Blue Devil Sports News
Huntington High School senior Ryan Ackerman enjoyed a wonderful winter track season. The teenager ran the 600m dash, 1000m run and anchored the 4x400m relay for the Blue Devils.
Ackerman won the 600m league crown and was fifth in Suffolk and eighth in the state qualifier in the event. The 4x400m relay won the league title and placed third in the county.
The senior came close to breaking the Huntington school record in the 600m dash, notching a personal best time of 1:28.23, just off the Blue Devil standard of 1:27.76.
"Ryan is truly an amazing athlete with unlimited abilities," head coach Ron Wilson said. "He will surely be missed."
Beck Hot vs. Michigan
James Beck enjoyed a superb performance during an Iona College doubleheader against the University of Michigan in Port St. Lucie. Beck, a member of Huntington High School's Class of 2008, caught both games. In the first game, he went 2-for-4 at the plate with a double and his second home run of the season. He also drove in five runs and scored a run. Iona lost to the Wolverines, 9-6.
In the second game of the twin bill, Beck swatted out another base hit, walked and recorded nine putouts and three assists behind the plate. The Gaels topped Michigan, 3-1.
Beck earned varsity letters in three sports at Huntington High School, contributing to the Blue Devil football, basketball and baseball teams. He was All-League three consecutive years in baseball, All-Division in football as a senior and a Suffolk Gold Key Award recipient. A fine student, he garnered a National Football Foundation Scholar Athlete Award.
Beck earned All-MAAC first team honors last spring and won his third varsity letter with the Iona baseball team. He played in 50 games for the Gaels in 2011, starting 48 of them and appearing at catcher, first base and designated hitter.
The former Blue Devil star batted .339, second highest on Iona and 13th best in the conference. He belted out a MAAC leading 23 doubles and swatted two triples and seven homeruns (5th in conference).
Beck connected for 68 hits (8th in conference), 33 of which came in conference play (5th best), collected 42 RBIs (7th in conference), 29 runs scored and 20 bases on balls. He had a .597 slugging average, fifth highest in the MAAC.
The Huntington alum was also landed a spot on the MAAC All-Academic baseball team for the second straight year, notching a 3.42 grade point average. He is majoring in marketing.
Beck enjoyed a breakthrough season as a sophomore, leading the Gaels in hitting with a .341 average. The Huntington alum broke into Iona's starting line-up during the season and banged out 44 hits, including 10 doubles and five homeruns, scored 23 runs, had 34 RBIs and compiled a slugging average of .535.
Lewis Gets on Map
Shaheem Lewis is definitely on the radar of Suffolk track coaches. The Huntington High School junior won the county small school shot put championship, finished second in League IV, eighth in the state qualifies and 13th in the Long Island championships.
The 6'7 Lewis launched the shot 49 feet this winter, his best throw ever. Huntington head coach Ron Wilson said Lewis did "an outstanding job this winter. What's even better is that he's only a junior. For a big guy Lewis has great speed and that accounts for his success in the [shot put] circle."
Toney is Multi-Dimensional
Huntington High School senior Trayvon Toney is a multi-dimensional athlete. The teenager competed in the 55m dash and shot put for the Blue Devil winter track and field team under head coach Ron Wilson.
"Tray is a multi-talented athlete that loves competition," said Ron Wilson, Huntington's head coach. "He's fast and strong and that accounted for his success this past winter. He should do well this spring season returning as the top guy on the Island in the discus."
In shot put, Toney finished third in the league, sixth in the state qualifier and sixth in the Long Island championships. The teenager closed out the season with the fifth best throw in Suffolk (49'10.5), shattering the 10 year old school record (49'9.5) set by Jovan Hairston.
A String of Good Games
Casey Scully has put together a string of strong performances for the Iona College women's lacrosse team. Scully, a 2008 Huntington High School alum, scored three goals in a 17-7 Iona victory over visiting Long Island University. The game was played in rain and sleet.
A 5'6 midfielder, Scully is a key player for Iona. In a 10-7 loss to LaSalle University, she notched an assist. In a 7-3 victory over Central Connecticut, the former Blue Devil great also contributed an assist.
Scully had a goal and an assist during Iona's 17-5 win at Mount St. Mary's in Maryland.