“Around the Oval’’

Classical’s Berkson, Woonsocket’s Pitts,
Bay View’s Johnson are N.E. champs 

By BOB LEDDY (TAFWA)
R.I. Track & Field Foundation
 

3 March - - “Absolutely fantastic!’’
 

Zach Emrich, the North Kingstown junior middle distance man, was quick with that reply when asked how it felt to be a new Rhode Island state record-holder. “This has been a great [indoor] season.’’ On Saturday at the 26th annual New England Indoor Championships at the Reggie Lewis track, Emrich eliminated a state 600-meter mark that had stood for a dozen years. Running in Lane 5 on the Lewis banked track, Emrich clocked a winning time of 1 minute, 20.58 seconds to break the 2001 time of 1:20.81 set by Shea High’s Manny Karngor on the same track at the same meet.
This winter, Emrich aced the divisional, class and state titles in tat event. He ran a PCTA facility record 1:21.65 at the State Championships.
 

“I’ve moved up in distance,’’ Emrich, a former 400-meter runner, said. At the 2012 New Englands, the Skipper All-Stater placed sixth in the 600 st 2:23.63 coming out of the unseeded section.
 

“Nice,’’ said Skipper boys’ coach Charlie Breagy of his runner’s performance, and indoor campaign. “Manny [Karngor] coached with me for a season. I’ll have to call him up and let him know.
 

“[Emrich’s time] was expected,’’ the coach said. “His workouts have had me in awe. He’s got range up to a 1000 meters, and he could reach 1500. The 600 was perfect for him this season. We’re looking at the long term. We didn’t overdo it. The plan [Saturday] was to go out fast, and he nailed it after that. There’s so much upside to this young kid.’’
 

Emrich is no stranger to a banked oval. Besides last year’s New England appearance at Reggie Lewis, he ran the 800 this season at Yale’s Coxe Cage.
“Running [flat tracks] is challenging,’’ said Emich. “You can sort of slide off. Banked tracks keep you more balanced; holding together your form on the turns.’’
En route to his SR on Saturday, Emrich clocked an unofficial 51.0 quarter, and took the leaf at the second lap. The second-place finisher - Connecticut’s Ben Ostrowski, came through in 1:21.35.
 

Three state champs notch regional titles
For the second straight year, Classical’s Maddy Berkson came away from the Reggie Lewis facility with a New England title in the 1000 meters. On Saturday, the junior - who won three events at the State Meet - clocked a N.E. meet-record 2:49.32. A year ago, her winning time in the 1000 was 2:50.11 out of the unseeded heat. On Saturday, Aleta Looker, of Maine, finished behind Berkson in 2:53.77.
Erica Johnson’s 2012-13 indoor season has been nothing short of phenomenal. She posted her fourth straight R.I. title in the 600, and capped things off on Saturday by clocking a winning time of 1:33.37. Johnson, who placed second in the New England meet last year, was 19 1/100th of a second in front of second-place finisher Amy Piccolo, of Massachusetts. Johnson holds the R.I. state standard in the 400 (56.34).
And Kaylnn Pitts, Woonsocket High’s talented field event specialist, took the New England title in the girls’ long jump with a leap of 5 feet, 5 inches (1.65 meters). Pitts won the ‘13 state indoor high jump crown at 5-4 (1.62).
 

Notable notables
Westerly High junior Jackie Burr placed fourth in the two-mile run at Reggie Lewis on Saturday. Her time was 10:52.73 (= 10:04.6 at 3000 meters) . . . The La Salle girls’ 4x800 came in second at 9:21.15, with Sheridan Wilbur, Alicia De Castro, Vicky Stephens and Eliza Rego doing the honors . . . Wilbur was fourth in the mile (5:01.46) . . . Quashira Mc Intosh, Hope’s super sophomore, finished second in the girls’ 300 (39.54). Mc Intosh, who already holds SRs 55- and 60-meter dashes, and broke the state mark in the 300 at the ‘13 State Meet . . .Bryce Kelley, Chariho High’s “long ranger’’ hit the finish line second on Saturday in the boys’ mile. Kelley clocked 4:17.51 (= 3:59.8 at 1500 meters) . . . Hendricken’s 4x200 relay placed second. Alex Perreault, Power Kanga, John Cute and Lee Moses combined for a 1:31.44 time.
Oval Notes: The New Balance Nationals are set for Mar. 8-10 at the Armory Track Facility in New York.

