back to Melanie Warner in the mid-1980s, is still a force. The Bengal’s Erica Johnson took state honors last year in the 600 with a meet-record time of 1:34.88. At the New England meet, Johnson finished second in that event (1:34.10).
Cranston West also has some fine distance specialists in the Hackett sisters - Michaela and Alex - Becca Stamp and Arianna Stanton. Stanton was third in the 600 last February, and fifth in the 1000. Michaela Hackett placed fifth in the 3000-meter field.
Others to look for are Barrington’s Fiona Paine, Julianna Portelli and Mary Kate Coogan (distance/mid-distance); Toll Gate’s Haley Moen (distance); East Greenwich’s Jaimee Dorsey (sprints); Classical’s Dara Falaye and Ann Dagrin (field events); Bay View’s Julia Watson (mid-distance); South Kingstown’s Paige Ethier and Kelly Reiss (mid-distance); Hope’s Ebony Marrow (sprints).
BOYS Distance field wide open Last winter, the boys’ distance events were fairly dominated by seniors. Five of the top placers in the 3000 meters, for example, were seniors. In the State Meet 1500, the top six finishers were upper classmen. And in the 1000, all but winner Dan Kilcoyne, of Chariho, were senior runners.
Besides those events, the long and high jumps, shot put, 600, 300, and 55-meter dash and hurdles were all won last year by seniors, which translates to plenty of room for new potential champions. The 2011 weight throw, for instance, was won by then-junior Joe Velez with a toss of 71-5.50 inches (21.78 meters). Also in this year’s mix is Westerly senior Kevin Conway, a third-place finisher in the weight last winter. Coventry’s Aaron Comery and Barrington’s Charley Ionata are also set to return to the throwing circles.
Marsella’s time Chariho High’s Mike Marsella, the state cross country champ, should be in good form for the indoor campaign. Marsella placed third in the ‘11 State Meet 1500 (4:04.46), a race won by the unstoppable Bob Allen, of Cranston West. The Charger runner also finished ninth in the 1000 meters. Marsella was All-New England last March, finishing fourth in the mile run (4:21.50/4:02.1 @ 1500 meters). Teammates Jake and Dan Kilcoyne will also be returning to the lineup for Chariho. Jake finished sixth in the 3000 last season.
Hendricken’s forces will be bolstered by senior Mark Vuono, sophomore Colin Tierney, and juniors Donnor Doyle and Tyler Henesler in the distances. Ryan Brannigan and Alex Perreault will also score for the Hawks.
Notables, notables Look for Hendricken’s Reuben Horace and John Celona to score in the throws, as well as Bulldog senior Jeremy Octeau. In the jumps, Rogers High’s Devon Bailey will be a major presence. Last winter, Bailey placed second to senior Innocent Jacob, of Chariho, in the high jump. In a thrilling competition, Jacob cleared 6-10 (2.08) to Bailey’s second-place 6-8 (2.03). Central’s Steve Vasquez will also score in that event.
Ben Shaw, a North Kingstown senior, will also be in the hunt; especially in the long jump, where the Skipper athlete finished second to the Chargers’ Jacob. (Jacob broke the state mark in that event). The Skippers’ talented Mike Coleman placed in the 1500 last year, while South Kingstown’s Zack Campo finished third in the 600 Central senior Jose Ortiz will be back in the sprints, as will West Warwick senior Eddy Uthmann. From Cranston East, look for senior Angel Camilo to return. Camilo was a second-team Providence Journal All-Stater last year in the 55 hurdles, where he placed second in 7.91. The Hawks’ Kyle O’Connell will also be on the starting line in the sprints.
OVAL NOTES: The new meet this season will be the East Coast Championship, to be run on Jan. 14, 2012. The meet will feature imperial distance runs, a pole vault and triple jump, together with competition in the 800 and a distance medley relay . . . The annual RITCA Invitational will be held on Saturday, Dec. 17 . . . In the girls’ league, the Divisional meets will be held on Feb.4, and the Class Championships on Feb. 8-9 . . . Feb. 1-2 are the dates for the boys’ Division championships; the Class meets on Feb. 11 . . . The State Championship will be held on Saturday, Feb. 18 . . . The Rhode Island Classic will go off on Dec. 28 . . . Other invitational meets include: Dartmouth (Jan. 6-8); URI Rhody Classic (Jan. 7); Yale Invitational (Jan. 20-21); Millrose Mile (Feb. 11); New England Championships (Mar. 2); New Balance Nationals (Mar. 9-11).
