While the Huntington boys’ track and field team is one of the best in the state this winter, the Blue Devils didn’t have quite enough to overcome a talented Smithtown West squad at the league championships at Suffolk-West in Brentwood, especially with the absence of senior Rhaliek Thomason, who was home battling the flu.
There were plenty of highlights for the Blue Devils, who have their sights set on county and state championships in the coming weeks. While the loss of Thomason from the lineup stopped Huntington from making a successful run at the league team title, there was plenty to make head coach Ron Wilson a happy man.
Huntington boys' track head coach Ronald Wilson.
Junior CJ Kiviat and senior Justin Stevens finished 1-2 in the 600m run. Kiviat went wire to wire in 1:25.58 and Stevens was right on his heels with a time of 1:25.67.
Junior Anthony Joseph won the 300m run in a time of 36.15 seconds. Tyriek Mays-McKoy finished fifth in 38.03. Joseph also placed third in the long jump competition with a leap of 20-04.75 feet. Nasir Youngblood finished fifth with a jump of 19-11.75 feet.
The 4x200m relay consisting of Nasir Youngblood, Julio Martinez, Tyriek Mays-McKoy and Antony Joseph swept to victory in a time of 1:34.83.
Huntington senior Gary Barash captured the league shot put championship with a toss that measured 47-02.00 feet. Junior Mekai Butts was fourth with a throw of 44-10.00 feet.
The 4x400m relay team of Jahmar Francis Chad Rowe, Quincy Chery and CJ Kiviat finished second in 3:36.91, just off Connetquot’s winning time of 3:35.55.
The 4x800m relay placed second with Andrew McKenzie, Isaiah James, Aidan Heller and Justin Stevens running the race in 8:38.83.
In other action:
- Aidan Heller finished sixth in the 3200m run in a time of 10:33.53
- Tyriek Mays-McKoy was the runner-up in the 55m dash in a time of 6.75 seconds, a mere 1/100 th of a second off the mark of first place Khalil Chester of Copiague.
- Isaiah James (2:40.09) and Andrew McKenzie (2:49.22) finished fifth and sixth, respectively in the 1000m run.
- Jaylen Bush finished fourth in the 55m hurdles in a time of 8.18 seconds. Quincy Chery placed sixth in 8.90 seconds.
- CJ Kiviat finished sixth in triple jump with a distance of 39-02.50 feet.
- Quincy Chery was sixth in high jump, clearing 5-02.00 feet.
Smithtown West won the team title with 118 points. Huntington was second with 97 points. Sachem North (38), Bay Shore (38), Northport (37), Connetquot (36), Half Hollow Hills East (35), Copiague (15), Walt Whitman (12) and Lindenhurst (8) all trailed far in the distance.
