By Michael Letendre
BRISTOL – The Bristol Eastern boys track and field team nearly turned every hair on Bristol Central head coach Tamara Stafford-Kirk gray on Tuesday afternoon when the two programs locked horns in the final regular season meet of the year.
Both the Rams and Lancers entered the fray at perfect 6-0 records and, barring a tie, one team ended up taking the lead in the CCC South over a nip-and-tuck affair.
And it was Central winning against Eastern yet again, snaring an 81-69 victory from BCHS to stay perfect on the season.
This event was like a yo-yo with Central leading by 14 points midway through things before Eastern nabbed a 57-52 edge after sweeping the 400-meter challenge.
In the end, Central shook off Eastern’s success in the short distance sprints to snare the 12-point victory.
“I was worried. I hadn’t slept in a week,” said Stafford-Kirk. “On paper, it was just way to close, and it was like every time I added [the score] up, it was one time we’d have 76 [points] and then next time, I’d get [Eastern] at 81. Some things moved around last minute so it was a rough week coming in, but the kids responded.”
“I just told them we couldn’t let them come on our turf and beat us and to step up and they did.”
The Rams were dominant in the field, but the Lancers did just enough – including a record performance by Eastern’s Jack Mulcunry in the 800 meters – that gave the Lancers a real chance to steal it in the end.
“To say that it’s not disappointing would be a lie but I’m also so proud of these guys,” said Eastern coach Paul Ryskowski of the near win. “I think back a year ago when we raced them, and it wasn’t close. And now here, it was a 12-point meet and that shows a lot on how far they’ve come.”
The 800 meters was a star-studded affair between Mulcunry and Central’s Frankie Porrini.
The duo was 1-2 over the first 400 but Mulcunry never yielded as Porrini was lurking.
Mulcunry was about 10 feet in front of Porrini and stayed there until the end for an incredible first place finish of 1:54.1.
Before this season, the record in the 800 meters at Eastern was 2:02.85 which has been smashed a couple times now by the Eastern standout.
“Jack is really incredible,” said Ryskowski of Mulcunry. “He’s extremely talented but he’s tough and that is great combination especially in a race like that. I think the world of him. He has come such a long way considering last year. He was not even a top-five 800-meter runner and now he’s one of the best in the state.”
“And that’s all a credit to him.”
Porrini was outstanding as well, turning in a time of 1:57.1 that forced Mulcunry to finish strongly.
Porrini, another Central senior, was great over his final regular season meet as he, Tre Blair, and company kept Central on top despite Eastern sweeping a couple big events.
“There were some places where we faltered where we don’t normally but that’s track and field,” said Stafford-Kirk. “And they were places where we stepped up and those kids had their season bests. So, it was really cool.”
Porrini won the 1600 meters, finishing in 4:44 while teammate Patrick Wininger, who led for a huge chuck of the race, finished one second behind.
That Porrini kick in the final leg of the race was lethal and fun to watch.
In the 100 meters, Eastern’s Rayshon Andrews placed first in 11.2 seconds and later in the 200, the Kingstreeters won the event over a slick sweep.
Andrews (22.6 seconds), Justin Sanchez (23.4) and Damien Colon (23.8) went 1-2-3 for Eastern.
“He is incredibly talented,” said Ryskowski of Andrews. “Wherever he goes, he’s going to have so much success. Some people just roll out of bed and they can fly and, honestly, it’s beautiful to watch him run. I love watching all his races. It’s a special thing.”
Sanchez won the 400 meters as well (51.8 seconds) over another Eastern sweep.
Damien Colon (52.1 seconds) and Dennis Cruz (52.7) took second and third place, respectively.
“We knew we were coming in as the underdogs in the sprints,” said Stafford-Kirk. “We had an injury to one of our top sprinters whose been out the whole season. So, kids had to step up in other places and I think that says a lot about our depth and our hunger because I’ve got a pretty young team.”
Eastern’s Zion Otero and Central’s Logan Jackson exchanged victories in both hurdle events.
Otero won the 110 hurdles in 16.2 seconds while Jackson nabbed the 300 with a time of 41.8 seconds.
Eastern’s 4×100 meter relay squad of Preston Poirier, Justin Sanchez, Dennis Cruz, and Andrews won in 44.1 seconds while the 4×400 meter relay team from BE finished first in 3:31.9 behind the combination of Otero, Colon, Cruz, and Mulcunry.
Central rebounded in the 4×800 relay with Julieen Lopez, Isaiah Fabrizio, Chris Roy, and Porrini seizing the win in 8:19.
