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Top Sports Stories 2016: Bright day for Mattituck girls track

Mattituck track athlete Megan Dinizio 050916 copy

It was typical springtime in the Northeast. In other words, that meant raw days of cold, rain and wind. Then, when nice weather made its belated appearance, the sun finally smiled down on the Mattituck High School girls track and field team.

The pleasant day was memorable in more ways than one for the Tuckers. They claimed their sixth league title and first since 2000 with a 107-39 defeat of Greenport/Southold in the final dual meet of the season for both Suffolk County League VII teams. Mattituck and Bishop McGann-Mercy tied for first place with 4-0-1 records.

“First time in forever,” Mattituck’s Melanie Pfennig said when told that it had been 16 years since the Tuckers were last league champs. “That’s crazy.”

As was the workload Pfennig carried in that meet. She ran a total of 6,100 meters of competitive racing. Not only did Pfennig grab first place in the 1,500 meters, 800 and 3,000, but she also anchored the victorious 4×800 relay team. Megan Dinizio and Sam Husak were both double winners for Mattituck.

“It’s been 16 years since we’ve seen results like this,” said Pfennig.

Mattituck’s Alya Ayoub, who equaled her personal record in the long jump with a winning distance of 16 feet, 2 1/4 inches, said: “I think it’s really accomplishing because [coach Chris Robinson] told us in the beginning of the season how much he cares and how much he really wants us to put another banner up there, and now that we finally did, it’s very fulfilling.”

Robinson called it “a perfect ending.”

Sixteen years in the making.

Photo caption: Megan Dinizio races next to Greenport/Southold’s Kyla Smiley. (Credit: Garret Meade, file)

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