Forsythe enjoys home track at Knight-Time

Home-field advantage has its privileges. Just ask Uniondale's Glen Forsythe.

The senior won the long jump and triple jump Saturday in meet-record distances at the Eighth Knight-Time Invitational at Uniondale.

Forsythe won the long jump in 23 feet, 2 1/4 inches, besting the previous record set by Farmingdale's Qasim Ellis (21-11) in 2007. Forsythe later won the triple jump with a distance of 46-11, breaking the mark of 45 -1/2 set by Deshaun Sutton of Westbury in 2006.

"This is definitely the way I wanted to start my season off," Forsythe said. "And doing it here is even better. I always feel comfortable jumping here."

The St. Anthony's boys team also had a big day at Uniondale, taking first with 273 points, ahead of Uniondale (117 1/2), Copiague (107 1/2), Brentwood (94) and Baldwin (69).

The Friars had individual winners in six events.

Payton Hazzard won the 400 (50.07) and the 800 (1:58.92), Thomas Diliberto took the 1,600 (4:29.22), Brian Smith was a winner in the 3,000 steeplechase (10:36.9) and Frank Segreto took the 3,200 (9:59.71). Brian Doyle won the pole vault (11-feet).

Elmont's Jaquan Smith looked like he was in midseason form and won 100 in 10.69, despite running in his first meet of the spring season.

"I haven't practiced in two weeks. My coach gave me a break after the winter," Smith said. "This is really my first meet so 10.69 is great, but I'm still trying to get better."

Baldwin's Ieshawn Johnson continued his dominance in the discus with a throw of 164-5. The senior set a school record (175-7 1/2) in the event last Monday.

Johnson was joined in the winner's circle by teammate Karl Desil, who won the 400 hurdles in 57.07 and the Bruins' 4 x 400 relay team, which took first in 3:24.02.

In what may have been the most exciting race of the day, Roosevelt's 4 x 100 relay team of Simon Strong, Teddy Santana, Erin Parker and Donte Colter overcame an early deficit to edge Brentwood for first in a photo-finish 44.11. Parker added to his medal count, taking first in the 200 (22.37).

Copiague's Wade Richardson won the high jump (6-2) and St. John the Baptist won the 4 x 800 (8:05.34).

In girls events, Uniondale sophomore Alana Richardson, like Forsythe, enjoyed running on her home track as she held off St. Anthony's Kristen Flynn to win the 3,000 in 11:06.26.

Richardson said she heard supporters urging her on as she was neck-and-neck with Flynn in the last two laps. "With the crowd cheering me and her so close made me go a lot faster," Richardson said. "Support is always good to have."

The Knights' Britney Webley also took advantage of some home cooking with a first-place finish in the 100 hurdles in a meet-record time of 14.46, ahead of teammate Desiree Johnson-Green (15.14).

St. Anthony's ran away with the girls team title with 231 points, in front of Uniondale (171.17), New Rochelle (166), New Jersey's Bloomfield (96) and Connecticut's Hillouse (88.5).

Olicia Williams led the way for St. Anthony's by winning the 400 (55.57). Katie Gallagher (5-2) and Liz Fallon (4-10) finished first and second in the high jump, and the Friars' trio of Jamie Kallipozis (8-6), Elizabeth Kelsch (8-0) and Alexandra Russo (8-0) took the top three spots in the pole vault.

The Friars also won the 4 x 100 in 49.19.

Longwood's Imani White continued her strong senior year with wins in the shot put (40-8) and discus (125-1). Copiague's duo of Dru Dickson and Janel Francis won the triple jump (34-8½) and the long jump (18-2), respectively.