(PHOTOS by RAPHAEL BIEBER)
Forty-three years is a long time, but the drought is over for the La Salle Academy boys. With multiple points in the distance races and some key placements in the remaining events, the Rams earned their first state title since 1971 on Saturday afternoon with an 81-69 decision over runner-up Classical at the Providence Career and Technical Academy field house. La Salle had a double-winning effort from sophomore Jack Salisbury, who copped the 1,500-meter run and the 1,000. Sophomore Matt Bouthilette posted a mild upset in the 3,000 by defeating top-seed Colin Tierney of Bishop Hendricken. La Salle also had a win from Sean Greene in the high jump and its 4x800 squad.
In the girls' competition, La Salle never made it to the victory stand but its depth was enough to hold off Classical, 93-88, for the title. Sophomore Eliza Rego finished second in the 3,000, 1,500 and the 1,000 to collect 24 points for the Rams. In all three of those events, Classical senior Maddy Berkson broke the tape, matching last year's performance. She also anchored the first-place 4x400 team.
Keeping checking back. MileSplit RI will provide photos, videos and stories of Saturday's meet.
(Classical senior Maddy Berkson won three events (3,000, 1,500, 1,000) and also anchored her school's winning 4x400 relay on Saturday)
Rhode Island State Indoor Championships
Girls Highlights
- 1,000 Meter Run - Maddy Berkson (Classical High School) 2:56.85; Eliza Rego (La Salle Academy) 3:01.70; Mary Kate Coogan (Barrington High School) 3:01.74; Megan Verner-crist (Barrington High School) 3:02.77; Lily Foulkes (The Wheeler School) 3:02.79; Shannon Hugard (Middletown High School) 3:02.82; Karina Tavares (La Salle Academy) 3:02.91; Katarina Ho (North Kingstown High School) 3:07.06;
- 1,500 Meter Run - Maddy Berkson (Classical High School) 4:43.17; Eliza Rego (La Salle Academy) 4:46.80; Karina Tavares (La Salle Academy) 4:50.61; Caroline Falvey (La Salle Academy) 4:52.32;Danika Wayss (Pilgrim High School) 4:52.47; Allison Bellows (Coventry High School) 4:53.22; Katarina Ho (North Kingstown High School) 4:53.68; Audrey O'neill (La Salle Academy) 5:01.04; Rachel Renzi (La Salle Academy) 5:01.49; Amy Laverty (Cumberland) 5:02.64;
- 3,000 Meter Run - Maddy Berkson (Classical High School) 10:17.36; Eliza Rego (La Salle Academy) 10:21.39; Karina Tavares (La Salle Academy) 10:27.69; Bethany Nunnery (North Kingstown High School) 10:48.48; Jackie Burr (Westerly High School) 10:49.04; Jessica Elliot (The Prout School) 10:51.75; Cianna Lynch (La Salle Academy) 10:58.60;
- 300 Meter Dash - Quashira Mcintosh (Hope High School) 40.45; Alicia Holloway (Classical High School) 41.54; May Stern (Classical High School) 42.92; Kathleen Cronin (Coventry High School) 42.97;Oceana Williams (Cranston West HS-RI) 43.14; Isis Hack (Hope High School) 43.17;
- 4x200 Meter Relay - Hope High School 1:46.00; Cranston West HS-RI 1:46.68; La Salle Academy 1:47.32; North Kingstown High School 1:49.16;
- 4x400 Meter Relay - Classical High School 4:04.55; La Salle Academy 4:07.20; Hope High School 4:11.17;
- 4x800 Meter Relay - Barrington High School 9:27.86; La Salle Academy 9:32.29; Cumberland 9:46.51;
- 55 Meter Hurdles - Maria Bolibruch (North Kingstown High School) 8.42; Alicia Holloway (Classical High School) 8.46;
- 55 Meter Dash - Quashira Mcintosh (Hope High School) 7.19; Stephanie Ditraglia (La Salle Academy) 7.38; Quashira Mcintosh (Hope High School) 7.37;
