Newsday's All-Long Island boys track team 2019
Meet Newsday's All-Long Island boys track team for the 2019 spring season.
LI Athlete of the Year: Kenneth Wei, Mount Sinai, Sr.
Credit: Joseph D. Sullivan
In terms of both versatility and prowess, Wei was the best athlete on Long Island this season. He won the indoor state long jump championship in March, going 23 feet, 5 ½ inches, and missed a 55-meter hurdles indoor championship by the closest of margins - 0.01 seconds. He followed that performance with All-American honors in the long jump and 60 hurdles at New Balance Indoor Nationals.
In the spring, Wei was even more dominant - winning five outdoor state championships. He took Federation titles in the 110 hurdles (13.86 seconds) and long jump (23-3), and Division II championships in the 110 hurdles (14.05), long jump (24-3), and triple jump (48-3/4). A week later, Wei took All-American honors in the long jump at New Balance Outdoor Nationals.
Wei also won three indoor Suffolk small school titles and four outdoor Division III county titles.
Nassau Athlete of the Year: Kevon O'Brien-Smith, Freeport, Sr.
Credit: Patrick E. McCarthy
He came from behind to win the indoor 600 state championship in 1:19.98 in March. The senior battled with Huntington's Johnathan Smith down the back straightaway before taking control on the turn. His time was the fastest in the state all season, according to milesplit.com.
O'Brien-Smith came back in the spring and won the Division I outdoor state 400 title, running a 47.67. He also placed third in the Federation 400 in 48.03 seconds.
Jaheim Dotson, Longwood, Sr.
Credit: Joseph D. Sullivan
Dotson won the state outdoor Division I 110 hurdles in 14.17. He placed fourth and earned All-American honors in the 400 hurdles at New Balance Outdoor Nationals. He also won the public school 300 indoor state championship in March.
Nicholas DeFelice, Smithtown West, Sr.
Credit: Joseph D. Sullivan
DeFelice used his supreme hurdling ability to his advantage on the way towards a Division I 3,000 steeplechase state championship earlier this month, crossing the finish line in 9:16.75. DeFelice won the Suffolk Division II outdoor 3,200 (9:37.33) and 3,000 steeplechase (9:55.13) championship.
Frank Grey, Brentwood, Sr.
Credit: Joseph D. Sullivan
Running out of the seventh lane, Grey won the state outdoor 400 in 47.88 seconds. Grey won the Suffolk Division I outdoor long jump, flying 22-2. Grey won the 400 in 48.35 seconds at the Suffolk outdoor state qualifier.
Jadan Hanson, Uniondale, Jr.
Credit: Joseph D. Sullivan
Hanson was the best triple jumper in the state this indoor season. He won the state championship at 49-7½ in March and placed third (50-6) at New Balance Indoor Nationals, good for All-American status.
Matthew Payamps, St. Anthony’s, Sr.
Credit: Patrick E. McCarthy
The Georgetown-bound senior won two state championships this season. He took the indoor 1,600 in 4:10.51 in March and won the 3,200 in 8:59.04 in June. Payamps ran an 8:52.30 in the 3,200 at the Loucks Games in May - the fastest time in New York this spring, according to milesplit.com
Jack Poplawski, Whitman, Sr.
Credit: Joseph D. Sullivan
Poplawski scored 3,477 points and won his second straight outdoor pentathlon. A week later, he earned All-American honors in the decathlon at New Balance Outdoor Nationals, placing sixth and scoring 6,217 points.
Sean Ryan, Northport, Sr.
Credit: Joseph D. Sullivan
Ryan carved out a place of his own in the storied history of Northport distance running. The senior won the outdoor 1,600 state championship in 4:10.78, the fastest time in the state during the outdoor season, according to milesplit.com.
Giordano Williams, Uniondale, Sr.
Credit: Joseph D. Sullivan
Williams was one of the best sprinters on Long Island. He won the state outdoor Division I 200-meter championship in 21.38 seconds and took second in the Federation 200 in 21.21 seconds. Williams won the 100 in 10.97 seconds and the 200 on 22.01 at the Nassau outdoor state qualifier.
Huntington’s 4X400 relay team
Credit: James Escher
Anthony Joseph (Soph.), CJ Kiviat (Soph.), Johnathan Smith (Sr.), Justin Stevens (Jr.), Isaiah James (Soph.)
These five combined to bring Huntington back to the top of the state podium. Kiviat, Stevens, Joseph, and Smith won the indoor state championship in 3:20.17 in March. The quartet also won the outdoor Federation championship in 3:14.95 in June. Kiviat, Joseph, James, and Smith won the outdoor Division I championship in 3:14.17.
Coach of the Year: Dennis Kornfield, Uniondale
Credit: The Armory
Kornfield added to his historic resume with two more county championships. The Knights won the Nassau Class A indoor championship with 108 points and the outdoor Class AAA championship with 103 points. Uniondale was the best boys team in Nassau by a large margin.
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