SPECIAL TO THE HERALD

The Cranston League for Cranston Future (CLCF) indoor track and field team finished up its most successful season ever over the past weekend.  Over a period of three days from March 18-20, the team had 17 athletes participate in the National Junior Olympic Meet in Staten Island, New York. 

The youth club athletes participated in 17 different events and had its best showing ever at the national meet, walking away with eight All-American performances by eight athletes in eight different events.  The All-American designation is achieved by finishing in the top-6.  club records were set by these young stars. 

Leading the way for the club were three athletes who attained All-American designation in two different events: Lisa Raye, Nate Brennick, and Zia Fadil. 

Raye finished third in the age 13-14 girl’s long-jump and also fourth in the 200-meter dash with a club record time of 25.51 seconds. Brennick also set a club record of 10.83 seconds in the boy’s age 11-12 55-meter hurdles, which placed him third and also garnered All-American status in the high jump with his sixth-place finish. 

Zia Fadil raced to a second-place finish in the age 11-12 girl’s 3,000 meters with a club record time of 11:12.10 and she also anchored the sixth-place girl’s 11-12 All-American 1,600-meter relay with teammates Kylee Davis, Natalia Sanchez, and Leah Yanovich, which also set a club record of 5:15.09.

Other All-American performances were achieved by Madison Dutra in the girl’s age 15-16 1,500-meter coming in sixth with a club record time of 5:03.81 and Shep Butler who also broke the club record in the boy’s 3,000-meter with his sixth-place finish of 11:08.20. Finally, Evelyn Yanovich broke the girl’s age 9-10 club record for the 800-meter with her time of 2:56.62, which placed her 12th.

The other athletes who competed at the National Championship meet included: Tristan Brinker, Dylan Damato, Madison Damato, Quinn Damato, Audrey Lepine, Chris Pelagio, Stella Pelagio, and Ryan Stoloff.  Many of the same athletes will be getting ready to represent CLCF again in Outdoor Track and Field which starts in April.