GARDEN CITY - The Long County Blue Tide track and field team consistently competes for state championships and has for well over a decade. However, the team had never won a team region championship.

That is, until this year.

The team traveled to Groves High School to compete in the Region 3-AAA championship meet on Monday, April 20. For the first time in program history, the boys won the team region championship and did so in dominant fashion.

The boys had four individual competitors and two relay teams take first place in their event with 22 individual competitors and two relay teams finish in the top eight.

The region champions were Cortney Charles in the discus throw with a distance of 147 feet, 7 inches, Aaron Cortez in the high jump with a height of 6-4, Michael Somers in the 110 meter hurdles with a time of 15.01 seconds and the 300 meter hurdles with a time of 39.24.

The 4x800 meter relay team of DeMonte Clark, Isaiah Clark, Trevor Kuchar and Navey Johnson took first with a time of 8:37.36. The 4x200 meter relay team of Somers, Wesley Williams, Jason Familia and Mason Johnson took first with a time of 1:28.98.

The boys finished with 169 team points, finishing 33 points higher than second-place Jenkins.

The girls finished fourth overall and had one individual region champion and one relay team region champion. Amire Saunders placed first in the 100-meter dash with a time of 12.27. The 4x400 meter team of Kayla Daniel, Ta’Maira Mallard, Devion Ambrose and Cayla Soule placed first with a time of 4:25.63.

Placing in the top eight for the girls were a total of 14 other individuals and three other relay teams. They finished with 89 team points.

The individuals and relay teams that finished top four or better will now compete in the AAA state sectional meet on Saturday, May 2 at Hugh Mills Stadium in Albany.