Classical's Roberts among stars at Hawk Invite

It’s all about perseverance and hard work, realizing your potential and never letting go of your goals no matter what roadblocks are thrown your way.

After overcoming Lyme disease his junior year, an ailment that kept him out of school for four months, Newell Roberts has proven that setbacks are only temporary and with less than a week until the state meet the big prize is well within his reach.

The Classical senior earned the distinction as the top seed for the upcoming championship meet by capturing the pole vault at Saturday’s Hendricken Invitational with a personal-best height of 14 feet, 3 inches. Roberts was the last one standing in a heated competition that saw three other athletes clear 13 feet.

Finishing second and third, respectively, at 13-6 were Barrington’s John Cavanagh and Robert Cassidy of North Kingstown. Smithfield’s Carlton Eaton was fourth at 13-0.

“It was a great, great day, good competition,” Roberts said. “It was just a battle of who could go higher. I am really, really happy with my performance today and hope to do even better at the states.”

Roberts has a legitimate chance to win his first state title at this Saturday’s meet at Brown University Stadium. Talk about a complete turnaround if he can accomplish that feat. At last year’s meet, the Classical standout finished last in the competition, never even making the opening height of 10-6.

But in the case of Roberts, he certainly deserved a free pass for his misfortunes during the 2014 meet, considering what he had to overcome at the beginning of the school year when he contacted Lyme disease, an infectious bacterial disease that cause severe joint pains and tiredness, among other ailments.

“Going through that, it was really hard,” Roberts said. “It was a long process getting back…I had to go to physical therapy all the time. I never thought that I would come back and be better than I was, but it was a good process and I am really proud of myself.”

Roberts, the Class B titlist, has cleared 13 feet four times this season, achieving his previous best of 13-6 by winning the Classical Classic on May 16. The talented vaulter is looking forward to going to Brown this weekend with hopes of achieving an even high height and a spot at the top of the podium.

That was a dream he never thought was possible after last year’s troubles.

“No way,” Roberts recalled. “I said I would do it [14 feet] my freshman year but never really thought I would do it actually and get to that height. But I am so happy and I am and going to keep pushing harder.”

Roberts wasn’t the only athlete to come through with a peak performance at the Hawk Invite, which celebrated its 51st year at the Warwick school.

Barrington, a school that’s capable of earning the team hardware at the states, got its typical 1-2 effort in the hammer with senior Adam Kelly taking first with a near-best heave of 235-6 and junior teammate Bobby Colantonio placing second with a distance of 229-8.

Eagle sophomore Mars Bishop was a winner in the 1,500m with a PR of 4 minutes, 2.5 seconds. Bishop hung with the lead pack for most of the race, passing the 800m mark at 2:10. He put on a surge without 500m left and won comfortably. Finishing second at 4:12.5 by North Kingstown senior Mike Toolin.

“The plan was to try and break four (minutes) flat,” he said. “I didn’t quite do it. But the plan was to lead the whole race. I knew I could do it. I was trying to hit 64 (seconds each lap) and give it all at the last lap.”

Mount Pleasant’s Trevaine Clark twice broke 22 seconds for the 200m dash, capturing the individual title with a PB of 21.8. Clark, who ran 21.9 in his preliminary heat, edged La Salle junior Cameron Morenzi, who was timed in 22.0 for second.

“Before the race I was kind of nervous,” said Clark, a runner-up in the 200m and 400m at last year’s state meet. “I just wanted to make sure I finished strong. My coach was coaching me to do my best and I had to give it all I had.”

Central sophomore Donatien Djero, the state’s top performer in the short sprints, defeated top-seed, Alejandro Duarte of East Providence, in the 400m with a fast 49.40 clocking. Duarte was second in 50.2

The effort earned Djero MVP honors for running events and also moved him to No. 2 on the list for the one-lapper behind the Townies’ Duarte.

In a close race, North Kingstown senior Ian Connors held off La Salle’s Matt Bouthillette to take the 800m in 2:00.30. Bouthillette, a junior, was second in 2:00.9, while sophomore teammate D.J. Principe placed third in 2:01.6.

Connors’ time was four seconds off his PR, but that was not his concern.

“I don’t really care for times this spring,” said the NK runner, who is undefeated this spring and owns a best of 1:56. “I just want to win. I’d like to go for times at the New England’s.”

Narragansett senior Mike Silvestri captured the 100m dash with a time of 10.9. Marguise Scott of Rogers placed second at 11.0.

“I just tried to push myself,” he said. “I fell a little behind halfway and I picked up speed, thought about the form, and came in first.”

Leading virtually from the start, Hendricken senior Nick Celcio dipped under nine minutes to win the 3,000m in 8:56.50. Mount St. Charles sophomore Charles Berg was second at 8:59.

Competitors in Saturday’s meet had to deal with hot and humid conditions, which can take its toll of runners in the long-distance events.

“It was a tough day,” Celcio stated. “I was hurting a little more than past 3Ks, but I just said to myself, ‘Hey, you just have one mile left.’ I just told myself, ‘Just keep going, stay focused and do what you got to do, do your job for the team, just win the mental battle.”

Speaking of team, it was the host Hawks that captured the overall title, defeating second-place North Kingstown, 84-57, Barrington was third with 56 points.

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