Starkie Powers Chaminade Track

George Starkie can see the finish line. The  senior knows his running career has an expiration date, and it’s approaching fast.

He’ll be headed off to college – to SUNY-New Paltz – soon enough. And when he does, Starkie will leave his track exploits in the rear view mirror.

But those memories will be sweet. He made an unforgettable one Saturday at the Nassau-Suffolk CHSAA track and field championships in South Huntington. Starkie, running the anchor leg of the 4 x 800-meter relay, held off all comers to help Chaminade win in a season-best 8 minutes, 1.18 seconds.

“We’d been pretty unhappy with our times considering how much work we put in and what we ran last season,” Starkie said. “That was a good race for us.”

The Flyers’ 4 x 800 relay team of Daniel Ebanks, Nicholas Grieco, Dillon Schwartz and Starkie edged St. Anthony’s (8:02.81). With Friars speedster Peyton Hazzard running the final leg, Starkie had reason for concern.

“Honestly I was waiting for him to pass me the entire time,” said Starkie, a Farmingdale resident and son of Mayor Butch Starkie.

It didn’t happen. The fleet Starkie held off all comers. The Flyers’ win was a highlight in a day that belonged to St. Anthony’s.

The Friars dominated the Nassau-Suffolk CHSAA Large Schools team championships. St. Anthony’s took the  with 124.33 points, outdistancing second-place Chaminade (65) and St. John the Baptist in third (59.66).

Up next is the CHSAA Intersectional championship next Saturday at Icahn Stadium on Randall’s Island. The top finishers advance to the state Federation meet.

Starkie does not plan to run in college. So each time he steps onto the track may be his last. Either way, he'll cross the finish line knowing he did his best.