Sunday, February 24, 2008 12:29 AM EST
Mangano earns state title
 Katie Mangano |
KINGSTON – Westerly High’s Katie Mangano turned in one of the best performances of her high school career on Saturday and it made her a state champion.
Mangano earned the state title in the 100 freestyle Saturday at the University of Rhode Island during the state swim meet.
Mangano finished with a time of 54.31 seconds breaking her own school record of 55.02 that she established earlier this season.
“My 100 free, I was really happy with,” Mangano said. “It was pretty much neck-and-neck at the first turn. But I slowly kept breaking away.”
This is Mangano’s first state championship.
“It has always been a goal of mine,” Mangano said.
Coach Kerri Butler said Mangano keeps everyone on the team going.
“She is the heart and soul of the team,” Butler said. “She keeps everything high-spirited.”
Mangano finished second in the 100 backstroke with a time of 1:00.94. North Kingstown’s Liz Beisel, one of the top high school swimmers in the country, won the event with a 54.71. Beisel set two pool records on the day.
Mangano was hoping to avoid the talented NK swimmer in the backstroke.
“There were a lot of rumors that she was going to be swimming all different events, but I guess it didn’t happen,” Mangano said.
Mangano was also on the 200 freestyle relay squad that finished fourth (1:48.5) and the 400 freestyle relay that was seventh (4:00.59).
Westerly finished 11th out of the 24 teams with 113 points. La Salle Academy took the team title with 279.
The top 16 in each event scored. The top five in each event qualified for next Saturday’s New England championship at Roger Williams University in Bristol.
Managano and the 200 freestyle team will be competing. Others on the 200 freestyle squad were Jessica Scales, Anna Tommasini and Alli Stefanski.
The 400 relay team also included Ellen Kintz, Tommasini and Stefanski.
Stefanski also scored in two individual events with a 10th in the 200 freestyle (2:05.74) and 12th in the 100 freestyle (58.22). Kintz finished 13th in the 500 freestyle (5:51.32).
Westerly’s medley relay team of Amanda Labriola, Sarah Janiszewski, Kintz, and Lindsay Morrone scored taking 14th in 2:21.81.
Other performances for Westerly included Janiszewski 100 freestyle (32nd, 1:02.63) and 100 breaksstroke (17th, 1:19.52); Labriola, 200 individual medley (25th, 2:37.99) and 100 backstroke (27th, 1:13.75); Morrone, 50 freestyle (38th, 29.87) and 100 backstroke (36th, 1:16.43); Kintz, 100 butterfly (24th, 1:13.79); Scales, 100 freestyle (35th, 1:03.85), Tommasini, 50 freestyle (28.81) and 200 IM (2:38.63).
GIRLS’ BASKETBALL
Division II tournament
Westerly received the No. 3 seed and will host Mt. Hope on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
The Bulldogs were the champions of Division II-South with a 14-3 league mark. The Bulldogs finished 18-5 overall. Mt. Hope, was fourth in Division II-East with an 8-10 league mark and an overall record of 10-12.
Westerly beat the Huskies in Bristol, 59-49, on Feb. 8.
The winner will play Woonsocket or Smithfield on Sunday, March 3 at Rhode Island College at 2:30 p.m.
BOYS’ BASKETBALL
Westerly 69
Mt. Hope 58
WESTERLY – Westerly closed the season with its second straight victory Satruday night as James Cruso scored 20 points.
Westerly finished 5-16 overall and 4-12 in Division II-South.
“Even though we were eliminated from the playoffs two weeks ago our seniors continued to play hard down the stretch,” Westerly coach Mike Gleason said. “What could have been an ugly end to the year turned into a high point. It says something about the character of these kids.”
Chris Liguori followed Cruso in scoring with 13 and Greg Amaral contributed 11.
Mark Gabrielle had eight points and 10 rebounds. Andy Bookataub finished with five assists, while Liguori and Manfred had four each.
Mangano earned the state title in the 100 freestyle Saturday at the University of Rhode Island during the state swim meet.
Mangano finished with a time of 54.31 seconds breaking her own school record of 55.02 that she established earlier this season.
“My 100 free, I was really happy with,” Mangano said. “It was pretty much neck-and-neck at the first turn. But I slowly kept breaking away.”
This is Mangano’s first state championship.
“It has always been a goal of mine,” Mangano said.
Coach Kerri Butler said Mangano keeps everyone on the team going.
“She is the heart and soul of the team,” Butler said. “She keeps everything high-spirited.”
Mangano finished second in the 100 backstroke with a time of 1:00.94. North Kingstown’s Liz Beisel, one of the top high school swimmers in the country, won the event with a 54.71. Beisel set two pool records on the day.
Mangano was hoping to avoid the talented NK swimmer in the backstroke.
“There were a lot of rumors that she was going to be swimming all different events, but I guess it didn’t happen,” Mangano said.
Mangano was also on the 200 freestyle relay squad that finished fourth (1:48.5) and the 400 freestyle relay that was seventh (4:00.59).
Westerly finished 11th out of the 24 teams with 113 points. La Salle Academy took the team title with 279.
The top 16 in each event scored. The top five in each event qualified for next Saturday’s New England championship at Roger Williams University in Bristol.
Managano and the 200 freestyle team will be competing. Others on the 200 freestyle squad were Jessica Scales, Anna Tommasini and Alli Stefanski.
The 400 relay team also included Ellen Kintz, Tommasini and Stefanski.
Stefanski also scored in two individual events with a 10th in the 200 freestyle (2:05.74) and 12th in the 100 freestyle (58.22). Kintz finished 13th in the 500 freestyle (5:51.32).
Westerly’s medley relay team of Amanda Labriola, Sarah Janiszewski, Kintz, and Lindsay Morrone scored taking 14th in 2:21.81.
Other performances for Westerly included Janiszewski 100 freestyle (32nd, 1:02.63) and 100 breaksstroke (17th, 1:19.52); Labriola, 200 individual medley (25th, 2:37.99) and 100 backstroke (27th, 1:13.75); Morrone, 50 freestyle (38th, 29.87) and 100 backstroke (36th, 1:16.43); Kintz, 100 butterfly (24th, 1:13.79); Scales, 100 freestyle (35th, 1:03.85), Tommasini, 50 freestyle (28.81) and 200 IM (2:38.63).
GIRLS’ BASKETBALL
Division II tournament
Westerly received the No. 3 seed and will host Mt. Hope on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
The Bulldogs were the champions of Division II-South with a 14-3 league mark. The Bulldogs finished 18-5 overall. Mt. Hope, was fourth in Division II-East with an 8-10 league mark and an overall record of 10-12.
Westerly beat the Huskies in Bristol, 59-49, on Feb. 8.
The winner will play Woonsocket or Smithfield on Sunday, March 3 at Rhode Island College at 2:30 p.m.
BOYS’ BASKETBALL
Westerly 69
Mt. Hope 58
WESTERLY – Westerly closed the season with its second straight victory Satruday night as James Cruso scored 20 points.
Westerly finished 5-16 overall and 4-12 in Division II-South.
“Even though we were eliminated from the playoffs two weeks ago our seniors continued to play hard down the stretch,” Westerly coach Mike Gleason said. “What could have been an ugly end to the year turned into a high point. It says something about the character of these kids.”
Chris Liguori followed Cruso in scoring with 13 and Greg Amaral contributed 11.
Mark Gabrielle had eight points and 10 rebounds. Andy Bookataub finished with five assists, while Liguori and Manfred had four each.
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