Who are the top runners coming back this year? Who will make the most impact this fall.
During the next few weeks, MileSplit RI will highlight the athletes (boys and girls) we feel to keep an eye on this season. Among the top 14 boys at last year's state meet, seven are gone to graduation. For the girls, just three have graduated. The competition will be stiff once again. Both of our returning state titlist, La Salle Academy junior D.J. Principe and Barrington senior Emma McMillan will back on the trails with McMillan aiming for a record, fourth consecutive individual crown.
Without further ado...
Matt Bouthillette
La Salle Academy, senior
Bouthillette, along with teammates D.J. Principe and Jack Salisbury, makes up probably one of the most lethal trios in R.I. cross-country history (and, right now, in the country). Either one of these Ram standouts can win the individual title at the state meet and a 1-2-3 finish is not too far-fetched. Bouthillette had a strong junior season in both track and cross-country. At the X-C states last fall, he was fourth overall with a PR of 16:00.28 on Ponaganset's covered-bridge trail. He has an all-time best of 15.31.71, which he did to place tenth at the Great American in N.C, a meet La Salle took the team plaque. Bouthillette won the 3,000-meter run at the outdoor state meet this past spring. He also broke nine minutes for 3,200m by finishing tenth at the star-studded Glenn B. Loucks Games in N.Y. Bouthillette is primarily a front-runner but seems just as comfortable sitting behind the leaders. The Ram senior is capable of running a time in the low to mid 15-minute range for the 5K distance, a time that could place him high or win a number of race, including the state meet.