Full Results | Team by Team
The Class Champions have come and gone once again as schools from all over Rhode Island descended upon the covered bridge course at Ponaganset High School. There were four races on the boy's and four on the girl's side consisting of the Class A, Class B, Class C, and JV state championships respectively.
In the Class A championship, Pilgrim's Keaney Bayha dominated over her rivals with an 18:23.56. She has the fastest time in the state this year and is yet to lose to an in-state competitor. She beat out North Kingstown's Abbie Tighe and Lucy Stowe for second and third in 18:51.28 and 19:12.57.
Close behind were Cumberland's top two runners, Rose Tuomisto and Charli McCue with Maeve Casey of La Salle a second behind for 6th.
The team battle saw individuals from North Kingstown, Cumberland, and La Salle Academy fighting for the Class A crown. Despite missing Alyssa Parenteau to injury, La Salle took the narrow win with 52 points to North Kingstown's 57 and Cumberland's 60.
In Class B, Portsmouth's Allie Kaull meant business. Another wire-to-wire win for the Portsmouth runner in 19:24.05, Kaull won the East Bay Challenge and took runner-up at Wickham Park to solidify her resume. Jessica Deal of Mount Hope was runner-up in 20:05.37.
East Greenwich took 3-4-5-6 to take the team win with just 27 points to Portsmouth's 75 and South Kingstown's 75. East Greenwhich's impressive run to finish all five scorers within the top ten included Olive Willis, Ali Walsh, Emily Clarke, Lindsey Han, and Brea Wood.
In Class C, it was a battle to the finish between North Smithfield's Julia Dowling and St. Raphael Academy's Mackenzie Lickert. In the only race that came down the final stretch, the two runners were neck and neck as they broke the tape.
In the end, it was decided by just 5 milliseconds as Dowling ran 19:32.04 to Lickert's 19:32.09.
Jackie Mattos of South Kingstown was also sub-20 with a 19:48.07.
The team battle saw Moses Brown, who took 5-6-8-9-12, win with just 29 points to North Smithfield's 58. Moses Brown was led by seniors Akayla Siddiqi and Gwen Purnell who finished fifth and sixth respectively.
In the JV race, La Salle went 1-2 thanks to a 21:42.94 from Gemma Kent while Madison Studley was close behind in 22:15.06. The La Salle girls won with 30 points, and Barrington finished second on the Girl's side as well with 40 points.
Look Ahead
Next week is the RIIL State Cross Country Championships where favorites Keaney Bayha looks to hold off the likes of Abbie Tinghe and Allie Kaull, and La Salle looks to keep their momentum against North Kingstown and Cumberland when the field deepens at the RIIL Cross Country State Meet next weekend.
