Cumberland Girls Edge West Warwick For State Title; La Salle Academy Flexes Sprint Power; US#1 Owen Spira Launches Nation's Best Winning Hammer Mark

By Mary Albl of DyeStat

The Cumberland girls had to wait a little extra for their hardware. The Rhode Island State Track and Field Outdoor Championships, delayed an extra day due to inclement weather and spilling over into Sunday, June 8 at Brown University, didn’t seem to bother the Clippers as they tallied 69 points to hold off defending champion, West Warwick (64 points). 

Cumberland was paced by senior Kiley DeFusco’s wins in the 800 (2:09.30) and 1,500 (4:29.03) and a fourth place finish in the 3,000. Cumberland also picked up big points in the throws with senior Peyton Goulding’s first-place finish in the shot put (41-7.75) and runner-up in the discus (128-1). 

On the track, West Warwick’s All-American star sprinters Lisa Raye and Xenia Raye impressed as always. Lisa, a junior, and US#10 in the country in the 100 dash, won the 100 (11.64) and 200 (23.76), while older sister Xenia repeated as the 400 champion (54.93) and was second in the 100 and 200. The Wizards also won the 4x100 relay in 47.77.

On the boys side, LaSalle Academy scored an impressive 147 points to win the team championship. Bishop Hendricken was second (113 points). 

Typically known for its power in the distance events, LaSalle flexed its muscles in the sprints scoring major points in events from the 100 through 800. In the 400, junior Garrett Giroux-Pezzullo won (48.75) with his teammates finishing in second and fifth place. LaSalle captured second through fifth place in the 200 and third and fifth places in the 100. Junior Eamon O’Brien finished first in the 800 for the Rams (1:54.54). 

In the hurdles, LaSalle’s Jalen Moseley, a sophomore, won the 110 hurdles (14.18) and 300 hurdles (37.67). 

US#1 hammer thrower, senior Owen Spira of Exeter-West Greenwich, won the event with a throw of 233-3. His best this season, 237-8, makes him No. 18 all-time. 

Team Champions

LaSalle Academy boys 147 points, Cumberland girls 69 points - RESULTS

Class Championships - May 24

Class A: Bishop Hendricken boys 195.50 points, North Kingstown girls 178 points - RESULTS

Class B: Barrington boys 252 points, Barrington girls 156.50 points - RESULTS

Class C: St. Raphael boys 166 points, Moses Brown girls 134 points - RESULTS