Countdown to X-C: Karina Tavares, La Salle Academy

<p> Countdown to 2014 cross-country series.</p>

COUNTDOWN TO X-C

The cross-country season officially started this past week with the first official practice last Monday. During the next week, MileSplit Ri will feature the top boys and girls to watch this season in its Countdown to X-C series. The potential is there for some sizzling times on the trails. Just five runners have graduated from last year's top 14 finishers for both the boys and girls.  

RUNNERS TO WATCH

Karina Tavares, junior La Salle Academy

The Mount Hope transfer was a welcome addition to the Rams' squad last year. She followed up her fifth-place finish as a freshman for the Huskies with a runner-up placement at last year’s state meet where she was timed in a personal-best clocking of 18:01.03. After top runner and teammate Eliza Rego collapsed on the course and was unable to finish, Karina was one of the sparks that enabled La Salle to upset defending titlist Barrington for the state title.   

The La Salle runner had a solid cross-country season in 2013 where she was continuously under 19 minutes for the 5K distance. She was 13th in the championship race at the Great American Festival in N.C., in early October where she ran 18:34.90. Karina was fourth at the Class A meet (18:26.32) and 14th at the New England Championship (18:21.20).

She also has some middle-distance speed. She was fifth at the Outdoor State Meet in the 1,500-meter run with an all-time best of 4:42.61. She also has clocked 2:18 for the 800m.

With a gifted squad that also includes returning all-staters Sheridan Wilbur and Rego, it would be hard not to imagine that La Salle will dominate at this year’s states if Karina performs like she has done the last two years.

Karina's profile

<p> Countdown to 2014 cross-country season.</p>