Bishop Hendricken won its fifth straight team championship last fall and returns two of its 
top runners, senior Colin Tierney and junior Michael Potter. The Hawks also have a solid supporting cast that could score some crucial points in November’s state meet.
Another championship, perhaps?
As always, that’s the No. 1 goal for head coach Jim Doyle and his Hawks this season. But to earn its 22nd overall crown, Hendricken may have to overcome one of its biggest challenges that it’s ever faced in its storied history.
Right now, La Salle Academy is being touted by most as the team to beat for the coveted prize. With some key returnees and a talented core of young runners, it’s no secret the lethal impact of the Rams.
La Salle has at least five runners capable of running sub-16:30 on Ponaganset’s five-kilometer trail, including last year’s sixth-place finisher, junior Jake Grundy.
“I look at them as the favorites,” said Doyle, whose Hawks held off the second-place Rams, 44-64, in last year’s state meet. “I honestly think that Michael and Colin are very good runners and can compete with any one of their guys and do well. I think the rest of the team isn’t as strong as them yet. They are an outstanding team. I think they can win the states and the New England’s. I think we have a strong 1-2. I think we have to work on the rest of the team on closing the gap. They have some outstanding runners.”
Without a doubt, Tierney and Potter are a potent 1-2 punch for the Hawks. Both runners have the capability of stealing the individual crown, too. Tierney, a fifth-place finisher at last year’s cross-country states, has progressively gotten better since that performance. The Hawk standout has proven on a number of occasions that he is not intimidated by the competition no matter what race he competes in.
After some top placements in the distance events during the indoor and outdoor state meets, Tierney capped off a very-successful junior campaign by dipping under 15 minutes for the 5,000-meter run at the New Balance National Outdoor Championship with a near R.I. record of 14 minutes, 59.57 seconds.
“He’s one of the individuals that can go for the title. He’s strong. You have to like to way he races,” said Doyle, who singled out Tierney’s quality finishes at the New England’s and Nike Regionals last fall. “He’s a gamer. He always comes through.”
Potter, one of the state’s top harriers last year as a sophomore, was a moderately-disappointing 19th at the championship meet. He did not fare well at the indoor state meet and skipped the outdoor season.
Doyle sees a different attitude from his talented junior. At the recent Bobby Doyle Classic, Potter finished third in the 5K event with a time of 15:42, a mere second behind the runner-up placement of Tierney.
“Michael still has to prove himself,” the Hawk coach admitted. “He’s matured a lot. The difference is his attitude. I am very pleased with the way 
he raced at the Bobby Doyle race.”
Junior Tom Grizzetti could be the Hawks’ third man. He has shown tremendous improvement after an injury put him AWOL at the end of the indoor season and the entire outdoor campaign.
Grizzetti owns a best of 9:12 for the 3K.
“Colin Tierney and Michael Potter are very close and probably the third guy right now is Tom Grizzetti,” Doyle said. “He is running very well.”
Junior Grant Gauthier, sophomore Avery Ingegneri and senior Collin Manning are also capable of making an impact for the Hawks. Manning was 15th at last year’s state meet but was unable to compete during indoor or outdoor due to a hip flexor injury. After some much-needed rest and rehab and new orthotics, Manning is back on track.
Doyle also likes the progress of sophomore teammates Dom Parlato and Tom McMahon.
Although they are from two different leagues, Hendricken will have several opportunities to test its mettle against La Salle before the state meet. Both schools are scheduled to compete in some high-level, out-of-state meets such as the Manhattan (N.H.) Invitational, the Manchester (N.Y.) Invitational and Great American Cross-Country (N.C.) Carnival.
“We can’t do anything about how good their runners are,” Doyle said. “We just have to get better and give it our best shot. Win or lose, we have to give it our best. We could be second best in the state and second best in the New England’s. Who knows?”
Doyle lists Barrington, East Greenwich, North Kingstown and Cumberland as teams that could place high at the state level. Winning the ultimate prize, especially lately, is never easy.
“You have to win a state championship. It’s never handed to you,” he said. “Every single championship was earned. You have to be tough. Cross country is so much different from track. You got seven guys and only five score. If something happens to one of your top five one of the other two has to step up. You never know what happens.”