By BOB LEDDY
Defending R.I. champ Ellie Lawler, of South Kingstown, and Cumberland's Ben Drezek were the state's highest finishers in their respective Championship Division races on Saturday at the 34thannual Brown University High School Cross Country Invitational at Goddard Park.
Lawler, who finished second in New England last year on the challenging course at Thetford, Vt. - and who rounded out her '15 cross country campaign in fine form as an All-American off the Foot Locker Championships in San Diego, California - clocked 18:09 for sixth spot on Saturday. Lawler sprinted the final 25 meters to the finish in a battle with Sophia Jacobs-Town, of Amherst, Mass. Jacobs-Town finished seventh in 18:10. The girls' race was won by Kate Lee, a junior from Shoreham-Wading River, N.Y. (16:45).
Cumberland's talented Drezek - a first-team RITCA all-stater last season (sixth in the state at Ponaganset), and No. 12 in New England - also placed sixth on Saturday; he clocked 15:29. Drezek placed 15th in the boys' Championship event last year. Sachem North senior Chris Tibbitt was the Championship winner in 16:45.
In other notable performances at Saturday's meet, Barrington junior Kate Zitzmann finished second in the girls' Varsity I race (18:38). Bay View senior Claire Hanlon went 18:36 to place fourth. The Eagles went 2-3-4 in winning the team prize in the boys' JV I event. The Eagles' Dom Portelli, Cal Hennssey and Andy Cooke finished in that order. Portelli, a junior, clocked 17:35; Hennessey 17:51 and Cooke 17:59. Barrington totaled 31 points for the team victory.
Rhode Island looked good in the boys' Freshman 2.5-miler. Smithfield's Blake Cafaro crossed the line the winner in 13:24. Lincoln High's Nick Gaitanis was next, finishing second in 13:42. The Sentinels took second spot in team scoring (92).
Ellie Lawler, who did not compete at last year's Brown event, went out in a field of 64 runners inSaturday's Championship run in perfect conditions for cross country. "I finished pretty much in the same position I had [during the race],'' she said. "The competition [on Saturday] will help motivate me for the class and state meet.''
"I thought she ran well,'' said SK coach Sherry Hathaway. "She's in training for the upcoming meets.''
Course Notes: Hathaway was honored with the meet's 14th annual Service to Cross Country Award. Hathaway, one of the state's longest-serving coaches in the girls' league, has piloted Rebel cross country for the past 34 years.
R.I. GIRLS' RESULTS
Championship race
Team
8, Cumberland 152.
R.I. finishers
6, Ellie Lawler, SK 18:09; 11, Una Treanor, Smith. 18:38; 15, Julia Dempsey, Cumb. 18:44; 19, Sydney Bagus, Smith. 18:55; 26, Grace Henson, Cumb.19:29; 37, Emily Haviland, Cumb. 19:55; 40, Coleen Enestevedt, Cumb. 20:01; 53, Kaitlyn Votte, Cumb. 20:53; 62, Emoly Berard, Cumb. 21:38. Dist. - 3.1.
Varsity I
Teams
2, Bay View 139; 7, S. Kingstown 172; 10, Barrington 223; 17, MSC 452.
Top 10 R.I. finishers
2, Katie Zitzmann, Barr. 18:38 4, Claire Hanlon, BV 18:46; 15, Tea Bishop, Barr. 19:36;20, Kali Vanderlaan, SK 19:46; 22, Emma Shaw, BV 19:48; 27, Sarah Bain, BV 19:56; 28, Kyle Fish, SK 19:59; 30, Hannah Southwick, SK 20:00; 33, Abby Cobb, SK 20:06; 39, Clara Cruz, BV 20:17.
JV-I
Teams
4, Barrington 74; 8, MSC 207.
Top 5 R.I. finishers
12, Susanna Mello, BV 22:28; 13, Saramarie Cerullo, Smith. 22:36; 14 Nicole Demopolous, Barr.22:40; 16, Darby Mack, BV 22:44; 20, Meredith Kaplan, Barr. 23:11.
