Huntington School Board members honored the Blue Devils’ 17 All-State winter season athletes during a public meeting at Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School earlier this week.
Superintendent James W. Polansky spoke about the exceptional teenagers and the recognition they have brought to Huntington UFSD and the community.
The coaches and athletes were called to the front of the room by team and posed for a series of commemorative photos with Mr. Polansky and Huntington School Board President Christine Biernacki while the other six trustees gave the teenagers a standing ovation.
Among the All-State athletes honored were:
• Wrestling: Coaches Travis Smith, Mike Marinello, Jamie St. John
Robert Smith: 4th place in New York State at 215 lbs.
Robert Smith helped lead Huntington to a 14-4 record and a runner up finish in the league tournament. The Blue Devils went on to place in the top ten at the county tournament.
• Boys’ Swimming: Coach Margaret McConnell
Pierre Leroy: All-State in four events.
Evan Spagnoletti: All-State in three events.
Jonathan Larice: All-State in three events.
William Weber: All-State in two events.
Lucas Spagnoletti: All-State in the 200 Free Relay.
Pierre Leroy, William Weber, Jonathan Larice, Evan Spagnoletti and Lucas Spagnoletti helped lead the Huntington/Harborfields/Walt Whitman team to an undefeated league championship and the Blue Devils’ first ever boys’ swimming and diving county championship. The team went on to finish second in the state championships.
• Indoor Boys’ Track and Field: Coaches Ron Wilson, Eli Acosta, Haidee Gantz-Bonhurst
Matthew Armstrong: All-State in the 4x400m relay
Nicholas Grover: All-State in the 4x400m relay
Julio Martinez: All-State in the 4x400m relay
Jahmar Francis: All-State in the 4x400m relay
Quincy Chery: All-State in the 4x400m relay
Nikolai Seferian: All-State in the 4x400m relay
The relay team members helped keep Huntington among the top ranked teams in Suffolk and New York State.
• Indoor Girls’ Track and Field: Coaches Onix Salva, Mark Jackson, Sarah Hall
Analisse Batista: One of the top high school runners in the country, she is the New York State Public High School Athletic Assn. and State Federation 600m champion. A member of the NYSPHSAA runner-up and third place finishing State Federation 4x400m relay team.
Hope Bilkey: A member of the NYSPHSAA runner-up and third place finishing State Federation 4x400m relay team.
Megan Donaghy: A member of the NYSPHSAA runner-up and third place finishing State Federation 4x400m relay team.
Elizabeth James: A member of the NYSPHSAA runner-up and third place finishing State Federation 4x400m relay team.
Kiana Nosile: The NYSPHSAA and State Federation runner-up in shot put.
The group, along with several of their teammates, helped make Huntington a county and state power this past winter.
