2011 saw some of the best performances from the boys out of New York State in recent memory. For much of the season, New York was consistently represented in the national rankings between four power teams: Fayetteville-Manlius, Shaker, Rush Henrietta-Sperry, and Arlignton. Several runners went through their entire regular season undefeated. New York also managed to send squads to both Nike and Foot Locker National Championships. Below you will find our All-Stars by grade. We decided to determine status by grade as to give the reader a better sense of the depth of talent coming back to us next year. Finally, you will find the 2011 Dream Team, which compiles the best, most well-rounded team possible New York has to offer. You can look out for our season wrap up and team awards later in the week. Please note, all decisions represented below are based on the opinions of the State Webmaster, Kyle Brazeil. They reflect considerations from early season, championship season, and post season performances. If you feel somebody key was missed, feel free to sound off in our message boards.
12th Graders
1 – Dan Lennon – Peru – Dan had a monster season, proving he is one of the best male runners to come out of Section 7 in the past 10 years. He placed first at the Burnt Hills Invitational, first at the VVS Invitational over Nick Ryan, as well as a pair of first place finishes at the league and sectional championship level. Once Lennon hit the state level, his talents shown through, as he placed third overall in the States’ merge, behind a breakout performance by Victor senior MJ Erb. Continuing onto post-season, Lennon placed second at the Foot Locker Northeast Regional, only being beaten by the unstoppable Edward Cheserek of New Jersey. Continuing on, Lennon would run a strong 15:43 to take 21st nationally.
2 – Brendan Smith – Christian Brothers Academy of Syracuse – Smith showed glimmers of greatness in the early season, taking 3rd in the East-Syracuse Minoa Invitation. However, it wasn’t until mid-season where Smith started to come into his own. His journey began by taking home one of the Varsity races in the Manhattan Invitational, finishing first in his division. He continued to impress as he placed 2nd at the rainy Chittenango Invite, and 1st for his class at the Section 3 Championships. At the State meet, Smith was able to pull out a convincing 5th place finish in the merge. But it would be Feds where Smith would have his most impressive performance, as he was able to hold off two of NYC’s finest runners on the final straightaway to claim first place. While he had originally thought he would be returning to Bowdoin the week after Feds to run for a spot at NXN, Smith instead chose to participate at the Foot Locker Qualifier, where he finished just short of qualifying in the 14th position.
3 – Mike Libruk – Shaker – Many wondered how Shaker would fare with the injury to top returner Delago at the beginning of the season. Mike Libruk, Shakers then #2 man, answered those questions quickly, as he came into his own early in the season, and began running fast times right out of the gate. Libruk’s journey began at the VVS Invitational, where he ran the 2nd fastest time of the day. It would be the last time he would see a silver medal for a while, as he went on to claim first place finishes at the McQuaid Invitational, the Section 2 League and County Championships, and the Section 2 Champs. Coming from a family with a rich running background, Libruk would go on to place 15th overall in the States’ merge, as well as a 4th place in the Federation’s Championship meet, which would help Shaker take 1st overall as a team. Libruk would help his team repeat the first place finish the week after, at the Nike Cross Regional – New York division meet, where he took 2nd overall. Once qualified for Oregon, Libruk would go on to finish 68th in Portland.
4 – Thomas Awad – Chaminade – Representing one half of the great rivalry coming out of the CHSAA, Awad has had a great season this year. His season started out strong, with a 2nd place finish in a strong field at the Briarwood Invitational. Next, he tackled a 6th place finish at the Bowdoin XC Classic, behind a strong group of CBA (NJ) runners, who would later go on to be national champs. Next, he won his varsity division at the Manhattan Invitational, covering the 4000m distance in 12:57. He continued on winning with a first place showing at the CHSAA Varsity champs, and a 2nd place finish at the CHSAA Intersectionals. At Feds, it would be Awad who would be first to challenge Brendan Smith for the top spot, coming in a close 3rd after a last second push. Awad would then go on to qualify for Nike Cross Nationals with an 8th place finish at the regional qualifier. In Oregon, Awad finished a respectable 54th out of a field of 200.
