HS Game Time - Rhode Island

Softball Coaches' Association presents postseason honors

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:11:40 -0500

In addition to All-Division and Senior All-Academic Team selections, the following postseason awards were announced by the R.I. Softball Coaches' Association at the Rhode Island Interscholastic League Fast Pitch Softball Awards Dinner, held last week at the Crowne Plaza in Warwick:

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Division I
Katelyn Carroll, Coventry
Jazz Clarke, Bay View
Hannah Cole, Coventry
Elise Fortier, Coventry
Ashley Olson, Coventry
Kelly Stevens, North Kingstown
Cailtyn Sugrue, North Kingstown

Division II
Emily Caswell, Prout
Stephanie Fagan, Middletown
Jill Gately, Moses Brown
Kaitlin Gately, Moses Brown
Jamie Hallam, Barrington
Elizabeth Kacz, Moses Brown
Monica Koehler, Barrington
Meredith O'Connell, Barrington
Chelsea Rodrigues, Middletown
Katie Sullivan, Moses Brown

Division III
Kristen Audet, Scituate
Shannon Audet, Scituate
Shannon Bettencourt, Davies
Erin Girouard, Tolman
Veronica LeJeune, Tolman
Jennifer March, Davies
Meghan Noury, Scituate
Victoria Ramos, Scituate
Kayla Therriault, Tolman

TEAM SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD
Division I: Mount St. Charles
Division II-North: Classical
Division II-South: Middletown
Division III: Central Falls

COACH OF THE YEAR
Division I: Cliff Matthews, Mount St. Charles
Division II-North: David Iannuccilli, Johnson
Division II-South: Robin Ramey, Middletown
Division III: Norm Ramos, Scituate

Free Family Field and Track Nights at Cranston West

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 23:55:41 -0500

If you are a high school athlete trying to gain a training edge, if you would like to find an activity that the whole family can try or if you're just looking for something different to do this summer, a series of free Family Field and Track Nights will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday and Sunday nights through Aug. 29 at the Cranston West track.

Individuals of all ages and abilities are welcome, says Tom Petranoff, youth chair for the New England chapter of USA Track & Field.

"Past Olympians and local USATF club coaches and athletes will introduce you to the throws, jumps and sprints events in a fun, safe, learn-by-doing program," he said. "We have many fun events that will test your skills and help you get in shape for all athletics events. The plan is to better yourself in all events and learn how to cross train and train your weak side for better balance and to prevent injuries.

"Fun core" stations will include: Medball Stations, Turbo stairs drills, Turbo tire training, Turbo Speed drills, Turbo plyometrics jump, Turboflex drills and Turbo racing.
"Fun events" planned for each night include: Fastest baseball arm throw, Furthest Turbojav throw, Longest Football throw, Turboshot put, Turbodiscus toss, Fastest legs football 40, Backward sprint, One lap marathon, Longest Turbo Jump, Highest Vertical Jump.

For more information, contact Petranoff via e-mail at turbojav@aol.com or by phone at (401) 440-0878.

EG's Bryant named Smith College Senior Scholar Athlete

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 23:51:59 -0500

Eliza Bryant, a three-sport star (soccer, volleyball and basketball) at East Greenwich High School from 2001 to 2005, recently put the finishing touches on a stellar rowing career at Smith College.

A tri-captain in her final season, she helped guide the crew team to the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Rowing Championship on Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester, Mass. and an appearance at the NCAA Division III Championships, held last month at Cooper River Park in Cherry Hill, N.J., where her boat finished seventh.

Bryant, who was selected to the Phi Beta Kappa Society and graduated Magna Cum Laude with a B.A. in Government, was named Smith College's Senior Scholar Athlete, as well as the NCAA Woman of the Year, an honor given for excellence in athletics, academics and leadership/community service.

She will begin working in August at City on a Hill, as part of the Boston public school's year-long tutoring program.

J&W baseball player Fonseca receives Tom Carmody Award

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 22:43:33 -0500

Baseball player Richard Fonseca was among those honored at the Johnson & Wales University Athletic Department's Senior Athlete Appreciation and Hall of Fame Induction ceremony. The former East Providence High standout was presented with the Tom Carmody Award at the event, held recently at the Johnson & Wales Inn in Seekonk, Mass.

According to a release from the school: "Fonseca was a constant presence in the Johnson & Wales athletic department and was one of the biggest supporters of all of the programs. The versatile athlete fought through injuries during his senior season, but helped the team in other ways. He took the reigns as a student-assistant coach and was invaluable to head coach John LaRose and the rest of the staff. A standout in the classroom, he has a 3.5 GPA and is a three-time member of the GNAC All-Academic team."

