Top Sports Stories 2016: Riverhead’s star runner
Riverhead track and field coach Sal Loverde didn’t hesitate when he described his team’s top runner following the large school county championship meet in February.
“He’s the best distance runner Riverhead has ever had,” Loverde said.
Luke Coulter proved that over his indoor and outdoor track seasons this year.
In the winter track season he had one of the best individual performances for a runner in Riverhead history when he won both the 3,200 and 600 while also anchoring the 4 x 800 relay, which he would have won if not for an official calling for a disqualification because of contact between two runners earlier in the race.
He went on to win the 600 at the state qualifier meet and placed second in the event at the state championships, narrowly missing out on a state title.
Coulter set numerous indoor school records over the winter season. He continued into the spring season, where in the division championships he won both the 800 and 1,600. At the state qualifier meet he finished second in both events, missing the titles by less than a second in both.
He ran both events at the state championships and earned all-state honors with a second-place finish in the 800. He was selected as a Newsday All-Long Island runner and now races at Stony Brook University.
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