Bayport-Blue Point's Sophia McInnes sets Suffolk record in 600 meters at Stanner Games
Sophia McInnes of Bayport-Blue Point during 300 meter race at the Stanner Games Invitational indoor track and field high school meet at the Armory, Sunday, Jan.12, 2025 in New York. Credit: Noah K. Murray
In a Sunday loaded with winners from Long Island at the Molloy Stanner Games, Bayport-Blue Point senior Sophia McInnes took it to another level.
The star distance runner does not typically compete in the 600-meter run anymore, as she had run it only once this season despite qualifying for the state meet in the 600 last year. However, she decided to give it another shot at The Armory in Manhattan.
Naturally, she broke the Suffolk record.
McInnes finished in 1 minute, 31.7 seconds to break the record set by Analisse Batista (Huntington) by 0.35 seconds. “It’s really cool. I’m so pumped,” McInnes said. “I don’t really get the opportunity to run at sprinting events, so when I do, I try to leave it all on the track. This is probably my last time running it for a while, so I’m excited that I got that record.”
Earlier in the day, Smithtown East sophomore Rayshelle Brown continued her meteoric rise as one of Suffolk’s premier hurdlers. She won the 55-meter hurdles with an 8.29 after winning it on Saturday with an 8.40 at the Art Mitchell Invitational.
Her win came by only .01 seconds over St. John the Baptist senior Madison Guerrera.
“I’ve shocked myself that I’ve come so far,” said Brown, currently the state’s top-ranked athlete in the event. “It’s such a blessing to be on top as a sophomore . . . This is one of my wildest dreams. I would’ve never imagined that I would be here.”
Six other girls from Long Island became Stanner Games individual champions. Northport contributed a pair, with sophomore Mia Wickard running a 10:40.99 in the 3,000 and eighth-grader Jane Tucker running a 5:16.49 in the mile.
Despite being a middle-schooler, Tucker already is one of Long Island’s best high school runners. Sometimes the age difference between her and her opponents can be intimidating, but she does not fold easily.
“Sometimes I see a girl who’s bigger than me and I get a little anxious, but I just try to keep my mind off it,” Tucker said. “I’ve made it this far, why not make it farther?”
Other winners were Port Jefferson junior Alexa Jacobs, Miller Place senior Jillian Scully, Smithtown West junior Suki Dong and Sacred Heart sophomore Elle Riches.
Jacobs won the 300 dash in 39.35 seconds after falling .02 seconds shy of winning the 55 dash. Scully threw the shot put 44 feet, 3 1⁄2 inches and Dong cleared 5 feet, 4 inches to win the high jump. Riches won the 1,600 in 5:15.72 — 7.31 seconds faster than the closest competitor.
Riches did not realize that her lead was that big until the race was over. “The first four laps, I was doing well, but once I hit the fifth one, I really started to feel it,” she said. “I just tried to stay in my place and not fall back, but it was hard. I just kept pushing, thinking they were right behind me.”
St. Anthony’s A relay team of seniors Olivia Czoch, Reilly McKinley, Elizabeth Guilfoyle and Fallon Siriban finished in 9:54.09 to win the 4 x 800 relay.
