Finley Cross Country is Off and Running

The J. Taylor Finley Middle School co-ed cross country team is off and running. While the boys and girls practice together, they compete separately.

Coached by Jarrad Richter, the Finley boys topped Kings Park in the first meet of the year. Eighth grader Eric Heinz led the way, finishing first in an impressive performance that saw him outrun the runner-up by nearly 30 seconds. Finley runners also captured third, fourth and fifth places. Kings Park edged the Finley girls’ squad in the season opener.

The co-d team consists of seventh graders Chase Anastasia, Rhys Carrillo, Cormac Driscoll, Kieran Fox, Christopher Granito, Keyri Gudiel Ramirez, Fintan Hackett-Johnson, Matison Kindelmann, Karly Maldonado, James Markotsis, Rylie Rabino, Maximillian Schmitz and Nicholast Tolentino and eighth graders Lucas Biancardo, Piper Davis, Michael DiVencenzo, Ronan Driscoll, Julia Goodwin, Eric Heinz, Greyson Henderson, Towsel Henry, Eli Levi and Adan Ntambewe.

Finley trains after school each day around the school campus. Upcoming dual meets are scheduled for the boys’ and girls’ squads with Commack, Stimson, Candlewood, West Hollow, Oldfield and Elwood. The Suffolk Middle School Invitational is set for October 20 at Sunken Meadow State Park.

Richter believes there is real talent on his roster. As the seventh and eighth graders engage in further training and competition he expects his athletes to start breaking their personal best times one or more times a week.