La Salle track and cross-country coach Kelly Martin and Barrington senior Hillary Anderson will be honored at the Rhode Island Interscholastic League Girls and Women in Sports Celebration, which will be held March 13 at noon prior to the three girls finals of the Credit Union Basketball Championships at the Ryan Center in Kingston.

The organization has named Martin the 2009 Alice A. Sullivan Rhode Island Interscholastic League Female Coach of the Year and Anderson the 2009 Virginia L. “Gini” Duarte Female Athlete of the Year.

The head girls cross country coach at La Salle for the last seven years and the distance coach for the Rams’ indoor and outdoor track teams for the last eight, Martin guided the cross country team to both the Rhode Island and New England Championships last fall. Also in 2009, she helped lead La Salle to the state indoor title and a runnerup finish at the outdoor state championships.

A three-sport star at Barrington, Anderson has been a varsity starter in field hockey, ice hockey and lacrosse since her freshman year. In 2009, she helped the Eagles’ ice hockey team advance to the semifinals of the Division I tournament, the lacrosse team regain the Division I state title and the field hockey team capture its first Division I crown since 2006. She was named the MVP of the field hockey tournament after netting the game-winner in Barrington’s triple-overtime victory over East Greenwich and earned her fourth All-State selection, as well as a spot on the NFHCA High School All-Region team.

The luncheon will be held in the Alumni Room at the Ryan Center. Today is the last day to purchase tickets to the luncheon, which cost $15 and also include admission to the girls basketball games. For information, contact Gail Lepore at the RIIL office at (401) 272-9844.

*****

The third annual Rhode Island Interscholastic League Team Competition Cheerleading Championships will kick off at 1 p.m. Saturday at Bryant University.

One thing is already for certain: A new champion will be crowned in the Small Schools Division, now that Mount St. Charles – which was also the overall state champ last winter – is competing as a co-ed team. There should be some excitement in that division, as the Mounties will be going up against two-time defending co-ed champion La Salle, as well as Toll Gate and Exeter-West Greenwich.

There will also be a new champion in the Large Schools Division champion, now that North Providence, which won the first two titles, is competing among the Medium Schools. That leaves Cranston East as the top returning finisher in that division. The ‘Bolt finished second to North Providence each of the last two years.

Meanwhile, Portsmouth will attempt to defend its title once again in the Medium Schools category. The Patriots, who have performed well in a number of competitions this season, finished second in the overall rankings last year.

Narragansett, which finished second to Mount each of the last two years, comes in as the top returning finisher in the Small Schools Division.

ORDER OF APPEARANCE

JUNIOR VARSITY – Cranston East, 1 p.m.; Portsmouth, 1:05.

LARGE SCHOOLS DIVISION – East Providence, 1:30 p.m.; Woonsocket, 1:35; Coventry, 1:40; North Kingstown, 1:45; Tolman, 1:50; Pilgrim, 1:55; Cranston East, 2.

SMALL SCHOOLS DIVISION – Narragansett, 2:25 p.m.; Rogers, 2:30; Middletown, 2:35; East Greenwich, 2:40; St. Raphael, 2:45; Scituate, 2:50.

CO-ED DIVISION – Toll Gate, 3:15 p.m.; Exeter/West Greenwich, 3:20; Mount St. Charles, 3:25; La Sallle, 3:30.

MEDIUM SCHOOLS DIVISION – Westerly, 3:55 p.m.; Lincoln, 4; West Warwick, 4:05; Warwick Vets, 4:10; Portsmouth, 4:15; Mt. Hope, 4:20; North Providence, 4:25.

*****

After defending their crowns at last month’s indoor state championships, the Hendricken boys and La Salle girls, as well as the other top competitors from that meet, will compete at the 23rd Annual New England Interscholastic Boys’ and Girls’ Indoor Track and Field Championships, Friday at Roxbury Community College’s Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center in Roxbury Crossing, Mass.

A number of Rhode Island athletes have stayed sharp since the state meet, performing well at the recent Eastern States Championships, held at the Armory Track & Field Center in New York City. (Go to http://hssportsblog.projo.com/ to read more about the top finishers there.)

*****

The top wrestlers from last Saturday’s state championships also will be competing Friday and Saturday at the 46th Annual New England Interscholastic Wrestling Championships, at Hillhouse High School in New Haven, Conn.

*****

Fourteen Rhode Island players were among those recently named to the National Field Hockey Coaches Association’s All-Academic team.text ignored The National Academic Squad program recognizes high school seniors who have achieved a cumulative, unweighted GPA of 3.5 out of 4.0. The following were selected to the team: Rebecca Bracken, Barrington; Maeve Brody, Barrington; Stephanie Martineau, Bay View; Fallon Scorpio, Bay View; Jennifer Lewinski, Cumberland; Sarah DiSandro, Lincoln School; Eliza Jalbert, Lincoln School; Amanda Cichy, North Kingstown; Nancy Heidt, North Kingstown; Allie Barrows, St. George’s; Mary Behan, St. George’s; Maria Gebelein, St. George’s; Stephanie Johnson, St. George’s; Courtney Jones, St. George’s.