Long Beach caps big regular season

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Long Beach’s boys’ cross-country wrapped up the regular season Monday afternoon at Bethpage State Park by defeating Bellmore-JFK and Great Neck North to secure a third-place finish in Conference 2 with an 11-2 mark.

Even without top runner Brian Thurston, who was out sick, the Marines were able to finish strong. Senior Peter MacQuade led the effort, followed by classmates Finian Ashmead and Asa Euster, and juniors Alex Brown and Alex Michealmen. Thurston, MacQuade and Euster are four-year participants.

“It’s a great group of kids and they all really care about winning,” coach Greg Milone said. “The program really took a step forward this year and we’re looking to finish in the top 10 at the county meet.”

The highlight of the regular season, Milone said, was Long Beach’s first victory over Calhoun since joining Conference 2 seven years ago. The Marines won by two points on Sept. 20. One week later, they lost a tiebreaker to Manhasset, which finished as conference champs.

“It was a big deal to beat Calhoun,” Milone said. “They’ve got one of the top programs in the county.

“Against Manhasset, we really accelerated over the last 1000 meters to the point where we thought we beat them. Those two meets were really exciting.”

Thurston, who Milone believes can finish among Nassau’s top 25 runners at the county meet on Oct. 29, opened the season by winning the first conference meet race and finished no lower than fifth in all four of his races. His most recent 5K, on Oct. 6, he completed in 18 minutes, 21.1 seconds. “Brian’s very strong and competitive,” Milone said. “I don’t think he’s run his best race yet and he’s been our top kid every week.”

MacQuade produced a pair of third-overall finishes in the conference meets, including last Monday. “He’s ultra competitive and a hard worker,” Milone said. “He’s aggressive late in races. Hopefully he’ll be able to get All-County and All-Conference honors.”

Ashmead, a second-year runner, placed fifth in the final conference meet with a time of 19:14.2, his best showing of the year so far. “He’s been solid,” Milone said.

Euster ran an impressive seventh in the regular-season finale, continuing a big second half after a mediocre start. “I challenged him, and he responded,” Milone said.

Brown has a PR this fall of 18:47 and is a full-year workhorse, the coach noted, competing in both track seasons like the aforementioned seniors. Michealmen wrestles in the winter but competes in spring track. He finished sixth and ninth, respectively, in the last two conference meets.

Sophomore Chase Callahan is a tough and gritty runner, Milone said, with a promising future.

“The boys really challenge and push each other throughout the season, which is great,” Milone said. “They’re all better for it.”