Newsday's All-Long Island boys cross country team 2017

Long Island Runner of the Year: Runner of the Year: Mason Gatewood, St. Anthony’s, Sr.

In under a year, Gatewood transformed himself from an above-average distance runner to a powerhouse who was nearly impossible to beat. Take last year's finishes in the three major meets for catholic school runners: the CHSAA leagues, Intersectionals and Federation championship. Last year, Gatewood finished 13th, 5th and 109th. This year? First, first and first.

Most impressive was his 108-place improvement to win the Federation championship, a race that pits the best runners in the state against each other, regardless of classification. Gatewood ran 15:52.4 on the Bowdoin Park 5-kilometer course in Wappingers Falls. His push in the final 1,000 meters put him five seconds ahead of the field.

Gatewood won the CHSAA league championship in 16:57.95 and the Intersectional championship, run on Van Cortlandt Park's 2.5-mile course, in 12:40.81. Gatewood ran 15:54.8 and placed tenth at the Foot Locker Northeast Cross Country Regional at Van Cortlandt Park on Nov. 25. The finish qualified him for the Foot Locker National Championship in San Diego, California.

Nicholas Cipolla, Smithtown, Sr.

Cipolla placed fourth at the Suffolk Division championships, running 16:42.57 at Sunken Meadow. His 17:09.7 finish in the Class A race at the state public school championships helped Smithtown to the highest finish by a Long Island school (fifth) when all four classifications were merged.

Elijah Claiborne, Northport, Sr.

Together with his twin, Isaiah, Claiborne led Northport to a fourth-place finish at the Federation championship, the highest among Long Island schools. Claiborne finished 32nd on the Bowdoin Park 5-kilometer course in Wappingers Falls, running a 16:45.

Isaiah Claiborne, Northport, Sr.

Claiborne dominated the Suffolk postseason, winning both the Division championship and the Class A state qualifier. Claiborne finished ninth in the New York race at Nike Cross Regionals on Nov. 25, running a 16:35.2.

Kal Lewis, Shelter Island, Soph.

Lewis won the Class D state public school championship, running a 16:44.6 at Wayne Central High School in Ontario Center. He followed up that performance with an eighth-place finish at the Federation championship, where he clocked a 16:24.3.

Jack Rosencrans, North Shore, Jr.

Rosencrans dominated Nassau, running the top overall time at both the Nassau county championships and the Nassau state qualifier. His 17:08.4 was the top Long Island time in the state class B public school championship.

Carlos Santos, Patchogue-Medford, Sr.

Santos was a consistent contender all season. He was the fastest Long Island runner in the Class A race at the state public school championships, clocking a 16:52.1 and placing 18th. Santos finished fourth in Class A at the Suffolk state qualifier, running a 16:52.23.

Coach of the Year: Jason Strom, Northport

Northport finished fourth in the New York race at Nike Cross Regionals on Nov. 25. Despite falling just outside of the national qualifying threshold, Northport was the highest Long Island finisher at the prestigious meet. The Tigers also won the Suffolk Division championship.