JV-II
Team
11, Cumberland 316.
Top 5 R.I. finishers
64, Jordyn Platt, Cumb. 22:35; 74, Olivia Barboza, Cumb. 22:45; 79, Natasha Ianuzzi, Cumb. 22:52; 100, Britt Martel, Cumb. 23:22; 128, Samantha Zech, Cumb. 24:09.
Freshman race
Teams
4, Cumberland 119; 8, Barrington 216.
Top 5 R.I. finishers
4, Ashlyn Maio, Smith. 15:44; 6, Adah Anderson, Cumb. 16:06; 21, Emma Gaudreau, Cumb. 17:03; 22, Clyne Olivia, Barr. 17:07; 26, Lauren Nigri, Cumb. 17:21. Dist. - 2.5.
R.I. BOYS' RESULTS
Championship race
Teams
4, Cumberland 123; 6, Barrington 132.
R.I. finishers
6, Ben Drezek, Cumb. 15:29; 14, Hayden Ivatts, Barr. 16:05; 15, John Pagliaro, Smith. 16:06;8, Ryan Mardo, Cumb. 16:16; 20, Eliot Laidlaw, Barr. 16:22; 27, Dan Collard, Cumb. 16:38; 30, Harry Travers, Cumb. 16:42; 32, Brian Donahue, Barr. 16:44; 34, Eli Mitnick, Barr. 16:48; 41, Tony Pitts, Barr. 17:01; 42, Jim Gunness, Barr.17:02; 51, Connor Hayden, Cumb. 17:21; 53, Max Augustin, Barr. 17:25; 61, Brian Boucher, Cumb. 17:49; 69, Nate Rogers, Cumb. 20:03. Dist. - 3.1.
Varsity I
Teams
9, Smithfield 245; 13, S. Kingstown 297.
Top 10 R.I. finishers
24, Aidan Enright, Linc. 16:41; 36, Kellan McEachan, SK 16:59; 37, Laird French, SK 17:00; 40, Evan Thompson, Linc. 17:01; 44, Chris Anderson, Smith. 17:09; 46, Evan DeBassio, Smith. 17:11; 52, Ethan DeBassio, Smith. 17:25; 58, Boyd Foster, Linc. 17:30; 64, Broc French, SK 17:36; 80, Alex Collins, Smith. 17:53
Varsity II
Team
15, Coventry 380.
Top 10 R.I. finishers
25, Nate Coogan, NP 16:32; 30, Zack Leavett, Cov. 16:39; 36, Andre Solomon, NP 16:44; 64, Mike O'Connell, Cov. 17:15; 79, Josh Leavett, Cov. 17:27; 103, JP Andourin, Cov. 17:46; 113, Joe Pelletier, Cov. 17:57; 114, Matt Cronin, Cov. 17:59.
JV-I
Team
1, Barrington 31.
Top 5 R.I. finishers
2, Dom Portelli, Barr. 17:35; 3, Cal Hennessey, Barr. 17:51; 4, Andy Cooke, Barr. 17:59; 10, Mike Cascione, Smith. 18:33; 12, Conor McGartoll, Barr. 18:40.Teams
7, Coventry 211; 11, Cumberland 330.
Top 5 R.I. finishers
14, Mike Swerdlow, Cumb. 17:33; 21, Noah Garriot, Cov. 17:39; 28, Tyrus Madonna, Cov. 17:56; 38, Taylor Messier, Cov. 18:09; 67, Zack Capwell, Cov. 18:38.
Freshman race
Teams
2, Smithfield 92; 10, Lincoln 213; 11, Cumberland
Top 5 R.I. finishers
1, Blake Cafaro, Smith. 13:24; 2, Nick Gaitanis, Linc. 13:42; 8, Tim Ferron, Smith. 14:14; 10, Mike Herchen, Smith. 14:15; 16, Mate Rogers, Cumb. 14:29. Dist. - 2.5.