Above: EG’s Reese Fahys in the 1500. All photos courtesy of oceanstaterunning.com.

When you look at the Saturday results of the Girls Indoor Track Class Championships in Providence last weekend, you can’t help thinking, dynasty in the making. So many of the top EG finishers were freshman and sophomores. In this very condensed season, EG’s Reese Fahys in the 1500 and Rylee Shunney in the 3000 – both sophomores – placed first Saturday, with times of 4:45.41 and 10:44.47 respectively. In the 1500, EG runners placed 4th (senior Jessica Martin), 5th (freshman Alicia Chen), 7th (freshman Ava Peters), 9th (freshman Ella Maybaum), and 12th (senior Logan Shunney, Rylee’s sister). 

Shunney also won the 600 and the 4×4 relay (together with Kendall Stearns, Jessie Martin and Helena Dunwoody). Fahys also won the 1000.

“We’re young and we’ve got pretty strong girls coming up,” said EG distance coach Mike Thibodeau. He noted Chen’s almost 10-second PR and Peters’ strong performance in her first race of the indoor track season (due to an early injury). Thibodeau also called out Martin, who he said has worked hard for years and was coming off an injury too.

Senior Olivia Lahue placed fifth in the 55 meter hurdles, qualifying for states, as did freshman Ava Fairbanks, who placed fifth in the 55 meter dash. 

Thibodeau said EG has a “really talented group of boys.” 

In particular, he noted junior Jacob Conelly who placed second in the 3000 (on Saturday he came in just 2 seconds shy – at 9:14.63 – of his 25-second PR the week before), and senior Jack Lombardi, who placed second in the 1500, for yet another PR (4:15.99). Sophomore Nicholas Martin placed fourth in the 1500 (4:26.59). 

Senior Andrew Mega placed fifth in the 300 meters (38:51), qualifying for states, and junior Jacob Connelly placed fifth in the 600 meters with a time of 1:29.91.

This weekend, those athletes “on the bubble” of qualifying for states are invited to try again in the “last chance” meet. In addition, JV and Freshman state meets will be held. Then, the following weekend, it will be states.

EG runners Alicia Chen, right, and Ella Maybaum in the 1500.

EG’s Jacob Connolly in the 3000.

Jake Bean in the 4×8 relay.

Sami Gangi in the 4×8 relay.

Connor Thurman in the 4×8 relay.

Andrew Valentine in the 4×8 relay.

Nick Martin in the 1500.

Ava Peters in the 1500.

Jack Lombardi celebrates Andrew Mega’s finish for the 4×4 relay, where EG placed second.

Logan Shunney in the 1500.