Massapequa relay rallies to reach states

Massapequa's 4 x 800 relay crew of Bryan Buttigieg, Brendan Nyreen, Andrew Valenski and Nick DeLuna had a lot to run for at Thursday's Nassau state meet qualifier at Westbury.

Aside from the fact the latter three were seniors who never reached the state championships as a 4 x 800 team, Buttigieg, a junior, missed all of last season because of a blood clot in his brain.

It didn't look good early as the Chiefs were in fifth place after the second leg. But Valenski took the baton on the third leg and passed four runners, setting up DeLuna to finish things off for the Chiefs, who won in 8 minutes, 4.83 seconds.

"We knew this could be our last race as high school seniors, so we have to leave it out there," Valenski said.

DeLuna, who also qualified in the 800, said he was glad his teammates can make the trip. "We finally did something right," DeLuna joked. "But we definitely needed to do this for Bryan after he missed last year."

The state meet is Friday and Saturday in Rochester.

Baldwin's Ieshawn Johnson won the discus (179-3) and shot put (50-9 1/2). Johnson's teammates, Jarrek Babb (400 IH), Kirk Staine and Justin Mahoney (400), also qualified. Babb, Mahoney, Staine and Treyvon Mask completed Baldwin's day by winning the 4 x 400 (3:19.3).

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Westbury's Owen Skeete won the 1,600 (4:21.25) and 3,200 (9:41.51), and teammate Hugh O'Brien took second in the discus (155-0) to qualify.

Elmont's Jaquan Smith took the 100 (10.93) after struggling in the trials on Tuesday, and MacArthur's Michael Camacho won the 200 (22.27).

Smith, who took second in the 100 trials, said his approach didn't change. "My start was horrible, but I just started lifting my legs more around the 30-meter mark," he said. "My coach said it's my senior year and to do what I have to do."

Uniondale's Glen Forsythe qualified in two events, winning the triple jump (45-9 1/2) and taking second in the long jump (23-1 1/2). Uniondale's Nyder Chardonette qualified with a second in the 110 hurdles (14.75), and the 4 x 100 relay of Chardonette, Derrick Ingram, Khaaliq Evans and Tresean Goodwin won in 43.21.

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West Hempstead's Tayvon Hall won the long jump (23-7 1/2).

Valley Stream North had seven individual qualifiers and the 4 x 400 and 4 x 800 relays in the Small Schools. Thomas Bardabelias qualified in the 800 (1:58.78) and both relays, Chris Edouard in the 400 (52.8) and relays, and Kendel Levy in the shot put (43-11 1/2) and discus (139-10).