English's jump of 7 feet is tops in state this season

For Copiague's Tyrek English, it felt as if the entire world stopped to watch him perform the high jump at the 34th Annual Bob Pratt Invitational Saturday at Smithtown West.

Athletes, coaches and parents from all over the facility crowded around the high jump pit to witness English try and make history.

The senior obliged the crowd as he jumped a school-record 7 feet.

It's the highest jump in the state this season and the highest jump on Long Island since St. John the Baptist's Tom Thompson set the Long Island record (7-2) in 1992.

The leap marked the end of a banner week for English, who cleared 6-9 Thursday in a Suffolk league meet against Eastport-South Manor.

"Everything was going well for me," English said. "It was nice weather and I felt good . . . Everything fell into place."

The achievement by English set off a chain reaction among spectators as several of his fellow athletes rushed the pit and lined up to take photos with him after he finished his jump.

SEE PHOTOSTrack: Bob Pratt Invitational

"I wouldn't call myself a star," English said. "But it feels really good to have all these people appreciate what I did."

English's remarkable day began on a high note as he won both the triple jump (47 feet, 10½ inches) and long jump (22-8¼) with personal- best distances.

But nothing measured up to his high jump performance.

"He's just oozing with potential," Copiague coach George Schroeder said.

SEE PHOTOSHigh school sports -- April

But it took some convincing for Schroeder to get English to realize that potential. English didn't join the Copiague track team until last year.

"As an eighth-grader he used to run across our field and I used to say to him, 'When are you coming out here, what are you afraid of?' '' Schroeder said.

English wasn't the only one to enjoy a fine day.

Northport's Dorian Hayden won the 100-meter dash in 11.4 seconds and was part of the winning 4 x 100 team with Ross Ragonesi, Drayke Jackson and Tom Delahunty, which took first in 44.05.

Smithtown West had a couple of first-place finishes in Justin Blaszczyk, who won the 800 in 2:00.02 and its 4 x 800 team of Kevin Harty, Mike Emerson, Wesley Macker and James Snak, which was victorious in 8:10.67.

Whitman's Ben Windisch joined the double winner's club as he took first in the 3,200 (9:47.96) and was part of the winning 4 x 400 team with Chris Mallinson, Christian Vitale, Pat Cummings. They clocked 3:37.17