Jennings 10th, Freeman 2nd in national hammer throw

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:27:38 -0500

Jasmine Jennings of Warwick (Veterans), CCRI and the University of Rhode Island, finished 10th in the senior women's hammer throw Sunday at the USA Track & Field Outdoor Championships at Eugene, Ore. She threw 205 feet, 8 inches in the second round, her best throw of the season.

Jennings finished eighth and earned All-America recognition at the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Championships.

Kristal Yush, former URI assistant track coach, finished eighth at the USATF meet with a throw of 209 feet.

Thomas "Jake" Freeman, formerly of East Greenwich (Bishop Hendricken) and Manhattan College, finished second in the men's hammer with a throw of 244 feet, 10 inches.

Rhode Island throwers dominate hammer

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 12:36:44 -0500

Rhode Island continues to be an incubator of high-shool hammer throwers.

Bob Gourley of Barrington tracks the performance of hammer throwers across the nation, and according to his latest list, 31 of the top 94 come from Rhode Island. Six of the top 25 in the 12-pound hammer are Rhode Islanders.

Mike Gama of Bishop Hendricken is fourth with a best of 224 feet, 8 inches. Josh Faboyede of Classical is sixth (214-02), Will Janes of Rogers 11th (203-08), Max Milder of Hendricken 18th (190-06), Nate Irwin of Chariho 21st (186-02) and John Steele of Barrington 24th (184-10).

Conor McCullough of West Hills, Calif., is the best hammer thrower in the nation. He set the national record of 260 feet a year ago and has the best throw (256-09) this year.

Other top throwers come from Ohio (14), New York (13), Georgia (10) and California (7).

Rhode Island girls have staked their claim as among the best in the nation. Seventeen of the top 55 and 5 of the top 20 girls are from Rhode Island.

Brittney Lawson of Woonsocket leads the locals and is seventh in the nation with a best throw of 165 feet. Nicole Heinl of Barrington is eighth (162-11), Lee Stowers of La Salle 16th (154-07), Angela Oye of Classical 18th (152-06) and Rosie Read of Exeter/West Greenwich 19th (150-09).

Lauren Chambers of Marietta, Ga., has the best throw this year (201-06), one inch shy of the national record. Girls throw a 4 kilogram hammer.

Gourley's complete list follows.

260'00" Conor McCullough

213'00" Conor McCullough 243'11" Conor McCullough 260'00" Conor McCullough 256'09" Conor McCullough

256'09" Conor McCullough 232'06" Justin Welch 228'01" Alec Faldermeyer 224'08" Mike Gama 218'04" Ben Stancombe 214'02" Josh Faboyede 210'08" Brad Bolton 210'03" Nabil Mubarak 205'03" Davis Fraker 204'08" Robert Guider 203'08" Will Janes 202'11" Enrique Gaitan 199'08" AJ Guerra 196'06" Miles Freberg 193'11" Brett Hardin 193'09" Nathan Estes 192'06" Jon Lawson 190'06" Max Milder 186'11" Greg Skipper 186'06" Edward Brentnall 186'02" Nate Irwin 186'01" Matt Lloyd 185'02" Evan Palmer 184'10" John Steele 184'01" Matt Post 183'03" Bob Fiedler 182'06" Cody Bahrke 181'02" Mike Levine 181'02" Dave Linback 181'01" Vinny Grasso 181'01" Brendan Morales 180'02" James Hall 180'02" Stephen Simalchik 178'00" Mike Maloof 177'11" Ed Brown 177'10" T.J. Liguori 177'03" Bryan Duncan 176'03" Dustin Brode 175'05" Teddy Mottola 175'03" John Spelman 174'08" Michael Kidder 171'06" Rich Larkin 171'03" Gabre Winters 170'03" Bryce Rauhof 169'06" Lee Cullion 169'04" Justin Gomez 168'08" Mark Passine 168'01" Ryan Bitsko 167'10" Tyler Prendergast 167'07" Tom Briggs 167'05" Justin Favreau 167'04" Shane McLoughlin 166'08" Ethan Reese 165'11" Kyle Albrecht 165'07" Jason Moon 165'02" Nico Danielson 164'03" Bobby Rodgers 164'01" John A. Gonzales 164'00" Nathan Fetter 163'03" Josh Choquette 163'02" Andrew Dunkleberger SO 163'01" Kris Leverette 162'04" Antonio Asermelly 162'03" Matt Beyland 162'01" Peter Collins 162'01" Simon Cleary 162'01" Marcus Vicars 162'00" Wilson Adams 161'05" Jeremy Days 161'01" Nico Erasquin 160'11" Matt Butler 160'00" Jared Turner 159'11" Mike Mulligan 159'10" Tim Phok 159'06" Jeffery Rutherford 158'01" Tanner Harris 157'09" Mark Caprio 157'07" Aaron Licon 157'02" Meko Washington 155'05 Mike Montavon 154'10" Marcus Adame-Hill 154'08" Jason German 154'06" Ted Wynne 153'04" Anthony Franks 153'04" Luc Lacerte 153'01" Chris Gage 152'08" Gustavo Reynoso 152'06" Josh Ballenger 152'06" Jon Paul Reed 152'03" Jared Harrison 152'00" Luis Alvarez 151'09" Thomas Servino 151'00" Johnny Gonzales 151'00" Terry Perkins ---------------------

