Cross-country: Cornwall's Baloga, Mamaroneck's Doherty stand out among thousands at Manhattan
BRONX — The numbers were mindboggling, as were some performances by local athletes.
More than 7,000 runners from 15 states and 355 high schools competed in 41 races throughout Saturday at the Manhattan College X-C Invitational in the Bronx.
Included were Cornwall's Karrie Baloga, who met her goal of breaking 14 minutes over the 2.5-mile course with a 13:55.3 finish that placed her first in the prestigious 175-runner girls Eastern States championship.
Her time was also the top girls varsity time posted out of 1,158 finishers.
Fellow senior Matt Doherty of Mamaroneck, whose 12:38.3 finish gave him the boys varsity B crown in a field of 138, was the eighth fastest varsity boy on the day. That was eighth out of 1,342.
Doherty was sandwiched in the overall results between two Section 9 runners, Monroe-Woodbury's Collin Gilstrap, whose 12:37.5 won the boys varsity E race, and Tri -Valley's Adam Furman (12:39.6), who was seventh in boys Eastern States.
The best time of the day, 12:14.4, was posted by Devan Kipyego of Rhode Island's St. Raphael Academy.
But that hardly undercut a finish like Baloga's.
The University of Colorado commit ran the course more than 15 seconds faster than she ever had.
And her time was nearly half a minute ahead of her nearest competitor, meaning she didn't have the advantage of being pushed.
But she had no complaints about that.
"I came into the race knowing this was my last one (here) and wanting to honor the course as much as I can and to get my name on the (all-time finishers') board or further up on the board," Baloga said.
Her greater focus is on championship meets later in the season, including the state championship, the state Federation championship and nationals. As such, she described Saturday as "prep work."
"I wanted to enjoy it all and be in the moment," Baloga added, indicating she'd done so.
The same could be said for Doherty, who got to enjoy the moment with friend and teammate Sam Young, who finished third in their race in 12:51.9.
Doherty followed his race plan and went to the front off the gun, explaining, "You kind of have to go out fast because there's a strong funnel."
While he said he tries to keep the same mindset every race, he also noted he was buoyed by the atmosphere.
Young knocked 40 seconds off his previous best on the course, despite not feeling well.
He credited that in part to training, being uninjured and confidence, explaining of the latter, "When I step to the (starting) line, I think I'm the best or second best."
Familiar names/sibling power
Two last names that resonated over the PA system stirred memories.
North Rockland's Ryan Tuohy, whose brother, Pat, and sister, Katelyn, ran Manhattan and whose sister is the all-time girls Manhattan record-holder, finished third in the boys varsity A race.
That was not only impressive for a freshman but particularly impressive since his time of 13:21.6 was .2 of a second faster than Katelyn's record time, which she recorded as a sophomore.
The youngest Tuohy credits both his brother, who ran for Fordham, and his sister, currently a multiple-time All-American at North Carolina State, for his success in the sport.
"Certainly my sister has the best mindset of anyone, in my opinion. She always works really hard. I always wanted to play (with her) and she'd say, 'After I work out.' "
"And my brother has very strong opinions. He'd make sure this was a big deal in my eyes."
"Both helped out a lot. I was watching them since second grade. I hated going (to their meets). Now I'd do anything to watch them race."
Similarly, Iona Prep junior Tommy Flynn spent his early youth at his sisters' (Anna's, Sarah's and Lily's) meets.
Saturday, he like, Ryan, continued to carve out an indivudual identity.
Flynn won the boys varsity C race in 13:1.7, which was 64th best overall out of the 1,324 male varsity finishers.
"I always enjoyed supporting my sisters. A lot of places are home to me. I was really raised in some of these places. To come back here is really a sense of home. This was really important to me," Flynn said of racing Saturday.
He noted he tapped into what he'd learned from his sisters (all Division I collegiate runners), as well as advice from his dad, who has worked to teach him how to better run downhills.
As has been the case all season long in Catholic league competition, he was in a tight race with two Chaminade runners, Jack Higgins and Patrick Mulryan, but "really opened up" a gap on them on a hill.
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Top 10 race finishes
Fifteen varsity races were held. Below are previously unmentioned local runners who finished in the top 10 of their races.
Boys varsity A
Kornel Smith, Briarcliff (seventh place, 13:28.3)
Girls varsity A
Sofia Fenton, Tappan Zee (second place, 15:37.6)
Boys varsity B
Connor Hitt, Ketcham (seventh place, 13:15.2)
Girls varsity B
Anna Furman, Tri-Valley (fifth place, 15:42.5)
Lex Burgin, Bronxville (seventh place, 15:48.8)
Boys varsity C
John Hannagan, Pearl River (eighth place, 13:57.1)
Girls varsity C
Abigail Kowalczyk, Ketcham (eighth place, 16:04.4)
Girls varsity D
Morgan Eigel, Fox Lane (second place, 15:46.5)
Sophie Ginsberg, White Plains (third place, 15:47.7)
Mady Moroney, Pearl River (fourth place, 15:52.7)
Boys varsity E
Collin Catherwood, Monroe-Woodbury (third place, 12:54.7)
Gavin Catherwood, Monroe-Woodbury (seventh place, 13:43.9)
Oliver Jibb, Monroe-Woodbury (eighth place, 13:47)
Ronan Staab, White Plains (ninth place, 13:47.9)
Boys varsity F
Asher Beck, Hackley (sixth place, 13:30.4)
Alex Searle, Pleasantville (seventh place, 13:33.3)
Harrison Caprara, Clarkstown South (ninth place, 13:36.5)
Girls varsity F
Olivia Heim, Monroe-Woodbury (third place, 15:58.3)
Ariel Esposito, New Rochelle (fourth place, 16:01.7)
Kaitlyn Casas, New Rochelle (fifth place, 16:19.9)
Alexandra Simon, Scarsdale (seventh place, 16:31.2)
Samantha Apostolico, Monroe-Woodbury (eighth place, 16:32.7)
Rosemary McManus, Mamaroneck (10th place, 16:37.3)
Pearl River, Monroe-Woodbury win boys team titles, other top finishes
Top five team finishes by local schools with top runner noted if not previously mentioned
Boys varsity A
25 teams scoring
North Rockland (second place, 69 points)
Briarcliff (fourth place, 167 points)
Girls varsity B
21 teams scoring
Bronxville (fifth place, 143 points)
Boys varsity C
26 schools scoring
Pearl River (first place, 117 points)
Girls varsity D
24 teams scoring
Pearl River (third place, 117 points)
Boys varsity E
22 teams scoring
Monroe-Woodbury (first place, 42 points)
White Plains (fourth place, 139 points)
Boys varsity F
21 teams scoring
Suffern (fourth place, 129 points. Top runner: Mason Mayer, 11th place, 13:44.5)
Girls varsity F
22 teams scoring
Scarsdale (second place, 80 points)
Monroe-Woodbury (third place, 89 points)
Ursuline (fourth place, 171 points. Top runner: Kyleigh O'Keefe, 11th place, 16:38.2)
Nancy Haggerty covers cross-country, track & field, field hockey, skiing, ice hockey, girls lacrosse and other sporting events for The Journal News/lohud. Follow her on Twitter at both @HaggertyNancy and at @LoHudHockey.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Cross-country: Cornwall's Baloga, Mamaroneck's Doherty win at Manhattan
