The Stars Shine at the Manhattan College Cross Country Invitational
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Joe Barrett led Christian Brothers Academy (CBA), ranked No. 1 in New Jersey and No. 2 in the US, to a commanding third consecutive victory in the prestigious Eastern States Championship at the Manhattan College Cross Country Invitational. Barrett, a senior headed to the University of North Carolina, dominated the race from the start, winning his second straight title in 12:20.7. Loomis Chaffee's Alex Fisher was the runner-up, finishing in 12:27.7, with Tri-Valley's Van Furman taking third in 12:40.5. CBA's remarkable performance was highlighted by their overwhelming 1-4-5-7-8 finish, securing a total of 25 points, while no other team could come close. Junior Luke Hnatt placed fourth in 12:43.2, senior Ryan Schmitt followed in fifth with 12:44.5, sophomore Gavin Schmitt was seventh in 12:47.5, and senior Alex Mastroly rounded out the top five in eighth at 12:49.1.
CBA's depth was on full display as they averaged an incredible 12:41.0 for their top five runners, the second-fastest team average ever recorded on the historic 2.5-mile Van Cortlandt Park course, which has hosted championship meets since 1957. This performance is only surpassed by Fayetteville-Manlius' 12:32.76 set in 2014, a team that went on to win the Nike National title. CBA's consistency and dominance are underscored by the fact that their 12:41.0 average now ranks as the second-fastest in course history, while their 2023 average of 12:44.2 stands as the third fastest. Outscoring runner-up Haddonfield by a staggering margin of 25-176, CBA captured its 20th Eastern States title, with nine of those championships coming since 2009.
| PLACE | VIDEO | ATHLETE | TEAM | MARK | POINTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Joe Barrett | 12 | Christian Brothers Academy | 12:20.70 | 1 | |
| 2 |  Alex Fisher | 11 | Loomis Chaffee | 12:27.70 | 2 | |
| 3 |  Van Furman | 12 | Tri-Valley | 12:40.50 | 3 | |
| 4 | Luke Hnatt | 11 | Christian Brothers Academy | 12:43.20 | 4 | |
| 5 | Ryan Schmitt | 12 | Christian Brothers Academy | 12:44.50 | 5 | |
| 6 |  Greg McGrath | 11 | Boston College High School | 12:44.50 | 6 | |
| 7 | Gavin Schmitt | 10 | Christian Brothers Academy | 12:47.50 | 7 | |
| 8 | Alex Mastroly | 12 | Christian Brothers Academy | 12:49.10 | 8 |
Zariel Macchia of William Floyd defended her title at the Eastern States Championship during the Manhattan Invitational, but this year's victory was more stressful. Macchia crossed the line in 14:24.4, winning by just six seconds, a much tighter margin compared to her 18-second win last year. Katie Payne of Tatnall kept the pressure on, finishing second in 14:30.3, while eighth-grader Sophia Chromczak of Bethlehem took third in 14:40.3, becoming the highest middle-school finisher in the race since Katelyn Tuohy in 2015.
In the team competition, Bethlehem captured their second Eastern States title of the decade, adding to their 2021 victory. Led by Chromczak's standout third-place finish, Bethlehem dominated with a remarkable 2-4-5-6-7 performance, scoring just 24 points. Champlain Valley Union finished a distant second with 103 points. Bethlehem's depth and pack-running strategy easily secured the win, reaffirming their position as a powerhouse program in the region.