Can Barrington boys sweep track and field titles? They certainly have a chance
Barrington boys indoor track and field team showed hints of a Cinderella run.
Last winter the Eagles swept the Metropolitan Division with a perfect dual-meet record and eased past the field for the Class B title by nearly 100 points. Barrington then put together a solid showing at the state championship with a fourth-place finish as the top public school.
The Eagles began to flex their depth in that championship. Barrington took the 55-meter hurdles, courtesy of Ethan Knight, and Bobby Wind finished fourth. Iain DeBoth snagged third in the 300 and Barrington placed in all three relays.
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Enter the 2024 winter championship, and Knight reclaimed his event, Wind finished runner-up and the Eagles had two more finishers in the 55. They took points in the 300 and nearly every distance event, thanks to Brandon Piedade. Jumping events were covered and throwing was handled by Joe Adams.
And those relays that flashed in 2023? Barrington seized two second-place finishes and a first place in the 4x400 behind a quartet of DeBoth, Will DiGiacomo, Ethan Knight and Hayden Knight.
Barrington landed its first boys indoor track and field title, becoming the first public school winner since Chariho in 2011-12, with balance, hard work and copious depth. The Eagles topped runner-up, La Salle, 97.5 to 64.5.
“Everything that was supposed to happen for us, happened and a whole bunch of stuff happened even beyond that,” Barrington coach Bill Barrass said of the title last week. “It was just a great day and everybody knew what they had to do. They were kind of focused and excited and confident and we saw it on the bus on the way there and after that. Everything just kind of fell together.”
For Barrington to sweep the track titles, it’ll take, and make, more history. A public school hasn’t won the outdoor crown since Central in 2017. An outdoor triumph at the state championship would also be a first for the Eagles, who snagged fourth at outdoors last spring.
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With a team of over 100, including about a dozen seniors, the Eagles again have the squad to land podiums at multiple events. Paced by Ethan Knight, a returning champion in the 110-meter hurdles, and relay squads that finished the top seven in all three events, they can certainly accomplish the feat.
“We're not being overconfident,” Barrass said of the outdoor title chances. “We certainly know that teams like Hendricken and La Salle always rise up and they don't like to come in second and third place. But we think we have a fair shot at being competitive in outdoors.
“We know we’re not going to, certainly, walk away with it. I was a little surprised by how much we won by for indoors. I certainly wouldn't expect that for outdoor.”
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Despite the optimism, the pressure isn’t getting to the Eagles. They understand their path, as they did at indoors, for a successful spring stretch. They’ve also added a basketball player for outdoors in Caleb Satisfield, who cleared 6 feet in the high jump as a freshman for a fifth-place finish last year. Chucky Potter V competes in pole vault and landed bronze for Barrington.
The Eagles left 10 events last spring without a top-eight finisher, so if everything goes as planned, there are points to be added.
“I don't think they're going to feel more pressure by [winning indoor],” Barrass said. “They were just relaxed and confident and ready to go for the state meet at indoors. I think it's going to be the same story for outdoor.”
Barrington has gone 10-0 the last two outdoor seasons, including winning the Class B title in 2023, in the Eastern Division.
“I think we’re just excited to get this going,” Barrass said of the outdoor season. “Indoor is kind of a warmup for outdoors. Winning outdoor states is a bigger deal.”
jrousseau@providencejournal.com
On X: @ByJacobRousseau
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Eyeing Barrington boys' potential to sweep track and field titles
