Suffolk Championships Secured, Eyes On States
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Photo/Darin Reed
The number one seed in the state for long jump, Blue Devil Kyree Johnson leapt to victory at the county championships this past weekend at Port Jefferson.
By Jano Tantongco
jtantongco@longislandergroup.com
The Blue Devils have chased down yet another set of county titles at the Suffolk track and field championship last weekend.
They’ve also qualified for three events at this weekend’s state championships, which will held upstate Union-Endicott High School on Friday and Saturday.
In Port Jefferson at the Suffolk championships, Huntington’s Kyree Johnson took home the title in the 400-meter dash with a time of 46.68 seconds, while also placing first in the long jump with a distance of 23-05.50 feet.
As for Lawrence Leake, he took home the 400-meter hurdle with a time of 54.79 seconds, and finished third in the 110-meter hurdles, finishing at 15.25 seconds, just 22/100th of a second off from the winner.
“We’re actually just now hitting our best stride late in the season. This spring season wasn’t conducive to great training because of the bad weather,” head coach Ron Wilson. “We actually went to some competitions where the weather was bad so that we can be able to compete in any condition.”
Johnson and Leake will head to the state tournament this weekend to make their attempt
at the crown. Both Blue Devils, along with Jonathan Smith and Anthony Joseph won the 4x400-meter relay as a team with a time of 3:17.42 to also qualify for the state championships in that event.
They bested Half Hollow Hills High School West, who came in second with a time of 3:21.78, as well as third-place Half Hollow Hills High School East, clocking in at 3:24.99.
Johnson is the number one seed, but Wilson said he’ll have his hands full.
“He’s going to definitely have to bring his A-game if he wants to bring home a state title,” Wilson said.
In regards to Leake, Wilson also said “he knows what he has to do in order to bring himself home a state title.”
The Blue Devils have also qualified for the New Balance Nationals Outdoor matchup in North Carolina June 16-18. Huntington won a national title at the March 2016 games.
