Huntington’s indoor boys’ track and field team enjoyed a spectacular series of performances at last weekend’s North Shore Invitational at the Ocean Breeze Track & Field Complex at Staten Island.
The Blue Devils were led by senior Johnathan Smith, who was named the meet’s Most Outstanding Runner after sweeping to victory in the 300m dash and leading the 4x800m relay to a gold medal.
Smith finished first in the 300m dash in a time of 35.83 seconds, leaving the field of 124 runners in the dust. Smith, Justin Stevens, CJ Kiviat and Isaiah James blazed their way to victory in the 4x800m relay in a time of 8:44.27.
In other action:
- Jaylen Bush captured first place in the 55m hurdles, finishing in 8.26 seconds in a field of 29.
- Jaden Bholan placed first in the high jump with a leap of 6-03 feet in a field of nine.
- Justin Steven finished fourth in the 1000m run in a time of 2:42.74 in a field of 76.
- In shot put, Eric Sands (44-02 feet) and Gary Barash (40-02 feet) placed second and fourth, respectively, in a field of 40.
- In weight throw, Sand (42-00 feet) and Barash (41-06 feet) finished fourth and fifth respectively. Mekai Butts placed 11 th with a throw of 29-10 feet.
- Isaiah James won the 1000m frosh/soph run in a time of 2:46.34, easily besting the field of 78.
- CJ Kiviat (36.38 seconds), Anthony Joseph (36.63 seconds) and Jason Turner (37.99 seconds) placed, second, third and fourth, respectively in the 300m frosh/soph dash. The field included 122 runners.
- In the frosh/soph shot put, Mekai Butts (36-06 feet) and Kyle Green (29-09.50 feet) placed second and fifth, respectively in a field of 25.
- Matt Armstrong, Samuel James, Carlos Martinez and Andrew McKenzie finished second in the 4x800m frosh/soph relay in a time of 9:12.66.
- Josiah Melendez, Nasir Youngblood, Jason Turner and Anthony Joseph finished first in the 4x200m frosh/soph relay in a time of 1:34.86.
Sophomore Joe Petrone Leads H-ton Matmen . . .
The Huntington wrestling team finished fourth in a field of 10 mat squads at the Eastchester Wrestling Invitational this past Saturday.
The Blue Devils were led by Joe Petrone, who won the championship at 106 lbs. Billy Burton (113 lbs.) and Aedan McDonald (132 lbs.) both took second place. Tazadon Smith grabbed third place at 220 lbs. Robbie Smith (170 lbs.) and Jon Koumas (182 lbs.) both finish fourth in their respective weight class. Lucas Cirlincione (99 lbs.) and Ethan Franciscovich (138 lbs.) both placed fifth. Zach Zboray (145 lbs.) and Chas Forte (195 lbs.) both finished sixth.
Final team scores: 1. Longwood-288 points; 2. Pleasantville-230; 3. John H. Glenn-198.5; 4. Huntington-142; 5. Port Chester-111.5; 6. Eastchester-104; 7. Pawling-80; 8. Rye-49; 9. Sleepy Hollow-30; 10. Yonkers-13.
Blue Devil Elementary School Fencing Clinic . . .
The Huntington UFSD fencing program is sponsoring a clinic for fourth, fifth and sixth graders on Monday and Wednesday nights from 6-8 p.m. The program began last week, but there is still plenty of time to join the fun since it will continue for the next three months.
The sessions will run through March 6, 2019. The clinic will be held in the Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School gymnasium. Participants will learn the skills and strategies and enjoy drilling and scrimmaging with each other.
Interested? Just come to the next session. Need more information? E-mail Blue Devil alum and fencing coach John Ferraiolo at john2ferraiolo@gmail.com. There is a suggested donation of $20 for the three month clinic. A flyer is posted on the Huntington UFSD website at www.hufsd.edu.
Blue Devil Girls’ Track & Field Looks Great . . .
The Blue Devils indoor girls’ track and field team looked great at last weekend’s crossover meet at Suffolk-West in Brentwood.
Sophomores Valerie Rogel (11:48.33) and Ella Siepel (11:55.32) finished 1-2 in the 3000m run. In the 1500m race-walk, seniors Erika Varady (7:15.25) and Keily Rivas (7:22.11) placed first and third, respectively. Freshman Erin Ye finished seventh in 8:25.49.
In other action:
- Freshman Olivia Conte finished fifth in a field of 26 in the 300m run in a time of 45.20 seconds.
- Freshman Analisse Batista (4 th in 7.75 seconds) and junior Alicia Brooks (6 th in 7.90 seconds) were impressive in a field of 48.
- In shot put, junior Mya Davis (3 rd with a throw of 30-06 feet), senior Grace McKenna (6 th-29-06 feet) and senior Nephar Durand (8 th-26-11.50 feet) placed among the leaders.
- Huntington won the 4x200m relay behind Alicia Brooks, Olivia Conte, Analisse Batista and sophomore Dejanae Linton, who finished in a time of 1:50.81.
- The Blue Devils’ 4x400m relay placed second.
H-ton Loses Big Lead and Non-League Game . . .
After opening the game with an 11-0 run, the Huntington varsity girls’ basketball team had its hands full with visiting Farmingdale, which methodically battled its way back from the huge deficit.
The Blue Devils led 11-3 after one quarter and 22-20 at halftime. Farmingdale took a 30-26 lead into the final eight minutes. The teams went back and forth during the final frame and Huntington had a chance to win it in the last seconds, but the ball wouldn’t fall through the rim as the Dalers escaped with a 36-34 victory.