5 – Matt Deyo – Fayetteville-Manlius – While he may be a senior, 2011 was Matt Deyo’s first season in racing spikes. Previously only a runner in his own free time, Deyo was a key recruit for FM, as he consistently placed well for the top boys’ team contender. Deyo’s season started out rough, with a 14th place finish at the VVS Invitational. However, whatever race experience Deyo gained from VVS was soon put to good use, as he jettisoned himself to a strong 8th place finish in the Easterns Championship in the Manhattan Invitational. Riding his success, Deyo would next finish 2nd at the Section 3 Championships, trailing only behind one of his teammates. His 4th place finish in the States’ merge also impresses for his rookie season. Deyo would then go on to place 7th overall at the Nike Cross Regional – New York division, and then put in a 15:54 at NXN, good enough for 33rd overall. One may wonder where Deyo would be now if he had begun as a freshman, but one thing is for sure, his senior year is far from lacking accomplishment.
Honorable Mentions -
Alt - Cooper Roach -- Honeoye Falls-Lima
Alt - Konrad Surkont -- Stuyvesant
11th Graders
1 – Nick Ryan – Fayetteville-Manlius – Undeniably New York’s fastest runner for 2011, Nick Ryan had a unparalleled season, comparable only to female teammate Jillian Fanning’s, also a junior. After finishing 3rd at the early season VVS Invitational, Ryan would go on to place 5th in a strong Easterns Championship in the Manhattan Invitational. After that point, Ryan would not see the back of any runner until eventual winner Futsum Zeinasellassie overtook Ryan 2 miles into the Nike Cross Nationals race. For just an idea of the dominating way in which he ran his races, Ryan finished a clear 45 seconds ahead of eventual Feds winner Brendan Smith at the Section 3 Championships. Likewise, in the States’ merge, Ryan’s time of 16:28 was 30 seconds faster than the next closest finisher. Running controlled on a muddy Bowdoin Park course for the Nike Cross Regional qualifier, Ryan again finished first over Shaker’s Mike Libruk. At Nike Cross Nationals, Ryan shocked the nation as he pushed a pace early, that would give him a 60m lead over the rest of the field for a majority of the race. As other runners eventually responded to Ryan’s strong pace, he was able to hang on to a 5th place finish.
2 – Dan Galford – Monsignor Farrell – The other half of the strong CHSAA contingent, Galford was no stranger to competition this season. After placing 4th in the early season Regis Invitational, Galford traveled to Indiana to attend the Bob Firman Invitational. In an incredibly strong field of national powerhouses, Galford finished 24th overall. Returning home to New York, Galford would place first overall at the NYC Mayors Cup, as well as 7th overall in the Eastern Championship in the Manhattan Invitational. After finishing 4th at the Section 1 Coaches meet, Galford would come back to VCP to take 1st at the CHSAA Intersectionals. At Bowdoin Park for the next two weeks, Galford would take 2nd at Feds, and 3rd overall at Nike Cross Regionals – New York division, punching his ticket to Portland. At NXN, Galford finished in 16 flat, good enough for 48th overall.
3 – Ryan Manahan – Marcellus – Coming from a strong class B contingent in New York State, Manahan performed consistently well throughout the season. He started out his season strong, with a first place finish at the East Syracuse-Minoa Invitiational. Next up was a 4th place overall at the loaded VVS Invitational. Manahan returned to gold the following week at the Baldwinsville Invitational, coming into the 3 mile with a 15:46. Attempting the 3 mile again, in much worse conditions, Manahan would place 4th at the McQuaid Invitational out in Rochester NY. Over the next few weeks, Manahan would go on to assert his dominance in Class B, with first place finishes at the Rome-Coughlin Invitational, the Chittenango Invitational, the Marathon Invitational, and taking first overall for Class B at the Section 3 Championships. When it came to the States’ merge, only the strong senior out of Peru could topple Manahan in Class B, as Ryan ran to a 4th place finish overall.
4 – Sibby Hanson – Arlington – The junior from Arlington, New York ran a strong season that saw fast times in deep competition. While never capturing gold, Hanson was able to provide a strong basis for his team’s score, which allowed them to procure some pretty notable defeats of early season favorite, Shaker. Placing 5th at the Queensbury Invitational, 3rd at the Burnt Hills Invitational, and 3rd at the Section 1 Coaches meet gave Hanson the race experience that he would utilize later in the season. He would use this experience to finish 3rd overall in the Section 1 Championship, as well as 16th and 17th place finishes in the States’ merge and Federation Championships, respectiviely. Hanson’s final race of the season at the Nike Cross Regionals – New York division ended with a 12th place finish, just three positions out of qualifying for Oregon.
