Blue Devil Boys' Track Upsets Bellport
The Huntington High School boys' track and field team pulled off one of the biggest upsets in recent years when it topped Bellport, 74-67.
The Blue Devil victory was impressive on all fronts. Huntington captured 49 of the 54 points awarded in the nine field events and won enough on the track to notch one of its most satisfying victories in many years.
While junior sprinter, Y'Majesty Allen was sidelined after straining a muscle in last Saturday's Smithtown Invitational, freshmen stars Exayvian Crowell and Infinite Tucker finished 1-2 in both hurdle events.
In the 110m hurdles, Crowell crossed the line in 16.7 seconds while Tucker was clocked at 16.9. The duo was just as competitive in the 400m intermediate hurdles. Crowell again outlasted Tucker for first place, running the event in 59.3 seconds while Tucker turned in a personal best of 61.1 for second place.
Sophomore Scott Gulizio came from off the pace to close on the Clipper's top distance runner and win the mile run. Senior Thomas Boisclair earned a hard-fought point in the 800m run when he took third place in a close battle. Freshman Kyle O'Brien also earned a point and third place in the two-mile run by holding off a fast closing Bellport runner.
Huntington completely dominated the field events. In the shot put senior Devon Nelson dug deep within and beat previously undefeated teammate Shaheem Lewis, one of the top seniors in the state. Nelson threw an amazing 48'8 to beat out Lewis, who tossed the shot 48'4. Sophomores Matteo McNeil and Jimmie Nelson placed third and fourth, respectively with throws of 46-feet and 42-feet.
In discus, Lewis took aim at the school record held by Trayvon Toney, but the teenager came up just short, by throwing 168'10. Toney's mark of 170'7 will stand for at least one more week.
Nelson threw another personal best of 122'6' in discus to place second and Matteo McNeil threw a personal best of 121'11 to finish third.
In the long jump, Huntington sophomores Jason Downer and Nolan Browne placed first and third, respectively with jumps of 19'11 and18'8.25. Eighth grader, Kyree Johnson placed fourth with a jump of 18'7.75, narrowly missing third place.
The Blue Devils swept the high jump for the first time in memory, grabbing all nine points. Sophomore Sondy Jean-Baptiste placed first with a leap of 5'10; Tucker was second with a jump of 5'8 and Browne finished third by soaring 5'6.
In the triple jump, Browne lit up the scoreboard again with a first place leap of 39'3. Crowell finished a stellar day with a second place finish in the triple jump with an effort that measured 38'6.50.
"The best of the day was the pole vault," said Ron Wilson, Huntington's head coach. Sophomore Joe Saginaw cleared 9'6 to place second, but the biggest surprise came from Pat Wolber a senior who is new to the sport.
Wolber vaulted an impressive height of 10-feet to earn first place. "The crowd went crazy when he went over without the bar falling," Wilson said. "His facial expression was priceless. We were very happy for him."
Saginaw has been tutoring Wolber in the event over the past month. "Sag, as we call him, was rushed because he had an honor society induction the very same night and had to leave," Wilson said about the sophomore, who nevertheless felt good about his second place finish and helping his team pull-off the upset of Bellport.
"It was a great job by all," Wilson said.