Quinn Cooney of Chelmsford (Mass.) and Gabriele Richichi of New Fairfield (Conn.) won their respective Championship Races at Saturday's eighth annual Ocean State X-C Invitational.
Cooney, a senior, held off fellow Bay-Stater Dan Romano of Mansfield with a time of 15 minutes, 45.95 seconds for the five-kilometer course at Goddard State Memorial Park. Romano was second in 15:56.17. In the team competition it was Robbinsville that earned the plaque. Highlighted by a fourth-place finish from Zach Michon, the New Jersey-based squad defeated St. John’s (Mass.), 50-111. Cumberland’s Sean Laverty was the fastest R.I. finisher, placing sixth in 16:27.03.
Richichi was a comfortable 23-seconds ahead of her closest pursuer to take the girls’ elite race with a time of 18:23.02. Finishing second was Rachael Ludwikowski of Suffern in 18:44.72. With four of its runners among the top 12, Connecticut state champion Tolland claimed the team prize with a 49-77 decision over New Jersey’s Red Bank Catholic. North Kingstown’s Bethany Nunnery was the first R.I. runner to cross the line, taking third in 18:56.07. Barrington’s Emma McMillan placed fourth at 19:02.29.
Nearly 5,000 runners competed in the two-day meet, which featured six middle school and 14 high school races.