Riverhead hurdler Dwayne Morgan breaks school record at Suffolk Class A championships
Standing at 5-foot-7, Riverhead senior track star Dwayne Morgan doesn’t fit the typical frame of a hurdler. But that doesn’t stop him from being one of the top hurdlers on Long Island.
With hard work and technique making up for size, Morgan leaped his way into a first-place finish in the Suffolk County Class A championships at Commack High School on May 26 in the 110-meter hurdles — shattering a school record along the way.
“All I focused on was getting to the finish line,” Morgan said. “In the past, I was worried about all the other little things and making sure I don’t clip the hurdle or making sure I get off the block fast, but this time I was just hyper-fixated on the finish line and nothing else.”
After winning the opening heat with a time of 15.02, Morgan knew he had a little more left in the tank for the final.
“Everything I had done to that point of my career was on the line,” Morgan said. “All the late practices, the correct sleep patterns, the correct foods to eat, all prepared me for this moment. I knew I needed a great time, and I went out there and just did it.”
When the starting gun fired and the dust settled, Morgan crossed the finish line first and edged Longwood’s Kaden Reid, a longtime rival he has been toe-to-toe with throughout his career. Reid later won the 400-meter hurdles, edging Morgan later in the day. But when Morgan crossed the finish line in the 110-meter hurdles, the board flashed 14.62. Everyone in blue knew that number had historic significance.
“I’ve been focusing on the 400-meter hurdles this season more than the 110, so this was kind of a surprise,” Morgan said. “And to be able to break Angelo’s record, who’s twice the size of me, was an incredible feeling.”
Angelo Confort, who graduated in 2023 and now competes for Binghamton University, previously held the school’s 110-meter hurdles record at 14.69. Morgan eclipsed that with a 14.62 in the county final.
“I’m always the first one out of the blocks,” Morgan said. “That’s how I compensate for my lack of height. The taller hurdlers can get to the first hurdle in seven steps. I can’t do that. So I’ve figured out toe dragging and settle on getting to the first hurdle in nine steps. Quick, fast steps.”
“And his form is perfect,” Riverhead track coach Tyler Lobenhofer interjected. “It’s picture-perfect form.”
Morgan’s time has consistently whittled down from his freshman year to his senior campaign. Breaking the school record is a testament to the work he puts in daily. He joined the cross country team last fall to add another element to his skills, and it’s only helped him improve in the things he’s best at.
“It’s a testament to how much he’s been able to perfect his form over the years,” Lobenhofer said. “It’s the toe-dragging, it’s the prepared steps, he thinks about all the little things — that’s what separates him from the rest of the pack. 14.62 is a ridiculous time, and the only way you get there is if you perfect every part of that race.”
Morgan will look to qualify for the state championships at Comsewogue High School on June 4. He will have to either finish in first place or hit the New York State super standard to qualify.
“I know I can still improve,” Morgan said. “I can be cleaner over the hurdles and faster. We’re working on every little thing I can perfect before I race again. I want to make it to the states. It would be a perfect ending to my senior year.”
