No. 2 CBA Boys Take On New York's Top Teams In Eastern States Race; Karrie Baloga Returns Looking For Repeat In Girls Race

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

John Nepolitan photos

Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx will come alive Saturday with the Manhattan College Cross Country Invitational Presented by HOKA, the country's largest one-day high school cross country event. 

More than 8,000 runners are expected to compete in one of the 41 races that will traverse the back hills of the park and finish along Broadway. 

The meet is celebrating its 50th year. 

The Eastern States Championship provide one of the best measuring sticks for gauging national caliber teams. 

Christian Brothers Academy of New Jersey, ranked No. 2 nationally, lead a strong field in the boys Eastern States race. The Colts feature a deep team that returned 13 of its top 14 runners from last year. 

In 2021, CBA entered and won one of the 'Letter' races, the Varsity A, and did not compete in the Eastern States. 

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Competition is expected to come from two of the best teams in New York, Saint Anthony's of Long Island and Corning-Painted Post. Rhode Island's Bishop Hendricken is another strong team in the mix. 

Individually, Devan Kipyego from St. Raphael Academy in Rhode Island is coming back to Manhattan after winning the Varsity B race last year. Kipyego, a senior, won the Ocean State XC Invitational in 14:57 on Sept. 24 for one of the fastest times in the history of the Goddard Memorial State Park Course. 

In the girls Eastern States, Northeast No. 3 Haddonfield NJ and No. 4 Champlain Valley Union VT will go head to head.

There is also a compelling individual race shaping up, with US#5 Karrie Baloga from Cornwall Central NY racing No. 13 Zariel Macchia from William Floyd NY, No. 19 Kate Putman from Cicero-North NY and No. 21 Angelina Napoleon of Allegany-Limestone NY.

Baloga won last year's Eastern States race in 14:11 and Macchia, then a freshman, was second in 14:33.6. Sarah Lawson from Corning-Painted Post, who is also in Saturday's race, was fifth last year.