Harborfields' Tristan Blake first jumper in school history to win state title
Harborfield's Tristan Blake competes in the Class B triple jump at the state Track and Field Finals on Saturday, June 14 ,2025 in Middletown. Credit: Neil Miller
MIDDLETOWN — Thanks in large part to the folks at Northwell Health in Greenlawn, Harborfields senior Tristan Blake is officially a school icon.
On Day Two of the state track and field championships, Blake flew 46 feet, 5 ¼ inches to win the triple jump in Class B at Middletown High School on Saturday. According to Harborfields boys track and field coach George Kouroutis, Blake’s win made him the first jumper to win a state championship in program history.
“I was thinking during the week that I was going to medal,” Blake said, “but I didn’t know it would be this.”
On Nov. 17, 2024, Blake tore his hamstring the day before the official beginning of the indoor track season and was sidelined until the day before the outdoor season began. He spent his winter season in rehabilitation, doing plyometric workouts and lifting light weights at the aforementioned Northwell. Some of his plyometrics included single- and double-leg jumps.
“I started the rehab in the first week of December with Northwell; I thank God for them,” Blake said. “After I tore it, I was walking back to my dad’s car, and I told myself I wouldn’t let it define me. I came back hungrier.”
Blake, a Manhattan-commit, is happy to have left an everlasting mark on Harborfields with his title. By being a state champion, he has become an historic Harborfields figure by default, but he still has some other legends he wants to catch up to in the future.
“I’m not with [1987 Harborfields graduate] Mariah Carey, though,” Blake joked. “I’m trying to get to her level. I think by the 2028 Olympics, we’ll be there.”
On the track, Glenn senior Davin Li ended his high school career with a bang, winning both the 100- and 200 meter dashes in Class B. His day began with a win by a twentieth of a second, taking the 100 in 10.89. Later, he cruised to a victory in the 200 in 21.46 seconds.
“It’s hard to put into words,” Li said. “I’ve been working hard all four years of high school for this, so it’s nice to end high school a two-time state champion.”
In the 200, Li finished directly ahead of Elmont junior Aidan Peterkin, who anchored Elmont’s 4 x 400 relay team to a Class B title in 3 minutes, 17.19 seconds.
Later, Peterkin, ended the meet by coming from behind to lead Elmont to the 4 x 400 Federation title in 3:14.91. Seniors Caleb Harris, R’Len Richards and Dominic Collins preceded him on the relay.
Manhasset’s 4 x 800 team of senior John Hogan, junior Blake Sealy, sophomore Nic Katsoulis and senior Ryan Boldi won both the Class B and Federation titles in 7:46.04.
Elsewhere, North Babylon junior Jordan Peck won the Federation titles in both the 110- and 400 hurdles, finishing in 14.32 and 52.89, respectively.
Herricks junior Kenneth Ramdayal won the Class A shot put with a throw of 59-6 ¾.
In the 1,600, Eastport-South Manor senior Justin Albanese ran a personal-record 4:13.6 to finish atop Class B.
In the pentathlon, Hewlett senior Matthew DeCicco scored 3,244 points to win the Class B championship by 32.
DeCicco’s biggest moment came in the pentathlon high jump on Friday when he was down to his last attempt at 5-1, but he was able to clear the mark. He did the same while down to his last attempts at both 5-3 and 5-5, allowing him to salvage 504 points in the event.
“My heart was beating because it was over if I didn’t clear 5-1,” Hewlett said. “It was very stressful. It feels great knowing I didn’t give up.”
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.