263'09" Conor McCullough

240'11" Alec Faldermeyer 223'01" Brad Bolton 214'04" Davis Fraker 213'04" Enrique Gaitan 200'04" AJ Guerra 194'02" Brett Hardin 184'05" Edward Brentnall 178'03" Greg Skipper 161'04" Marcus Adame-Hill 154'01" Nathan Loe ---------------------

248'11" Conor McCullough

203'11" Conor McCullough 197'06" Brad Bolton 248'11" Conor McCullough 241'05" Walter Henning

221'01" Conor McCullough 211'04" Alec Faldermeyer 204'10" Mike Gama 198'01" Davis Fraker 197'06" Brad Bolton 197'04" Ben Stancombe 195'08" Nabil Mubarak 186'08" Enrique Gaitan 183'06" Matt Post 182'02" Bret Hardin 177'09" Edward Brentnall 175'08" Miles Freberg 173'05" Josh Faboyede 169'01" Max Milder 164'05" John Steele 164'04" Will Janes 159'06" Bryce Rauhof 157'11" Rich Larkin 152'09" Justin Favreau 151'05" T.J. Liguori 150'10" Tucker Weathers 149'00" Nico Danielson 147'05" Wilson Adams 147'05" Anthony Mangino 145'00" Gabre Winters ---------------------

216'02" Jacob Freeman

149'09" Zack Richards 186'03" Wes Wright 210'11" Walter Henning 216'02" Jacob Freeman

210'07" Conor McCullough 164'07" AJ Guerra 159'02" Nabil Mubarak 147'06" Matt Lloyd 143'07" Jon Lawson 142'06" Edward Brentnall ---------------------

201'07" Maureen Griffin

173'04" Casey Kraychir 180'04" Casey Kraychir 190'03" Casey Kraychir 201'07" Maureen Griffin

