Salute to Long Island’s boys state track & field champions

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.