R.I. GIRLS’ RESULTS
SP - 3, Tori Ebert, EWG 38-7.75 (11.77 meters); 8, Kendra Plant, Cumb. 36-5 (11.09); 9, Destinee Barrette, Pil. 35-8.75 (10.89); 14, Briana Pena, Cumb. 34-7.25 (10.54); 17, Veronica Wiggins, Tol. 34-5.50 (10.50).
HJ - 1, Kaylnn Pitts, Woons. 5-5 (1.65); 11, Melanie Brunelle, Pil. 5-1 (1.54); 14, Sierra Smith, Pon. 5-1.
LJ - 5, Pitts 17-5.25 (5.31); 10, Karly Gregory, Prout 17-0.25 (5.18); 12, Cassie Roberge, MSC 16-6.75 (5.04); 18, Mary Ernster, LS 15-11.75 (4.87); 19, Kaitlin Walsh, LS 15-11 (4.85).
Two mile - 4, Jackie Burr, West. 10:52.73 (= 10:04.6 @ 3000m); 6,, Maddy Berkson, Class. 11:04.43 (= 10:15.3 @ 3000m); 14, Caroline Falvey, LS 11:32.52 (= 10:41.2 @ 3000m); 16, Beth Nunnery, NK 11:33.81 (= 10:42.6 @ 3000m); 17, Karina Tavares, MH 11:35.21 (= 10:44.0 @ 3000m); 21, Jess Elliott, Prout 11:48.86 (= 10:56.5 @ 3000m).
Mile - 4, Sheridan Wilbur, LS 5:01.46 (= 4:39.2 @ 1500m); 10, Megan Verner-Crist, Barr. 5:13.28 (= 4:50.2 @ 1500m); 13, Jess Bellows, Cov. 5:15.94 (= 4:52.6 @ 1500m); 14, Juliana Portelli, Barr. 5:17.78 (= 4:54.4 @ 1500m); 15, Ashley Jackson, SRA 5:17.87 (= 4:54.5 @ 1500m).
1000 - 1, Berkson 2:49.32; 8, Liz Rego, LS 2:57.35; 12, Kendall Feaster, SK 3:04.54.
600 - 1, Erica Johnson, BV 1:33.37; 16, Alicia De Castro, LS 1:40.66; 20, Jenn Haley, Cov. 1:43.40; 22, Vicky Stephens, LS 1:44.62; 23, 23, Nichole Barger, Cumb. 1:44.77; 24, Taressa Jones, EP 1:47.41.
300 - 2, Quashira Mc Intosh, Hope 39.54; 5, Oluwadara Falaye, Class. 40.86; 13, Rita Donohoe, MSC 41.22; 17, Amanda Joyal, LS 42.10.
55mH - 6, Maria Bolibruch, NK 8.44; 8, Breigh Souliere, Cumb. 8.67.
4x200 - 5, La Salle 1:45.89; 9, Classical 1:46.51; 13, Portsmouth 1:47.79; 15, Hope 1:48.12; 19, E. Providence 1:50.03; 23, Bay View 1:51.51.
4x400 - 3, Classical 3:57.00; 6, La Salle 3:59.54; 12, Portsmouth 4:05.58; 21, Mt. Hope 4:15.65; 23, S. Kingstown 4:31.36.
4x800 - 2, La Salle 9:21.15; 10, Coventry 9:43.87; 14, S. Kingstown 10:09.06; 17, N. Kingstown 10:17.02; 18, Cumberland 10:17.51.
All times FAT.
 

R.I. BOYS’ RESULTS
SP - 7, Aaron Comery, Cov. 53-8 (16.35 meters); 9, Connor Fugere, Woons. 51-0.25 (15.55); 10, Joe Colao, West. 50-2.50 (15.30); 25, Daryl Brooks, Class. 43-7 (13.28).
LJ - 5, Chris Moura, EP 21-7 (6.57); 12, Larry Warwick, Cov. 20-10 (6.35); 18, Lee Moses, BH 20-0.75 (6.11); 21, Akiel Legall, Hope 19-11.25 (6.07); 29, Josh Rambert, EP 18-2 (5.53).
Two mile - 7, Colin Tierney, BH 9:29.28 (= 8:46.9 @ 3000m); 9, Trevor Crawley, Cumb. 9:30.35 (= 8:48.2 @ 3000m); 14, Tyler Henesler, BH 9:43.83 (= 9:00.7 @ 3000m); 14, Matt Bouthilette, LS 9:49.63 (= 9:05.8 @ 3000m); 18, Connor Doyle, BH 10:03.79 = 9:19.3 @ 3000m); 20, Connor Royley, Barr. 10:11.25 (= 9:26.2 @ 3000m).
Mile - 2, Bryce Kelley, Char. 4:17.51 (= 3:59.8 @ 1500m); 15, Jacob Palladini, Linc. 4:38.32 (= 4:17.9 @ 1500m); 16, Adam Rego, LS 4:39.46 (= 4:18.8 @ 1500m); 19, Joe Zanfagna, CW 4:47.77 (= 4:26.7 @ 1500m).
1000 - 5, Ben Fazio, EG 2:33.96; 6, Tom Barry, Barr. 2:34.08; 25, Jack Salsbury, LS 2:43.56; 26, Shane Watterson, LS 2:46.38.
600 - 1, Zach Emrich, NK 1:20.58 (SR. OR: 1:20.81, Manny Karngor, Shea 2001); 10, Amos Cariati, MB 1:24.31; 17, Steve Perez, Cent. 1:25.52; 21, Jamal Roberts, Hope 1:27.11; 22, Caleb Gladstone, EG 1:27.20.
300 - 5, Derek Jackson, Class. 35.74; 10, Alex Perreault, BH 36.11; 11, Steve Croft, Pil. 36.33; 18, Ryan Williams, EP 37.04; 25, Rambert 37.80.
55m - 6, Warwick 6.63.
4x200 - 2, Hendricken 1:31.44; 6, Classical 1:31.79; 11, E. Providence 1:33.87; 20, Hope 1:36.81; 22, Pilgrim 1:37.76.
4x400 - 10, Classical 3:29.43; 15, Chariho 3;33.88; 16, Central 3:34.82; 17, Hendricken 3:36.42; 18, Portsmouth 3:37.63; 19, Hope 3:40.68.
4x800 - 8, La Salle 8:12.97; 13, E. Greenwich 8:24.40; 15, Hendricken 8:33.26; 19, Chariho 8:42.57; 20, Cumberland 8:45.09; 22, W. Warwick 8:49.46.
All times FAT.