FREEDOM PLAINS — They could have coasted. Heck, since they already had the so-called “super standards,” they could have taken one step in their events and called it a day, knowing just by doing that, they automatically would be qualified to compete at the upcoming state high school outdoor track and field championships.
But Pearl River’s JD Lloyd McKenna and John Jay-East Fishkill’s Nate Johnson had other ideas.
McKenna ran his season-best time of 1:51.92 , which is also No. 2 in New York this spring among high school boys, to win the boys 800 run at Arlington High School during the second of three days of the Section 1 state track and field qualifier.
Then there was Johnson, an athlete one rival coach dubbed the best athlete he has ever seen.
Between Wednesday and Thursday, the Purdue commit so dominated the boys pentathlon that he earned 4,039 points among the five events.
That number is not just No. 1 in the state for the season, not just No. 1 in the entire country for the season but No. 1 all-time in the country for a high school boy.
Like decathletes — which is what Johnson is going to be at Purdue — pentathletes are noted as being among the best track and field athletes there are.
Johnson proved that and then some. On Wednesday, he did something he didn’t expect to do until college: He broke 25 feet in the long jump.
In fact, his 25-foot, 4-inch leap is only three-quarters of an inch behind the state record, which was set by then Beacon star Rayvon Grey, who went on to compete for LSU.
Johnson’s jump, which won the Section 1 Class A title, was more than four feet farther than any other pent competitor in any of the three classes. He also won the boys pent high jump at 6-5.5, the boys pent shot put at 47-5, the boys pent 110 hurdles at 14.66 and was second in the boys pent 1,500 in 4:45.78.
To put Johnson’s efforts into perspective, if competing in the events individually, he would have won the Section 1 boys high and long jump titles. His 110 hurdles time also was faster than any hurdler recorded in Thursday’s hurdles prelims.
Johnson, who had one more race left after he was done blowing everyone away in the pentathlon — a race down to Mahopac for John Jay-East Fishkill’ss prom –— said his goal for states is simply to take home gold, explaining, “There’s not much more scoring-wise to chase.”
His long jump surprised even Johnson, who said of going 25 feet, “I didn’t think I’d do it in high school.”
“It felt really good,” he said of his takeoff and flight in the air. “But 25 feet was not something I was expecting.”
The possibility exists, though, that he may go even farther at states. Observers noted he was behind the takeoff board on the jump — not even touching it — meaning he actually traveled more than 25-4.
JD Lloyd McKenna runs NY No. 2 time for 2026 in 800 and No. 1 time for Class B
It’s not like this wouldn’t have likely have been the case anyway, but JD Lloyd McKenna cemented his position as favorite to win the state Class B 800 crown. He also probably has a good chance to win the overall Federation title against athletes from all classes.
Lloyd McKenna ran a 2026 NY No. 2 time and Class B No. 1 time of 1:51.92, a season-best for him, the top time of the day and a time only .04 off his previous personal best at the distance.
The Rhode Island commit said he didn’t go all out and got cut off at one point.
“Based on how the race was going, I was going to see how I felt, if I wanted to slow down or go faster, whatever. But today I felt pretty good. … Overall, I think I ran a great race, very composed, even splits, so I can’t argue with that.”
