Salute to Long Island’s boys state track & field champions
![Smithtown East's Daniel Claxton clears 6-10 in the high jump...](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.newsday.com%2Fimage-service%2Fversion%2Fc%3AMzU3NDY2NmItY2M0NS00%3ANmItY2M0NS00YmY1OWZh%2Fskbtrack0626_web.jpg%3Ff%3DLandscape%2B16%253A9%26w%3D770%26q%3D1&w=1920&q=80)
Smithtown East's Daniel Claxton clears 6-10 in the high jump during the Suffolk state qualifier on Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2016. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
DANIEL CLAXTON
Smithtown East, junior
High jump
Claxton followed up his indoor state championship with a Division I outdoor state title, clearing six feet, eight inches. Claxton took first place at the Suffolk state qualifier, clearing 6-9 and won the Suffolk Division II championship, clearing 6-6.
JYLES ETIENNE
Stony Brook, junior
High jump
Last year, Etienne came to the private school from his native Bahamas. This year, he brought the school a state championship, clearing 6-10. A week later, he tied for second at New Balance Outdoor Nationals, clearing 6-101⁄4.
KYREE JOHNSON
Huntington, junior
400 meters
Johnson was explosive at the quarter-mile distance. He took the state Federation title in 47.94 seconds, outpacing Lockport’s Treston White, who finished in 48.32 seconds. A week later, he won the Emerging Elite 400 championship in 47.75 seconds at New Balance Outdoor Nationals.
NICK KOCIENDA
Seaford, senior
Discus
Kocienda won the Division II championship, tossing the disc 160 feet, eight inches. His throw bested the field by nine feet, six inches. One day later, the senior placed fifth in the Federation competition, tossing 164-6.
JESSE SCANLON
Southampton, senior
Long jump
Scanlon jumped 22 feet, eight inches to win the Division II long jump, three and a half inches farther than the field. One day later, he placed third in the Federation competition, flying 22-4.
ALEX TOSI
Oyster Bay, senior
3,000-meter Steeplechase
Not bad for a runner who practices the steeplechase with hurdles. Tosi won the Division II championship in 9:23.88, placing sixth in the Federation championship. Tosi, who only ran the event a handful of times, won at the Nassau state qualifier in 9:32.37.
INFINITE TUCKER
Huntington, senior
110-meter hurdles, 400-meter hurdles
It was rare that Tucker’s championship fate was in doubt for the two-day state meet but, if ever there was a question of whether or not he’d emerge victorious, it came during the Division I 110-hurdle final. Tucker came from behind to edge Beacon’s David Adams in 14.05 seconds. He won the Federation title in 14.06 seconds and the 400 hurdle championship in 52.35 seconds. A week later, Tucker won the 400 hurdle national championship in a personal best, 50.70 seconds.
HUNTINGTON
4 x 400-meter relay
Lawrence Leake (junior), Kyree Johnson, Shane McGuire (junior), Infinite Tucker
They were the talk of Long Island during the winter and the spring. Tucker ran a 47.5 second anchor leg at the state championships to secure the victory in 3:15.0. A week later, the group won their second national championship of the school year and broke a 50-year-old state record.
HAUPPAUGE
4 x 800-meter relay
Cullen Armstrong (junior), Kolbe Cordon (junior), Nick Crociata (sophomore), Nick Beglane (senior)
They engaged in a strong battle with Suffolk-rival West Islip until Armstrong, the third leg, was able to break through and hand Beglane the batten in first. Their 7:41.29 was the fastest time in the state this season.
Most Popular
Top Stories
![](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.newsday.com%2Fimage-service%2Fversion%2Fc%3AN2UyYzE3OTEtYmMyMy00%3AOWVjZWJmMmEtNmM0NS00%2Fdiamondbacks-astros-baseball.jpeg%3Ff%3DLandscape%2B16%253A9%26w%3D770%26q%3D1&w=1920&q=80)
![](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.newsday.com%2Fimage-service%2Fversion%2Fc%3AODFmMzZhMTEtYjkxMC00%3AMzMwNDM5MzktOTVkNy00%2Ftwins-royals-baseball.jpeg%3Ff%3DLandscape%2B16%253A9%26w%3D770%26q%3D1&w=1920&q=80)
![](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.newsday.com%2Fimage-service%2Fversion%2Fc%3AMWYxMjI5MDUtZDhhOC00%3AMjBmZmI5YzQtMDg4OC00%2Fphillies-marlins-baseball.jpeg%3Ff%3DLandscape%2B16%253A9%26w%3D770%26q%3D1&w=1920&q=80)
![](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.newsday.com%2Fimage-service%2Fversion%2Fc%3AMmIxN2Q0ODItMWRkMi00%3AMGE2YjlhNDUtOTViOC00%2Fonecms_9d83382a-c9b0-40e0-9cf8-70d934d37566_69a8a8a6-1fa5-4164-80a7-6550bb2bc232-jpg.jpg%3Ff%3DLandscape%2B16%253A9%26w%3D770%26q%3D1&w=1920&q=80)