There was no rejoicing at the finish line and, shortly after capturing the 800-meter run in a fast time of 1 minute, 56.94 seconds, Chariho Regional (R.I.) senior Bryce Kelley wore the same blank expression before accepting his first-place medal.
For Kelley, his performance at the fourth annual Rhode Island Classic on Saturday, which ranks No. 4 nationally, was just another step forward to bigger and better things this winter.
“I’m doing the mile at the Hispanic Games (in N.Y.) next weekend so I really just wanted to get an 800 in, get some quick turnover in,” he said. “I didn’t really care about the time. I just wanted to get this experience.”
Kelley is looking to improve on his best of 4:15 at the Hispanic Games and possibly earn a qualifier for the prestigious Larry Byrne New Balance Boys Mile at the Millrose Games in February. He currently owns the fastest 1,500 in the country at 4:08.7, a time he ran in a dual meet on Dec. 19.
“I did that to just kind of qualify for the states, just to get the race out of the way,” said Kelley, a member of the Chargers’ national, record-setting 4x1 mile relay squad, set at the New Balance Indoor Nationals last season. “I just want to systematically get a couple of races in before the mile next week.”
In Saturday’s race, held at the Providence Career and Technical Academy (PCTA) field house, Kelley never left the outcome in doubt. He virtually led from the opening gun and was a comfortable 10 meters ahead of eventually second-place finisher, senior Danny Deluna (1:58.37) of Massapequa (N.Y.), by the time he reached the 600 mark, passed in 1:26.3.
“I felt good,” Kelley said. “I got tied up a little bit, but this is my first 800 of the season.”
Another runner who has his eyes set on a possible appearance at Millrose took home gold in the featured boys’ mile race. Sibby Hanson, a senior from Arlington (N.Y.), broke from the pack after the 400 and coasted to the win with a time of 4:26.44.
Greenwich Central (N.Y.) sophomore Jeremy Spiezio (fifth, 4:29.99) did the early pace-setting, taking the field of nine runners through a quarter-mile split of 67 seconds. Hanson took over from there and, after hitting the halfway mark at 2:15, let loose the final four laps.
“I saw we went through slow so I sort of wanted to get the pace moving, meaning I take the pace or someone eventually catches up to me and we feed off each other,” he said. “I thought (the win) was pretty much up for grabs.”
Hanson was competing in his first race of the season. He’s determined to improve on his best of 4:15 for the open mile. He also ran 4:13 in a relay at the outdoor nationals last spring.
“I am looking at Millrose, looking to get my mile time down,” said Hanson, a sixth-place finisher in the 3,200 at the 2012 indoor states. “I want to see if I can get 4:10 or below in the mile. In the two mile, I want to break nine.”
Maddy Berkson, a junior from nearby Classical (R.I.), captured the girls’ mile with a time of 5:03.37 (US #8). Berkson was among the lead runners throughout the race and assumed control of the top spot with two laps to go on the 200-meter surface. She held off freshman Bella Bruda of Arlington, who snared runner-up honors with an impressive 5:04.76 clocking.
Berkson, who a week earlier posted a then nation best of 10:04.4 (US #2) for the 3,000 at the RITCA Invitational, also at the PCTA field house, was aiming to break the five-minute barrier. She was in second by the 800, passing the checkpoint at 2:33.
“After the 800 split I figured it would just be a strategic race,” Berkson said. “I run better in the front because I am more afraid of someone coming behind me. I find the fear is good motivation”
The Classical junior came back and placed second in the 3,000 at 10:17.4. Senior Sarah Gillespie of Northwest Catholic (N.Y.) won the event with a time of 10:10.34 (US #4). Berkson made it to the victory stand one last time by anchoring her school’s winning 4x400 relay (4:03.79) with a sizzling 56-second leg.
Bay Shore (N.Y.) junior Omari Buckmire excelled in the jumping events. He saved his best for last in the long jump, soaring to a distance of 22 feet, 7 ¾ inches (US #8). He took the triple jump with a season-best of 47-1 ¾ (US #3).
In the long jump, Buckmire held off a strong challenge from the next two finishers, senior Lexus Gordan of Fitch (second, 22-5 ½) and Bloomfield senior Demario Gray (third, 21-8). He won on his final attempt after Gordan assumed the lead.
“This is my first time long jumping here,” Buckmire said. “I put God first and just tried my best and got the jump. I was having problems on the runway so I was just like if I can hit the board perfect (on the last jump) with a nice pop I could do it. I felt I had it won when I started jumping. I was happy.”
Hillhouse (Conn.) senior Precious Holmes was visible throughout the morning, making it to the podium three times. She captured the 300 with a season-best of 40.18 (US #6) and also ran legs on the Academics’ victorious distance medley relay (12:38.47) and sprint medley relay (4:13.14). Holmes was named the meet’s top runner.
One of New York’s finest, senior Briyah Brown of New Rochelle, earned the honors for performers in the field events after unleashing the shot put 42-10 ¾. Her effort led her relay squad to a first-place distance of 112-11 ¾, a new meet record by more than six feet. Brown was just a few days removed from winning the shot at the Marine Corp Holiday Classic at the Armory in New York with a SB of 44-1 (US #2).
“You have to bring yourself mentally and physically,” she said, while referring to her efforts this past week. “You can’t psyche yourself out. You just have to trust your coach and fear nothing; go out and do your best.”
Another meet record was erased in the boys’ high jump relay with Bloomfield’s Gray, Jaquan Greaux and Jermaine Lascellas combing for a height of 18-6. Gray had the best leap, soaring over the bar at a stellar 6-8.
Colonie (N.Y.) junior Kara Synder defended her title in the pole vault with a height of 11-0. It was her second title in a week in the event. She also placed first at the Marine Corp invite with a 12-foot effort. “I was a little sore coming in,” she said. “I competed two days ago…so of course I wanted to go higher. It is what it is.”
Massachusetts’ lone triumph in the more than nine-hour meet, which began with the girls’ events followed by the boys, was earned by senior Ally Saccone of Old Rochester. Saccone out-leaned New Rochelle junior Ashley Wiggins by a tenth of a second in the 55 high hurdles with a time of 7.49.
The host state had their best showing in the meet’s four years with a dozen wins. On the girls’ side, Elise Papazian copped the freshmen mile with a time of 5:30.64. Classical took the weight relay at 132-4 ¼ and La Salle Academy’s foursome of freshmen Eliza Rego, junior Alicia DeCastro, senior Caitlin Marino and sophomore Sheridan Wilbur set a new meet record in the 4x800 with a 9:40.9 clocking (US #5).
For the boys, Central won the shot put (135-¾) and the weight (178-9 ¼) relays. Hendricken senior Adam Perrault broke the tape in the 300 at 36.2 and La Salle’s Matt Bouthilette earned a victory in the frosh mile with a time of 4:44.0.
Little Rhody also snared relay titles from Hendricken in the freshmen/sophomore sprint medley (3:55.72),Classical’s shuttle hurdle (32.31), Hope’s sprint medley (3:48.86), North Kingstown’s 4x800 (8:13.49) and La Salle’s distant medley (10:49.87).