Ocean State Invite recap: Toolin still perfect at Goodard; Burr takes Varsity 1 race

By BOB LEDDY

R.I. Track & Field Foundation

Sam Toolin is perfect at Goddard Park and the Ocean State Cross Country Invitational. North Kingstown's talented young harrier won the middle school races at this event each of his last three appearances; as a 6th, 7th and -- last year at this time -- an 8th grader.

On Saturday, at the ninth edition of the Ocean State event in perfect fall conditions at Goddard, Toolin made it 4-for-4 by winning the Freshman II Division 4K run in 12 minutes 53.9 seconds. The second-place runner -- Eli Gappelberg, of Lexington, Mass. -- hit the tape in 13:34.

In the girls' Division I varsity 3.1-miler, Westerly High sophomore Randi Burr went 19:14.4 for the victory. Finishing behind Burr was Greenwich Central's Brynne Wright in 19:17.

The Championship Girls' Division saw the Skippers' Beth Nunnery as the first Rhode Islander over the line. Nunnery, who placed third overall in last year's Championship race, today placed 10th; her time was18:57. Margie Cullen, of Needham, Mass., won the race in 18:10.

In the boys' Championship Division, the top local harrier was soccer transplant Ben Drezek, of Cumberland. Drezek clocked 16:23 for the 11th spot. Guilderland's Noah Carey went 15:38 for the win.

"I went out poorly today,'' said Nunnery, a coaches association first-team all-state selection (sixth place) last fall. "I went hard the first mile (5:45 split). I tried to stay with the pack. It's still pretty early [in the 2015 season],'' she said. "I'm still trying to get my times down.''

Burr, who placed seventh in the state last November to earn coaches all-state honors, entered Saturday's Varsity One race having copped the freshman title last year (15:40). "I had a good lead into the woods, said Burr, the latest in a long line of Westerly distance greats. "I was 30 meters in back [2 ½ miles into the race]. I made my kick. I found it somewhere.''

The Clippers' Drezek had played soccer in the fall, before switching to cross country this season. He runs track as well. He ran his 16:23 time on a 5:16 mile pace.

Skippers' Toolin committed to success

"He really has a passion for the sport.''

Such was the assessment of freshman Sam Toolin given by his coach, Paul Tetreault, who in his many years of guiding prep runners has seen his share of talented athletes. "He's very mature for a freshman.''

Toolin is the Skippers' No. 1 this season, and has proven his mettle. He's undefeated in dual meet runs thus far this fall, and handily won Saturday's Freshman Division race with a 4-kilomter time on the Goddard Park course of 12:53.

"It feels really good,'' said Toolin, who, at the age of eight, caught the running bug from his father. "I'm thankful to have this gift.''

He's aiming high. "I'm hoping to be in the top five at the State meet,'' said Toolin, whose P-R to this point is 15:18, clocked at Ryan Park in North Kingstown. He began the 2015 campaign by winning the freshman race at the Injury Fund relays earlier this month.

"He's a rare breed,'' coach Tetreault said of Toolin. "He loves to race, and that makes it better for everyone. We have a corps of guys who are close; not just in times. Sam is all about team. He has confidence.''

Not surprisingly, Toolin plan to run indoor and outdoor track as his freshman year progresses.