201'06" Lauren Chambers 190'03" Casey Kraychir 176'08" Katie Kraychir 176'00" Patrice Gates 172'02" Jazmin Miller 167'07" Olivia Midles 165'00" Brittney Lawson 162'11" Nicole Heinl 162'10" Maddy Midles 161'03" Katie Bragg 160'11" J'Quyra Moncur-Blue SR 160'04" Karen Henning 157'04" Erin Pendleton 155'08" Ashley Clasen 154'11" Daina Levy 154'07" Lee Stowers 153'09" Breanna Radford 152'06" Angela Onye 150'09" Rosie Read 149'08" Sally Marie Futch 148'07" Ashlen Veatch 148'06" Erin Atkinson 148'00" Ali Procopio 147'02" Alexis Thomas 144'02" Jasmine Stray 142'09" Charlotte Pope 140'03" Michelle Poet 140'02" Aleide Fernandes 140'01" Taylor Dupont 139'02" Charlotte Mintzer 138'00" Robyn McFetters 136'10" Savannah Gordon 136'02" Brittany Power 132'11" Monica Phillips 132'08" Catherine Lauro 132'07" Katy Keller 130'10" Megan Fannon 130'04" Emily Keene 129'03" Nnenna Okwara 128'10" Carly Pendleton 128'02" Shelby Ashe 127'09" McKenzie Warren 127'00" Aslynn Halvorson 126'08" Dwanya Freeland 125'10" Jill Rushin 124'10" Moriah Young 124'05" Georgia Elgar 123'09" Comfort Dentor 122'03" Bianca Silvestri 122'03" Jerilynn Turenne 122'00" Rena Oakley 121'08" Shannon Watt 120'10" Becky Cousens 120'04" Dorienne Ordaz 120'03" Kate Exner 120'01" Megan Rust --------------------- * = Improvement
Addition, updates, Please send (401) 246-0243 U.S. HIGH SCHOOL BOYS' 12# HAMMER THROW
NATIONAL RECORD
JR Chaminade, West Hills, CA 06-28-08
Class Records
FR Chaminade, West Hills, CA 06-22-06
SO Chaminade, West Hills, CA 06-03-07
JR Chaminade, West Hills, CA 06-28-08
SR Chaminade, West Hills, CA 04-18-09
2009 PERFORMANCE LIST
SR Chaminade, West Hills, CA 04-18
JR Eastwood, Pemberville, OH 06-16 *
JR Minisink Valley, Slate Hill, NY 06-08 *
SR Bishop Hendricken, Warwick, RI 05-28
SR Bloomington South, IN 06-13
SR Classical, Providence, RI 05-09
SO El Toro, Lake Forest, CA 05-02
SR Grayson, Loganville, GA 05-01
JR McIntosh, Peachtree City, GA 04-04
SR Danbury, CT 05-09
SR Rogers, Newport, RI 05-28
SO Sprayberry, Marietta, GA 06-13
JR Woodstock Academy, CT 05-09
SR Walton, Marietta, GA 05-01
JR Harrison, Marietta, GA 06-05
SR North High, Phoenix, AZ 05-29
SO Prairie, Vancouver, WA 05-31
JR Bishop Hendricken, Warwick, RI 06-06
SO Oregon City, OR 06-06
SO Lovett, Atlanta, GA 03-08
SO Chariho, Wood River Junction, RI 06-06
JR Camas, WA 06-06
SR Shenendehowa, Clifton Park, NY 04-18
JR Barrington, RI 05-16
SR Whitney, Rocklin, CA 06-07
SR Tri-Valley Secondary, Grahamsville, NY 06-06
SR Tri-Center, Neola, IA 06-07
SR Commack, NY 05-03
SR Cumberland, RI 05-23
SR South Kingstown, Wakefield, RI 05-13
SR Westminster, MD 05-25
JR Beacon, NY 06-06
SR Danbury, CT 06-17 *
SO Bishop Hendricken, Warwick, RI 06-06
SR Bay Shore, NY 05-10
SR Westerly, RI 05-28
JR Iberia, MO 06-13 *
JR Canfield, OH 06-16 *
SR Iona Prep, New Rochelle, NY 06-06
SR Toll Gate, Warwick, RI 05-12
SR Kings, Kings Mill, OH 03-28
SR West Warwick, RI 05-23
JR Classical, Providence, RI 06-12
SR McIntosh, Peachtree City, GA 05-22
SR Bishop Hendricken, Warwick, RI 04-04
JR Centerville, OH 04-29
JR Hebron, IN 06-20 *
SR Wayne, Huber Heights, OH 05-06
JR Shenendehowa, Clifton Park, NY 05-09
SR North Kingstown, RI 05-09
JR South Kingstown, Wakefield, RI 06-06
JR South Kingstown, Wakefield, RI 05-13
SR Meadowbrook, Byesvile, OH 03-28
SR Arlington, LaGrangeville, NY 06-06
SR Amity, CT 06-17 *
FR Central Falls, RI 06-06
JR Everett, WA 05-03
JR Clovis, CA 06-07
SR Warwick Veterans Memorial, RI 05-23
SO Plainfield, Central Village, CT 06-17 *
Whitfield Academy, Mableton, GA 04-24
JR Marietta, GA 05-08
SR Chariho, Wood River Junction, RI 05-13
JR Centerville, OH 05-06
SO DeMatha Catholic, Hyattsville, MD 05-25
SR St. John the Baptist, West Islip, NY 06-07
SR Genoa Area, OH 04-29
JR Barrington, RI 06-11
SR New Rochelle, NY 05-01
SR Rogers, Newport, RI 05-18
JR Lincoln, RI 05-30
SR Elk Grove, CA 06-13
JR Rogers, Newport, RI 05-18
JR Classical, Providence,RI 06-12
SO Eastwood, Pemberville, OH 04-29
SR Sheldon, Eugene, OR 06-06
JR Bishop Hendricken, Warwick, RI 05-30
SR Alta Loma, CA 06-07
SO Classical, Providence, RI 06-12
SO Centerville, OH 05-06
SR Los Altos, Hacienda Heights, CA 01-17
SR Meadowbrook, Byesville, OH 05-14
SR Lincoln, RI 05-16
SR Ballston Spa, NY 04-18
JR Barrington, RI 06-11
SR Capital, Olympia, WA 05-31
SR Classical, Providence, RI 06-12
JR Fremont Ross, OH 05-09
8TH Newnan, GA (H) 04-24
SO Wayne, Huber Heights, OH 05-06
SO Mt. Pleasant, Providence, RI 06-03
SO Monroe-Woodbury, Central Valley, NY 06-08 *
JR Colton, CA 04-18
