GALES FERRY, Conn.- The Roger Williams equestrian team sent twelve riders to compete at the Zone 1 Region 1 Finals hosted by Connecticut College at Mystic Valley Hunt Club.  Two riders advanced on to the Zone Finals, as senior Lauren Rarich (Slingerlands, N.Y.) was Champion in intermediate flat, and freshman Alicia Levy (Wantagh, N.Y.) earned the Reserve Champion title in walk-trot-canter.

Nine Hawks were able to finish in the top six of their respective classes.  Regional classes were considerably larger than regular season classes, as the riders were divided into heats instead of separate classes.  Only the top two placings, however, qualify a rider for Zone Finals.  Sophomore Samantha Taylor (Essex Junction, Vt.) nearly missed qualifying with her third place finish in novice flat. 

Several Roger Williams riders earned fourth place finishes, with freshman Shannon O'Keefe (Glastonbury, Conn.) taking fourth in the competitive open fences class.  Sophomore Kayla Waskiewicz (Bristol, R.I.) placed fourth in intermediate flat, while sophomore Cicely Hislop (Thorndike, Mass.) took fourth in walk-trot-canter. 

Sophomore Courtney Levitsky (Phoenixville, Pa.) placed fifth in walk-trot-canter, with teammate Ashley Gagnon (Lunenburg, Mass.) taking fifth in novice flat.  Senior tri-captain Courtney Fraser (Willington, Conn.) finished her IHSA career with a sixth place in open fences, while Rarich also took a sixth in novice fences.

Rarich and Levy will represent Roger Williams next Saturday at Zones, hosted by Mount Holyoke College.  There they must again earn a top two finish in order to qualify for IHSA Nationals, to be held at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center in May.