Holy Trinity boys indoor track's 4 X 200 relay team wins second straight state championship

After being given a second wind, the Holy Trinity boys 4 x 200-meter relay team went out and got itself a second state title.

The quartet of Titans sprinters took  the Division II championship in 1 minute, 31.1 seconds on the first day of the indoor track and field state championships Friday at Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex on Staten Island, successfully defending their title. 

This time around, it was slightly different, and perhaps more dramatic. Last year’s squad was running in honor of late Holy Trinity alumnus Jaden Sinclair under former head coach Eugenia Bradshaw. Even with the loss of Bradshaw to Nassau Community College and the graduation of Christian Balkcom — the relay’s third leg — their goal remained the same, but the road to the title changed.

Last month at the CHSAA Intersectional championships — which serves as the Catholic schools’ state qualifier meet — the relay team placed second, but was then disqualified for an unclear reason. New coach Jose Maldonado made an appeal to the officials, who reviewed the race, realized the ruling was incorrect, overturned the disqualification and sent the Titans to the state meet.

“We felt really grateful,” senior Jalen Josey said . “I was more confused because I didn’t think we did anything wrong, but I’m just happy we were able to compete here today.”

With new life, they took full advantage and became back-to-back state champions. Josey ran a 22.07-second anchor leg to bring it home.

“I don’t like to run for myself, I run for my team,” Josey said. “Some days, when I wake up and think that I don’t have it, I look to them and that’s what motivates me. It’s like a battle with my best friends, or a battle with my brothers.”

Junior Darnell Rink, who replaced Balkcom as this relay’s third leg, was happy to help keep Holy Trinity’s winning ways alive. He followed the legs of seniors Erric Hayes and Gabriel Nathan.

“It’s just that consistency and running like the same team we’ve been for a long time,” Rink said. “It just feels good to win again. Not just once, but multiple times.”

Thweatt wins hurdles

Earlier on Friday, Baldwin senior Brandon Thweatt experienced the most welcome surprise of his life. He won the 55-meter hurdles in 7.26 seconds, tying him with Cicero-North Syracuse senior Camron Ingram for the top time by a New Yorker this season. His victory came by mere molecules, just 0.01 seconds ahead of Copiague senior Nigel Harris, who finished second.

Thweatt had trouble sleeping on Thursday night due to nerves. Most of his friends, teammates and coaches spent the week telling him he was going to win, but he was afraid to let them down, which kept him up very late. After all, he had not hurdled competitively since Day One of the Nassau state qualifiers on Feb. 9, and he was competing against four of the nation’s top 25 hurdlers.

However, with Thweatt having been trained by former state champion hurdler Tristan Brown — a 2024 Baldwin graduate — he felt it was his responsibility to uphold the program’s tradition.

“I’m just really carrying the legacy of what came before me,” Thweatt said. “I was nervous because I didn't think I was going to live up to what [my teammates] wanted, but it paid off. I’m at a loss for words.”

A first for Port Jefferson relay

Long Island produced one champion during Day 2 on Saturday. Port Jefferson won the Division II 4 x 800 relay in 8:04.02, becoming the first relay team in program history to win a state title, according to head coach Andy Cosci.

Senior Christopher Nam led off with a 2:02.93 leg before handing it to classmate Lucas Sweeney, who ran a 1:59.41 second leg. Sweeney got it to junior Sean Grossman, who moved them from third place to first with a 2:02.51 split before passing it to senior Sviatoslav Zalizniak, who took care of the rest, anchoring the squad in 1:59.17.

It was a fitting event for the Royals to win, given that they are coming off a cross country season where they won the state’s Class D public school team championship.

Saturday's victory further solidified Port Jefferson’s reputation as one of the best small school distance teams in the state.  

“I was doing this for my teammates, and I just couldn’t let them down,” Zalizniak said. “It’s a very exceptional feeling when you’re doing something, not just for yourself, but for your team, and I’m very glad that I was able to carry their hopes to the finish line.”

By Mike Anderson

michael.anderson@newsday.com

Mike Anderson is a high school sports reporter who has covered 12 sports so far at Newsday. He was the sports editor of Stony Brook University's campus newspaper for two years.