HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS NOTEBOOK Longwood’s Team in the Swim With many returnees, Longwood steels for its challenge to Sachem: [HUNTINGTON Edition]

By A.J. Benza. STAFF WRITER. Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 08 Dec 1991

INDOOR TRACK

Surprise! Longwood has a solid shot at winning its fourth straight county title. But Longwood‘s coach Joe Reilly likes rival Sachem’s chances just as much.

The Flaming Arrows lost the talented distance man Rob Graetzer, but return Frank Ingrassia, the defending county champion in teh 1,000 and serious threat to capture the mile this season. Ingrassia will also lend strength to Sachem’s formidable 2-mile relay team, which also consists of Mike DelGais (watch for him in the 600), miler Andy DeRose and Ronie Zacynski. Reily also is looking out for two-mile man Stevie Phillips, who enjoyed a successful cross country season.

Obviously, Sachem is thick with talented distance men, so Reilly is hoping his sprinters can make up the difference for his team.

“They always have good distance runners,” said Reilly. “And this year is no different. I think we can hang close with them in that department, but we’re going to have to have our sprinters come up big.”

Reilly considers Eric Liggon the county’s best sprinter, and he points to his defending county championship in the 55 hurdles (7.8) as evidence. “Eric is ready to have an even bigger year,” he said. “He alsways sets big goals for himself.”

Liggon, Frank Jackson, and Dustin Calender will compete on Longwood‘s defending county championship 4 x 200 relay team. And expect to see big things come from defending cross country champion Dan Murphy, who will compete in several long distance events.

Two of the county’s best pole-valuters compete for Bayport-Blue Point – Brian Shuren, who captured the county title last year with a jump of 12-0, and football star Lou Reale.

Copiague is another team with sereral surprises. Look for the 100 and 55 crowns and identical twins Mervin and Marvin Gauwdie to turn heads in the Half-mile.

SATURDAY SUFFOLK BOYS LEAGUE I CHAMPIONSHIPS At SUNY-Farmingdale All running events in meters

1,600 Walk – 1. Barber (WM) 7:14.8; 2. Nelson (WM) 7:27.1; 3. Lamb (C) 7:31.8. 55 Hurdles – 1. Liggon (L) 7.6; 2. Hodges (MC) 7.7; 3. Summers (MC) 8.2. 55 – 1. Revis (B) 6.4; 2. Liggon (L) 6.6; 3. Leary (MC) 6.7. 3,200 – 1. Murphy (L) 9:59.7; 2. Scheerer (F) 10:07.9; 3. Kelsey (MC) 10:10.1. 600 – 1. Delgais (S) 1:28.1, Georges (B) 1:28.6; 3. Zryzajski (S) 1:28.8. 1,000 – 1. Ingrassia (S) 2:39.5; 2. Stevenson (L) 2:42.5; 3. Derose (S) 2:43.5. 300 – 1. Leary (MC) 37.1; 2. Campbell (B) 37.2; 3. Revis (B) 37.9. 1,600 – 1. Murphy (L) 4:36.8; 2. Moore (C) 4:39.6; 3. Salerno (MC) 4:42.3. High Jump – 1. Wacasey (L) 6-4; 2. Liggon (L) 6-2; 3. Bandes (C) 5-10. Shot Put – 1. Valentine (MC) 48-11 3/4; 2. Ceglowski (L) 47-1; 3. Shyde (PM) 47. 4 x 400 – 1. Middle Country 3:42.7; 2. Longwood 3:47.2; 3. Ward Melville 3:51.5. 4 x 800 – 1. Longwood (Jackowski, Scheffer, Murphy, Stevenson) 8:43.2; 2. Middle Country 8:44.5; 3. Sachem 9:01.9. 4 x 200 – 1. Brentwood (Revis, Campbell, Georges, Wells) 1:37.8; 2. Middle Country 1:40.4; 3. Longwood1:41.5. Team Scores – Longwood 113, Middle Country 90, Sachem 58 1/2, Brentwood 55, Connetquot 32 1/2, Ward Melville 26, Floyd 14 1/2, Lindenhurst 6 1/2, Patchogue-Medford 6. LEAGUE II CHAMPIONSHIPS At SUNY-Farmingdale All running events in meters – Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 03 Feb 1992

Track Champ Familiar: [NASSAU AND SUFFOLK Edition]

By A.J. Benza. STAFF WRITER. Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 16 Feb 1992

Longwood once again was the star of the show at the Suffolk boys track championships by winning an unprecented fourth straight indoor title. But there also were some other athletes who grabbed a share of the spotlight yesterday at SUNY-Farmingdale.

Senior Dan Murphy, who was the meet’s lone two-event individual winner, and sophomore Andre Wacasey both shined for Longwood. Murphy calmly shook off late challenges from Amityville’s James Slater in the 1,600-meter run and Connetquot’s Larry Tolkop in the 3,200 run to win with times of 4:33.4 and 9:53.8, respectively. And the crowd that mobbed him after each event showed not all long-distance runners are lonely. “I never expected this,” he said. “Never to win both.”

Wacasey withstood a gutsy performance by Bayport-Blue Point’s Jason Guarneri to win the high jump with a school-record leap of 6-6 1/4.

Smithtown West’s James Spahr, Whitman’s Greg Hines and Kings Park’s Tucker Grace were other individuals who sparkled.

Spahr dominated the 1,600 walk, lapping the field at least once and finishing in 16:18.2 to break the meet, county and state record. “No one really likes to watch my race, but that’s OK,” the senior said. “As long as it gets me to college.”

Grace also dominated his event, the shot put. He took first with a put of 55-8 1/2, nearly seven feet farther than the second-place finisher.

Hines proved to be one of the top underclassmen. The sophomore sprinter edged defending county champion Jeff Liggon of Longwood in the 55 high hurdles and also helped his 4 x 200 relay team finish first in a meet record time of 1:34.8. Hines’ freshman teammate, Chad Rowe, captured the 600 and also led off the winning relay.

But clearly, the day belonged to Longwood, which will send four athletes to the state meet at Cornell on March 7. “We just wanted to come in here and get the fourth straight,” coach Joe Reilly said. “Our kids don’t always turn in their best times or performances, but they always find a way to win.”

Added assistant coach Mike Cohen, “We like to say we have the most {fortitude}.”

Boys Track

Jeff Liggon won the 55 meters (6.5) and Dan Murphy took first in the 3,200 (9:39.9) and the 1,600 (4:39.1) to help Longwood (85 points) capture its fourth consecutive Conference I boys track championship at SUNY-Farmingdale. – Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 08 Feb 1992