Herricks' James Maggio wins discus at Nassau track and field state qualifier after sister's health scare

James Maggio watched the EMS workers attending to his 21-year-old sister, Elise, off to the side of the throwing area at Syosset High. This was a sight that shook him.

She had passed out in Thursday’s heat. But her brother was still going to somehow have to concentrate on his discus event and compete. The Herricks senior was participating in the two-day Nassau qualifier for next weekend’s state track and field championships at Webster Schroeder High outside of Rochester.

Elise came to and about two minutes later, it was time for Maggio to begin. She would have to leave by ambulance for the hospital.

“I took a look at her,” Maggio said. “I took a deep breath, and it kind of just cleared my mind. I realized that I’ve been training for this for years to this point, and I really just didn’t want to let my family down. They all came out to watch me.

“So I kind of just stepped into the ring and put everything into that throw.”

It was a good throw, but there was an even better throw coming. The discus eventually landed a personal-best 158 feet, 7 inches away. And you know what? Maggio won, becoming the Class A winner to clinch his state ticket, edging teammate Kenneth Ramdayal by those 7 inches.

“I looked at them attending her,” Maggio said. “When she woke up, I kind of just wanted to cheer her up. I think that just gave me the motivation to go out there and throw as far as I could.”

Here’s more good news: His sister is OK.

“She was dehydrated,” Maggio said. “She had been in the sun all day . . . She’s fine.”

So how is this 5-11, 190-pound SUNY Cortland commit going to do against the state’s finest?

“I think I’m going to do very good,” Maggio said. “I’m just going to keep this momentum going, hopefully use it in training.”

Elmont's Peterkin double winner

Aidan Peterkin is looking forward to his college days running for Villanova.

“I’m excited,” the Elmont senior said. “I’m excited for my future teammates. They’re excited for me to be there. My coaches are [excited]. And I’m just grateful.”

But there’s still another big meet for him representing the Spartans. Peterkin won the 400 Thursday in 48.43 seconds and then the 200 Friday in 22.00.

He ruled Class B in the 400 at the state meet a year ago.

“There’s a little bit of pressure,” Peterkin said about trying to repeat, “but I’m excited. There’s always goals ahead of me that I want to achieve. Me repeating as champion, that’s one of those goals.”

Wantagh's Frazer takes 3,200

Ian Frazer will walk up and receive his diploma from Wantagh on June 12 and then the new grad will head to the airport. Life on the run for his high school isn’t quite over yet.

The George Mason-bound senior ran off with the 3,200 Thursday. Frazer became the Class B winner and had the top time overall, his best-ever time, 9:16.53.

“I think it’s going to be a challenge,” Frazer said of the state competition. “There are some strong returners, but I’ll definitely be able to put up a fight.”

He also qualified in Friday’s 1,600 by placing third after having already arrived with the needed time. He was seventh in his class in that event at the state meet last year at Middletown.

“I never really felt like I was a mile guy,” Frazer said. “I don’t have the raw speed to be a miler, but when it comes to that race, I can definitely throw something out there. The 32 is hard. You’ve really got to fight through that second mile.

“So I tend to be hit or miss when it comes to the 32.”

In this meet, he was a hit.

Division's Aguilar: From worst to first

Lucas Aguilar ran the 800 at the state qualifier as a Division freshman. It didn’t go well.

Now he’s a junior. He ran the 1,600. It went very well.

Aguilar was the Class B winner and owned the No. 1 time overall — 4:22.35.

“From my freshman year, I’d been wanting to work to go to outdoor states,” Aguilar said. “When I was a freshman, I ran the 800 and I got dead last. So it means a lot to me that I could come here and show that I’ve improved from my past and that I’m a strong racer, more mature. I’m a little more intelligent when it comes to my race strategy.”

Baldwin's Thweatt a hurdling threat

Brandon Thweatt was traveling down the track and leaping over hurdles with a strained hamstring. But the University of Buffalo-bound Baldwin senior still came in first in the Class A 110 hurdles, running 14.49.

“Just trying to get through it,” Thweatt said.

The 2026 indoor state champ in the 55 hurdles thinks he will be OK for the state meet.

“[Qualifying] means a lot because I won indoor season,” Thweatt said, “so I’m trying to end my season with an outdoor state championship.”

Calhoun's Mpoy: Nassau’s fastest

Oraldini Mpoy covered 100 meters in 11.26 seconds, the fastest time in Class A and overall. The Calhoun senior, who’s a Farmingdale State commit, credited the good weather and his stretching routine.

“I don’t think I can win,” Mpoy said of a state title. “But I just hope I place top 10, maybe top seven. That’s my goal.”