More than 40 members of the William Floyd School District participated in the 24th annual Smith Point Bridge 5K Run for Literacy.
This yearly event raises funds for programs supporting local students, including the Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library’s Family Literacy Project, the Reach Out and Read program at the Sun River Health Center, and the William Floyd High School Scholarship Fund.
Two teams represented William Floyd. The first team consisted of 15 boys’ and girls’ track athletes from both the middle and high school levels. WFHS freshman Vidal Macchia had an outstanding performance, finishing first overall with a time of 16:22.81.
His finish not only led a field of more than 500 runners but also outpaced the next closest competitor by over a minute. Vidal’s year is off to a strong start, following his Junior National Championship win in the 2,000-meter steeplechase at the USATF National Youth Outdoor Championships this summer.
Three additional student-athletes secured top-10 overall finishes. WFMS eighth grader Tyler Onza finished fourth in 19:20.46, WFHS senior Richard Gielarowski placed sixth in 19:44.60, and WFHS senior Andrew Marino came in eighth at 20:08.10.
The girls’ track teams were also well represented. WFHS senior Allana Morgan finished third among female runners with a time of 23:10.67. Other standout performers included WFHS junior Brianna Smith (23:14.65), WFHS sophomore Serenity Wenger (23:32.10), WFMS eighth grader Coral Macchia (23:33.43), and WFHS sophomore Anise Cobb(25:29.13).
Teachers were equally involved, with 28 members of William Floyd United Teachers (WFUT) participating. Leading the team, John S. Hobart Elementary School teacher Julia Mastrup finished in 21:56.21, ranking first among her WFUT teammates and all female runners. WFHS teacher Matthew Van Horne also posted a strong finish with a time of 23:10.57.
The Smith Point Bridge 5K highlights the dedication of William Floyd students and staff to supporting literacy programs, celebrating both athletic achievement and community involvement.