Berkson Back on Track !

 

In her first two years on the track oval, Maddy Berkson has established a career that most runners would envy. Classical High’s versatile junior has won multiple state titles in the middle-distance events and also took home gold in the 1,000 at the New England Championships last winter. 

The bad news for her competitors…she’s just getting started! Consider Saturday’s performance at the R.I. Track Coaches Association (RITCA) Invitational in Providence as just a preview.

In an event she has already indicated she will not compete in at the state meet in February, Berkson obliterated the field to capture the 3,000 with a nation best of 10 minutes, 4.4 seconds. Rattling off consistent 200 splits between 40-41 seconds, she lapped the entire field en route to her easy win.  Senior Rachel Renzi of La Salle Academy was a distant second at 10:48.40.

A standout soccer player for Classical in the fall, Berkson maintained her fitness level the last few months with early-morning runs. 

“I have been doing a lot of threshold training and tempo runs,” she said. “That’s helped a lot with my endurance.” 

Berkson, who placed fourth in the 800 (PB, 2:08.87) at the New Balance Indoor Nationals last March, has her eyes set on the middle-distance events. She has an indoor best of 4:39.4 in the 1,500 and 2:50.11 in the 1,000.

 “My goal is to get better from last year,” said Berkson, who stated she will not compete in the long jump this season to focus on her running. She owns a PB of 19-1/4 in the horizontal leap. ”I figured I was sort of on the outside of the elite group, and that’s where I want to be. I definitely would like to get in the low 4:50s for the mile.” 

Berkson capped off her afternoon on Saturday by also winning the 1,000 (3:01.8) and running a leg on the school’s first-place 4x400 squad (4:08.0) of senior Oluwadara Falaey, junior Alicia Holloway and senior Elizabeth Akindolie. Faleay (41.9) and Holloway (42.2) also placed 1-2 in the 300.

In the nearly five-hour, non-scoring meet, held at the Providence Career and Technical Academy (PCTA) field house, Little Rhody produced another No. 1 effort in the country with Barrington senior Charlie Ionata improving on his top status in the 25-pound weight throw by more than a foot with a heave of 73 feet, 2 inches. Ionato, a ninth-place finisher at the 2012 indoor states, had four of his throws exceed 70 feet. 

“He had a good day,” said weight coach Bob Gourley. “But there is still more in the tank. We feel there is still a lot more there.” 

Zachery Emrich, a junior from North Kingstown, sizzled to a school record of 1:22.6 (US #8) in the 600. Emrich, who was nearly five seconds ahead of his closest pursuer, runner-up Marc Swift of Bishop Hendricken (1:27.3), passed through the 400 in 52 seconds. 

“I am feeling pretty good right now,” said the NK runner.  “I have a really great coach (Charlie Breagy) and training partner, Ben Stewart. That has helped me a lot.”

Defending state titlist Maria Bolibruch of North Kingstown copped the 55 hurdles with a fast, early-season time of 8.58. The Skipper junior was a full second faster than her winning time at last March’s championship meet.

“It’s a good start with my time as I get to more important meets,” Bolibruch said. “I just wanted to do my best and get a wonderful time and I came here and did it.”

In the girls’ high jump, a familiar name took the top prize with Woonsocket senior Kaylnn Pitts soaring to a height of 5-4. Pitts, who won an individual state title on the outdoor surface as a freshman, is the favorite to snare another crown after the graduation of national outdoor title-holder Dakota Dailey-Harris of La Salle. 

Dailey-Harris has won the last six state titles (indoor, outdoor) and holds the R.I. record of 5-10. 

“(Dakota) pushed me to jump higher,” said Pitts, owner of a 5-7 best. ”When she would get a height, it would make me want to get that height. Now that she is gone, I feel I have to keep up that motivation. My goal is to beat all my PRs.” 

Pitts, who also placed second in the long jump (16-9), cleared all her heights on her first attempt. She narrowly missed all three tries at 5-6. 

“Today wasn’t my best, but I am happy,” she said.

Bishop Hendricken, the favored team to win the boys’ state championship, showed their mettle in the 3,000 with senior Colin Tierney leading three more of his teammates across the line with a first-place time of 8:54.9 (US #6). The Hawks’ Michael Potter, a sophomore, also cracked nine minutes with a runner-up effort of 8:57.5 (US #7).  

Hendricken senior Alex Doherty broke the tape in the 1,000 (2:42.0) and classmate Alex Perrault did the same in the 300 (36.7). Perrault also ran a leg on the first-place 4x200 squad of senior John Cute, junior Lee Moses and junior Nick Stravato that combined for a time of 1:33.7.

On the boys’ side, Coventry senior Larry Warwick was the meet’s only double-winner individually, taking the high jump at 6-4 and the long jump with a distance of 21-5 ½. Senior Aaron Comery tossed the shot put 55-9 ¼ (US #11) to take that event.

Senior Marthaline Cooper of Classical moved to No. 2 in the national rankings in the girls’ 20-pound weight with a winning distance of 48-8 ¼. La Salle freshman Elizabeth Rego claimed the 1,500 with a time of 4:53.1 (US #9).

“I think I can shave a couple more seconds,” she said. “I really don’t know what I can do yet.”

Top athletes from the state will be back at the PCTA field house this Saturday for the annual Rhode Island Classic, a regional competition that will also include schools from Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Vermont and New Hampshire.

 

RITCA RESULTS