J. Taylor Finley Middle School girls’ track and field team members are looking to set personal bests in all of their respective events. The group includes many highly competitive seventh and eighth graders.
Finley is coached by Timothy Madden and Brian Reynolds. The squad features many talented athletes, but no one that has previously participated in track and field at Finley. Last year’s season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown, so none of this year’s eighth graders were able to participate as seventh graders.
Coaches are spending time teaching the intricacies of the various running and field events. Finley has meets scheduled against West Islip-Udall, Hauppauge, Deer Park, East Northport and Elwood.
Finley’s roster consists of seventh graders Kennedy Banner, Kiley Barch, Emma Boyle, Sage Cicciari, Mildred Hernandez Veliz, Erika Hernandez Veliz, Mia Kaufman, Emili Licona Banegas, Kiera McGuire, Emma Polinsky and Dan Saramago and eighth graders Daisy Campos, NeVaeh Cantave, Vincenza Garofalo, Felicity George, Amalia Heinz and Molly Hodgkinson.
The athletes have been trying out all the different events from sprinting, mid and long distance to hurdles and all the field events. Some have already settled on their favorites.
The Blue Devil varsity coaching staff hopes everyone on the team sticks with the sport and comes out for the high school team, which has been one of the top Suffolk squads in recent years.