Huntington's Matt Armstrong wins 1,000-meter, then helps team take 4x400 relay at Suffolk track and field championships

There are advantages to being among the best 1,000-meter runners on Long Island, and one of them is the ability to do on-the-spot research.

As Huntington’s Matt Armstrong prepped for his latest run in the event at Sunday’s Suffolk large school track and field championships at Suffolk County Community College in Brentwood, he was able to strategize based on what was unfolding before him.

And what he saw, was speed.

“It lets me know how fast I have to go to win,” said Armstrong, who won the race in two minutes, 35.78 seconds, and was also running a 4x400 meter relay later in the meet. “I want to conserve energy for the 4x4, so I have to know if I have to go all-out or if I can conserve some energy.”

There would be no energy conservation on this day.

After West Islip’s Gavin DeVito won the second-to-last heat in 2:38.86, Armstrong knew that his victory would have to be begin with a quick start.

“I was not expecting 2:38 from the second heat,” Armstrong said. “It meant I had to go almost all-out.”

Armstrong led at the start, dropped back — and kept dropping — until striking forward at the bell lap and crossing the finish line first.

Armstrong’s teammate, Kender Edouazin, won the 600 in 1:24.37. Edouazin trailed early in the race, but thought his endurance would give him fresher legs in the final 100 meters. He was right. Edouazin made a move with 100 meters left and cruised to a nearly one second victory.

“When I got to the cones in third place, I was kind of scared,” he said. “But then I realized that both of the leaders were sprinters, and I’m not a really sprinter. I’m more mid-distance. This is my domain.”

Armstrong and Edouazin, along with Nikolai Seferian and Jahmar Francis, won the 4x4 in 3:30.53.

Connetquot won the team championship with 69 points, and Huntington was second with 48.

Connetquot's Aidan Friel won the triple jump, flying a personal-best 44 feet, 6 ½ inches. Friel wasn’t expecting to win with Central Islip’s Ryan Antwi in the competition. Antwi, who has the third-best distance in the state, finished second (44-5.5).

“I didn’t think I was going to get close, but I had a good day and was able to get there,” Friel said. “…My second phase was the best it ever was today.”

Friel’s teammate, Jhavani Thompson, won the 300 in 35.98 seconds.

Elsewhere in the field, Floyd’s LaDuke Harris won the long jump (23-1) and the high jump (6-0).