- 600 Meter Dash - Abigail Livingston (Barrington High School) 1:36.05; Shannon Hugard (Middletown High School) 1:37.91; Nichole Barger (Cumberland) 1:38.49; Alicia Decastro (La Salle Academy) 1:40.05; Veronica Hardy (La Salle Academy) 1:40.97; Dana Barclay (West Warwick High School) 1:42.46;
- High Jump - Carly Timpson (Narragansett High School) 5-4;
- Shot Put - Tori Ebert (Exeter-West Greenwich Regional High School) 41-6.5; Alva Hicks (Classical High School) 40-11;
- Weight Throw - Leia Mistowski (Narragansett High School) 54-11; Alva Hicks (Classical High School) 53-8.25; Tori Ebert (Exeter-West Greenwich Regional High School) 48-11.25; Bianca Donadio(Classical High School) 48-1; Jacqueline Esmay (La Salle Academy) 47-1; Meagan Malloy (Smithfield Senior High School) 45-11; Carly Timpson (Narragansett High School) 44-8.75; Maddison Caron(Pilgrim High School) 44-0.5; Lysah Russell (Classical High School) 42-2; Lauren Swanson (East Greenwich High School) 40-7.5; Funmibi Yusuff (Classical High School) 40-3.75; Abby Cousens(Portsmouth High School) 39-10;
Boys Highlights
- 1,000 Meter Run - Jack Salisbury (La Salle Academy) 2:36.32; Joe Craven (North Kingstown High School) 2:36.63; James Placco (La Salle Academy) 2:37.40; Dan Paiva (La Salle Academy) 2:38.66;Ian Connors (North Kingstown High School) 2:39.20;
- 1,500 Meter Run - Jack Salisbury (La Salle Academy) 4:04.51; Dan Paiva (La Salle Academy) 4:05.28; Garrett Scanlon (East Greenwich High School) 4:07.23; Colin Tierney (Bishop Hendricken High School) 4:08.76; Chri Notarianni (La Salle Academy) 4:09.08; Dallin Smith (North Kingstown High School) 4:10.25;
- 3,000 Meter Run - Matthew Bouthillette (La Salle Academy) 8:43.50; Colin Tierney (Bishop Hendricken High School) 8:47.09; David Principe (La Salle Academy) 8:51.18;
- 300 Meter Dash - Zachery Emrich (North Kingstown High School) 36.24;
- 4x200 Meter Relay - Classical High School 1:33.82;
- 4x400 Meter Relay - Central High School 3:32.44;
- 4x800 Meter Relay - La Salle Academy 8:11.10; North Kingstown High School 8:16.43;
- 55 Meter Dash - Ilan Rich (Classical High School) 6.50; Randolph Zleh (Mount Pleasant High School) 6.57; Lee Moses (Bishop Hendricken High School) 6.58; Broderick Santilli (La Salle Academy) 6.62;Ilan Rich (Classical High School) 6.59; Randolph Zleh (Mount Pleasant High School) 6.61;
- 600 Meter Dash - Zachery Emrich (North Kingstown High School) 1:22.79; Amos Cariati (Moses Brown School) 1:23.25; Ben Stewart (North Kingstown High School) 1:24.81; Josue Astacio (Central High School) 1:25.77; Jared Boulanger (Bishop Hendricken High School) 1:26.30;
- Long Jump - Lee Moses (Bishop Hendricken High School) 22-7.75;
- Shot Put - Connor Fugere (Woonsocket High School) 54-3.75; Alex Cerbo (Bishop Hendricken High School) 53-4.5;
- Weight Throw - Adam Kelly (Barrington High School) 74-7.5; Thomas Olusegun Vadis (Classical High School) 65-11.5; Owen Russell (Moses Brown School) 65-11; Bobby Colantonio (Barrington High School) 64-5.75; Bryan Zapata (Hope High School) 64-2; Connor Fugere (Woonsocket High School) 63-11; Giovanni Gray (Lincoln High School) 62-5; Chris Celona (Bishop Hendricken High School) 61-2; Jason Flannagan (North Kingstown High School) 60-10; Eddie Barber (Bishop Hendricken High School) 58-3.25; Stefan Balestra (Lincoln High School) 57-8; Mike Alvernaz (Barrington High School) 57-4.5; Francy Mata (Mount Pleasant High School) 56-2; Alex Cerbo (Bishop Hendricken High School) 55-3; Jake Briely (Lincoln High School) 54-1; Joe Mattson (Rogers) 53-11; David Collins (North Kingstown High School) 52-11.5;