By STEVE MAZZONE

Sports writer

PROVIDENCE — In the grand scheme of things, three and a half months is not too much time.
For Chris Penso, however, that short span probably felt like a year. Back in mid-February, the Woonsocket High junior looked primed for his first individual state title in the high jump, but ended up losing in a jump-off to Hendricken’s Scott Capista to take the runner-up slot with both clearing 6 feet, 2 inches.
In the sweltering heat at Brown University Stadium on Saturday, Penso made that tough setback a distant memory. Holding off a strong effort from Smithfield’s Andrew Reigstad, Penso snagged individual gold at the Rhode Island Boys’ Outdoor Track and Field Championship, matching his personal best with a height of 6-4.

“(The indoor state meet) was definitely on my mind,” Penso said. “I was just worried about getting over the bar, not about a particular height, and it just came through today.”
Reigstad placed second in the event, also at 6-4. Penso was able to earn the Villa Novans their first high jump crown since 1964 based on fewer misses. He cleared all his heights, beginning at 5-10, on his first attempts. After hitting the bar on his first try, Reigstad cleared 6-4 on his second attempt.
“I was just working on getting my steps, working on getting my hips up, it turned out well,” he said.
“Chris came here very focused,” said WHS assistant coach Dan Richard. “You could tell right away up until 6-6.  And he almost got that one. I know he’s excited about going to (next week’s) New England’s and competing against the best in the northeast.”
As for the team championship, Bishop Hendricken claimed its 21st state outdoor crown, beating second-place East Greenwich, 79-54. Lincoln was best among local squads, finishing sixth overall with 28 points. Ponaganset was right behind in seventh with 27 points.
It turned out to be quite the afternoon for a number of local athletes with gold medals also achieved by Reigstad in the long jump at 22-2 and Lincoln’s Aaron Sabatino in the triple jump with a 43-11 effort.
There were plenty of runner-up efforts, too. Earning that distinction, individually, were Ponaganset’s Nick Keeling (javelin, 168-10), Lincoln’s Nick Chisholm (200, 22.64), East Providence’s Justin Nicoll (hammer, 204-9) and teammate Elton Duarte with a pair of second-place efforts in the long jump (21-8) and the 300 Intermediate hurdles (39.83). St. Raphael Academy also had a second in the 4x100 relay with the team of Jean-David Roussel, Stanley Dunbar, Nael Pierre-Louis and Jordan Monk combining for a time of 43.09.
“Barring none, we have some of the best athletes in the state,” said Lincoln coach John Menna.
In the long jump, Reigstad had a personal best by nearly a foot. He was also third in the triple jump with a leap of 43-0, another PB. The Sentinel senior, who collected 24 points in the meet, began the day with his victory.
“During practice this week my pop was a lot better,” Reigstad said. “I think my speed was good down the runway. I knew I had it in me so I just went out and did it.”
Winning an event at the start, Reigstad felt, aided in his confidence the remainder of the meet.
“It kind of took the pressure off other things,” he said. “(In the high jump) I knew I had to get up to 6-4 and I figured it would come down to clearing first attempts. That’s what (Penso) did. I couldn’t do it. I had some good attempts at 6-6, but I figured that’s what it would come down to and it did.”
“It was a good meet,” he added. “The only other thing I wanted to do was jump 6-6 in the high jump. Other that that, I thought I did pretty well.”
With his victory in the triple jump, Sabatino put the bookend to a fabulous four-year athletic career at Lincoln. A standout basketball player, the senior scored his 1,000 career point this past winter. He earned his triple jump title in just his first year competing in the event.
After helping the Lions win the Northern Division league crown last month - capped by his triumph in the triple jump - Sabatino’s goal was to come out on top on Saturday.

“I just wanted to come in here and win a state title in the triple jump and I wanted to try and double up and win the long jump, too,” he said. “I came in here and won the triple jump and accomplished one of my goals.”
Sabatino, who will be heading to the University of Rhode Island this fall, also ran a leg on the Lions’ fourth-place 4x100 relay squad (44.5) of Sam Carlson, Chisholm and Chris Truslow and their fifth-place 4x400 relay team of Carlson, Chisholm and Mike Ericson, which set a new school record of 3:30.05.
“It was a great senior year,” Sabatino said. “It was great to score my 1,000th point. Basketball didn’t end exactly the way we wanted - we went out in the first round - but to come back here on the track and make a statement with a win in the triple jump definitely means a lot. My senior year couldn’t have ended any better.”
Keeling paced Ponaganset with his effort in the javelin. The Chieftains’ Jeremy Holger was third in the 800 with a career best of 1:57.56 and teammate Matt Greenhalgh took fourth in the shot put with a heave of 47-3 ¼ for other quality placements in the meet.

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Team standings –1. Bishop Hendricken, 79; 2. East Greenwich, 54; 6. Lincoln, 28; 7. Ponaganset, 27; 9. Smithfield, 25; 11. East Providence, 24; 15. Saint Raphael Academy, 14; 17. Woonsocket, 11; 26. Cumberland, 2.

Local placements
Hammer – 2. Justin Nicoll, EP, 204-9.
4x100 – 2. SRA (Jean David Roussel, Stanley Dunbar, Nael Peirre-Louis, Jordan Monk) 43.09; 4. Lincoln (Sam Carlson, Nick Chisholm, Chris Truslow, Aaron Sabatino) 44.5.
Shot – 4. Matt Greenhalgh, P, 47-3 ¼.
LJ – 1. Andrew Reigstad, S, 22-2; 2. Elton Duarte, EP, 21-8; 4. Sabatino, L, 21-6; 6. Wesley DeChristofaro, W, 20-5 ½.
1,500  – 6. Everett LaMountain, S, 4:13.49.
Javelin – 2. Nick Keeling, P, 168-10; 3. John-Marc Gelsomino, P, 166-1; 5. Cole Bentley, C, 162-2.
HJ – 1. Chris Penso, W, 6-4; 2. Reigstad, S, 6-4.
TJ – 1. Sabatino, L, 43-11; 3. Reigstad, S, 43-0.
300IH – 2. Duarte, EP, 39.83.
Discus – 4. Tied, Matt Guedes, P, and Nico Erausquin, R, 136-2.
800 – 3. Jeremy Hogler, P, 1:57.56.
4x400 – 5. Lincoln (Chisholm, Mike Ericson, Carlson, Sabatino) 3:30.05.