Just a few days after the Rhode Island State Championships, the best in the northeast returned to the ring at Tuesday’s New England High School Hammer Championship despite cold and rainy weather. State champion Gianna Rao (Ponaganset, North Scituate, RI) officially won the girl’s competition, but it was guest Jill Shippee (Shenendehowa, Clifton Park, NY) who stole the show. As she is not from New England she was not eligible for the win, but she didn’t care as she threw a new personal best of 201’04”. That throw also ranks her fifth all-time in the country. Read more

As the state championships approach, Molly Botts (Cranston East, RI) turned in a strong performance to win the Mt. Pleasant Invitational on Saturday. Botts had three throws over 170 feet and three throws over her personal best. Her best throw of 174’3″ added nearly ten feet to her personal best and ranks her second in the state. Runner-up Ani Armenakyan (Toll Gate, Warwick, RI) also added a dozen feet to her best to move up to third in the state rankings. Annika Kelly (Barrington, RI) also reached a new best for third. Read more

Sophomore Jacob Furland (Classical, Providence, RI) delivered a breakthrough performance Rhode Island Boys Class Championships Results. Competing in Class B, Furland added 12 feet to his personal best with a throw of 219’10”. Three of his four measured throws were over his old personal best and also gave him the state lead. Runner-up Zeke Cohen (Classical, Providence, RI) added nearly 30 feet to his best also. In Class A competition, Woonsocket swept the top three spots. Read more

Gianna Rao (Ponaganset, North Scituate, RI) continued a strong month with another throw over 175 feet to win the Cumberland Invitational on Saturday. A large field of 56 athletes competed, with Rao taking the win by more than 14 feet, and sophomore Annika Kelly (Barrington, RI) taking second. Read more

A new state leader nearly emerged at the Rhode Island Boys Division Championships Results. Jacob Furland (Classical, Providence, RI) added more than four fee to this best to capture the Boys Central Division Championships on Tuesday and come within inches of the state lead set by Jared Briere (Woonsocket, RI) in April. Briere produced the second best mark across all divisions and won the Boys Northern Division Championship. Read more