Max Haynia of Westhampton during the NYSPHSAA Class B boys...

Max Haynia of Westhampton during the NYSPHSAA Class B boys championship race in Verona, N.Y., on Nov. 12. Credit: Mark McGauley

Newsday Runner of the Year: Max Haynia, Westhampton, Sr.

Few in the state — and no one on Long Island — were better than Haynia this fall. Haynia spent the entire season atop the Long Island landscape, and he has some major November hardware to show for it. The Army-bound runner won the Class B public school state championship, running the 5-kilometer course at Vernon Verona Sherrill High School in upstate Verona in 16 minutes, 9.7 seconds. Across all classes, Haynia was the third-fastest runner, and top Long Islander at the meet.

Two weeks later, Haynia qualified for Nike Cross Nationals by winning the New York race at Nike Cross Regionals in 15:57.9 at Bowdoin Park in Wappingers Falls.

Haynia won both the Suffolk Class B state qualifier race (17:15.31) and the Suffolk Divisional Championship (16:38.10) at Sunken Meadow State Park.

Nassau Runner of the Year: Logan Schaeffler, Calhoun, Jr.

Logan Schaeffler of Calhoun competes in the Nassau Class II...

Logan Schaeffler of Calhoun competes in the Nassau Class II boys cross country championship at Bethpage State Park on Oct. 29. Credit: James Escher

Nobody in Nassau was quite as impressive on the trails as Schaeffler. He finished 15th in 16:45.8 in the Class A public school state championship race. He was the only runner to break 16 minutes (15:50.73) at the Nassau Class County Championships and was the fastest runner across all classes at the Nassau State Qualifier (16:04.76). Both events were held at Bethpage State Park.  

Douglas Antaky, Smithtown, Jr.

Antaky finished 13th in 16:45 flat in the Class A public school state championship race. He ran 16:37.7 and placed 16th at the state Federation championships at Bowdoin Park, the second-fastest Long Islander in that race.

Kevin Beltran, Valley Stream North, Jr.

Beltran was sixth in 16:58 in the Class B public school state championship race. A week earlier, he won the Class B race at the Nassau State Qualifier in 16:11.09, the second-fastest time of the meet, across all classes.

From left: Kevin Beltran of Valley Stream North, Jake Gogarty...

From left: Kevin Beltran of Valley Stream North, Jake Gogarty of Bay Shore, James McNaughton of Northport.

Jake Gogarty, Bay Shore, Jr.

Gogarty was the fastest Long Islander in the Class A public school state championship race, placing 11th in 16:37.7. He ran 15:55.19 at the Tom Knipfing Invitational at Fireman’s Field in Ridge in September, the fastest time in Suffolk this season, according to milesplit.com.

James McNaughton, Northport, Sr.

He was the fastest Long Islander at the state Federation championships, running 14th in 16:36.8. He was third in the Class A race at the Suffolk State Qualifier in 16:52.19.

Timothy Sheahan, Northport, Sr.

Sheahan ran 16:45.7 and was the fifth fastest Long Islander at the state Federation Championships. He alsofinished fifth in Class A in 16:58.46 at the Suffolk State Qualifier.

Coach of the Year: Tim Dearie, St. Anthony’s

The Friars put together another impressive season under Dearie. They won the CHSAA Intersectional Championship with 24 points, the lowest score in the 95-year history of the meet, placed second at the state Federation championship, and qualified for Nike Cross Nationals.