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The All-State Rhode Island High School Sports Awards is proud to announce the player of the year nominees for Boys Indoor Track. The winners will be announced during the live show on Thursday, June 27, 2024, at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium.

During the live show, athletes of the year in 30 sports will be honored. In addition, top teams, coaches and overall athletes will be honored as will a Courage Award winner. Nominated athletes who RSVP will receive a complimentary ticket to the event thanks to sponsors. Details on how additional tickets can be obtained will be available soon.

For more information about the show and to opt into email updates, and you can also follow it on Facebook.

The All-State Rhode Island High School Sports Awards show is part of the USA TODAY High School Sports Awards, the largest high school sports recognition program in the country. This year, one school from the area will win a $1,000 donation to its athletic department through our School Spirit Contest.

2024 Providence Journal All State Boys Track First Team

Elijah Gardea

Central, Senior

Sprints

After a three-year absence, the title of state’s fastest boy is back in the Providence school district. Gardea dominated the state meet, wining his preliminary heat and then running a 6.44 in the final to win by .04 seconds, becoming the first Central athete to claim the dash title since Nathaniel Barajolo in 2019.

Elias Sposato

Chariho, Senior

Sprints

A champion in the 400 during the outdoor season, Sposato found his niche in the 300 to earn his first All-State spot for indoor. The University of Rhode Island-bound Sposato faced a tough test in the race, but his 35.94 gave him a .05-second win and made him the first Charger to claim gold in the event.

Ethan Knight

Barrington, Senior

Hurdles

After winning his first gold as a junior, Knight came into the state meet as the favorite in the 55 hurdles and showed why with his runs. Knight, who will run collegiately at Bucknell, clocked the fastest time in the preliminary heats and ran a 7.54 in the final, beating teammate Bobby Wind to claim his second straight gold and first-team All-State spot.

Jacob Coates

Hendricken, Senior

Middle distance

Coates showed off the speed that made him a star on the soccer field and parlayed it into his first gold medal and debut as a first-team All-Stater. Coates, who will play soccer for UNC-Wilmington next fall, ran a blistering 1:22.86 to win the 600 by .82, becoming the first Hawk to win the event since 2016.

Jeremy Roe

Ponaganset, Senior

Middle distance

Roe was the surprise story of the RIIL State Championship meet and made some history as well. The senior executed his race strategy in the 1,000 to perfection and his 2:33.52 was good for a .98 win. With the victory, Roe became only the third Chieftain to win state gold, the first since 2007 and the first to win the 1,000.

Cole Francis

Narragansett, Junior

Distance

Francis continued his impressive ascent into becoming one of Rhode Island’s elite distance runners. A second-team selection last winter, Francis didn’t get the gold he was chasing but ended up with impressive second-place finishes in the 1,000 and 1,500 to make his debut on the first team.

Marshall Vernon

La Salle, Sophomore

Distance

Vernon’s meteoric leap in his sophomore year has been impressive. After making first-team All-State in cross country in the fall, Vernon finished the indoor state championships as the lone double gold-medal winner. Vernon finished first in the 1,500 and 3,000 and established himself as the state’s best distance runner on the track.

Ephraim Abhulime

La Salle, Senior

Jumps

A volleyball All-Stater, Abhulime gave track and field a try this past winter and showed what crazy athleticism can do. At 6-foot-6, the senior — who will play volleyball at Merrimack next year — flew through the air and cleared 22 feet, 6½ inches with his best leap and won the event by over eight inches.

Demetrius Outland

Central, Senior

Jumps

In 2023, Outland fell short in his quest for gold, so he came back this winter and jumped with purpose. Engaged in a battle with Middletown’s Cam Miller, his ability to clear 6 feet, 4 inches in fewer attempts was the difference and made Outland the first Knight to win the event since 2018 and the favorite to win in the outdoor season.

Tyler Durang

Lincoln, Senior

Throws

Durang wasn’t happy with his performance in the weight throw — he finished fourth — but he made up for it in the shot. In a tough and talented field, Durang’s put of 52 feet, 9¾ inches was good enough to hold on for the win — the first for Lincoln since Kyle Moison in 2020 — and earn his spot as a first-team All-Stater.

Matthew Giuliano

Hendricken, Senior

Throws

The battle for the weight throw title was a tough one, but Giuliano came up clutch with a throw of 69 feet, 7½ inches to win his first state crown by over two feet. It’s the first All-State appearance for Giuliano, who’s headed to Louisville to throw. HE brought the title back to Hendricken after a two-year absence.

La Salle 4x200 Relay

Joshua Aceto, Junior; Garrett Giroux-Pezzullo, Sophomore, Thaden Leomensah, Junior; Antonio Bearden, Sophomore

Having only one returner from last year’s gold-medal team — Giroux-Pezzullo — didn’t matter, as the quartet came together as the season went along and delivered at the state meet, finishing in 1:32.45 to hold off Barrington by .05 seconds.

Barrington 4x400 Relay

Iain DeBoth, Senior; Will DiGiacomo, Junior; Ethan Knight, Senior; Hayden Knight, Senior

This relay was a historic race on a historic day for the Eagles. The foursome finished in an impressive 3:30.24 to beat Classical by .8 seconds and become the program’s first gold-medal winner in the event.

Moses Brown 4x800 Relay

Tucker DeWolf, Senior; Xavier Ohl, Junior; Thomas Walsh, Senior; Eli Ziegler, Senior

The Quakers came in looking for gold — and some history — and got it with a terrific team run. Moses Brown finished in 8:13.48, beating Barrington by nearly two seconds and winning the program’s first relay gold.

2024 Providence Journal All State Boys Track Second Team

Sprints – Alonso Parker-Sharpe, Cranston West, Senior

Sprints – Jeremy Seidi, Hendricken, Sophomore

Hurdles – Bobby Wind, Barrington, Junior

Middle distance – Robbie Wade, Westerly, Senior

Middle distance – Eli Ziegler, Moses Brown, Senior

Distance – Sean Gray, Portsmouth, Sophomore

Distance – Will Olsen, Hendricken, Senior

Jumps – Cam Miller, Middletown, Senior

Jumps – Chucky Potter, Barrington, Senior

Throws – Joe Adams, Barrington, Sophomore

Throws – Kaden Thomas, Rogers, Junior

4x200 Relay – Barrington (Iain DeBoth, Senior; Ethan Knight, Senior; Charly Potter, Junior; Gabe Tanous, Senior)

4x400 Relay – Classical (Michael Healey, Senior; Ben O’Sullivan, Senior; James Courtney, Senior; Thomas Breen, Senior)

4x800 Relay – Barrington (Myles Napolitano, Junior; Marius Bonard, Junior; Daniel Chun, Junior; Henry Stockwell, Sophomore)