Blue Devils Sprint to Finish Line
The Huntington boys' track and field team isn't coasting to the finish line. The Blue Devils took down previously undefeated Eastport-South Manor, 76-65 and set the stage for what head coach Ron Wilson hopes is a rousing finish to the spring season.
Huntington held a six point lead entering the final relays events against ESM. Since the Sharks were strong in the distance events, Wilson shuffled his line-up to maximize its potential.
The Blue Devils badly needed a win in the 4x400m relay and Will Shaw, Ryan Ackerman, Giancarlo Puello and Eric Szilagy made sure they got it. "The pressure was on these young men to step up their game a notch," Wilson said.
After the first leg of the relay, Huntington trailed by about 20 meters, then Ackerman, the team's top distance runner, made a huge move around the final turn and passed ESM's second leg runner. Puello, the Blue Devils' third leg in the race, was able to maintain a 5-10 meter lead, which made it relatively easy for anchor Szilagy who increased the lead to about 20 meters by the time he swept past the finish line to clinch the meet.
Huntington's 4x100m relay team of lead leg junior Trayvon Toney, second leg senior Dante Allen, third leg freshmen Joshua Watkins and anchor freshmen Y'Majesty Allen knew the meet was won, but still managed to edge out the Sharks at the finish line to pad the Blue Devil lead.
Toney remained undefeated in the discus, topping the field with a throw of 140'8. Allen placed second in the event with a toss of 133' and sophomore Shaheem Lewis was third with 127' effort.
The meet highlights also included:
• Huntington also swept the shot put behind Allen (49'), senior Richie Fernandez (48') and Lewis (44').
• Ackerman won the 800m run in 2:06.
• Szilagy was a triple winner, winning the 200m dash in 23.1, the 400m dash in 52 seconds flat, and on his last attempt jumped 40'9 in the triple jump to place first.
• Junior Andrew Funk continues to improve, winning the pole vault with a jump of 9'.
• Y'Majesty Allen won the 100m dash with a blinding effort.
• Joshua Watkins placed second in both the 400m intermediate hurdles and the high jump.