By STEVE MAZZONE

Sports writer

PROVIDENCE - The highlight of Saturday’s RIIL Outdoor Track and Field Championships was the performance of Andrew Springer. The Westerly High senior, considered to be one of the greatest runners to ever step foot on a high school track in the state, finished out his amazing career with four victories, winning the 800-meter run and also setting state records in the 1,500 and 3,000 and with his anchor leg on the 4x800 relay.
Although not quite the magnitude of Springer, it would be hard to argue that locally it wasn’t a banner afternoon as well at the Brown University track. At the conclusion of the nearly seven-hour meet, five area athletes earned individual gold.
Ponaganset’s Nick Keeling, East Providence’s Erin Carmone and Central Falls’ Aliede Fernandes lived up to their top seedings with victories (and career bests) in their specialties. Keeling earned his medal in the javelin with an impressive toss of 192 feet, 9 inches. Falling to the ground in total exhaustion, Carmone used ever bit of energy to claim the 3,000 crown, crossing the line in 10 minutes, 12.5 seconds.
Fernandes followed up her shot put state crown during the indoor season with another title on Saturday, heaving the metal ball a distance of 39-3 ¼.
“I was just relaxed and I was ready,” said Fernandes, who had her winning throw on her first attempt. Woonsocket’s Britney Lawson was second with a school-record toss of 37-3 ¼.
Also coming home a victor on Saturday were Woonsocket’s Wesley DeChristofaro in the long jump (21-5) and Smithfield’s Colleen Brague in the javelin (127-4).
DeChristofaro was among a few area athletes that placed in multiple events. Besides his win in the long jump, he also was fourth in the triple jump (41-9 ½). Smithfield’s Georgia Elgar placed in three events, taking third in the discus (106-1), sixth in the shot put (34-1 ½) and sixth in the javelin (101-5).
Sam Carlson of Lincoln was sixth in the high jump at 5-10 and was a strong second in the 800, just 10 meters behind Springer.
“It feels good, really good,” said the Lion senior after Saturday’s race. “Springer’s a great runner and I doubted that anyone was going to beat him. It feels good. In track, this is my first individual medal up there.”
St. Raphael Academy senior Sharae Hall, a star player for the school’s basketball team, had a nearly four-foot personal best in the discus to take second overall with a throw of 110-11.
In the boys’ 100-meter dash, newcomer Carlos Ortiz of Woonsocket was third in a time of 11.13. He was just ahead of Cumberland’s Brandon Aikens, who was fourth at 11.22.
Another notable performance was turned in by freshman Steve Vazquez of Central Falls, who was fourth at 5-10. Vazquez cleared all his jumps on his first attempt.
“Once he wants to go, he wants to know the next thing to get better,” said C.F. coach Ernest Fennell. “He’s always asking questions. He talks a lot. He wants to know everything about the sport. He’s very coachable, a very coachable kid.”
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RIIL State Outdoor Track Championships
At Brown University
Boys results
Team standings - 1. Westerly, 69; 2. Mount Pleasant, 50; 3. Bishop Hendricken, 48; 6. Woonsocket, 35; 12. Ponaganset, 22; 17. Cumberland, 14; 19. Tie, Toll Gate, Lincoln, 9; 21. East Providence, 8; 24. Tiem Pilgrim, Central Falls, St. Raphael, 4
Top local placements 
Javelin - 1. Nick Keeling, P, 192-9; 4. John-Marc Gelsomino, P, 176-9.
LJ - 1. Wesley DeChristofaro, W, 21-5; 5. Manny Gomes, EP, 20-10.
4x100 - 4. Woonsocket (Sean Ceccofiglio, Jessie Charette, Carlos Ortiz, Geoff Phaneuf) 43.93; 5.East Providence, 44.16.
Hammer - 5. Dave Linback, C, 178-8.
1,500 -  6. Matt Macedo, P, 4:08.0.
HJ - 4. Steve Vazquez, CF, 5-10; 5. Dylan Faucher, C, 5-10; 6. Sam Carlson, L, 5-10.
110HH - 6. Ceccofiglio, W, 15.83.
400 - 4. Ryan Bellamy, EP, 51.64.
TJ - 3. Jessie Charette, W, 41-10; 4. DeChristofaro, W, 41-9 ½.
Shot - 4. Richard Casillo, SRA, 47-2 ¼.
300IH - 4. Ceccofiglio, W, 41.37; 5. Justin Gaudette, W, 41.61.
100 - 3. Carlos Ortiz, W, 11.13; 4. Brandon Aikens, C, 11.22.
800 - 2. Sam Carlson, L, 1:57.86.
200 - 4. Aikens, C, 22.64; 6. Keeling, P, 22.92.
Girls’ results
Team standings - 1. South Kingstown, 104; 2. La Salle, 81.5; 6. Smithfield, 35; 10. Central Falls, 11; 14. Tie, Woonsocket, St. Raphael, Middletown, 8; 19. Lincoln, 6; 22. Tie, Cumberland, Classical, 4. 26. Mount St. Charles, 1
Top local placements
Shot - 1. Aliede Fernandes, CF, 39-3 ¼; 2. Britney Lawson, W, 37-3 ¾; 4. Emily Trudeau, C, 34-11; 5. Amanda  Clark, S, 34-6 ½; 6. Georgia Elgar, S, 34-1 ½.
4x100 - 6. Smithfield (Rachel Valerio, Michelle Krol, Nicole Ricci, Kim Ezeama) 50.99.
400 - 6. Brianne Mastaj, MSC, 59.76.
Javelin - 1. Colleen Brague, S, 127-4;  6.Elgar, S, 101-5.
100 - 6. Ezeama, S, 12.82.
HJ - 3. Erin Flood, S, 5-1; 4. Ariana Lefebvre, L, 5-1.
TJ - 3. Ezeama, S, 35-9.
3,000 - 1. Erin Carmone, EP, 10:12.55; 6. Katie Mienertz, S, 10:57.29.
Discus - 2. Sharae Hall, SRA, 110-11; 3. Georgia Elgar, S, 106-01; 5. Alyssa Musket, L, 100-4.