Analisse Batista, Olivia Conte, Brianna Halbeisen and Kiana Nosile will lead the Huntington spring girls’ track and field team into the Suffolk Division II Championships this week after the Blue Devils went 5-1 in regular season dual meets.
Huntington’s well-balanced lineup is expected to score points in bunches at the divisional championships, which will be held on Tuesday at 4 p.m. at Half Hollow Hills West in Dix Hills. The Section XI championships are set for June 17 at Commack High School.
Batista, Conte and Halbeisen are exquisitely talented track stars with Nosile and her sister, Junie and Alana Wallace being Huntington’s best at shot put and discus.
After dropping their season opening meet to Connetquot, 97-53, the Blue Devils won their next five competitions, including wins over Copiague (99-50), Northport (74-63), North Babylon (82-68), Smithtown East (80-69) and Half Hollow Hills East (75-51). Huntington is coached by Eddie Santos, Mark Jackson and Onix Salva.
The Blue Devils’ talented corps includes the speedy Caroline O’Rourke, who has quietly risen in the ranks to being one of Suffolk’s best this spring. Huntington’s relays are also expected to be title contenders.
The Blue Devils feature a nice balance of talent spread across sprints, hurdles, distance, relays and field events. If Huntington is to contend for top honors it will need to accumulate points in just about every event.
“I think the team is looking really strong overall going into divisions,” Conte said. “All of the girls are amazing in their events and are ready to compete against everyone.”
The roster also includes highly regarded eighth grader Elizabeth James; freshmen Amirah Beverly, Damaris Mani-Munoz and Andrea Mani-Munoz; sophomores Talia Addeo, Sophie Bradford, Megan Donaghy, Alexis Joseph, Maryuri Nunez Gomez and Anna Bell Young; juniors Emma Brendel, Yanira Rivera Ronquillo, Shaneek Shand, Zariah Smith and Erin Ye; and senior Valerie Rogel.
The Blue Devils have the talent to be among the top squads in Suffolk the next two weeks. The action will play out in warm temperatures as Huntington looks to win as many medals as possible.
