Hewlett's Matthew DeCicco a double winner at Nassau Class B indoor track and field championships

There are few runners, jumpers, or throwers on Long Island who can say they're as athletic as Hewlett senior Matthew DeCicco. Not only is he a dual-threat quarterback and a Newsday Top 100 player for the school’s football team, but he's also one of the busiest people found at a track and field meet. 

DeCicco was all over St. Anthony’s indoor facility at the Nassau Class B championships Wednesday night. He competed in the 55-meter hurdles, high jump and long jump. He won the first two, clearing 5 feet, 8 inches in the high jump and sprinting 7.87 seconds in the hurdles to become a double county champion. In the long jump, he flew 20-0 ½ to finish second behind Roslyn senior Zachary Davidson (20-7 ¼).

DeCicco has won the county’s hurdling championship in five consecutive seasons, Including outdoors where the distance increases to 100 meters. He attributes his sustained athletic success to a strong work ethic.

“I think it’s my discipline,” DeCicco said after winning the hurdles. “There’s a lot of times when people don’t want to go to practice, but I’m there. Even on the weekends, when sometimes we don’t have practice, or if we have a day off, I’m still going to the gym. Going to the gym after practice is a big factor. Just putting in work when others don’t want to.”

DeCicco's championship in the long jump was his first time winning a non-hurdles event at a county meet.

“It’s a lot of fun,” he said. “Very exciting.”

On the girls side, Bethpage senior Jadyn Hsu also used her versatile athleticism to capture a crown.   

Hsu has run outdoors since her freshman year, but this is her first indoor season. She is the four-year starting point guard on Bethpage’s basketball team and is currently balancing both sports because she wants to give track a try in college. However, she will have to walk onto her college’s track team for now. She's already signed to play soccer as a forward for Hofstra. She played varsity soccer for Bethpage for five years.

 She ran an 8.67 in the 55 hurdles to become a county champion Wednesday night. 

“I’ve always come second or third in spring track, so to finally be first and hold that banner felt so good,” Hsu said.

Garden City won its first girls indoor team championship since 2013, scoring 75 points — just four more than Calhoun. Kyra Lekanides won the 600 in 1 minute, 37.68 seconds and Catalina Suau took the 3,000 in 10:41.33.  Roisin Pfaff won the 1,500 race walk in 8:54.15. 

Lekanides later anchored Garden City's 4x400 team, following sophomores Grace Berkery and Ashley Ryker and senior Eva Vitale to run a 4:22.29 and claim the title.

Manhasset won its second consecutive boys indoor county championship with 102 points, getting individual wins from senior John Hogan in the 1,000 (2:36.69), sophomore Nicolas Katsoulis in the 1,600 (4:31.17) and senior Konstantinos Georgiadis in the triple jump (43- 0 ½).

Elsewhere, Roosevelt swept the 55s  - with junior Leroy Barrett running 6.60 to win the boys race and classmate Esmia Thomas sprinting a 7.26 to win on the girls side.

“I never really saw it coming, but I was really preparing and thinking about it a lot,” Thomas said. “It feels great. After this, I’m about to go dance and scream on the bus with my team.”

In the boys 300, Elmont placed the top three finishers, with junior Aidan Peterkin winning in 35.13 seconds, followed by seniors Dominic Collins and Rlen Richards.

In his first season running the 600, Garden City senior Donald McDonough ran a 1:21.99 to end his high school indoor career as a county champion. His win came after classmate Ryan McAlea won the 3,200 by over 17 seconds, clocking a 9:43.05. Later, teammate Connor McHugh cleared 12-6 to win the pole vault.

“It feels amazing,” McDonough said. “Every guy is pulling their own weight, but when you do so in the best way possible, it’s a great feeling.”

Rounding out the rest of the individual boy champions were Roosevelt junior Bryan Querro Sanchez, who won the shot put (49- 2 3/4) and Carey junior GianCarlos Suarez Oubina, who won the weight throw (51-11).

On the boys relays front, Academy Charter’s 4x200 team sprinted a 1:35.39, Elmont’s 4x400 squad combined for a 3:28.28 and Mepham’s 4x800 crew ran an 8:34.45 to become county champions.

Elmont junior Makayla Noel won the girls 300 in 41.74, Hewlett sophomore Valeria Paez won the 1,000 in 3:08.18, and Manhasset freshman Kathryn Farrer won the 1,500 in 5:12.74. Roosevelt's girls 4x200 team won in 1:49.54 and Manhasset's 4x800 team won in 10:31.45.

Calhoun seniors Milan Alexander and Dana Wauchope each won their field events. Alexander flew 33-9 ¾ in the triple jump, while Wauchope threw 43-4 ½ to win the weight throw by 10 feet, 2 ½ inches. Hewlett junior Maree Drayling also dominated her event, clearing 8-6 in the pole vault to win by a foot.

Roosevelt senior Nyla Branche cleared 5 feet to win the high jump, Bellmore JFK senior Morgan Beers flew 16-2 ¼ in the long jump and Roslyn senior Diana Santos threw 31-8 ½ in the shot put to win championships.