Huntington High School’s boys’ and girls’ indoor track and field squads are expected to make a run at individual and team titles at this weekend’s Section XI championships at Suffolk-West in Brentwood.
The large school boys’ county championships are set for Saturday at 1:30 p.m. The starting gun will go off for the girls on Sunday at 9 a.m. Huntington has several individual athletes in contention for county crowns in their respective events. The Blue Devil boys’ and girls’ relays are among the top ranked in the state.
Both Huntington teams will face stiff competition in the championships. But each has the talent in the sprints, distance, relays and field events to challenge for county team titles.
The Huntington boys’ team boasts superb relays that are expected to contend for county and state crowns. The 4x200m relay includes Nasir Youngblood, Jason Turner, Tyriek Mays-McKoy, Anthony Joseph and alternates Julio Martinez and Jahmar Francis. The 4x400m relay includes CJ Kiviat, Isaiah James, Julio Martinez and Justin Stevens and alternates Bryce Robinson, Jahmar Francis and Chad Rowe.
The Blue Devil boys have top ranked competitors in Jaylen Bush (55m hurdles), Tyriek Mays-McKoy (55m dash), Anthony Joseph (300m dash and long jump), CJ Kiviat (600m run), Justin Stevens (600m run), Isaiah James (600m run), Rahliek Thomason (triple jump and high jump), Gary Barash (shot put and weight throw) and Mekai Butts (shot put).
“We’re going to give it everything we have,” said Huntington boys’ head coach Ron Wilson, who is assisted by Eli Acosta and Haidee Ganz- Bonhurst.
The Blue Devil girls feature 4x200m and 4x400m relays that are among the best in the state if not the country. The 4x200m is expected to consist of Alicia Brooks, Analisse Batista, Hope Bilkey and Olivia Conte. The 4x400m relay is expected to include Elizabeth James, Caroline O’Rourke, Analisse Batista and Brianna Halbeisen.
Huntington’s top individual competitors include Olivia Conte (55m hurdles), Alicia Brooks (55m dash and long jump), Analisse Batista (300m dash and 600m run), Kiana Nosile (shot put) and Brianna Halbeisen (300m dash).
Blue Devil girls’ coaches Mark Jackson and Eddie Santos are confident their squad will finish among the top teams on Sunday. “We’re excited,” Jackson said.