State championships qualifier list through Thursday
Girls 100
Class A
Thelma Efuetenjok, North Rockland (12.43)
Class B
Sophia Savatgy, Hen Hud (12.14)
Class C
Nina Vienne, Rye Neck (12.92)
Boys 100
Class A
Labrowne Brown, Scarsdale (10.83)
Class B
Asa Signorile, Nyack (personal-best 10.86)
Class C
Kai Ghalib, Hastings (11.27)
Girls 100 hurdles
Class A
Alivia Smith, New Rochelle (14.79)
Class B
Zaniya Bell, Ardsley (15.71)
Class C
Ava Wu, Briarcliff (16.76)
Boys 110 hurdles
Class A
Nathan Head, Suffern (15.2)
Class B
Zachary Bourkadi, Byram Hills (personal-best 14.88)
Class C
Heath Miller, Albertus Magnus (14.69)
Girls 800
Class A
Olivia Solomon, New Rochelle (2:08.57)
Adriana Pettinelli, Scarsdale (2:09.71)
Malina Santee, Horace Greeley (2:09,73)
Class B
Bridget Dunn, Tappan Zee (2:13.23)
Oona McManus, Hen Hud (2:13.92)
Class C
Danielle List, Albertus Magnus (personal-best 2:17.58)
Carina Winiecki, Bronxville (2:17.95)
Boys 800
Class A
Claudel Chery, North Rockland: (Personal-best1:53.53)
Charles Rich, Scarsdale (PB 1:54.62)
Class B
JD Lloyd McKenna, Pearl River (1:51.92)
Class C
Chris Doherty, Dobbs Ferry (Personal-best 1:54.01)
Girls 3,000
Class A
Kirsten Anastasio, Arlington (10:28.3)
Class B
Sloan Wasserman, John Jay-Cross River (9:57.85)
Class C
Elizabeth Walsh, Pawling (10:40.4)
Boys 3,200
Class A
Anis Abidar, Arlington (9:30.41)
Ryan Sykes, Horace Greeley (9:32.53)
Class B
Ethan Gartlan, Irvington (9:34.64)
Class C
Owen Powers, Haldane (9:44.61)
Boys Pentathlon
Class A
Ryann Joseph, New Rochelle (18-7)
Class B
Taiten Robinson, Hen Hud (3,003 points)
Class C
Will Bringle, Bronxville (2,707 points)
Girls long jump
Class A
Class B
Class C
Victoria Picott, Albertus Magnus (16-10)
Boys long jump
Class A
Carlos Eliezer, North Rockland (23-9)
Class B
Brayden Richardson, Sleepy Hollow (23-9.75)
Class C
Tristan Tsou, Briarcliff (21-7.75)
Girls shot put
Class C
Danae Morgan, Hastings (36-10)
Wednesday’s results
The Section 1 State Track and Field Qualifier is a three-day meet.
Friday will be at Suffern Middle School.
Wednesday was competed at Hen Hud, where events included some not included at the state championships in New York, but competed at nationals. Below are those Section 1 winners by class.
Girls 1,500 racewalk
Class A
Sally Liu, Scarsdale (8:00.4)
Class B
Overall winner
Chloe Howard, Hen Hud (7:49.91)
Class C
Kate Devereux, Bronxville (9:13.45)
Girls javelin
Class A
Overall winner
Morgan Doughty, John Jay-East Fishkill (121-4)
Class B
Abigail Brandwein, Irvington (91-4)
Class C
Freyja Smith, North Salem (97-8)
Boys javelin
Class A
Myles Reddick, John Jay -East Fishkill (163-0)
Class B
Overall winner
Brody Schimmel, Irvington (164-4)
Class C
Silas Emig, Haldane (141-0)
Girls hammer
Class A
Amirah Arroya,, Mount Vernon (128-8, edging Mamaroneck’s Zoe Miller, 126-7)
Class B
Georgia Quinn, Pearl River (91-1, edging Somers’ Ella Barron, 90-1)
Class C
Overall winner
Danae Morgan, Hastings (135-11)
Boys hammer
Class A
Zachary Miller, Mamaroneck (159-10)
Class B
Overall winner
Aris Mouzakis, Tappan Zee (166-9)
Class C
William Garcia, Valhalla (127-5, edging Pleasantville’s Jacob Moss, 126-6
Nancy Haggerty covers sports for The Journal News/lohud.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: JD Lloyd McKenna, Nate Johnson shine at Section 1 NYS track qualifier
Reporting by Nancy Haggerty, Rockland/Westchester Journal News / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
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By Nancy Haggerty, Rockland/Westchester Journal News | USA TODAY Network