And in the 3200, in a great tribute, Christopher Roy and Porrini – both leading the pack – nearly paced each other the entire, crossing the line together at 11:01.
“They’re all being challenged out here,” said Stafford-Kirk of her senior crew. “It’s a tough sport on the body so they’re tired and their legs are tired and recovering from some little aches and pains. They did not want to lose this in their senior year especially after losing their freshmen year to COVID. They wanted to go out on top and they wanted to keep this streak alive.”
“I’m really proud of them.”
Central cleaned up in the field with multiple first place bids.
Jude Browning took the pole vault with an 11 foot make and then threw the javelin 131 feet, seven inches for a dual win.
Tashawn Cauley won the shot put for the Rams with a toss of 40 feet, 8.5 inches and Aengus Repeta’s throw of 114 feet, one inch saw him win him the discus.
Finally, Blair swept the jumps with a couple attempts to spare.
His leap of 21 feet, 9.5 inches won him the long jump over Andrews (21-2) while seizing the victory in the triple jump with a make of 44 feet, 5.25 inches.
Finally in the high jump, Blair cleared six feet for the win, beating out both Isaiah Lawrence-Bynum (five feet, four inches) and Michael Sherrill (5-4) of Eastern.
“It was just a great, great culmination of the season,” said Stafford-Kirk. “My hats off to Bristol Eastern and Coach Ryskowski. They had us really worried. We respect all and fear none, but they definitely had us on our toes and ready. It was good.”
Bristol City Series Girls Track & Field
BRISTOL CENTRAL 81, BRISTOL EASTERN 69
from Bristol Central High School
Boys results
4×800 meter relay – Bristol Central (Julieen Lopez, Isaiah Fabrizio, Chris Roy, Frankie Porrini), 8:19
4×100 meter relay – Bristol Eastern (Preston Poirier, Justin Sanchez, Dennis Cruz, Rayshon Andrews), 44.1
4×400 meter relay – Bristol Eastern (Zion Otero, Damien Colon, Dennis Cruz, Jack Mulcunry), 3:31.9
100 meters – 1. Rayshon Andrews (BE) 11.2; 2. Justin Sanchez (BE), 11.4; 3. Joseph Davila (BC)
200 meters – 1. Rayshon Andrews (BE), 22.6; 2. Justin Sanchez (BE), 23.4; 3. Damien Colon (BE)
400 meters – 1. Justin Sanchez (BE), 51.8; 2. Damien Colon (BE), 52.1 seconds; 3. Dennis Cruz (BE), 52.7
800 meters – 1. Jack Mulcunry BE 1:54.01; 2. Frankie Porrini (BC), 1:57.1; 3. Isaiah Fabrizio (BC), 2:04
1600 meters – 1. Frankie Porrini (BC), 4:44; 2. Pat Wininger (BC), 4:45; 3. Dominic Tartarelli (BE)
3200 meters – 1. Chris Roy (BC), 11:01.0; 2. Frankie Porrini (BC), 11:01.1; 3. Aiden Gezelman (BE), 11:28
110 Hurdles – 1. Zion Otero (BE), 16.2; 2. Logan Jackson (BC), 16.4; 3. Tristian Toussaint (BC), 16.6
300 Hurdles – 1. Logan Jackson (BC), 41.8; 2. Zion Otero (BE), 43.1; 3. Tristian Toussaint (BC), 143.8
Long Jump – 1. Tre Blair (BC), 21-9.5; 2. Rayshon Andrews (BE), 21-2; 3. William Postell (BC), 20-2.5
Triple Jump – 1. Tre Blair (BC), 44-5.25; 2. Anthony Paulino (BC), 42-2; 3. Isaiah Lawrence-Bynum (BE), 41-2
High Jump – 1. Tre Blair (BC), 6-0; 2. Isaiah Lawrence-Bynum (BE), 5-4; 3. Michael Sherrill (BE), 5-4
Pole Vault – 1. Jude Browning (BC), 11-0; 2. Kenneth Whitford (BC), 10-6; 3. Ethan Cockayne (BE), 9-6
Shot Put – 1. Tashawn Cauley (BC), 40-8.5; 2. Diandre Diaz-Bazillo (BE), 37-5.5; 3. Austin Shorette (BE), 37-5
Discus – 1. Aengus Repeta (BC), 114-1; 2. Austin Shorette (BE), 103-4; 3. Phoenix Diaz (BE), 100-10
Javelin – 1. Jude Browning (BC), 131-7; 2. Wyatt Gibson (BC), 130-0; 3. Austin Shorette (BE), 128-5
Records: Bristol Central 7-0 overall; Bristol Eastern 6-1
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