This past week saw Bishop Hendricken and La Salle Aacdemy earn team titles in their respective freshmen state championships.
In the boys’ meet, held on Thursday night, the Hawks’ Robert Merlino captured the high jump with a leap of 5 feet, 4 inches, and Kwity Paye took the long jump at 19-8. Paye currently ranks No. 9 among ninth-graders in his specialty, based on his 20-7.5 effort at last Saturday’s Class A meet.
Hendricken, which defeated runner-up La Salle, 123-77, for the title, also won the 4x200-meter relay with a time of 1 minute, 39.13 seconds.
The Rams had a triple-winning performance from all-stater DJ Principe. Principe was first in the 3,000 with a 9:20.35 clocking. He also captured the 1,500 at 4:28.32 and the 1,000 in 2:49.97.
Central’s Manny Rivera was victorious in the 600 (1:35.06) and ran a leg on the first-place 4x400 squad (3:53.85). Teammate Austin Melo cracked 39 seconds in the 300, running 38.52.
Woonsocket had a double-winning effort from Jared Briere, triumphant in the 25-pound weight (43-2.75) and the shot put (39-9). South Kingstown’s Eric Faye-Wolfe took gold in the 55 hurdles with a 9.23 clocking. In the 4x800, La Salle was first at 9:50.19.
La Salle beat second-place North Kingstown, 61-48, for the girls’ team plaque on Tuesday night. The Rams’ lone win came in the 4x200 relay, which was timed in 1:58.59.
North Kingstown’s emerging star Katarina Ho captured the 1,500 in 4:55.34 and the 1,000 in 3:10.92. Woonsocket’s Quinn Harlon also won twice, taking the 55 dash in 7.49 and the 300 in 43.16.
Central Falls’ Arianna McDevitt copped the 20-pound weight at 31-0.75. Ari Armenakyan of Toll Gate copped the shot put with a heave of 30-1.50.
Other first-place performances were achieved by Smithfield’s Kayla Ezeama in the long jump (15-1.75), Barrington’s Mary Berkery in the high jump (4-8), Exeter/West Greenwich’s Mikayla Ebert in the 55 hurdles (9.36), Mount St. Charles 4x400 relay (4:42.43), North Kingstown’s 4x800 relay (10:47.13), and the quartet of La Salle’s 4x200 team (1:58.59).