Ward Melville's Joglanio Alcindor qualifies for state championships in 55-meter dash
From right, Joglanio Alcindor of Ward Melville, Jayden McCabe of Connetquot and Collin Haug of Islip compete in the 55-meter dash at the Suffolk indoor track and field indivudual championships and state qualifiers at Suffolk CCC-Brentwood on Tuesday. Credit: Peter Frutkoff
With the reigning county champion standing beside you, getting to the state championship meet is not an easy task - especially when just one one-hundredth of a second can be the difference. That was a lesson with which Ward Melville junior Joglanio Alcindor was all too familiar.
Last spring, Alcindor barely missed qualifying for the state meet in the 200 meters. So, at the Suffolk indoor track and field state qualifier at Suffolk County Community College in Brentwood Tuesday, he refused to be denied in the 55.
While facing off with Connetquot junior Jayden McCabe — the county’s large school champion in the season's shortest sprint — Alcindor finished in 6.49 seconds, winning it by 0.02.
Alcindor will compete at the state championships, scheduled for March 8 at Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex on Staten Island.
“I missed states last spring by 0.01 seconds,” Alcindor said. “Since freshman year, I’ve always been fighting against juniors and seniors, but through God’s process, I knew I’d eventually be able to go to states and do my thing. I know it’s not my main event, but it feels good to go to states, I’m not going to lie.”
McCabe and Glenn senior Davin Li — who won that 200 last spring — also qualified in the 55. Li qualified in 300 (35.43), finishing second behind Islip senior Kaiden White (35.15) and ahead of Half Hollow Hills West senior Marco D’Alessandro (35.45).
Pedraza earns first trip to state meet
Nevaeh Pedraza of Bellport is congratulated by her family at the Suffolk track and field championships and state qualifiers at Suffolk Community College on Tuesday, February 11, 2025. Credit: Peter Frutkoff
Bellport senior Nevaeh Pedraza kept her magic carpet ride of a season alive.
Pedraza placed third in the girls 55 in 7.25 seconds. That time beat the state standard of 7.44, which clinched her a spot in the state championships. After crossing the finish line and seeing her time, Bellport’s coaches swarmed her with hugs and high fives, and her family followed.
Later, she flew 17 feet, 11 ½ inches in the long jump to place third and once again beat the state standard, this time by 9 ½ inches.
This will be her first ever trip to a state championship meet.
“I just had hope throughout the season; I kind of prayed a little bit, too,” Pedraza said. “I felt loved and appreciated because everyone had faith in me. I was very nervous before the race, and I was letting it get in my head because I saw everyone else’s times. It feels very amazing — almost a dream come true.”
Finishing ahead of Pedraza in both events was Hauppauge junior Rachel Budke. Her 7.21 in the 55 placed her second behind Port Jefferson junior Alexa Jacobs (7.07), and her 18-3 ¼ in the long jump placed her 3- ¼ behind Sachem East sophomore Bella Galeas (18-5 1/2) .
Budke has gone to the outdoor state meet before, but never indoors.
“It felt so good,” Budke said. “I was so happy to be able to continue my season and keep going on.”
Alexa Jacobs (right) of Port Jefferson places first, Rachel Budke of Hauppauge (center) places second and Nevaeh Pedraza (left) of Bellport takes third in the 55 meter dash at the Suffolk track and field championships and state qualifiers at Suffolk Community College on Tuesday, February 11, 2025. Credit: Peter Frutkoff
One athlete returning to the state meet is North Babylon junior Jordan Peck, who won the 55 hurdles in 7.53. Port Jefferson senior Evan Monaghan (7.73) and Copiague junior Nigel Harris (7.78) also qualified. Peck failed to qualify for the finals in the event at last year's state meet. This time, he's determined to make his mark.
“It’s amazing to know that I’m going back, but the work is not over yet,” Peck said. “I’m going to get back, and I’ve been telling them, ‘Watch out,’ because I’m coming.”
