Newsday's Top 25 Long Island boys cross country runners to start 2024 season
Clockwise, from top left: William Ahmuty of Port Washington, Justin Albanese of Eastport-South Manor, Jake Albert of Lindenhurst, James Ciaccio of St. Anthony's.
Newsday's annual look at the top Long Island high school boys cross country runners for the fall of 2024, listed in alphabetical order. (All times and stats are from last season and at the 5-kilometer distance unless otherwise noted.)
William Ahmuty, Port Washington, Sr.
At last fall's state public school championship meet, Ahmuty ran the course at Vernon-Verona-Sherrill (VVS) High School in 17 minutes, 37.3 seconds to place among the top half of the 469 contestants.
Justin Albanese, Eastport-South Manor, Sr.
Albanese posted a 17:55.3 at the state Federation championships to finish in the top half of the merged leaderboard. His time is the 10th-best among LI returners.
Jake Albert, Lindenhurst, Sr.
Albert made Newsday's All-Long Island team last season. At the public school state championships, he finished 34th in the merge with a 16:29.2. At the Federation, he ranked 25th with a 16:47.6 — the best time amongst all returning Long Island runners.
James Ciaccio, St. Anthony’s, Sr.
Ciaccio ran an 18:04.5 at the Federation championships. After losing top runners Gabriel Wigutow, Jack Morelli and Collin McLaughlin to graduation, Ciaccio is expected to help fill those shoes.
Liam Curley, St. Anthony’s, Sr.
On a strong St. Anthony’s team, Curley has a chance to be the top man. He ran a 17:28 flat at the Federation championships, placing him 77th out of 287. His Federation time ranks third among returning Long Islanders.
Lukas Derasmo, Port Washington, Sr.
At the public school state championships, Derasmo ran 17:11 flat to finish in the top third of all competitors.
Luke Ferraiolo, Farmingdale, Sr.
Ferraiolo made it to the public school state meet and finished in the race’s top half with a 17:41.2.
Ian Frazer, Wantagh, Jr.
As a sophomore, Frazer placed 84th in the public school state championship merge with a 16:55 flat and 106th at the Federation meet with a 17:44.9.
Zachary Greene, Oyster Bay, Jr.
Coming off a big sophomore year that saw him run a 17:05.2 at the public school state meet, Greene is set for a big junior year as Oyster Bay’s new top runner.
Brian Guiheen, Chaminade, Jr.
Guiheen is one of two returning Chaminade juniors who had good showings last year. He qualified for the Federation championships and ran an 18:12.9.
From left: Lukas Derasmo of Port Washington, Daniel Hilton of Chaminade, Stije Huinink of Manhasset.
Daniel Hilton, Chaminade, Jr.
Hilton completes the duo with Guiheen and fittingly was neck-and-neck with him at the Federation meet. Hilton finished just 0.6 seconds behind his teammate in that race with an 18:13.5.
John Hogan, Manhasset, Sr.
At the public school state meet, Hogan placed in the top half of merged finishers with a 17:33 flat. He also ran at the Federation championships and ranked in the upper half with an 18:00.5.
Stije Huinink, Manhasset, Sr.
In a loaded core of returning Manhasset runners, Huinink is the top guy. He finished in the top third of both the public school state and Federation championship meets with a 17:07.5 and a 17:30.6, respectively.
Gabriel Ko, Northport, Jr.
Last year, Ko competed at the Federation championships and ran a 17:50.9. He is the eighth-fastest returning Long Islander from that race.
Harrison Kuhn, Northport, Sr.
Kuhn finished just 0.4 seconds behind Eastport-South Manor’s Albanese at the Federation meet with a 17:55.7. On a deep team that returns its entire top seven, Kuhn is one of the fastest.
Edward Lessing, St. Anthony’s, So.
In his freshman year, Lessing won the title at the Nassau-Suffolk CHSAA championships and also qualified for the Federation meet. At Bowdoin Park, he ran an 18:04.8 — just 0.3 seconds shy of his teammate, Ciaccio.
Regan Macpherson, St. Anthony’s, Sr.
After missing all of last fall due to injury, Macpherson is back to run cross country. As a sophomore, Macpherson competed at the Federation championships and finished 61st with a 17:10.9.
Dylan Manning, Commack, Sr.
Manning is Commack’s top returning runner, as he finished 78th at the Federation meet with a 17:28.2, just 0.2 seconds behind Liam Curley. . Manning also posted a 17:33.3 at the public school state meet.
Myles Munro, Seaford, Sr.
The defending Nassau Class B runner-up had a good day at the public school state championships when he cracked the top 100 in the merged results with a 16:57.3.
From left: Myles Munro of Seaford, Colin Veit of Port Jefferson, Hartley Semmes of Harborfields.
Blake Sealy, Manhasset, Jr.
Based on his times from both the public school state and Federation meets, Sealy is already a top-10 runner on Long Island. He ran a 17:59.2 at the public school state championships and a 17:52.3 at the Federation meet.
Hartley Semmes, Harborfields, Sr.
. Semmes is the second-fastest returner in the state from Class B after running a 16:22.6 at the public school state championships.At the Federation championships, he placed 32nd with a 16:51.6.
Owen Stachlik, Wantagh, Sr.
Stachlik qualified for the public school state championship meet and ran a 17:29.8. Him and Ian Frazer form one of Nassau’s top duos.
George Thomatos, Farmingdale, Sr.
Thomatos returns to Newsday’s Top 25 list after appearing in the public school state meet. He ran a 17:18 at VVS High School.
Colin Veit, Port Jefferson, Sr.
Perhaps the best small-school runner on Long Island is back . At the public school state championships, the Suffolk Division C champion was 15th in his class in 16:55.8. At the Federation championships, Veit cracked the top 100 with a 17:41.2.
Blake Weaver, Chaminade, So.
Weaver found lots of success as a freshman. He qualified for the Federation championships and ranked in the top half with an 18:01.4, just 0.9 seconds behind Manhasset's John Hogan.
