Freeport's Danzil Monk earns Nassau titles in 1,600, 800

Danzil Monk Jr. doesn’t run the 1,600 meters often, but when he does, he wants to sit early and kick late.

However, he doesn’t always have that luxury. Sometimes a race can take on a different personality altogether and put hope of a sit-and-kick strategy on ice.

But Monday, on the opening day of county championship week in Nassau, a race that Monk doesn’t love running ended up playing right into his hands.

The Freeport senior took control of a heavily packed field with 300 meters left, sprinted into prime position at the 200 mark, and held his position in the final straightway to win in 4 minutes, 22.50 seconds at the Nassau Class AAA track and field championships at MacArthur High School in Levittown.

“I did walk in thinking I could win,” Monk said. “It all depended on how the race played out. If the first 1,200 meters had gone out in a breakneck pace, the race probably would have played out differently.”

When the pace went out slowly, Monk knew that he had a good chance of controlling the eventual outcome.

Despite his confidence, he’s always wary of what his competitors are doing.

“The pace can change instantly in a race like that,” he said. “I’m just making sure I stay cautious and feeling the race.”

Monk later won the 800, his top event, in 1:57.40 — sitting behind the leaders until kicking his way home with 200 meters left.

“I wasn’t worried about the 800,” Monk said of his favorite event. “I feel like I can go out and run the [1,600] as fast as I can and I’ll still have enough to do well in the 800. So I just decided to put my all into the [1,600] and then whatever happened in the 800, happened.”

Freeport won the boys team championship with 86 points.

Kazeem Scott won the 100 in 10.85 seconds, the 200 in 22.58, and the long jump, flying 21 feet, 1 ¼ inches.

Jordon Quinn won the 110 hurdles in 14.26 seconds.

Port Washington won the girls team title with 69 points.

Eve Siff-Scherr won the 2,000-meter steeplechase in 7:47.81.

Isabella Lucas cleared 5-4 to win the high jump. Emily Bosworth won the discus, throwing 102-8.

Elsewhere, Syosset’s Jessica Alessi won the 1,500 in 4:43.64 and the 3,000 in 11:02.38. Alessi held off a sprinting Zaria Hall of East Meadow on the home straightaway of the 1,500, emerging from a four-runner lead pack at the midway point.

“[Hall’s] a really great runner,” Alessi said. “I was kind of scared for the last couple of meters. But I needed another gear and knew I had to go.”

Later, Hall won the 800 in 2:17.98.