Blue Devils Top Defending
League Champs
Ron Wilson always hedges a little when asked during the pre-season how he thinks the Huntington High School boys' track and field team will do during the spring season, but the head coach must have known his squad is loaded with talent.
The Blue Devils kicked off the year with a splendid 91-49 victory over reigning league champion King Park. It was the first time in three years the Blue Devils topped the Kingsmen.
Blue Devil Stadium was the scene for some impressive individual performances by Huntington athletes. Junior Shaheem Lewis defeated teammate and defending county discus champion Trayvon Toney with a throw of 155'10. Toney's throw of 145'6 was good enough for second place and Huntington junior Devon Nelson captured third with a toss of 112'.
Toney rebounded in the shot put, taking first place with a throw of 45'7 while Lewis placed second (44'5), and Nelson placed third (40'3). Wilson couldn't help but smile with his throwers making a clean sweep in two events.
On the track, the Blue Devils were equally electric. Toney lit up the meet while placing first in the 100m dash in a blazing time of 10.9 seconds. Sophomore Y'Majesty Allen placed second in 11.7. Allen would later capture first place in the 200m dash in a time of 23.6.
Senior Ryan Ackerman took the 1600m run in 4:53 while freshman teammate Alex Alvarenga took third in 4:57. Alvarenga won the 3200m run in 10:45. Ackerman also placed second in the 800m (2:08). Freshmen Scott Gulizio also turned in a great race, finishing in a time of 2:10.
Junior Thomas Boisclair took second in the 400m dash and senior John Ceide placed third. Eighth grade sensation Exayvian Crowell dazzled fans while his mentor Tyriek Johnson is temporarily sidelined by injuries.
Crowell finished second in the 110m high hurdles and was third in the 400m intermediate hurdles. Freshman Nolan Browne placed second in the high jump with a leap of 5'6. Gerald Riley and Marquis Francis placed second and third, respectively in the long jump.
The Blue Devils' 4x100m relay team of Francis, Allen, Giancarlos Puello and Toney placed first in 46.5 seconds. The 4x400m relay team of Markhenry Sanon, Ceide, Josh Watkins and Boisclair crossed the line first in 3:49. Huntington's 4x800m relay team of Gulizio, Ackerman, Alvarenga, and Mike Garing also placed first.
The last thing Wilson wants is for his team to become overconfident. He expects them to keep working hard and continue to improve. Yet, after such a dominating performance against Kings Park, it was difficult for the Blue Devil coach to hide his pleasure.
"It was a great afternoon for our boys and Huntington track in general," Wilson said.