SR Piqua, OH 04-16
----------------------------------------------------------
U.S. HIGH SCHOOL BOYS' 5K HAMMER THROW
National Record
JR Chaminade, West Hills, CA 06-01-08
2009 PERFORMANCE LIST
JR Minisink Valley, Slate Hill, NY 04-18
SO El Toro, Lake Forest, CA 04-04
JR McIntosh, Peachtree City, GA 04-24
SO Sprayberry, Marietta, GA 06-14
JR Woodstock Academy, CT 05-21
JR Harrison, Marietta, GA 04-24
SO Lovett, Atlanta, GA 03-08
SO Oregon City, OR 03-14
SR Los Altos, CA 04-18
SO north Cobb Christian, Nashville, GA 06-14
----------------------------------------------------------
U.S. HIGH SCHOOL BOYS' 6K HAMMER THROW
National Record
JR Chaminade, West Hills, CA 07-12-08
Class Records
FR Chaminade, West Hills, CA 06-17-06
SO El Toro, Lake Forest, CA 05-09-09
JR Chaminade, West Hills, CA 07-12-08
SR St. Anthony's, South Huntington, NY 06-22-07
2009 PERFORMANCE LIST
SR Chaminade, West Hills, CA 06-07
JR Minisink Valley, Slate Hill, NY 06-13
SR Bishop Hendricken, Warwick, RI 05-16
JR McIntosh, Peachtree City, GA 06-07
SO El Toro, Lake Forest, CA 05-09
SR Bloomington South, IN 06-14
SR Grayson, Loganville, GA 06-07
SO Sprayberry, Marietta, GA 06-07
SR Whitney, Rocklin, CA 06-07
JR Harrison, Marietta, GA 05-01
SO Lovett, Atlanta, GA 06-07
SR Walton, Marietta, GA 05-17
SR Classical, Providence, RI 05-30
JR Bishop Hendricken, Warwick, RI 05-30
JR Barrington, RI 05-30
SR Rogers, Newport, RI 05-30
SR McIntosh, Peachtree City, GA 06-07
SR West Warwick, RI 05-30
JR South Kingstown, Wakefield, RI 05-09
SR Westerly, RI 05-30
SR Bret Harte, Altaville, CA 05-25
FR Central Falls, RI 05-30
JR Barrington, RI 05-30
SR Placer, Auburn, CA 06-07
JR Classical, Providence, RI 04-04
----------------------------------------------------------
U.S. HIGH SCHOOL BOYS' 16# HAMMER THROW
National Record
SR Bishop Hendricken, Warwick, RI 04-24-99
Class Records
FR Monroe, WA 07-03-05
SO Villa Rica, GA 06-04-06
JR St. Anthony's, South Huntington, NY 06-20-06
SR Bishop Hendricken, Warwick, RI 04-24-99
2009 PERFORMANCE LIST
SR Chaminade, West Hills, CA 06-11
JR Woodstock Academy, CT 04-16
SR Grayson, Loganville, GA 06-14
JR Camas, WA 05-03
SO Prairie, Vancouver, WA 05-17
SO Lovett, Atlanta, GA 03-21
----------------------------------------------------------
U.S HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS' 4K HAMMER THROW
National Record
SR Pocatello, ID 05-30-98
Class Records
FR Twentynine Palms, CA 05-04-07
SO Twentynine Palms, CA 07-09-08
JR Twentynine Palms, CA 05-31-09
SR Pocatello, ID 05-30-98
2009 PERFORMANCE LIST
SR Kell, Marietta, GA 05-08
JR Twentynine Palms, CA 05-31
SO Twentynine Palms, CA 06-06
JR Villa Rica, GA 04-04
SR Hiram, GA 05-08
JR Capital, Olympia, WA 05-03
SR Woonsocket, RI 05-09
SR Barrington, RI 05-09
SR Camas, WA 05-31
SR Star's Mill, Peachtree City, GA 05-17
East Side, Conyers, GA 06-05
JR St. Anthony's, South Huntington, NY 05-09
SR Woodmore, Elmore, OH 05-05
SR Shoreham-Wading River, Shoreham, NY 05-10
SO Kennesaw Mountain, Kennesaw, GA 06-05
SR LaSalle Academy, Providence, RI 06-06
SR Alpharetta, GA 05-17
JR Classical, Providence, RI 06-12
SR Exeter-West Greenwich, W. Greenwich, RI 06-06
SO Bullock Academy, Statesboro, GA 06-05
FR Cave Spring, Roanoke, VA 04-30
JR Ladue Horton Watkins, St. Louis, MO 06-13 *
SR Toll Gate, Warwick, RI 06-06
SR Wayne, Huber Heights, OH 03-28
SR Centralia, WA 05-03
SR New Rochelle, NY 06-06
JR Glendale, CA (H) 06-07
SO Central Falls, RI 06-12
SO Star's Mill, Peachtree City, GA 05-08
JR Barrington, RI 06-06
SO Barrington, RI 06-20 *
SO Shenendehowa, Clifton Park, NY 04-18
SR LaSalle Academy, Providence, RI 05-30
FR Pope, Marietta, GA 05-22
JR Classical, Providence, RI 05-30
JR Milford, NH 05-21
SR St. Pius X, Atlanta, GA 06-05
SR Boone Grove, Valparaiso, IN 06-14
SR Charlotte Latin, NC 06-20 *
SO Woodmore, Elmore, OH 06-20 *
SO St. Pius X, Atlanta, GA 06-13
FR Sandy, OR 03-14
SR Butler, Matthews, NC 06-20 *
SR A. Phillip Randolph, New York, NY 06-06
JR Jackson, MO 06-13
SR McDonogh, Owings Mills, MD 06-20 *
JR Smithfield, RI 06-11
JR Hope, Providence, RI 05-09
SR West Warwick, RI 06-03
SR West Warwick, RI 05-30
JR South Kingstown, Wakefield, RI 05-13
SR Jackson Memorial, NJ 06-20 *
FR Portsmouth, RI 06-06
FR Bravo Magnet, Los Angeles, CA 04-18
JR Tri Valley Secondary, Grahamsville, NY 06-06
JR Kouts, IN 06-14
----------------------------------------------------------
or addition since last update.
or corrections would be appreciated.
to: Bob Gourley 3 Greenville Drive, Barrington, RI 02806
or via e-mail at rmgourley@fctvplus.net

