The College Cross Country season came to a close this past weekend with the NCAA championships.
Although no Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) runners made it to the national championships, they had a strong season overall.
Patrick Goldberg of St. Francis De Sales, Belle Harbor, earned Skyline Conference Rookie of the Year honors at the College of Mount Saint Vincent, the Bronx, highlighted by a fourth place finish in the conference championship meet and then posting a personal record of 28:25 at the NCAA Atlantic Regional as the second Skyline runner to cross the line.
Patrick’s older brother and team captain James Goldberg also set a personal record at the NCAA’s as the 13th Skyline runner.
Jimmy Buckley of St. Francis de Sales had an outstanding debut for the University of Scranton, Pa., notching a 27:20 at the NCAA Mideast Regional.
Kevin Magee from St. Francis de Sales also scored for Mount Saint Vincent at the Skyline championships.
Conor Gallagher of St. Francis de Sales gained a 13th place finish at the East Coast Conference Championships for Molloy College, Rockville Centre, L.I., followed by a strong showing at the NCAA Northeast Regional.
CYO Runners at the Division I level battled an assortment of injuries this year but still managed to compete well. Cristina Martello of St. Margaret, Middle Village, ran for Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, Conn., while Kathleen Woods of St. Francis de Sales hit the trails for Fairfield, Conn., and Devin Rocks of St. Francis de Sales for Fordham University, the Bronx.
CHSAA Championships
The local CHSAA high school season ended the week before with the New York State Federation Championships, which brought together the top teams from the CHSAA, PSAL, AIS and NYSPHSAA.
Stephanie Gerland of St. Anne, Garden City, L.I., turned in the outstanding performance by a CYO runner with a sixth place finish in the girls’ race for Garden City H.S., L.I.
Also competing in the Federation Championships were Shane Dwyer from St. Kevin, Flushing (St. Francis Prep, Fresh Meadows), Kaitlyn Jones from St. Matthias, Ridgewood (Benjamin Cardozo H.S., Bayside) and continuing the Gallagher dynasty from St. Francis de Sales, Liam (Cathedral Prep and Seminary, Elmhurst) and sisters Therese and Jacqueline (Bishop Kearney H.S., Bensonhurst).
What may be more impressive however is the broad participation of CYO runners throughout the high school ranks, including:
St. Andrew Avellino, Flushing – Thomas Dumbach (Hunter College H.S., Manhattan), Nick Corbett, Enrique Crowe (St. Francis Prep), Branden Silva, Anthony Zagorsky (Holy Cross H.S., Flushing), Diane Reisert (The Mary Louis Academy, Jamaica Estates)
St. Anne, Garden City – Jenn Gerland, Tim Josephs, Laurel Fisher (Garden City), JP Welch (Chaminade H.S., Mineola, L.I.), Emily Merz (Our Lady of Mercy Academy, Syosset, L.I.), Colleen Cass, Joanna Gruenberg (Sacred Heart Academy, Hempstead, L.I.)
St. Camillus-St. Virgilius, Rockaway Park – Carolyn Crocker (Archbishop Molloy H.S., Briarwood)
St. Francis de Sales – Brendan Gallagher (Cathedral Prep and Seminary), James McManus (Scholars Academy, Rockaway Park), Christopher Cole, Frank McVeigh, Peter Tuffey (Xavier H.S., Manhattan), Patrick Cashin, Alex Goldberg, Ray Henry, Kayla Rayder, Mary Ellen Woods (Archbishop Molloy)
St. Joan of Arc, Jackson Heights – Mark Hilario (Archbishop Molloy), Leon Scheffs Bevington (Bronx H.S. of Science, the Bronx)
St. Kevin – Caroline O’Sullivan, Katie O’Sullivan (Marymount School, Manhattan), Thomas Sullivan, Matthew Sullivan (Townsend Harris H.S., Flushing), Joseph DiRe (Archbishop Molloy), Nicholas Vitrano, Elijah O’Faire (Holy Cross), Anastasia Edwards, Joshua O’Faire (Francis Lewis H.S., Fresh Meadows)
Our Lady of Victory, Floral Park, L.I. – Ryan Heskin, Fiona Comer (Floral Park H.S.)
St. Margaret – Anthony Cocaro, David Gaskey (Cathedral Prep and Seminary), Aine Higgins (The Mary Louis Academy), Jillian Hubert, Cara Loftus, Siobhan Loftus, Austin Pizzella, Kieran Rock, Liam Rock (Archbishop Molloy), John Boyle, Ted Colter (Xavier H.S.).
These runners all look forward to coming back to distinguish themselves again next fall and are an inspiration to the current crop of CYO runners who will someday join them.
The Indoor Track season is up next with CYO meets beginning in January at St. Anthony’s High School, South Huntington, L.I., and high school and college meets beginning in December, as sprinters, hurdlers, jumpers, vaulters and throwers join their distance running teammates in action.
Special thanks to CYO sports coordinator Keith Goldberg for providing this information.