Runners to Watch: Karina Tavares, La Salle Academy

Who are the top runners coming back this year? Who will make the most impact this fall.

During the next few weeks, MileSplit RI will highlight the athletes (boys and girls) we feel to keep an eye on this season. Among the top 14 boys at last year's state meet, seven are gone to graduation. For the girls, just three have graduated. The competition will be stiff once again. Both of our returning state titlist, La Salle Academy junior D.J. Principe and Barrington senior Emma McMillan will back on the trails with McMillan aiming for a record, fourth consecutive individual crown.

Without further ado...


Karina Tavares

La Salle Academy, senior

When it comes to the state championships, Tavares has always risen to the occasion on cross-country's biggest stage. As a ninth-grader for Mount Hope in 2012, she was fifth. The last two years at La Salle, Tavares has been the runner-up to individual winner, Emma McMillan of Barrington.

Expect the Ram standout to earn all-state honors once again this fall.

While she has excelled on the track, Tavares' forte is on the dirt trails. She owns a 5K best of 17:59.09, which she did at last year's state meet. She also finished eighth at the highly-competitive Great American X-C Festival in North Carolina, where she also dipped under 18 minutes with a 17:59.55 clocking. With talented teammates like Eliza Rego and recent transfer Grace Connolly pushing her in practice and races, Tavares should continue her consistency her final season of cross-country. She'll certainly be a key athlete in the Rams' s quest for a third straight state title and defense of their New England crown. With a similar squad from 2014, La Salle also has a chance to return to the Nike Cross Nationals, a meet it placed ninth overall. Tavares suffered her only mishap last year at the Nike Northeast Regionals where she slipped on the snow-covered trails and suffered a concussion. She exhibited her strong will and determination by not only finishing the race but coming back the following week to finish as the third La Salle runner at the nationals despite some after effects for her concussion and a case of mononucleosis. That doesn't get taught.