Blue Devils Sharp at Season Opening Crossover

Ron Wilson was smiling at the Huntington High School boys’ track and field team’s first crossover meet of the winter at Suffolk-West in Brentwood this past Sunday night.

“It was a great start for our boys with top times in the county and the breaking of a school record,” Wilson said. Dozens of Blue Devils participated in the season opener.

Senior Matthew Armstrong turned in a great performance in the 3200m run finishing in first of a field of 27 runners with a school-record breaking time of 9:49.48. “This time was the best of the day out of all four crossover meets,” Wilson. “This time also breaks the eight year old school record of Nick Sherman, who ran 9:55.52 in 2014.”

Senior Kender Edouazin also put his name at the top of the 600m run charts. The perennial favorites in the event were junior Jahmar Francis, who returns as the top runner and Giancarlo DiFaiva of Commack. Francis had the best time coming into the season, running 1:24 at last year’s county championship, finishing second and gaining a berth in the state championship. DiFaiva ran 1:25.09 in the county finals.

With the three greats all on the track, the competition was fierce. “What an exciting race,” Wilson said. “Francis took a bold lead heading into the final lap. DiFaiva and Edouazin were hot on his trail. Coming off the final turn, DiFaiva passed Francis and Edouazin passed them both. DiFaiva tried a second attempt, but Edouazin held him off for the win in a time of 1:26.52.”

DiFaiva finished in 1:27.59 for second place and Philip Rosengarten of Commack finished in third in a time of 1:28.68. Francis held on for fourth in 1:30.11. “It’s going to be a battle in this event throughout the season with Commack and Huntington now being in the same league,” Wilson said.

In other action:

• In the 55m high hurdles, seniors Nick Seferian and Ryan Centeno both earned top spots in the event. Seferian finished in second with a time of 8.92 and Centeno was fifth in 9.27. Junior Niko Lulewich finished sixth in 9.43.

• Lulewich went on to finish fifth in the high jump with a leap of 5’6. Junior Johan Fajardo finished a close second with a leap of 5’8. Junior Roberto Rodriguez was sixth with a jump of 5’6.

• In the 55m dash, juniors David Dje Bi and Christian Delgado ran well. Dje Bi finished first in a time of 6.91 with Delgado placing fourth in 7.10.

• In shot put, junior Carmine Carusone placed sixth with a toss of 38’3. Senior Dawin Preval just missed a top spot, placing eighth with a toss of 36’6.50.

• Huntington’s A and B 4x400m relays placed first and sixth, respectively. The A-team was comprised of lead leg Francis, second leg Armstrong, third leg Seferian and anchor Edouazin. They circled the track in a time of 3:43, the fastest time of the day.

• The 4x400m B-team of Fajardo, Centeno, Tyler Godin and Joey Zink finished in sixth place with a time of 3:58.

The Blue Devils will travel to Staten Island on Saturday, December 10 for the Nassau County Coaches Invitational.