Southold/Greenport track athletes secure berths for states

There might not have been anyone prouder than Southold/Greenport boys track coach Joe Corrado at Comsewogue High School Thursday, June 5. That was after senior Jeremiah King-Smith became the first athlete from the program to qualify for the state track championships.

Corrado would have that feeling three times, as two other competitors booked their spots at Middletown High School for Friday, June 13, and Saturday, June 14. Sophomore Emmett Tramontana (discus) and freshman Michael Garret (shot put) also secured berths.

“I’m feeling ecstatic,” Corrado said. “I’m so proud of these kids. It’s nice to have a bunch of firsts. Last year was the first time we had kids able to make it to state qualifiers since the opening season in 2019. Now I have three … Just going from zero to three in two days is fantastic.”

It certainly was a bountiful two days at the qualifiers for the boys and girls programs, with five athletes clinching spots on Friday, June 6 and Saturday, June 7. Freshman Ida Reiniger (100-meter hurdles, 400-meter hurdles) and sophomore Le Neve Zuhoski (discus) also will compete upstate.

Small schools such as the combined Southold/Greenport team were helped when the state decided to move from two to three state championship divisions, creating Class C.

King-Smith started Southold’s avalanche by winning Class C in the long jump with a leap of 20 feet, 4 inches — an inch off his personal best.

“It was a lot of ups and downs throughout the season,” he said. “I came here with a clear mind, an open mind. All props to my coaches and my teammates for never getting down on me when I’m doing bad or getting in my head. They always just bring me up.”

As a member of Greenport’s basketball team, King-Smith wanted to reach the state final four but lost in the Southeast Regionals. “That got cut short, so I picked up the track. Found out that I could,” he said. “I reached. I got it. “

The success continued with Garret, who recorded a throw of 37-1.75 in the shot put to become the Class C representative.

“It’s crazy,” he said. “I was never expecting it, going into the season. It’s going to be an amazing experience. I’m excited to be able to go out and see all the super elite-level people at the state championships, and just to have that experience as a ninth-grader. [It’ll] be very good for learning, very good for meeting people. That’s what I really want to get out of it.”

And finally, there was Tramontana, who hurled the discus 103-10. His goal at the beginning of the spring wasn’t necessarily to reach the states.

“It was to actually complete my technique,” he said. “Last year when I threw discus, I’d never thrown a full spin technique. This year I was able to do that. My second goal was to break 100 feet.”

Tramontana’s next challenge is the states: “It’s going to be a great competition, a lot of fun, but also some great competition guys that I’m going against. I hope to do well there as well.”

Reiniger has opened eyes in her first varsity season. She won twice at the Suffolk County championships and then clinched the Class C berths at the qualifiers. She ran the 100-meter hurdles (16.65 seconds) and the 400-meter hurdles (1:12.03).

“Ida did amazing,” girls track coach Tim McArdle said. “She had a really solid day. She competed at a strong level. She’s definitely excited to go to the states. A freshman to make it is really big deal, and that’s just experience building forward. I told her, ‘Listen, this is a starting point. The story doesn’t end for years. We’re going to keep working for years, and we’re going to hopefully keep building every single year.’”

Zuhoski competed at the qualifiers as a freshman, but did not reach the states. This time she did, with a throw of 96 feet, 1 inch in the discus to capture the Class C spot.

“I think it’s pretty amazing, coming here as a freshman and then doing this as a sophomore is pretty crazy,” she said.

And a great opportunity to improve on her throw next week. “I really want to break 100,” Zuhoski said. “Having another chance is really something to strive for. I’m really excited. I really want to try to do my best.”