Photos: Portsmouth girls cross country wins first-ever state championship

Barrington girls take third place

Cross country stars from left, Emily Kane of LaSalle, Randi Burr of Westerly, Elizabeth Sullivan of Portsmouth, Eleanor Lawler of South Kingstown and Nikki Merrill of Portsmouth run in a tight pack on the wooded part of the course at Ponaganset on Sunday.

Photos by Richard W Dionne Jr

Portsmouth's Nikki Merrill flies down a dirt hill on the wooded part of the course.

Photos by Richard W Dionne Jr

Portsmouth's Olive Allen (right) sprints by a North Kingstown runner who is being urged on during the race.

Photos by Richard W Dionne Jr

EastBayRI.com · Monday, November 6, 2017 12:56 am

The Portsmouth girls cross country team won their first state championship, edging out defending champion LaSalle by a point at Ponaganset on Sunday. The team ran a total time of 1:36:45.71 with an average time of 19:21.15.

Nikki Merrill led the Patriots taking second place with a time of 18:00.10. Elizabeth Sullivan who led early on, fell back to sixth place with a time of 18:32. Olive Allen placed ninth with a time of 19:03.71, Maura Driscoll placed 24th with a time of 20:01.21, Sabrina Leary placed 57th with a time of 21:08.69, Bella Hook placed 59th with a time of 21:11.95 and Becky Lawson placed 74th with a time of 21:37.09.

The Lady Patriots upset LaSalle who had won the title the last four years.

The Barrington girls placed third as a team. Caroline Livingston placed 8th with a time of 18:58.70. Katie Zitzmann placed 14th with a time of 19:19.80.

Mt. Hope placed 14th in their first try at state competition. Meg O'Brien placed 28th with a time of 20:20.69 and Hope Tyska placed 31st with a time of 20:26.92.