Zariel Macchia, a standout senior runner at William Floyd High School, has made a name for herself as a four-time All-American who holds seven Long Island records. However, despite her impressive track record, she will not be allowed to compete in next month's state championships.

The decision stems from an incident in which Macchia participated in a meet in Boston where she raced against college athletes, violating what is known as the "College Rule." According to officials from Section 11, the governing body of high school sports in Suffolk County, high school athletes are not permitted to compete against college athletes.

Tom Combs, executive director of Section XI, explained, “They were aware of that they still went through and competed in a meet up in Boston. Therefore it’s a violation and that deems her ineligible for the remainder of the winter season.”

For Macchia, the disqualification is particularly heartbreaking as she had hoped to represent her school in her senior year at the state championships. She expressed her disappointment, saying, “Being able to represent William Floyd in the state meet means a lot to me and to not be able to do that in my senior year would be very disappointing.”

Macchia’s father, Pete Macchia, defended his daughter, stating that Zariel was racing independently at the Boston meet, not representing any school, and that she had competed against college athletes in the past without issue. “It was something we had done many times,” he said.

However, Section 11 officials maintain that the rules are in place for the safety of high school athletes. Combs emphasized, “It’s to preserve the safety of the high school athlete competing against a much more mature athlete.”

Despite the disqualification for the winter season, the family is considering appealing the decision, possibly with the help of a lawyer. The disqualification only applies to the winter track season; once spring track begins, Macchia will be eligible to race again.