Floyd's Zariel Macchia wins second consecutive state Federation girls cross country championship

WAPPINGERS FALLS - Even while winning the same event in the exact same place, Floyd senior Zariel Macchia found a way to do something new.

New York's best female runner was at it again Saturday afternoon at Bowdoin Park , winning the 5-kilometer girls cross country Federation championship in 18 minutes, 9.9 seconds.   It was her second consecutive Federation title. 

Macchia’s latest feat of excellence came exactly one week after winning her second public school state championship last Saturday in Queensbury , providing further proof that she's the No. 1 runner in the state. 

“This is a really big race for New York State,” Macchia said of the meet that pits the best runners in the state against one another, regardless of class or status. “We have everyone in the state finally racing together, so it’s a huge honor to have won this race two years in a row. I’m excited that I was able to do that.”

The difference between this big win and all the others is that this one came with slightly higher stakes.  This year’s Federation championship was merged with the Nike Cross Regionals meet, held in previous years on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. With the win, Macchia clinched  an automatic bid to Nike Cross Nationals, scheduled for Dec. 7 in Portland, Oregon.

Macchia has never been to the Nike meet — at least not as a competitor. She went as a spectator five years ago, as a seventh grader. Now, she'll be provided a backstage view.

“It’s amazing,” Macchia said. “Everyone that I’ve talked to that’s gone to Nike Nationals loves it, so I’m excited to get on the course and to give it my best.”

Macchia will return to action Nov. 30 at the Foot Locker Northeast Regional in Boston with a chance to qualify for the Foot Locker national championships, scheduled for Dec. 14 in San Diego. From there, she will set a goal for herself in regards to the national meets. For now, she is just happy to have won her final cross country race while wearing a Floyd jersey. New York public school runners typically do not wear their school's jersey when competing in national meets.   

“This is the last time I’m going to wear a Floyd jersey in cross country,” Macchia said. “Representing William Floyd High School at this level means the world to me, and I’m just really happy that I’ve been able to do it this well for so long.”

Macchia’s time was 13 seconds faster than the field.   The second-best finisher from Long Island was Comsewogue sophomore Lexie Cole, who finished seventh in 18:57.9. Harborfields sophomore Sayla Fives finished 10th in 19:00.4.

Bayport-Blue Point senior Sophia McInnes placed 11th in 19:00.5, Friends Academy senior Aislinn Frazer ranked 18th in 19:13.2 and Sayville sophomore Marianna Duffy was 19th in 19:13.7. Duffy’s performance helped lead Sayville to an eighth-place team finish with 309 points, the highest placing among Long Island teams. Bethlehem won with 43 points. 

On the boys side, Lindenhurst senior Jake Albert placed seventh in  16:14 flat and was the top finisher from Long Island. Rocky Point junior Trevor Green finished ninth in 16:17.9, while Farmingdale senior George Thomatos ranked 10th in 16:18.7.

Albert felt this was the best race of his career.

“I felt so much better than I did at [public school] states,” Albert said. “I felt that today was really my best race in cross country. I put it all on the course today.”

For Green, this postseason has been a 180-degree turnaround from last year. After winning the Suffolk Class B title in 2023, Green finished 340th at the public school state championships and failed to qualify for the Federation championship. This time around, Green ranked 56th at the public school championships before finishing ninth at the Federation meet.

Green attributes his newfound success on the bigger stages to a different approach. 

“It’s super exciting,” Green said. “I’ve been playing with my race strategy, and I think it’s starting to work out. I’ve just been making sure that I don’t get out too fast. I hold myself back in the first mile and then crescendo myself so I can have energy towards the end and not burn out.”

Manhasset junior Blake Sealy finished 13th in16:22.3. Behind his lead, Manhasset finished sixth as a team with 224 points — the highest Long Island ranking. Monroe-Woodbury won with 133 points. 

Ward Melville senior Jon Seyfert ended his high school cross country career by running a 16:28.3, good for 17th .