Laverty, Clippers dominate Northern Division championship
Senior wins 1,000, 1,500 meters; part of winning relay team
PROVIDENCE — Cumberland senior distance runner Sean Laverty claimed the 1,500-meter and the 1000-meter runs and he was a part of the winning 4x800-meter relay team to lead the undefeated Clippers to a dominant victory at Tuesday night’s Northern Division championship at the Providence Career and Technical Academy.
The Clippers finished with 142 points, which was 78 more than second-place Mount St. Charles. Thanks to two sprint victories from Yeury Galva, Central Falls finished a point behind the Mounties with 63.
Cumberland dominated the three relay events, as the Clippers won the 4x800meter relay in 8 minutes, 23.54 seconds to beat second-place Central Falls, which completed the two-mile event in 9:01.37.
The Clippers edged out Mount St. Charles to claim the 4x200-meter relay and Galva spearheaded the Warriors’ 4x400-meter winning team. The Warriors won in a time 3:42.08 to beat out the Clippers by .06 seconds.
Cumberland’s dominance came in the distance events where Laverty and Will Mardo took the top two spots in the 1,500. Laverty crossed the line in 4:07.66, while Mardo finished in 4:15.69. Lincoln’s Aidan Enright took 4:21.62.
Laverty outkicked Mount All-State C.J. berg to win the 1,000 by 1.14 seconds. Lavery crossed the line in 2:39.26. Berg did beat a Clipper in the 3,000meter run with a time of 8:54.28 to defeat junior Ben Drezek, who finished in 9:11.71. Ryan Mardo was fifth in 9:48.07.
Berg was one of two Clippers to leave the PCTA with gold medals because senior Matt Ciullo defeated St. Raphael’s Pat Bullen (8.28-8.41). Bullen had a busy night, finishing second in the high jump with a clearance of 5 feet, 10 inches and he was fourth in the long jump.
Mount’s Matt White finished second in the 600-meter run, the only even not won by a local. Juanita Sanchez’ Chris Figueroa won the race in 1:27.44, while White ran a 1:28.07. Central Falls’ Sam Adofo, Jailson Varela and Adilson Gomes took the next three spots.
Galva produced the Warriors’ lone victo- ries, as he defeated Cumberland’s Dave Lazenerry by .15 seconds in the 55-meter dash. Galva defeated Cumberland’s chase Graven (36.26-36.85) in the 300-meter dash.
As has been the case all season long, Woonsocket’s throwing contingent dominated. Nationally-ranked Jared Briere won the weight throw with a toss of 65-10. Cumberland’s Mike Coppolino was second (60-11.25) and the next three spots were taken by Woonsocket’s Jacob Greenless, Dalyn Cote and Raikwon Woodmansee.
Woodmansee defeated Central Falls’Jon Acosta for the spot put title by 1.4 inches. The Villa Novan threw the shot 43-3. Coppolino took third, Greenless took fourth and a pair of Lions (Evan Grivers and Jarrett Doyle) rounded out the scoring.
Woonsocket’s third champion was Josh Correira, who won the long jump with a jump of 20-10.25.
Lincoln’s lone champion was Dairy Esenow, who cleared six feet in the high jump. After Pull, Cumberland’s Isaiah Roseman and Jerome Evans took the next two spots.