The Huntington High School boys’ spring track and field team proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that it’s the best in the state. Period.
The Blue Devils won the State Federation team title at Union-Endicott last Saturday, toppling every public, private and parochial high school in New York. Huntington claimed the top three places in four different events, accumulating 30 points in the process and edging runner-up Briarcliff by four points in the team standings. No other high school came close.
“We have really been blessed with some magnificent athletes and outstanding young men,” said Ronald Wilson, Huntington’s head coach. “They’ve impressed competitors, coaches and fans all over the country. They are incredible ambassadors for our community and they always put their best foot forward.”
Kyree Johnson with Huntington Director of Athletics
Georgia D. McCarthy at Ty Cobb Stadium.
The Blue Devils were carried to victory by four sensational performances in the State Federation meet, which pitted the best track and field athletes in the New York State Public High School Association’s Division I and Division II, New York City’s Public School Athletic League and private and parochial schools.
Kyree Johnson won the State Federation 400m dash title and finished third in long jump. Lawrence Leake was third in the 400m high hurdles and Huntington’s 4x400m relay team consisting of Johnson, Leake, Jonathan Smith and eight grader Anthony Joseph took second to Newburgh Free Academy, which set a new meet record.
Friday’s NYSPHAA Finals
One day earlier on Friday, Johnson grabbed a pair of New York State Public High School Athletic Association Division I titles in the 400m dash and long jump. It was the teenager’s second consecutive state 400m crown.
Johnson notched a season best time of 46.56 seconds in the 400m dash and then leaped 23-06.50 feet to easily best the field in long jump.
Leake took third in the NYSPHSAA Division I in the 400m high hurdles with a time of 54.53 seconds, a mere 3/100ths of a second behind the second place finisher.
Huntington’s 4x400m relay also finished third in the NYSPHSAA Division I, crossing the finish line in an excellent time of 3:17.29.
State Federation Championships
Saturday’s State Federation championships saw some of the nation’s best athletes vying against each other. Johnson bested a talented field in one of the weekend’s most exciting races. The Huntington teenager flew past the finish line in 46.88 seconds, just 7/100ths faster than runner-up Onye Ohia-Enyia (46.95) who barely nipped third place finisher Jovahn Williamson of Half Hollow Hills West (46.96).
Johnson went on to leap 22-08.50 feet in long jump, which gave him third place. He also anchored the Blue Devil 4x400m relay team that improved on its third place finish in Friday’s NYSPHSAA finals, placing second in 3:17.91.
Leake captured third place in the 400m high hurdles in a time of 54.41 seconds.
“It’s hard to put into words just how proud we are of these gifted children,” Wilson said. “They’ve worked hard for a year to prepare for these championships and to see all of that pay off and watch them smiling with a state medal around their neck is really something special.”