Blue Devils Young and Inexperienced
Ron Wilson always manages to somehow pull a proverbial rabbit out of hat. Can he do it again? No one should be willing to bet against the head coach of the Huntington boys’ track and field team as he takes aim at another successful season.
After losing many of his best athletes to graduation, Wilson and his squad are working hard to be competitive this spring. “Our team is young and inexperienced,” he said. “However, that doesn’t mean we don’t have the talent. We have Tyriek Johnson returning with a ton of experience as a sprinter, hurdler, and long jumper. In the distance races we have returning juniors Eric Szilagy, James Okula and sophomore Sharif Jarvis.”
The Blue Devils will also count on eighth grader Tyler Wolfe, who was sensational during the winter season. Senior Luis Lopez and junior Richie Fernandez traded in their baseball gloves and joined spring track after earning All-League honors in the winter campaign. Lopez sparkled during the cold months in the 4 x 200m relay and triple jump and Fernandez shined in shot put.
Other notable throwers in the shot put and discus are last year’s freshman division champion, Trayvon Toney and junior Chris Keddell. Senior Chris Sandoval is back after going 6-1 last season in the discus during league meets. His only loss came at the hands of teammate Teddy Calligeros, who is now at the University of Maryland. “He should definitely compete at a higher level this year,” Wilson said about Sandoval. “He’s bigger and stronger and with more effort, he will make a late run in the county championships.”
Hardworking junior Dante Allen “is a young man that’s going to be a force on our team this year,” Wilson said. “We are thinking about shortening his long sprints to the short sprints. He’s run the 400m dash, but we are looking to try him out in the 100m dash and the 200m dash.”
Another newcomer expected to make an immediate impact is senior Eugene Moody. “This young man can sprint and jump,” Wilson said. “His speed will definitely help us out being that we lost some great sprinters in David Acton (Notre Dame), Joshua Daves (SUNY - Cortland) and Jacob Gayle (SUNY - Cortland). Dynamic brothers, senior Chris McQuade and sophomore Dan McQuade are returning All-League high jumpers. Dan is also a hurdler and Chris might be used even more in long sprints.
Huntington dominated John Glenn in a recent scrimmage. We had some strong performances in every aspect of the meet,” Wilson said. The Blue Devils will participate in upcoming invitational meets at Amityville and Newfield before opening the dual meet season at home against cross-town rival Harborfields on Thursday, April 8 at 4 p.m.
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