Week ending Oct 17
Week ending Sept 26
Season Preview
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Week ending Oct 17 - XC TEAMS MAINTAIN POLL STANDINGS
AS SEASON ENTERS FINAL PHASE
OCT. 17 -- The state's top cross country teams have, with minor exceptions, maintained their positions in voting by a panel of coaches. In the girls' poll, Barrington continues to be the top vote-getter, this time garnering 89 points. The Eagles headed the list in the last poll taken, on Sept. 23. Likewise, La Salle and Coventry are 2-3 in this week's voting (as they were last month), and Westerly moved up a notch in the standings; from No. 5 to No. 4.
In balloting by a panel of boys' coaches, La Salle emerged the No. 1 team, with 95 points. The Rams were second in voting on Sept. 23. Hendricken is rated No. 2 this time (down from first place), and South Kingstown maintains its hold on the No. 3 spot. The next - and final - poll of the season will be released just before the Nov. 2 State Championships.
Around the Course: Rhode Island teams acquitted themselves admirably at the Oct. 11 Manhattan Invitational. The meet is held at Van Cortlandt Park in upper Manhattan, along a 2.5-mile course. In the top event of the day (the so-called Eastern States Championship) the team from Hendricken placed 23rd. The Hawks' Jake Sienko was his team's top finisher, coming across in 20th place in a time of 12 minutes, 55 seconds. East Greenwich's Mark Feigen won the boys "Varsity F'' race in 12:49, and the La Salle boys captured team honors in the "Varsity E'' division; Ram Connor Mercurio was his school's top finisher (14th).
In girls' races at Manhattan, Barrington finished sixth in team scoring in the "Varsity C'' race, with Emily Siskind the Eagles' top finisher (2nd, in 15:19).
At the recent Woods Trail Run in Thetford, Vt., Hendricken took team honors. The boys' 3.1 miler also feathred a spirited race between East Greenwich's Nick Ross and Westerly's Andrew Springer, with Ross hitting the tape one second ahead of the Bulldog runner: 16:53 and 16:54 respectively. Westerly's No. 2 man, Tim O'Loughlin, placed third in that race (17:07). The Coventry girls placed eighth in team scoring at Thetford, with No. 1 Jenna Riley finishing third in 20:12.
The annual Brown University High School Invitational is set for this Saturday (10/18) at Goddard Park. The Class Championships will be held Oct. 25 at Ponaganset.
COACHES POLL #3
GIRLS
Team Total votes 1st place votes Prev. poll
1. Barrington 89 8 1
2. La Salle 74 2
3. Coventry 69 3
4. Westerly 63 5
5. S, Kingstown 55 1 6
6. N. Kingstown 43 4
7. E. Providence 29 7
8. Cumberland 20 9
9. E. Greenwich 16 - -
10. Cr. West 15 8
Others: Smithfield 14; Bay View 10
BOYS
1. La Salle 95 6 2
2. Hendricken 93 3 1
3. S. Kingstown 86 1 3
4. Barrington 62 5
5. Chariho 58 4
6. N. Providence 49 7
7. Coventry 34 9
7. E. Greenwich 34 6
8. N. Kingstown 23 8
9. Cumberland 9 - -
10. Westerly 5 10
(Coaches voting: Champion, SK; Skelly, LS; Doyle, BH; Katz, Barr.; Warner, Cov.; Menna, Linc.; Kenwood, Cumb.; Dion, EG; Cirello, Class.; Palmer, Westerly; Mathews, MSC; Carlson, Linc.; Briggs, Woons.; Janiszewski, Westerly; Vanassee, SRA; Thompson, Cov.; Sosnowski, Ports.; Beaudette, BV)
Week ending 9/26 - High School Cross-Country Poll #2
GIRLS
Team Total votes 1st-place votes Previous ranking
1. Barrington 107 (9) 4
2. La Salle 89 (1) 1
3. Coventry 82 (1) 2
4. N. Kingstown 77 3
5. Westerly 57 5
6. S. Kingstown 44 6
7. E. Providence 32 ---
8. Cr. West 27 7
9. Cumberland 23 ---
10. Smithfield 20 9
(Others: E. Greenwich & Bay View 19; Toll Gate 2)
BOYS
Team Total votes 1st-place votes Previous ranking
1. Hendricken 77 (5) 2
2. La Salle 75 (3) 1
3. S. Kingstown 53 6
4. Chariho 49 4
5. Barrington 42 7
6. E. Greenwich 34 5
7. N. Providence 31 9
8. N. Kingstown 24 3
9. Coventry 19 10
10. Westerly 17 8
Season Preview
The 2008 high school cross country season should be an exciting one - what with a good number of All-Staters returning. Here’s a quick preview:
Girls
La Salle, which went on to dominate both the indoor and outdoor campaigns, were last fall’s state team champions. The Rams out-pointed second-place North Kingstown, 58-89, and were led by senior multi-All-Stater Jeanne Mack (now at Harvard University). Running the great course at Ponaganset High, Mack clocked 18 minutes, 14.6 seconds over 3.1 miles. She was well ahead of teammate Jean Christensen (second in 18:46).
Christensen, one of the state’s top distance runners throughout the cross country, indoor and outdoor track seasons, was the second local finisher (12th overall) at the New England Championships, held in Maine last November.
After the two La Salle finishers, the bulk of the top placers were undergrads, which bodes well for this season. Barrington’s Abigail Jones was third last year. Now sophomore, Jones will be one of the league’s top contenders. The Eagles finished 10-1 last season in dual meet competition. South Kingstown’s Hope Nelson is now a junior, and is a two-time Providence Journal All-State selection. Nelson was the No. 6 Rhode Islander at last year’s New England meet. From North Kingstown is senior Alison Stasiuk, a first-team All-Stater in ‘07, who helped power the Skippers to a Southern Division title; their eighth straight. Cranston West junior Arianna Colella, whose Falcons last season were unbeaten in dual meets, and captured the Suburban Division crown. Westerly’s Vicki Lima should be back this fall, as will her teammate, Michon Dinwoodie.
Boys
Now-junior Nick Ross finished fourth at the ‘07 Boys’ State Championships at Ponaganset (16:08), and helped his East Greenwich team to its first team title. Ross was also the top Rhode Islander (11th overall) at the New England Championships in Maine (16:16). The Avengers’ 53 team points bested second-place La Salle (82) at last year’s State Meet, and third-place Hendricken (102 points). Last year’s individual champ - the Hawks’ Bronson Venable - has graduated.
The Avengers also got scoring points last year from All-Stater Mark Feigen, who’s now a senior. Feigen, interestingly, was the second Rhode Island runner to finish at the New England meet (14th overall). Chariho senior Dave Hurley is back for another season. The two-time All-Stater finished fifth at the ’07 State Meet. And La Salle senior Connor Mercurio will be a welcome sight for the Rams.
Tim O’Loughlin, of Westerly High, was the state headliner last spring in outdoor track. On the State Meet cross country course, O’Loughlin finished second to Venable, and was the No. 3 Rhode Islander at the New Englands. The Chargers also hope to have senior Sean Kelley back in the fold this season, and Barrington expects to benefit from the talents of senior distance man Sid Griffin
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