Floral Park's Thomas Small makes big statement with first county titles
Thomas Small of Floral Park races to victory in the boys 200-meter dash final during the Nassau Class A track and field championships at Valley Stream North on Thursday. Credit: James Escher
Thomas Small waited a year for this moment.
After reaching the 100-meter final at last spring’s county championships, but leaving without a medal, the Floral Park senior stormed back at the Nassau Class A track and field championships Thursday at Valley Stream North. He blazed to his first county title in 10.96 seconds.
“I try to get angry when I start,” Small said. “Last year, I made it to the final but I never medaled. I was thinking how I didn’t want that feeling again. I made sure I didn’t.”
Small didn’t stop there. He also won the 200 in 22.12.
Valley Stream North dominated the team competition, winning with 77 points, ahead of second-place Floral Park (32). Junior Michael Muoio captured a key win for the Spartans by clearing 14 feet in the pole vault.
“I didn’t think I was going to hit it, but I just pushed and I did,” Muoio said. “Now my new goal for this year is 15 feet.”
Muoio’s win was part of a pole vault sweep by Valley Stream North, as the Spartans took the top three places in the event behind jumps by Maxximus Estrada (11-0) and James Romano (9-6).
“I’ve been doing a lot of sprint work to get my legs stronger and I think that was the difference,” Muoio said. “We’ve all [had personal records] this year together. It’s great to have such talented teammates.” Michael Muoio of Valley Stream North, center, stands atop the podium after winning the boys pole vault in the Nassau Class A track and field championships at Valley Stream North on Thursday. Credit: James Escher
Valley Stream North also picked up a win from Ryan Simpson-McKenzie in the high jump (6-0). Teammate Jayden Gonzalez was second (5-10).
Malverne junior Louis Torres led the Mules, winning the 400 in 50.07 and helping the 4 x 100 relay team to victory in 43.25.
“I mainly wanted to run the 100 and 200, but my coach put me at 400 and I’ve been [setting personal records] constantly,” Torres said. “All I did was have a lot of confidence going into the race and I just let that carry me.”
Torres said the state meet has been a motivator throughout his spring training.
“I haven’t taken many days off,” he said. “Getting a medal here and getting a chance to go to states is a whole different accomplishment to be proud of.”
Elsewhere, Maxwell Krapf of Floral Park captured his third county title with a well-timed surge to win the 1,600 in 4:27.55.
“I was going for the state standard,” Krapf said. “I wanted to break away down the stretch and go for the medal. I know, if I can get a good lead, I can get the mental win, and then pull away.”
Wantagh’s Ian Frazer broke through with his first county title in the 3,200, using a steady early pace before pulling away late to win in 9:29.23.
“I was feeling great with three laps to go, so I just focused on my arms and grinding it down,” Frazer said. “Every time you hit a goal, there’s no feeling like it. It was unbelievable.”
Frazer and teammate Owen Stachlik, who won the steeplechase in 9:49.74, teamed up earlier to help lead Wantagh to a 4 x 800 relay win in 8:32.62.
“It’s nice to have a training partner that’s so close to you in fitness,” Frazer said. “We’ve built a friendship around our competitiveness and I think that’s what makes us [strong].”
Wheatley’s Kiran Gabbur won the 110 hurdles in 15.23.