5 – Alec Peinkofer – Baldwinsville – Running out of the tough Section 3, Peinkofer has been able to make a name for himself as the B-ville #1 man. Taking second behind Manahan at the East Syracuse-Minoa Invitational, Peinkofer would next tackle the course at the VVS Invitational, for a 10th place finish in his division. Continuing on, Peinkofer would find himself the first place finisher in the large school division at his home meet, the Baldwinsville Invitational. Traveling to famed Van Cortlandt Park, Alec would finish 3rd overall in his varsity race at the Manhattan Invitational 3 mile course. Back up to Section 3 for the remainder of the season, Peinkofer would see a 5th place finish at the wet Chittenango Invitational, a first place finish at his League Conference Champs, and a 6th place finish at the Section 3 Championships. Running a very good race in the States’ merge, Peinkofer would finish 11th overall in a time of 17:04. In his final race of the season at Feds, Peinkofer finished 30th overall.
Honorable Mentions -
Alt - Jack Stevenson -- Stuyvesant
Alt - Stephen Shine -- Briarcliff
10th Graders 
1 - TJ Hornberger – Lake Shore – New Yorks top sophomore comes out of Section 6, as TJ Hornberger has had a great season out of western New York. His season started out strong, as Hornberger took first at West Seneca Invitational. Traveling to the frigid conditions of the McQuaid Invitational, Tj would go on to take 2nd in his division. His season would continue on a high note, as he placed first at his next three meets which include the Bulldog Stampede XC Invite, the Eden Red Raider Invititaional, and the Section 6 Championships. For the States’ merge, Hornberger would put in a 17:02 performance, good enough for 9th fastest of the day. Continuing on at Feds, Hornberger would place 12th overall at the naturally hilly Bowdoin Park course. Hornberger comes into track season having run a decent 4:29 for the 1600m, and looks to lower that even further.
2 - Mickey Burke – Rush Henrietta-Sperry – Burke was the strong leader for the Rush Henrietta Comets out of Section 5. Consistent in his speed, Burke began his season by placing 19th at the VVS Invitational in his division. Next up was a 13th place performance at the GCC Cougar Invitational. At the McQuaid Invitational, Burke would serve up a 15:43 3 mile time that was good enough for 6th place in his division. His first trip to the Manhattan Invitational was equally as successful, as Burke finished 19th in a strong Eastern States Championship. Headin back upstate, Burke would take 1st at his county championship, and 2nd at the Section 5 Championships. Heading into the States merge, Burke pulled off a great performance by finishing 6th overall to lead his team to a win over favorite Fayetteville-Manlius. Continuing on, Burke would finish 19th overall at the Nike Cross Regional – New York division qualifier, where his team finished third, and amongst some controversy ended their season without an At-Large bid to NXN.
3 –Pier Berkmans – Bronx Science - The PSAL’s only male member on the list, Berkmans has been running well for his age all season. His season started out well after a 2nd place finish at the PSAL Group Run in early September. At the NYC Mayor’s Cup, Berkmans would finish 4th overall against a wealth of other talented runners. Coming back to Van Cortlandt Park the week after, he would finish 8 in his varsity division at the Manhattan Invitational. Branching out of the city, Pier ran a 16:45 at the Section 1 Coaches meet at Bowdoin Park, good enough for a 6th place finish. At the PSAL City Championships, Berkmans would come in 3rd overall at the 5000 meter distance. His season would conclude with a quality performance at Feds, where he finished 22nd overall.
4 – Brent Freestone – Saratoga Springs – Saratoga’s lone entry on the guys side is Brent Freestone. Finishing 14th at the Queensbury Invite, Freestone would next finish a strong 9th in his division at the Great American Cross Country Festival in North Carolina. He performed well in Section 2 as well, as he placed 6th at his league meet, as well as 5th in his class at the Section 2 Championships. In the States’ merge, Freestone would place 58th overall, a great place for someone of his age. Continuing on next week, he would take 29th overall at Feds.
