The Bears have had a memorable history at the St. Anthony’s Invitational.

In 2005, Justin Song became the Bears’ first individual winner at the prestigious event by taking the 200 in 22.5. In 2011, the 4×100 relay team of Khoren Lawson, Jon Wentling, Andrew White, and Taylor Colucci ran 43.07, breaking the school record of 43.34 set in 2007. The Bears finished runner-up to Bay Shore (42.96). That same year, Lawson (11.06) and Colucci (11.10) took 3rd and 4th, respectively, in the 100 final. Colucci also earned a runner-up finish in the 200 (22.34). In 2012, Colucci won the 100 (11.05) and 200 (22.26), the latter in one of the fastest times at the event over the last decade, to become the Bears’ first double-winner at St. Anthony’s and earn meet MVP honors.

In 2016, Jyles Etienne won the high jump event with a height of 6′ 9″, the second-best height of the last decade at the event. Then in 2017, he defended his crown with a mark of 7′ 2.5″ that, due to inclement weather that forced the event indoors, became the #1 indoor high school height in America that year. Etienne’s astonishing leap earned him the meet’s Top Performer award.

Over the weekend, the Bears returned to the 51st Annual St. Anthony’s Invitational and rewrote more Blue & White history.

The Bears achieved numerous top-10 performances, including a trio from Lilly Keegan. The senior finished 5th in the 100 hurdles, breaking her own Fully Automatic Time (FAT) school record of 16.10 with a 15.95 mark. That time ranks her #1 in NYSAIS. She earned an 8th place finish in the long jump with a leap of 16′ 2″. She is currently ranked #4 in NYSAIS with a top distance of 16′ 5″. She closed a fantastic weekend with a 9th place slot in the triple jump with a hop, skip, and jump of 35′ 1.25″. She is currently #2 in NYSAIS with a season-best mark of 35′ 2.5″.

Charlie Onana Awana earned a pair of top-10 finishes. He earned a runner-up in the high jump with a height of 6′ 2″ that left him an inch shy of the top mark. His leap of 6′ 4″ is tied for #1 in NYSAIS and #7 overall in New York State. He followed that up with a 44′ 6.75″ heave in the shot put that gave him a 6th place finish. His top mark of 46′ 8″ is #2 in NYSAIS this season. Niks Zemitis was 6th in the high jump with a height of 6′ 2″, good enough for #3 in NYSAIS. Duncan Kipkoech ran to a 4th place finish in the 1600 in a personal record time of 4:42.

Zach Mogambi provided the highlight of the weekend, becoming the first double-winner for the Bears since Colucci in 2012. He launched the shot put 52′ 5″ to outdistance the rest of the field by nearly three feet. The mark is #1 in NYSAIS this year and #7 overall in New York State. But that wasn’t his best performance of the event. His 167′ 3″ toss in the discus not only earned him another gold by a margin of 7′ 5″ over the next closest thrower, but it reset the school record set by Dave Wilson in 1975 (165′ 0″). The mark is currently #1 in NYSAIS and #3 overall in New York State.

The Bears now set their sights on the PSAA Championship which they host on the Marvin W. Goldberg Track on Saturday at noon.

---