Powerful Performances as Blue Devils Look to Peak

The Huntington boys’ track and field team is looking to peak in the coming weeks. The Blue Devils are prepping for the county championships and the state qualifier.

The squad was split last Friday and Saturday as the Blue Devils competed at the Massapequa Under the Lights Invitational as well as Suffolk County Relays+ Plus Invitational at Bay Shore.

Huntington freshman sensation Ethan Lawless has made a name for himself this spring and the teenager nearly pulled off a big upset in shot put with a throw that measured 46-07.5 feet. Despite throwing the same distance, Middle Country’s Jaden Forthe garnered the gold medal due to a similar throw that measured 46 feet. Lawless’ throw gives him the No. 1 ranking in the event among all freshman in New York State.

With a silver medal in hand, Lawless earned a bronze medal in discus with a throw of 122-08 feet. Lawless teamed up with senior Sergemio Cerome in the shot put relay on Saturday at Bay Shore. The duo placed second with a combined toss of 83 feet. Freshman Matt Ross and junior John Genova also joined forces and placed third with a combined toss of 79 feet.

On the track, junior David Dje Bi won the 100m invitational in 11.21 seconds. He earned an additional medal in the 800m sprint medley relay with junior Jahmar Francis, senior Tyler Miles and sophomore Carlos Marroquin. The foursome placed third for the bronze.

Francis also cruised to victory in the 400m dash with a time of 53.21 seconds. “This was his first meet back since a debilitating injury in April,” head coach Ronald E. Wilson said.

One night earlier at Massapequa, Dje Bi soared an impressive 10-09 feet to grab a bronze medal in pole vault. He also earned an additional bronze in the 100m dash with a time of 11.66 second.

Sophomore Taishawn Olton also earned a gold medal, just like his older brother Jahmar Francis. Olton placed first in the 400m dash at Massapequa in 54.55 seconds.

Perhaps best of all, was the showing of senior Nikolai Seferian. “He has really shown great improvement this season in the hurdle events,” Wilson said. In the 400m intermediate hurdles, Seferian finished first in 56.61 seconds for a gold medal. He would later team up with senior Ryan Centeno in two hurdles events at Bay Shore. The duo won gold in the 110m high hurdles and placed a close second in the 400m intermediate hurdles.

Junior Nikolai Lulewich and freshman Geuniel Elysee were spectacular in the pentathlon on Friday and Saturday at Bay Shore. Lulewich placed a close third with 2,810 points and Elysee finished fifth with 2,189 points.

The Blue Devils will vie in the Suffolk Class A Championships next Tuesday, May 23 at Connetquot.