Cumberland splits opening meet with Lincoln, SK

PROVIDENCE — With several superb, early-season performances on Wednesday night, Cumberland High manufactured an impressive 87-17 Headley Division triumph over local rival Lincoln at the Providence Career & Technical Academy fieldhouse.

They weren’t, however, enough to overtake powerhouse South Kingstown, which rolled to a 63-46 verdict.

The Clippers got off to a flying start when the junior tandem of Olivia Belt and Bailee Brown took first and third in the 3,000 meters (with respective times of 10:58.49 and 11:26.37), and the 4 x 200 relay added another win right after.

Slow but sure, though, the Rebels began to surge, claiming eight straight victories. Cumberland nevertheless showed some grit as Kayla Halpert and Sophie Fall placed second and third in the 55 dash; Shakira DePina and Elizabeth Pickering did the same in the 600 and Brynn Eckmann and Alia Nigri settled for a second-place tie in the 300.

Junior Sarah Lanzi contributed another runner-up in the 1,000 (3:30.37), and classmate Nicolette Ducharme garnered a win in the shot put (36-9) and second in the weight toss (41-2 ½), while Lincoln senior Allison Plante won the short ball-and-chain (42-1) and took second in the put (30-4).

Lions’ junior Hayley Chartier collected two thirds in those events, and fellow 11th-grader Abby Gill earned a fantastic runner-up in the 55 hurdles (10.15).

In a Sullivan Division clash, Mount St. Charles cruised to two solid triumphs over Hope (68-12) and Johnston (52-36) before stumbling to an 81-24 loss to Coventry.

Sophomore Kylie Perron managed the Mounties’ lone win after sprinting to a premier 10.81 clocking in the 55 hurdles; that happened to be a whopping .65 ahead of Knotty Oakers’ frosh Christina Lang.

MSC freshman Karissa Ciullo and Perron leaped to a second and third, respectively, in the long jump, while junior Julia Kamp took third in the 55 dash (8.17).

In another Sullivan Division triple-dual meet on the same evening, Woonsocket seemed destined to sweep its three foes; after pounding Narragansett (91-0) and Moses Brown (73-20), though, it suffered a tough 57-43 defeat to Cranston West.

Still, the Villa Novans made their presence known. After winning the 4 x 200 relay, junior Nicole Dioh captured the 1,500 (5:33.51), senior Maddie Thibodeau took third in the 55 hurdles and junior Dajonna Lewis second in the dash.

After that, though, they snatched only one event – that’s when sophomore Jazarah Alexis (4-10) and Charity Harlan (4-8) finished 1-2 in the high jump.

Lewis added a runner-up in the long jump (14-11 ½).

Blackstone Valley Prep may have sustained two Sullivan losses to Mount Pleasant (26-20) and East Greenwich (84-10), but – to no one’s surprise – sophomore standout Lucy Noris easily stood above the competition in the 3,000. She won that race with a time of 10:55.01, the best clocking of the day (in any meet) by nearly four ticks.

Teammate Folake Olagundoye chipped in a runner-up finish in the 55 dash (8.12), while O’Livia Lopes took fourth in 8.51.