After a productive afternoon at the divisional championships last week, Hope High sprinter Quashira McIntosh stated her next goal was a sub 39-second clocking in the 300-meter run at Saturday's Armory Track Invitational.
Mission accomplished.
The Blue Wave sprinter broke her own state record by nearly a half a second with a time of 38.89 seconds. That clocking earned McIntosh a runner-up finish to the top-ranked runner in the country, Sydney McLaughlin of Scotch Plains, N.J. McLaughlin won the race in a sizzling 37.49, more than a second under her previous No. 1 of 38.52. McIntosh's old mark was 39.38, which she did as a tenth-grader at the R.I. state championship in 2013.
Rhode Island did manage a gold at the meet, held at the New Balance Armory in New York City. Classical senior Alva Hick, currently ranked third in the country, captured the 20-pound weight with a heave of 55 feet, 3.5 inches. Toll Gate junior Courtney Jacobsen was fourth overall with a PR of 50-2.
In the 4x800m relay, the La Salle Academy quartet of senior Sheridan Wilbur, senior Audrey O'Neil, junior Karina Tavares and junior Eliza Rego placed an impressive third with a time of 9:18.50. Finishing ahead of the Rams was the top two teams in the country, Benjamin Cardoza, N.Y. (first, 9:11.38) and Western Branch, N.J. (second, 9:12.47). La Salle's time ranks No. 4 nationwide. Rego recorded the fastest split among the quartet with a time of 2:14. Wilbur was timed in 2:17, O'Neill had a 2:23 leg and Tavares ran 2:22.