Rhode Island drops 31-13 Decision in All-Star Football Game

Sun, 28 Jun 2009 11:07:40 -0500

EAST HARTFORD, Conn. - Quarterback Bobby Baker of Masuk High completed 11 of 18 passes for 141 yards, including 8 for 10 and 101 yards in the first half, leading Connecticut to a 31-13 victory over Rhode Island in the 11th annual Connecticut-Rhode Island Senior All-Star football game Saturday night at Rentschler Field.

Sparked by the passing of Warwick Vets All-State quarterback Bob Bentsen, Rhode Island had taken a 13-12 lead early in the third quarter when Toll Gate's Doug Johnson completed a long scoring drive with a one-yard touchdown run.

But Connecticut came back with 13 points later in the third quarter and added some insurance with a 19-yard return of a pass interception for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Connecticut had come into the second half, holding a 13-7 lead. La Salle All-Stater Kendall Perry scored Rhode Island's first touchdown on a nine-yard run in the second quarter followed by a conversion boot by Cranston East's Jaquan Scripsack.

The victory gives Connecticut an 8-3 lead in the inter-state series.

Bennett selected by Canadiens in NHL draft

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 16:11:29 -0500

Mac Bennett, the East Greenwich resident who played the past three years at the Hotchkiss School, was selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the third round of the National Hockey League amateur draft on Saturday.

Bennett, a 6-0, 170-pound defenseman, was the 79th player selected overall in the draft which is being held in Montreal.

Springer named R.I. Gatorade Boys Track Athlete

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:08:43 -0500

To nobody's surprise Westerly's Andrew Springer has been named the Rhode Island Gatorade Boys Track & Field Athlete of the Year.

The star senior distance runner led Westerly to its first boys Rho0de Island state track title by winning three individuals titles and helping a relay team to a title at the outdoor state meet in early June.

A week later he won the mile run at the prestigious Midwest Distance Gala with a time of 4:02.70, the No. 1 time in the nation among prep competitors at the time of his selection.

Springer also ranked No. 1 in the nation in the 3000-meter run with a time of 8:23.30, clocked at the Bishop Hendricken Invitational in May, in addition to posting the No. 4 ranking in the nation in the 1500-meter run in 3:54.02 and the No. 11 ranking in the nation in the 2-mile at 9:02.93 at the Nike Outdoor Nationals. Springer finished his high school career with 11 Rhode Island state titles and 12 state records.

The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the track. Springer is now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Boys Track & Field Athlete of the Year award to be announced later in June.

Springer has maintained a 3.85 GPA in the classroom. A member of the National Honor Society, he has volunteered locally at road races through the Westerly Track & Athletic Club and has served as an official at youth track meets.

Springer has signed a National Letter of Intent to compete on an athletic scholarship at Georgetown University beginning this fall.

For more on the Gatorade Player of the Year program, including nomination information, a list of past winners, and the announcement of the Gatorade National Player of the Year, visit gatorade.com/playeroftheyear.

Former St. Ray's star Lotti joins Hartford coaching staff

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 10:18:06 -0500

Former St. Raphael star Kayleigh Lotti will play professional softball in Italy this summer, then join the coaching staff at the University of Hartford.

Here's the school's news release:

The University of Hartford has added Kayleigh Lotti to its softball staff as an assistant coach, as announced by Director of Athletics Pat Meiser and Head Coach Todd Randall on Friday.

Lotti, a native of South Attleboro, Mass., will serve as the Hawks' top assistant and pitching coach. She enjoyed an illustrious career at Hofstra University, where she graduated in 2009 with a bachelor's degree in sociology. As a four-time letterwinner and starting pitcher, Lotti led the Pride to back-to-back Colonial Athletic Association titles in 2007 and 2008 and three-straight NCAA Regional appearances.