Abby Maichin led the Blue Devils with 11 points. Emily Plachta added 10 points. Paige Lennon had six points and Holly Wright scored four points. Christie Baade connected for a three-pointer.
Huntington led 34-32 with 40 seconds left, but Farmingdale rallied for the last four points to seal its win.
Finley Boys’ Basketball Teams Playing Well . . .
J. Taylor Finley Middle School’s two boys’ basketball teams are off to great starts during the Winter I season.
The squad coached by physical education teacher Timothy Madden includes seventh graders Luke Calabria, Sam Cirlincione, Daniel McNulty, Kei Shan Miller, Za’Khie Ramos and Dante Salgado and eighth graders John Acompora-Miller, Christopher Acompora-Miller, Joseph Algieri, Hunter Borenstein, Ryan Centeno, James Rosselli, Joshua Stephen, James Viola and Logan Wilson.
The squad coached by physical education teacher Alex Nelson includes seventh graders Harrison Baliber, Theodore Dannhauser, Thomas Girimonti, Christopher Grover, Peter Leavy, Nicholas Rosan, Nicholas Sclafani and Eli Soric and eighth graders Tino Abbatiello, Sammy Mac Arner, Peter Breingan, Dylan Dougal, Michael Kline, Jack Koopman, Shane Luckow, Michael Mugno, Michael Queen and Nicholas Sineno.
Blue Devils Place 1-2 in Race-Walk at Crossover Meet . . .
The Huntington varsity winter girls’ track and field team turned in some fine performances at its first crossover meet of the season at Suffolk-West in Brentwood.
In the 800m race-walk, seniors Erika Varady (3:41.85) and Keily Rivas (3:41.96) crossed the finish line in first and second place, respectively in a field of 16 competitors.
Huntington’s 4x200m relay consisting of (in order of legs run) junior Alicia Brooks, freshmen Analisse Batista and Olivia Conte and sophomore Dejanae Linton finished second in a field of 16 teams in a time of 1:51.82, just off first place Kings Park, which finished in 1:51.65.
Sophomore Valerie Rogel placed fourth in a field of 25 in the 1500m run in a time of 5:31.16. Senior Hadley Clayton was fifth in a field of 26 in the 1000m run in a time of 3:19.84.
Freshman Analisse Batista placed ninth in a field of 47 in the 55m dash in a time of 7.90 seconds.
Huntington’s 4x400m relay finished third in a time of 4:31.03, less than four seconds off the pace of first and second place teams, Ward Melville and Connetquot.
Track Teams Approved for Dartmouth Relays . . .
Huntington School Board members gave their approval for the Blue Devil boys’ and girls’ winter track and field teams to participate in the 50th annual Dartmouth Relays in Hanover, New Hampshire on January 11-13.
The Huntington boys’ squad will be accompanied by coaches Ronald Wilson and Eli Acosta. The Blue Devil girls’ team will be led by its coaches, Mark Jackson and Eric Santos.
Both Blue Devil squads have strong relays this winter. The Dartmouth Relays will play out at the Leverone Field House on the Ivy League college’s campus.
BOE Approves New Names for Competitions . . .
Huntington School Board members have approved a proposal to rename annual Blue Devil fencing and wrestling competitions in honor of former Huntington High School coaches.
The fencing program’s annual “relay” tournament that attracts a wide array of teams from across the metropolitan area will now be known as the Alan Kuver Memorial Relay, in honor of the longtime district teacher and coach who passed away on July 1, 2014 after a 10 month battle with esophageal cancer. He left behind admiring colleagues and a legion of Blue Devil fencers who will always remember their coach. He was 47 years old.
Even after Mr. Kuver received his terrifying diagnosis he continued to teach and coach while undergoing treatment. He was in his classroom until the final week of the 2013/14 school year, when he just couldn’t make it to work any longer. He passed away just two weeks later.
Giani is one of just a handful of US high school coaches ever inducted as a Distinguished Member by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
Giani’s coaching accomplishments include:
- A career coaching mark in 40 seasons of 436-36-1.
- A league dual meet record of 230-15.
- A Suffolk record 188 All-County wrestlers.
- A state record 23 state champs and 53 all-state wrestlers.
- 28 undefeated seasons.
- Nine Suffolk County team championships.
- A Suffolk record of 117 invitational tournament championships.
- A record 61 individual Suffolk County champions.
- Nine of his teams won New York State championships. (Six state tournament – five public, one private - and three first place state poll rankings.)
- 63 state tournament qualifiers.
- Member, New York State Wrestling Hall of Fame.
- Member, Suffolk County Sports Hall of Fame
On three separate occasions Giani was chosen as the National High School Wrestling Coach of the Year.
Blue Devil Boys’ Track & Field Atop Suffolk Rankings . . .
After just one week of competition, the Huntington indoor boys’ track and field team finds itself atop the Suffolk ranking board in several events.
The county leaders include:
- 300m dash: Johnathan Smith with a time of 35.83 seconds
- 600m run: Justin Stevens with a time of 1:24.32
- High jump: Jaden Bholan with a leap of 6-03 feet
- Weight throw: Eric Sands with a toss of 42-00 feet
- 4x200m relay: Nasir Youngblood, Josiah Melendez, Jason Turner and Anthony Joseph with a time of 1:34.86
- 4x400m relay: Justin Stevens, CJ Kiviat, Isaiah James and Johnathan Smith with a time of 3:27.57
- 4x800m relay: Justin Stevens, CJ Kiviat, Isaiah James and Johnathan Smith with a time of 8:44.27