5 – Tyler Ranke – Hilton – As a sophomore, Ranke had a good start to his season placing first at the McQuaid Invitational Sophomore boys race with a time of 16:16. It would be his only win of the season, but he held his own against the tough competition he faced outside the sophomore class at the Invitational meets later on in the year. At the Chittenango Invitational, he raced against one of the best runners in the nation, Ryan Manahan of Marcellus, and finished 3rd in his race, while also placing 7th in both the Monroe County Championships and Section 5 Championships. Unfortunately Ranke had a bad race day during the NYSPHSAA - New York State Championships and ran a 17:50 – more than a minute and 30 seconds slower than his time at the Section 5 Championships, placing him 65th in the merged results. Ranke did bounce back the next race at the Nike Nationals New York Regional race, placing 23rd with a time of 16:50.
Honorable Mentions -
Alt - Josh Dryland -- Irondequoit
Alt - Jack Wesley -- Pittsford Mendon
Underclassman
1 - Marco Pompilj – 9th – Collegiate – Marco ran a very impressive season in his debut effort on varsity cross country. He began sweeping the frosh races at notable meets such as the Brewster Bear Invitiational, the NYC Mayors Cup, and the Six Flags Wild Safari Invitational in New Jersey. Moving up to the varsity distance for the Manhattan Invitational, Marco would finish 12th overall in his varsity division, against some runners with 3 more years of experience. Dropping back down to the Frosh races, Pompilj would take first overall at the Collegiate HS Invitational and the Ivy Prep School League Championship. Running against varsity again in the Feds championship, Marco would finish a respectable 24th. You can expect good things from this young city talent in future years.
2 – Benito Muniz – Carmel – While Ben may be known for his shorter distance speed in the mile, his first try at varsity cross country has gone well. Muniz began his season sticking with the frosh divisions, in which he clearly demonstrated dominance, by placing first at both the Big Red Invite and the Warwick Valley Wave Mania Invite. Competing in the freshmen division in the Manhattan Invite, Muniz what would stand today as the fastest time over the 1.25 mile distance for the season: a 6:03. After that performance, Muniz bumped up to the varsity competition, where he fared equally as well. He took 5th at the Green Mountain Lake Invite, 5th at the League Champs, and 5th for the County Championships. In the midst of strong competition at the Section 1 Championships, Muniz came out with an impressive 6th place finish. His season concluded with an 85th place finish in the States’ merge after a hard time adjusting to the cold, but you can expect to see his name time and time again over the next four years.
3 – Bryce Millar – 9th - Fayetteville-Manlius - A freshman who didn’t run many races this season, but proved that he will help maintain the tradition of great, solid runners from FM in his coming years in Cross Country. Millar started off his first race in high school cross country with a solid 17th place finish at the V-V-S Invitational with a time of 16:35. Later on in the season, Millar showed his huge promising talent in a very tough Section 3 filled with great runners. Millar managed to place 5th at the Section 3 Championships with a time of 16:43, along with his fellow FM runners in the top 3 spots. Millar went on to place 39th at the NYSPHSAA - New York State Championships race, and even went on to place 85th at the Nike Nationals New York Regional race with a time of 17:52. Millar would conclude his season as the 6th man for FM in Portlan, where he placed 166th overall.
4 - Jake Johnson – 8th – Colonie - Johnson is a rising star for the Colonie Cross Country program, running in some high school invites as an 8th grader. Johnson’s first race at the high school level was at the Reebok Invitational, where his time of 6:06 would put him as the second fastest freshmen of the day. Next up was the Burnt Hill Invitational, where he covered 3 miles in 16:36, good enough for 37th place finish. After winning the freshmen division at his league championship, Johnson placed 9th with a time of 15:49 in the 3-mile for his class at the Section 2 Championships. He then went onto the NYSPHSAA - New York State Championships, with a 92nd place finish and a time of 18:02 for the 5K race.
5 – Luke Gavigan – 9th – Tappan Zee – Gavigan is a freshman on the Tappan Zee Cross Country team, putting up some quality races for his first high school season. Gavigan started off the season a 17:04.06 in the 5000m at Queensbury Invitational, placing 26th. Gavigan showed consistency, placing in the top 30 runners as a freshman in several more invites throughout the season. To end his freshman Cross country season, Gavigan ran against some great runners from Pearl River and Brewster, finishing with a 17:02.56 in the 5000m at Section 1 Championships, placing 8th in the race. Tappan Zee has a track record of putting out great runners, as one of their alums, Nick Roosa, placed 40th overall in the most recent New York Marathon.
Honorable Mentions -
Alt - Mike Branigan -- Northport
Alt - Jeremy Spiezio -- