A report from Bob Leddy on Jeanne Mack's quest for an invitation to run at Millrose:

In her final attempt this season at qualifying for the prestigious Millrose High School mile, La Salle’s Jeanne Mack yesterday toed the line at the Yale Invitational mile at Coxe Cage with a game-plan fashioned by her coach.

Indeed, not only did the Ram senior adhere to that plan, but she made Rhode Island track history in the bargain, becoming the first Rhode Islander to qualify for the Millrose Girls’ Mile in that event’s 24-year history. (Four local boys have run Millrose: brothers Andrew and Neal Butler, of St. Raphael, in 1988 and ‘89; Hendricken’s Dave Murphy in 2003, and the Hawks’ Andrew Palumbo last year).

Yesterday, Mack placed second in 4 minutes, 54.86 seconds, a time good enough to earn her one of 10 coveted spots in the Millrose Mile, which will be held Feb. 1 at New York’s Madison Square Garden as part of the annual Millrose Games.

“It’s absolutely amazing,’’ said Ram coach Kelly Martin. “I’m so excited. And the plan was [final time of] 4:54.’’

In aiming for a Millrose berth (which is based on time), Mack clocked 5:04.84 at last month’s Brown Invitational mile, and shaved nearly eight seconds off that time at the subsequent Dartmouth Invitational (4:56.57). Yesterday, she was the picture of confidence. “She hit her splits perfectly,’’ Martin said of Mack, who went through the half-mile in 2:26.4. “She looked so confident. I saw the determination on her face.’’

Running off a California (two-tiered) start on Coxe’s four-lane banked oval, Mack got out into third place. “The plan was to take it easier the first 800 meters,’’ Martin said, “and to move out in the last 600 [meters].’’

At the bell lap, Mack - the state’s 1,000- and 1,500-meter indoor champion last year - was on the shoulder of eventual winner, Jillian King, of Scotia-Glenville High in New York. King finished in 4:53.84. Mack was a full three seconds ahead of the third-place finisher. As a side note, running on the Coxe Cage oval will aid Mack in adjusting to Madison Square Garden‘s four-lane banked oval.

“I’m so happy for her, I can’t tell you,’’ Martin said of the Harvard-bound Mack. “Jeanne got this through hard work and dedication. She does what she does for her team. This is a huge weight off her shoulders, and mine.’’

At the Yale boys’ mile yesterday, East Greenwich sophomore Nick Ross placed fifth in 4:22.59. Westerly’s Andrew Springer placed sixth in 4:23.56.