Hawk Invite: R.I. Stars Prep For State Meet

There's a silver lining to just about anything

That's what Barrington's Bobby Colantonio got out of his performance at the Hendricken Invitational this weekend.

Prior to his first-place effort in the hammer throw, Colantonio's sole focus was on the state mark of 253 feet, 5 inches by former Hendricken star Jacob Freeman at the Hawk Invite in 1999. Colantonio came just two feet from that mark at the Classical Classic a few weeks ago and with what he classified as a faster circle at Hendricken was not only looking at Freeman's record but the national mark of 260-5 by New York's Rudy Winkler in 2013.

The Eagle standout fell short of both of those marks on Saturday afternoon, winning the title with a still-impressive heave of 244-8. But his path to that eventual winning throw is what kept a smile on his face after the competition was finished.

Colantonio was just one throw in the preliminaries from not even making it to the finals.

"The good thing today is my first two throws were fouls. They were sector fouls. The second one I was kind of done from the beginning. I wasted it," he said. "But the good part I was able to relax and come back and on my third throw I just kind of held on to things and kept things kind of tight and let it go and it was 243 feet, which is a foot less than I threw in the meet. It's good I could come from a two-throw deficit and on the verge of fouling out and come back and have a really respectable throw."

Colantonio beat runner-up Mike Coppolino of Cumberland, who had a banner day on Saturday. The Clipper star, who has improved dramatically this season in the hammer, had a 12-foot personal best of 219-4, a distance that ranks No. 2 in the country.

Colantonio will have a few more attempts at the two records (state and national). His next attempt will be at Saturday's State Meet at Brown University where he's eyeing his third straight individual title. After that, he has the New England Championships and the New Balance Nationals in mid June.

"I definitely have some big throws down the road," he said. "I have some things to work on in practice the next couple of weeks but I am looking at some really big performances the next three meets."

Hendricken won the team plaque in the 52nd annual event, defeating second-place Central, 123-56. The Hawks had victories from Tom McMahon in the 3,000-meter run (8 minutes, 50.20 seconds), Kwity Paye in the the shot put (47-3.5), Michael Bittner in the high jump (6-0), Ethan Famiano in the 110m hurdles (15.10), Jonathan Celico in the pole vault (14-0) and their 4x400m relay (3:29.60) of Nick Williams, Harry Antone, Robert Merlino and Duwuan Edwards.

Finishing second in the relay was La Salle Academy (3:30.70), a foursome that was comprised of Angel Morales and the Rams' nationally-ranked distance trio of DJ Principe, Matt Bouthillette and Jack Salisbury.

In the 4x100m relay, Central's quartet of Franklin Mercado, Austin Wolo, Demetrius O'Connor and Donatien Djero established a meet record of 42.5. Wolo, who was named the meet's outstanding runner, came just .01 from the 100m mark with a winning 10.6 clocking. Djero won the 400m dash at 49.0.

"We are just waiting for the state meet because that's when we have to push our hardest and the New England's," said Wolo, about his team's performance in the 4x100m. 

North Kingstown freshman Sam Toolin won a tight race over Barrington's Mars Bishop in the 800m. Toolin crossed the line in 1:56.0, while Bishop finished with a PB of 1:56.40 for second.

Toolin, a gun-to-wire winner, took off from the start with a time close to 28 seconds for the first 200m. He had to hold off Bishop down the final straightaway to secure the win.

"My coach said give it everything you got so I went out really hard," Toolin said. "I think, now looking at my time, I might have gone out a little too hard but there is nothing to do about it now."

In another close affair, Classical's Joe Murphy captured the 1,500m with a time of 4:06.0. Smithfield's Joe Pagliaro was just a few strides behind in second at 4:06.5.

La Salle's Sam Coleman was a double-winner, taking the long jump with a leap of 20-10.5 and the 200m at 22.1. Coleman, the indoor 55m titlist, splits his time during the spring where he is also a varsity lacrosse player for the Rams. Both efforts on Saturday were his firsts of the season.

"It's difficult (with the two sports)," he said. "My teammates really get me through it.  They always help me through the workouts." 

Cumberland came just two seconds from a school record in the 4x800m relay with Will Mardo, James Haupt, Kylie Creamer and Sean Laverty combining for a first-place time of 8:05.90.

In the Freshmen 1,500m, Chariho's Tim Champlain made the provisional standard for the State Meet with a time of 4:19.10.  Sam Harwood of Ponaganset took the Sophomore 1,500m at 4:16.90.

Dan McBride of Coventry was a winner in the javelin with a toss of 155-10.

Classical's Nathan Narcisse matched his time from the Classical Classic and Central Division Championship by breaking the tape in the 300m IH with a 39.70 clocking.

Elite performances from this session