Southold/Greenport boys track and field eyes championships

It might be only mid-April, but four members of the Southold/Greenport boys track and field team have plans to venture upstate again.

Emmett Tramontana and Michael Garret competed at the state track championships last June, while Ryan Duffy and Liam O’Neil participated at the cross country championships in November.

The four demonstrated their talent, winning their respective events in the Settlers’ 80-51 loss at Babylon in a Suffolk County League VIII meet at Babylon on Monday, April 13.

Reaching the state championships wasn’t on Tramontana’s radar last year. But after getting a taste of what it was like in the discus competition, the junior knows what he wants this time — to participate in the outdoor championships held in Webster, a suburb of Rochester, on June 13 and 14.

“I feel like now that’s the standard,” he said. “I know I can make it up there. I know I can compete. Hopefully, I can continue with that. I want to beat my PR of last year outdoors at 111. Hopefully I can beat that.”

Tramontana won the discus on Monday with a throw of 100 feet and nine inches, well below his personal best. There are still some things to work on.

“My technique needs to improve throughout the season,” he said. “That’s something I’m working towards with [assistant] coach [Bill] Hiney. He’s a big help with that. So hopefully towards the end of the season, as we keep progressing, I can improve my form on that.”

Tramontana also won the 110-meter high hurdles in 19.0 seconds and finished third in the 400 intermediate hurdles in 72.4 seconds. Both were personal bests.

“Ask Emmett whatever you want, he’ll do it,” head coach Joe Corrado said of Tramontana’s versatility. “He’s a yes man. He’s a hard worker. He got me 11 points today. He’s a great kid. He’s a hard worker, and that’s all I can ask for.”

Garret, who competed at the states as a freshman last year, did not hide his desire for another shot at the states.

“I want to get back there so bad,” he said. “It’s just everything I’m doing this season, getting back there. It was a great experience. I really want to go in there and be able to put on a show.”

He won the shot put on Monday, with each of his throws improving before finishing with a meet-best of 37-2.

“I didn’t throw my best personally, but seeing each throw get better over time is definitely good,” he said.

Garret also has set some lofty goals for himself.

“I would say it’s 45 and then breaking through 45 and being into the 50s by winter,” he said.

Duffy, a junior, won the 1600-meter in 4:53.3, a personal record, and the 3200-meter in 10:56.

“He did fantastic,” Corrado said.

“I was very pleased by my mile time,” Duffy added. “I cut about three seconds off my previous outdoor track PR. I was a second or two off my indoor track PR. It just shows I’m returning to form and I’m ready to do some better things this season.

“In the 32, I thought it was pretty solid. I’ve just been focusing on the wins the past few meets, just trying to get there. I was very happy with how I raced today. Strategy-wise, I just opened the gap at the right time, and it worked out.”

O’Neil, a junior, captured the 800 in 2:07 and the long jump in 19-7. He also competed in the high jump.

Corrado likes O’Neil’s versatility.

“He’s a good athlete for the eight and the long jump,” he said. “Right now, he’s PR-ing. He might potentially be a pentathlete this year.”

There have been plenty of personal records for several Southold juniors this season.

Omari Dyer and Zyaire Terry both have run the 100 in 11.2, while Dyer has been timed in the 200 in 24.0. Brendan Boyle was clocked at 11.8 in the 100 and 24.1 in the 200. Junior Andrew Ibanez has finished the 400 in 57.6, while Julian Restrepo was timed in 55.9 in the 400.

Corrado knows that the Settlers will be in line to turn some more heads in the future.

“We’re a very junior-laden team,” he said. “Even though we lost today, I’m hoping by next year, hopefully, the kids will remember that, and we win.”