By Michael Letendre
What more could be said about the scholastic careers of Bristol Central seniors Frankie Porrini and Tre Blair?
The duo has seemingly done it all for the running programs at the school.
And each athlete has left a legacy that will last far beyond the campus at Bristol Central.
Porrini is a long distance phenom
Porrini is as talented a runner as any who has competed at Central under long time coach Tamara Stafford-Kirk.
The senior establishing numerous school records over all three of his running seasons at Central.
From winning the Bristol city series cross country meet several times to his All-American status in the 2k steeplechase, Porrini has been a prime-time performer for the Rams over his four seasons.
And when a reporter told Porrini he makes it look all too easy on the track, the senior shot back that “it’s not.”
The effort the long-distance runner has put into his craft has paid off several times over and will so again at the collegiate level.
Blair is a dual state champion
Blair has been honored for his athlete abilities in football, boys basketball and track and field.
The tremendous athlete is a state champion in the triple jump and helped the hoops squad win the 2021-22 Class L title.
His leaps in the long and triple allowed the performer a chance to shine at the state, New England and National levels.
That’s an amazing ledger for any scholastic athlete to strive for.
Both athletes established several records at BCHS and the duo will compete in different sports at the NCAA level in the fall.
And what the two accomplished just over the spring scholastic campaign is certainly worthy of another look.
Porrini and Blair ruled at the CCC, Class L and the State Open championships
To end the spring scholastic campaign, Porrini and Blair led the Central’s boys track and field program to a stellar 14-0 record I what could have termed as a rebuilding year for the team.
The victory at the 2023 CCC South Championship was a great way to open the postseason while the program tied for fourth place at the Class L championship showcase on May 31.
Blair won the Class L long jump with a leap of 22 feet, 2.25 inches and then absolutely crushed it in the triple jump.
His leap of 46 feet, 2.50 inches won him another individual state title.
And then Porrini punched his ticket to the State Open on June 5 with a fifth-place finish in the 1600 meters.
His time of 4:19.59 was an excellent finish at the Open.
The Open event from Willow Brook Park in New Britain saw more of the same for the Blair/Porrini combination.
Porrini finished the 1600 meters in fourth place with a time of 4:16.53 – a personal record – while Blair out-jumped the competition with a winning triple jump make of 46 feet, 11 inches.
That jump broke his own school record as the seniors moved on to the New England’s in Bangor, Maine less than a week later.
New England’s were a complete success
At the 76th New England Interscholastic Outdoor Track & Field Championships, Porrini and Blair made huge showings in Bangor.
Blair finished the triple jump in third place, squaring away a leap of 44 feet, 10.5 inches.
He was the best finisher from the state of Connecticut and that leap punched his ticket to the 2023 New Balance Outdoor Nationals.
And in the 1600, Porrini placed fifth with a stellar time of 4:15.33, snaring All New England honors.
He earned the right to battle the best of the best in the 2k steeplechase at the Nationals.
The premier event commenced from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as Porrini and Blair had another amazing weekend.
In part two of the story, Stafford-Kirk talks about the tremendous accomplishments by Porrini and Blair from the National Track and Field event in Philadelphia.