Lotti capped off her career by earning All-CAA and All-Mid-Atlantic Region First Team honors for the fourth time in four seasons. She closed out the 2009 campaign with an 18-9 record and a career-best 1.27 ERA, including an 11-0 mark and 0.27 ERA in conference games. The three-time CAA Pitcher of the Year tallied 979 strikeouts in her four-year career, smashing the previous record of 638. Additionally, Lotti's 82 wins and 32 career shutouts both rank second in Hofstra's all-time record book.

"Kayleigh brings a wealth of experience and a skill set to our program that is essential to our success," commented Randall. "Her background and highly extraordinary playing career prove that a winner, and outstanding individual, is joining the Hartford softball family."

Prior to her collegiate career, Lotti played four seasons of softball at St. Raphael's Academy in Pawtucket, where she led the team to back-to-back state championships. The two-time Gatorade Rhode Island High School Player of the Year boasted impressive numbers from inside the circle as she compiled 29 career no-hitters, allowing just one run in her final two seasons at St. Raphael's.

Lotti continues to expand her pitching resume as she has recently committed to spend the upcoming summer in Italy, where she will throw for the Fiorini Softball Club Forli in the Italian Professional Softball League. Last season, the Fiorini Softball Club earned the bronze medal at the European Cup in Prague and in 2007, the squad captured the European Cup title.

"Pitching professionally in Italy is a tremendous opportunity for Kayleigh," said Randall. "We anxiously await her arrival at the end of the season."

Since 2005, Lotti has served as a professional pitching instructor for the Massachusetts and Rhode Island areas, giving both individual and group pitching lessons. Additionally, she has organized and coached at eight pitching clinics in the New York region for the past five years.

Hartford returns twelve letterwinners and all but three starters from a squad that finished 19-22 overall in the 2009 season with a 9-9 mark in America East conference play.

Springer finishes 10th in two-mile race in N.C.

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 21:45:02 -0500

Westerly senior Andrew Springer finished tenth in the two-mile run Friday night at the Nike Outdoor National High School Track Championships in Greensboro, N.C.

His time was 9 minutes 2.93 seconds.

The race was won by Trevor Dunbar, a senior from Kodiak, Alaska, in 8:49.79, currently the top time in the United States.

Competing in 90-degree heat with a field of the 17 top two-milers in the country, Springer locked into fifth place at the 800-meter mark, going through in 2:13.0.

The Georgetown University-bound Springer was neck-and-neck with the event's No. 1 seed - freshman Lukas Verzbicas, of Illinois - and both runners clocked a 4:26.7 mile split.

Springer briefly took the lead approximately a mile-and-a-quarter into the eight-lap race, but Dunbar - third-ranked nationally going into Friday night - took the lead for keeps with two laps to go.

The Westerly boys' sprint medley relay broke a Rhode Island record that had stood for 11 years. The Bulldogs combined for a 3:34.47, good for 14th place overall. The Bulldog quartet consisted of Alex Phelps, Drew Castagna, John DiGangi and Springer, whose 800-meter anchor split was 1:54.8.

The Hope girls' 4x200, finishing 13th overall, clocked a state-record 1:42.95.

High school football teams urged to eliminate August two-a-days

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 14:01:38 -0500

SAN ANTONIO (AP) - High school football teams should eliminate two-a-day practices during the first week of August drills when heat stroke has proven particularly deadly, a leading trainers' group said Thursday in a report issued less than two months before the sweltering rite of passage begins at thousands of schools.

The National Athletic Trainers' Association said its recommendations, which include longer breaks between practice and more time for players to ease into contact drills, are not radical changes and closely mirror policies already in place at the Division I college level.

They also pointed to the death of a 15-year-old Kentucky boy last August after he collapsed on the first day of practice. Prosecutors charged his coach with reckless homicide in an unusual case of a coach being held criminally responsible for a player's death.

"Thing aren't going very well at the high school level. We've had a couple very bad years," said Douglas Casa, director of athletic training education at the University of Connecticut and co-author of the report for the Dallas-based association. "This wasn't done for the convenience of coaches."

The executive director of the Texas High School Coaches Association, D.W. Rutledge, said he declined an invitation to appear at a news conference announcing the proposals. Rutledge, who won four state championships in Texas, said he first wanted to review the guidelines with his membership.

Scaling back on two-a-days amounts to lost preparation time, he said, and that's something that could concern coaches in football-crazed Texas.

Since 1995, at least 39 football players across all levels have died from heat-related causes and most of those cases happened in early August, said Dr. Frederick Mueller, director of the National Center for Catastrophic Injury Research at the University of North Carolina.

