Blue Devils Grind it Out at Commack Invitational

The Blue Devils are off to a great start to the spring season, earning multiple medals in multiple events at last weekend’s Commack Invitational.

The multi-day competition kicked off last Friday night as Huntington greats Eric Heniz and Robbie Campbell were among a star-studded field contesting the pentathlon. The event consists of five events, including shot put, long jump and high jump and the 110m high hurdles and the 1500m run.

“It’s a grueling event, but it shows the versatility and power that each of these athletes have,” Huntington head coach Ronald E. Wilson said.

Campbell was stunning in his debut. He led the field of the 22 athletes from across Long Island on the first day. “He threw the shot put an amazing 37 feet, long jumped 19’6, and high jumped 5’10,” Wilson said.

Heinz, who is the top returning pentathlete in the county, didn’t fare that well in the high jump, but he threw a personal best 36 feet in the shot put, long jumped 20’5 before faltering in the high school with a leap of 4’6 feet. After the first day, he found himself in eighth place. Campbell led the field with Devon Woodard of Connetquot and Anton Tsvetkov of Plainview hot on his trail.

Heinz rebounded on the second day, winning the 1500m run in 4:34 and placing second in the 110m high hurdles in 16.83. He would end the day with a total of 2,837 points for third place.

Campbell finished the 1500m run in 4:46 for third place and the 110m high hurdles in 17.71 seconds for fifth place.

After five events, Campbell compiled 2,953 points for second place overall behind the winner, Devon Woodard who totaled 3,064 points.

“Heinz said he knew his high jump was going to be off but he’s going to work on it for the next couple of weeks and try the event again at the Loucks Invitational in White Plains in May,” Wilson said. Heinz placed fifth at the New York State Championships last June.

In other action:

• Senior Titan Elysee placed a close second in the 400m hurdles behind county leader, Jordan Peck of North Babylon. Elysee’s time of 57.69 currently ranks him No. 4 on Long Island and No. 15 in the state. “He knows that there is much work to be done if he is to make a run in the state meet again,” Wilson said.

• Elysee later teamed up with juniors Braedan Kline and Zayvion McCoy and senior Yasir Jones in the 4x100m relay. “They won their heat in 44.91 seconds, which is their best of the season so far,” Wilson said. “They are currently ranked No. 7 on Long Island.

• Senior Jean Riboul found himself on the podium after he launched the shot put an amazing 48’1” for a bronze medal. His performance ranks him No. 5 in Suffolk.

Huntington’s underclassmen performed well. Sophomores Wilmer Benitez, Rasiere Blizzard, Artturi Landau and Michael Grover teamed up in the 4x400m relay earning themselves gold. Benitez would leave the meet with two additional medals; gold in the 100m dash and silver in the long jump.

Blizzard placed second in the 400m dash and Landau also earned a bronze medal in the same event, placing sixth.

The Huntington boys will travel to Philadelphia this Thursday to compete in the Penn Relays.