Smith, Meigel Win County Titles At Track State Qualifier

The Hampton Bays boys track team had a great showing at the Section XI (Suffolk County) state qualifier meet at Comsewogue High School on Friday and Saturday, and will send three athletes to the New York State Championships, set for this coming weekend at Middletown High School.Quinn Smith was the overall county champion in the shot put, with a personal-best mark of 54 feet 3 inches, and he also won the small schools title in the discus throw, taking third overall behind two large schools competitors, with a mark of 155 feet. It is the second straight trip to states for Smith, and head coach Andrew Arbocus expects big things from him.

“He has some of the best throws in the state this spring,” he said. “He’s had a great season, and I expect a very good placing for him in both events.”

Joining Smith will be Thomas O’Connell and Darwin Fernandez. O’Connell won the small schools title in the 400-meter hurdles, taking 8th overall, in 57.04 seconds, a new school record.

“He has consistently worked to improve all season, and saved his record-breaking performance for when he needed it most,” Arbocus said.

Fernandez won the small schools title in the 400-meter race, taking ninth overall, in 51.17 seconds. It was a nice bit of redemption for Fernandez, who was disqualified from the event last year after a false start.

“He has steadily improved this season and was a consistent scorer in his events this season for all dual meets,” Arbocus said of Fernandez.

Milan Moraga just missed out on qualifying for states in the long jump and triple jump. He did, however, set a new school record in the triple jump this spring, with a mark of 42 feet 9 1/2 inches.

The Hampton Bays 4x100-meter relay team of Darwin Fernandez, Milan Moraga, Thomas O’Connell, and Tajay Dallas won the Division III title last week, setting a new school record, and they improved on that record at the state qualifier with a time of 44.41 seconds, but it was just 0.07 seconds short of qualifying for states.

Senior Rachel Reycroft was the lone representative for the Lady Baymen at the meet, competing in both the 200-meter race and the long jump. She finished second among small schools athletes, 10th overall, in the long jump with a mark of 16 feet 6 1/2 inches, missing a spot at states by just 2 and 3/4 inches. It was a career best mark for her, and a nice way to finish what was a four-year track and field career at Hampton Bays.

Val Finke had the best day at the state qualifier for the Lady Hurricanes, with a personal-best time of 64.96 seconds in the 400-meter hurdles. She finished fifth overall, missing out on a spot at states by just one placement. She is one of the best freshman hurdlers in the state, and has a bright future, according to head coach John Broich. Senior Natalie Ehlers finished second in the 1,500-meter racewalk with a time of 7:07.72. The racewalk is not contested at states, and head coach John Broich said he was not sure why. Sophomore sprinter Oceane Ode ran in both the 100 and 200 meter races, but did not hit her best times of the season, taking eighth in the 100 in 12.92 seconds and fifth in the 200 in 26.18 seconds. Freshman Rose Hayes finished 18th in the 800-meter race in 2:25.38, while junior pole vaulter Sydnie Mason tied for 12th, clearing 9 feet.

Junior Jack Meigel was the standout for the Westhampton Beach boys track team, earning a spot at states by winning the county title in the high jump, clearing 6 feet 8 inches. Westhampton Beach’s 4x800-meter relay team of Juan Lasso, Kieran Ryan, Ermel Bautista and Gavin Ehlers also had a strong showing, taking third in the race in 8:02.68, which was not enough for a spot at states but was still a strong effort.