Jordan Peck (center) of North Babylon wins the 55 meter hurdles with Nigel Harris (left) of Copiague placing second, and Evan Monaghan (right) of Port Jefferson placing third at the Suffolk track and field championships and state qualifiers at Suffolk Community College on Tuesday, February 11, 2025. Credit: Peter Frutkoff
On top of her victory in the 55, Jacobs also won the 300. Center Moriches junior Laila Cole and West Islip senior Adilia Trim finished second and third, respectively, to qualify. In the 600, three girls clinched a berth to the state meet: Sachem East senior Sarafina Scavo, Deer Park sophomore Chelsea Cornelia and East Islip junior Danielle Simonetti.
Floyd senior Zariel Macchia was another multi-event qualifier. She won the 3,000 and finished second to Bayport-Blue Point senior Sophia McInnes in the 1,000. After McInnes and Macchia in the 1,000, Bellport senior Ella Masem ran 2:53.64 to beat the state standard and qualify.
Following Macchia in the 3,000 was Mount Sinai freshman Cali Gabrielson and Comsewogue sophomore Lexie Cole, who both qualified. In the 1,500, Bay Shore junior Maggie McCormick, Westhampton senior Lily Strebel and Connetquot junior Olivia DiGaetano all made the state meet.
In the 1,500 race walk, Sachem East seniors Gianna Mauri and Julianna Wottawa finished first and second to qualify for the state championship. Commack senior Summer Familio walked 7:22.35 to finish third and beat the state standard of 7:28.24.
Mauri is the state’s top-ranked athlete in the event.
“It’s pretty cool,” Mauri said. “I worked hard for it, so this is well-accomplished. I didn’t have the greatest race, but I’m looking to do better at states.”
Wottawa got unlucky last year. She hit the state standard, but finished in fourth at the county’s qualifier meet. Her second-place finish on Tuesday night clinched her spot.
However, Wottawa was more proud of the fact that she shared a moment with her teammate rather than the personal milestone that she reached.
“It’s a great feeling because we train together every day, so we know how hard each other are working,” Wottawa said. “Just to see the two of us make it so far is great.”
In the field, East Islip junior Grace Micali placed second in both the high jump and the triple jump to qualify in both events. In the high jump, Micali finished behind Riverhead senior Kayleanne Campbell and ahead of Comsewogue senior Sophia Deja, who both will join her at the state championships. In the triple jump, she placed between Commack senior Kathryn Vidulich and North Babylon junior Kamille Black, who also advanced to the state meet.
In the shot put, Miller Place senior Jillian Scully threw 48-4 ¼ to reach the No. 6 ranking in the country. Connetquot senior Essence Wright qualified behind Scully by throwing 36-7 ¼.
On the boys’ side, Shoreham-Wading River senior Michael Huebner had a bounce-back performance after falling short in a pair of races at the county championship meet. Huebner ran 1:21.61 to win the 600 and qualify for states. Northport junior Alex Toran (1:23.27) and Kings Park senior Ethan Bitran (1:24.11) also qualified.
“It feels good,” Huebner said. “I tied my [personal best] on a banked track, so I’m very happy. It just shows that I’m going to go a little quicker at states and hopefully bring that home.”
In the 1,000, West Islip senior Gavin DeVito, Northport junior Gabriel Ko and Brentwood senior Angelo Feliciano all qualified for the state championship. In the 1,600, Ward Melville senior Jon Seyfert and Eastport-South Manor senior Justin Albanese both made it. In the 3,200, Lindenhurst senior Jake Albert, Ward Melville junior Anthony Anatol and Harborfields senior Hartley Semmes all ran fast enough to qualify.
The boys high jump was particularly competitive, as both Shoreham-Wading River junior Logan Jung and Connetquot senior Fernando Padilla eclipsed the national standard of 6-2 ½. Jung cleared 6-4 and Padilla hit 6-3 to qualify for the state meet. In third place, Miller Place junior Andrew Byrnes cleared 6-2 to hit the state standard and advance alongside them.
In the long jump, Longwood senior Garfield Geddes, Connetquot freshman Jeremiah Davis and Shoreham-Wading River junior Leyton Mangiamele all qualified for the state meet. In the triple jump, West Babylon junior Khadin Muhammad and Commack junior Emerson Atkin both hit their marks to advance to Ocean Breeze.
In the shot put, Mt. Sinai senior Tyler Zahra became the state’s top shot putter by throwing 60-9 ¾. Commack junior Anthony Pisciotta will accompany Zahra at Ocean Breeze after finishing second.
