La Salle looking for another gear at Yale Classic

By Mary Albl for DyeStat

NEW HAVEN – A week after winning the team title at the Dartmouth Relays in Hanover, N.H., the LaSalle Academy (RI) boys' track team will be tested once again.

This weekend the Rams will bring their U.S. No. 1 distance medley relay team to New Haven, Conn. to compete in the 34th annual Yale Track Classic.

“After the Dartmouth Relays, the team as a whole is just going to try to maintain their competitive edge,” LaSalle head coach Vincent McGinn said.

LaSalle is coming off a performance that featured a sweep of the top three spots in the mile, led by Jack Salisbury's four minutes, 15.33 second winning mile. Friday and Saturday at Coxe Cage, LaSalle will will spread itself out more in the meet that attracts some of the top athletes from more than 10 states in the northeast region.

“As a team we love going to Yale,” McGinn said. “There is just a great energy at the meet. From the amount of people there, to the fast track, to just being in historic Coxe Cage, it's a fantastic place to have a meet.”

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Schedule

In what has the billing to be one of the top races Saturday afternoon, LaSalle junior DJ Principe and senior Matt Bouthillette will compete in the 3,000 meters that features Fordham Prep's (NY) Conor Lundy (2015 winner), Sean Laverty of Cumberland (RI), Matt Grossman of Millburn (NJ) and Eric van der Els of Brien McMahon (CT).

“Coach William Myers, who works with Jack, Matt and DJ on a daily basis, is really fired up and is pushing these boys to their absolute limits,” McGinn said. “(He) is getting these guys pumped up to try to build on the performances from last week.”

Friday evening, the Rams' DMR (10:18.28) comprised of Bouthillette, David Medeiros, Salisbury and Principe, will run against St. Joseph by the Sea (NY), current holder of the third fastest time in the country (10:28.45).

Salisbury, who has a season-best time of 4:12.43 in the mile, will look to better that Saturday afternoon.

“In terms of the team what we learned at the Dartmouth Relays was that as a team we can achieve great things,” McGinn said. “We also learned that there is still a lot of room for improvement.”

In the sprints, junior Mark Doyle of Weaver (CT) who holds the top 55 meter dash time of 6.28, will be featured in the 300 and 55 on Saturday, as well as St. Anthony's (NY) Halle Hazzard (6.94) in the 55.

Sarah Walker of Germantown Friends (Pa), who is committed to Stanford, will look to defend her 800 title.

Fellow Stanford commit Hannah DeBalsi, who is listed in the 3K, will not run on Saturday according to her coach.

In the field events, 6-10 high jumper Tyler Coyle of Windsor (CT) will be a top name to watch. The weight throw, which starts things off on Friday, will be highlighted by national leader Bobby Colantonio of Barrington (RI).