Portsmouth Boys and Girls Track and Field Wraps up Record Season

The Rhode Island Outdoor Track and Field State Championship meet was the "exclamation point" on an outstanding season by both the boys and girls of , according to coach Shaun Horgan.

"Unlike most sports, track and field in Rhode Island does showcase a true state championship, where the top 18 athletes in each event from any school in the state, vies for the ultimate title," wrote Horgan.

According to Horgan, Portsmouth had three state champions this year: freshman Jessica Kaufman in the 300 intermediate hurdles; junior Nick Tyler, pole vault; and senior Tyler Oliveira in the 200 meter race. 

A top-three finish at this meet denotes an All-State status, those top-three finishers included: the boys 4x800 team (second place) of John Corbett; Chris Corbett, Marcus Sandoval and Pat Lynch; the boys 4x400 team (second place) of Oliveira, Lynch, Fulvio Bertoluzza and R.J. Wilkie; the girls' 4x100 team (third place) of Megan Sewall, Kim Sullivan, Hannah Petrie and Jessica Kaufman; Sullivan, girls' pole vault (third place); Sewall, girls' high jump (third place); and Oliveira, boys' 100 race (third place). 

Other point scorers were Kyle Torres, boys' 4x100; Laurel McIntosh, girls' pole vault; and Becky Cousens, girls' hammer.

The boys' team finished in fifth place with 47 points and the girls finished in sixth with 37 points. This is the highest combined finish ever for boys and girls in the Portsmouth Track and Field program, according to Horgan.

Other season highlights included both the girls and boys' first place finish at the Eastern Division Championship Meet, overthrowing co-ed powerhouse Barrington High School. 

The boys team also won their fourth consecutive Newport County Championship Meet and finished as runner-up in the Class B Championship to the eventual state champions, Chariho High School.  

In this 2011 campaign, the girls team set a total of eight school records, and the boys set a total of six. 

The new girls' records are:

• Kim Sullivan, 100 Hurdles, 15.8; old record by Becky Ingraham, 16.1, 1990.
• Jessica Kaufman, 300 Hurdles, 46.72; old record by Becky Ingraham, 47.04, 1990.
• Kim Sullivan, Javelin, 103' 6"; old record by Kendra Munkascy, 87' 6", 2009.
• Megan Sewall, Triple Jump, 32' 10"; old record by Jackie Corseri, 32' 5", 2007.
• Jessica Kaufman, Long Jump, 16' 3"; old record by Caroline Pimental, 16' 1", 1984.
• Kim Sullivan, Pole Vault, 9' 8"; old record by Lindsey Kosin, 8' 0", 2009.
• Becky Cousens, Hammer, 156' 0"; old record by Cousens, 149', 2010.
• 4x100 of Hannah Petrie, Kim Sullivan, Megan Sewall and Jessica Kaufman, 50.42; old record by Julie MacDougall, Megan Carnevale, Megan Sewall and Caitlin Sewall, 52.75, 2008.  

The new boys records are:  

• Tyler Oliveira, 100 meters, 10.7; ties John Hamliton, 10.7, 1980.
• Tyler Oliveira, 200 meters, 22.10; old record by John Hamilton, 22.4, 1980.
• Tyler Oliveira, 400 meters, 49.6; old record by Jim Blaess, 50.3, 1980.
• Nick Tyler, Pole Vault, 14' 1"; old record by Duke Ingraham, 13' 8.25," 1988.
• 4x400 of Tyler Oliveira, Fulvio Bertoluzza, Patrick Lynch and RJ Wilkie, 3:26.55; old record by Jeff Hunter, Max Willett, Matt MacDougall and Bobby Sewall, 3:30.8, 2006.
• 4x800 of John Corbett, Chris Corbett, Patrick Lynch and Marcus Sandoval, 8:04.31; old record by John Corbett, Chris Corbett, Marcus Sandoval, Nick Tyler, 8:05.58, 2010. 

 Seven senior athletes will go on to compete at the college level next year. They are:   John Corbett, Johns Hopkins University; Chris Corbett, Johns Hopkins University; Tyler Oliveira; University of Rhode Island; Marcus Sandoval, Rhode Island College; R.J. Wilkie, Keene State University; Natalie Scardina, Endicott College; and Megan Sewall, Rhode Island College.

"Coaches Jeff Rose, Peter Sherman, Arthur Tyler and I would like to thank all the athletes for all the work they put in to this remarkable season," Horgan said. "We also thank our principal and hurdle coach specialist Mr. Littlefield and our new Athletic Director Steve Trezvant for their hand in making this season a success."

For more information about the track and field program, including questions about joining the program, e-mail Horgan at thebluealbum94@yahoo.com.