Uniondale, Massapequa, GC relays thrive

A change of scenery did three Long Island relay teams some good Saturday night. Uniondale, Massapequa and Garden City each set a meet record in their races at the 105th Millrose Games at the Armory.

The Armory is known as one of the fastest indoor tracks in America because of its banked turns and smooth surface. So when it was announced last year that the Millrose Games would move there from its longtime home of Madison Square Garden, times would be quicker.

It wasn't long before meet records began to fall, as Uniondale set the first one of the night just five races in.

The Knights' team of Derrick Ingram, Nyder Chardonette, Michael Hanson and Tresean Goodwin cruised to an easy win in the Long Island boys 4 x 400 in 3:22.22, breaking the record set last year by Half Hollow Hills West (3:30.30).

"I had no idea we were going to break a record when I got the baton," said Goodwin, the anchor leg. "I just wanted to go out and run hard."

Two races later, Massapequa broke records in the L.I. girls 4 x 400. The team of Heather Sweeney, Kristen Yevoli, Shannon McBrien, and Andrea Bourgal won in 3:57.17, shattering both Brentwood's 2-year-old meet record (4:02.52) and a year-old Massapequa record (4:00.75).

"We finished second at the Garden last year," Sweeney said. "So for us to win this year is a big accomplishment."

SEE PHOTOSMillrose high school games

The Garden City team of Taylor Hennig, Emma Gallagher, Katie O'Neill and Emily O'Neill set both a meet and a Nassau record with a win in the Metropolitan girls high school 4 x 800. The Lady Trojans clocked a 9:00.92, more than 21 seconds faster than their Millrose record of 9:22.96 from 2010.

"We wanted our girls to go out and run personal bests in each leg," Trojans coach Erica Fregosi said. "Everyone just ran perfect today."