EAST PROVIDENCE — Varsity indoor track and field athletes, including those from East Providence High School, were presented with one final opportunity to earn their way into or prep for the upcoming state meet by participating in the “Last Chance” qualifier Saturday, Feb. 11, at the Providence Career and Tech Center Fieldhouse where a handful of Townies authored fine performances.

Kit Ruddock once again made claim to being one of the premier sprinters in Rhode Island by winning the boys’ 55 meter dash in 6.72 seconds, while on the girls’ side, the quartet of Samantha Clarke, Kandace Daniel, Giselle Raphael and Nazarae Phillip set a new EPHS standard in the 4x200 meter relay by clocking a second-place time of 1:50.29 Saturday. A grouping from Cranston West won the event in 1:48.2.

The 2023 Rhode Island Interscholastic League State Indoor Track and Field Championship Meets take place Saturday, Feb. 18, at the PCTA Fieldhouse beginning with the boys’ competition at 9:30 a.m. followed a half hour upon its completion by the girls at approximately 1:30 p.m.

More girls’ notes
Last weekend, the current quartet of Townies in the 4x2 bettered the 29-year-old mark of 1:50.4 set in 1994 Denise Gomes, Dawn Kilgore, Amy Sorrentino, and Melisa Berthiaume. The team also qualified for the national high school indoor championships later this winter in Boston.

Phillip (third, 7.48), Daniel (seventh, 7.74) and Kendra Daniel (ninth, 7.78) represented the Townies in the girls’ 55 meter dash. Cranston West’s Ailani Sutherland won the race in 7.29 with Smithfield’s Lauren Boyd second in 7.47.

Phillip, Clarke and the Daniel sisters also ran sixth for EPHS in the 4x4 relay with a time of 4:20.98. South Kingstown’s foursome won the race in 4:06.46.

The 4x2 team enters states ranked fourth behind Classical, Cranston West and LaSalle while the 4x4 team is ranked sixth. Individually, Phillip also is ranked fourth in the 55.

Of the 4x2 relay team’s outlook heading into the state meet, EPHS girls’ head coach Mike Almeida said, “I feel that we have an outside chance of winning (the 4x2), but more than likely third,” adding of Phillip individually in the dash, “Nazarae is ranked fourth with a time of 7.42, but could easily finish first at states.”

Almeida continued of the Townies’ prospects overall at states, “We should score points and fortunately our team will stay intact because we have all underclassmen. I need to recruit some throwers and distance runners in order to have a shot to win States for outdoor. I'm really surprised by the girls performances this season and proud of them, and fortunately we are able to stay away from injuries.”

More boys’ notes
Ruddock added a second place run in the 300 meters race with a time of 37.18. Hendricken’s Xavier Wilkens won the 300 in 37 flat. His and Ruddock’s heat had the five fastest times on the day. Ruddock edged Pilgrim’s Alex Pinheiro (6.75) and Cranston West’s Alonso Parker-Sharpe (6.784) in the 55.

In addition, Ruddock was joined by Lucas Santa Cruz, Jaidin Ivy and Roger Beaudet on the 4x200 meter relay that ran fourth in 1:40.12. East Greenwich won the event in 1:36.05.

A couple of final notes of consequence for the EPHS boys, Kenaz Ochogwu and Cameron Evora placed second (6 feet, 2 inches) and fourth (6’) respectively in the high jump to qualify for the state meet. The duo as well earned spots into the national indoor championship later this winter in Boston where they’ll join teammate Dylan Slavick, who qualified previously.

Demetrius Outland of Central edged Ochgwu for first last weekend, clearing the same height but in fewer attempts. North Smithfield’s Nick Lamoureux did same to place ahead of Evora for third.

Boys’ frosh states
Earlier last week a contingent of first year Townies headed to the PCTA Fieldhouse for the boys’ freshmen state championship meet, which LaSalle won rather easily with 133 points to the 77 of runner-up Hendricken and the 59 of third-place Barrington.

EPHS shared 25th place by scoring two points, both coming from the seventh place run Stephane Mardy, Beaudet, Julius Cortez and Logan Gallagher in the 4x2 relay. The Townies clocked a 1:48.35. LaSalle won the race in 1:39.07.