St. Anthony's girls take LI CHSAA title

The plan for track athletes is to get close to their peak performance once the championship portion of the season begins.

St. John the Baptist distance specialist Anne Carey was a prime example of that philosophy in the girls portion of the Nassau-Suffolk CHSAA championships at St. Anthony's Saturday.

Carey, who has been battling groin and shin injuries, won the 3,000 meters in 10 minutes, 15.32 seconds.

Carey said it has taken most of the second half of the season to get close to 100 percent.

"I've had some good races, but I've had to take off a lot, too," Carey said. "I could've been better, but I'm still happy with it."

Teammate Victoria Lundin also is hitting her stride. Lundin won the 100 (12.32) and 200 (24.83) and was named track co-MVP.

"A lot of people got personal bests, everybody ran hard and weather was on our side," said Lundin, whose 200 time was a career best.

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The St. Anthony's girls continued their dominant season taking first overall with 110 points, ahead of Kellenberg (78) and St. John the Baptist (74).

Olicia Williams, who earned track co-MVP honors, led the Friars by taking the 800 (12:12.91) and 400 (55.85). She was also a part of the winning 4 x 400- meter relay.

Williams was joined by teammates Katie Gallagher, who won the high jump (5 feet, 3 inches) and the long jump (17-1½) and Sloane Russ, who finished first in the 2,000 steeplechase (7:27.5).

It was a particularly long day for Williams, who said she became ill after the 800.

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"I'm proud I was able to finish today," Williams said. "My coach told me I didn't have to run the 400, but the race was about to start and we wanted to win."

The Friars girls also swept the relays, winning the 4 x 100, 4 x 400 and 4 x 800.

Kellenberg fared well in the field events as Natalie Jean won the shot put (36-10) and discus (108-10) and was named field events MVP. Ordine Belot won the triple jump (36-3) for the Firebirds.

Kellenberg also won both hurdle events. Michelle Anthony took the 100 hurdles (14.49) and Kim MacKay won the 400 in 63.91.

Holy Trinity's Colleen Schmidt won the 1,500 in 4:38 and St. John the Baptist's Emma Cleary took the pole vault in 9 feet even.