At least 42 states have some sort of heat illness-prevention guidelines, said David Csillan, an athletic trainer at Ewing High School in Ewing, N.J., and report co-author. He said the recommendations put forth are geared toward better acclimating high school students across all sports to the heat.

Many of the proposals are stricter versions of rules already in place. In Florida, contact drills are prohibited during the first three days of practice. Under the recommendations by the athletic trainers association, teams shouldn't begin full contact until the sixth day of practice.

In Texas, schools must take a minimum one-hour break between practice during two-a-days. The report calls for a minimum three-hour rest, and would limit the second practice of two-a-days during the first week to only a light walkthrough without helmets or pads.

Rutledge said a three-hour break could actually force players into the heat, since some teams start practice early as 6:30 a.m. to avoid the hottest parts of the day. He also stood by the current guidelines that Texas coaches follow.

"Our coaches take it seriously, and do a good job with it," Rutledge said.

In Kentucky, the death of football player Max Gilpin prompted state lawmakers to enact tougher safety laws for prep players. Kentucky high school coaches must now pass an athlete safety course that is expected to go online later this month.

Gilpin's coach, David Jason Stinson, has pleaded not guilty to reckless homicide and is scheduled for trial in August.

Curbing severe cases of heat illness was a prominent topic at the athletic trainers' convention in San Antonio. Also Thursday, a Georgia-based company unveiled a tiny heat sensor that can be placed inside a football helmet to monitor a player's body temperature.

Jay Buckalew, founder of Hothead Technologies Inc., said the system warns coaches and athletic trainers when an athlete is becoming dangerously overheated. But at about $99 a helmet, the price is likely to be prohibitive to many school districts.

Coventry's Wheeler earns girls track award

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 13:59:42 -0500

Coventry's Eryn Wheeler has been named this year's Rhode Island Gatorade Girls Outdoor Track & Field Athlete of the Year
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The Oakers senior won both the 800-meter and 1,500 meter runs at the Interscholastic League girls state championship meet two weeks ago. Her winning time of 4:36.74 for the 1,500 was the 21st best time in the country for that event. Wheeler finished her high school career with a total of four state tiltes in indoor and outdoor track.

The Northeastern-bound Wheeler is the first Coventry student/athlete to be named the GIrls Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year

The Gatorade award is based on a combination of athletic and scholastic achievement. Wheeler maintained a 3.85 GPA throughout her high school carerr.

Springer wins first place in Midwest Distance Gala mile run

Sun, 14 Jun 2009 16:23:59 -0500

Georgetown-bound Westerly High School senior Andrew Springer won first place this weekend in the one-mile run at the Midwest Distance Gala in Lisle, Ill., finishing the run in 4:02.70.

Here is a partial account of the event from the running web site DyeStatIL.com:

By the time the milers lined up, a near-full house at the Benedictine Sports Complex had been whipped into a frenzy by the quality of the preceding races and the skilled narration of announcer David Mitchell. The first half of the race delivered on the promise, with the precision pacing through 800 by amazing York IL coach and Masters standout Charlie Kern bringing Jeff Thode IL, Andrew Springer RI, and Michael Atchoo MI through at 2:00, with Patrick McGregor AL closing in less than a tick back and others under 2:03.

Just over two minutes later, though, Springer was the sole survivor - not having broken 4:00 but having held on well to win in 4:02.70 - and the lasting images were more of the carnage the pace had wrought than the triumph. There was Springer himself, splayed out on the track moments after finishing. There was McGregor, finishing third in a PR 4:07.07 despite getting passed for second, but then needing an ambulance and brief hospital visit as dehydration led to vomiting and disorientation afterward. There was the spontaneous combustion by Thode and Atchoo as both finished over 4:15, their broken bodies shuffling across the line. Only precocious IL Class A 800 standout (1:51.22) Peter Callahan, among the contenders, seemed to finish with reasonable energy, fashioning a stunning even-split 4:05.20 that saw him passing three runners in the last lap to finish 2nd with a PR of more than 10 seconds.

Bay View's Scorpio named Gatorade Softball Player of the Year

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 12:10:46 -0500

Bay View's Fallon Scorpio has been named the Rhode Island Gatorade Fastpitch softball Player of the year.

The 5-foot-5 junior first baseman led the Bengals (15-5) to the Division I state semifinals this season with a .476 batting average, 13 doubles and 18 RBI. She finished the season with a .593 on-base percentage and a .730 slugging percentage. She also committed just one error in 160 chances at first base this spring, good for a .994 fielding percentage.

The Gatorade award is based on both athletic and academic performance. Scorpio has maintained a weighted 4.37 GPA in the classroom. She also is a mentor to younger students as a member of the Bay View Big Sister Program.

She is the first Bay View softball player to earn the Gatorade Player of the Year award.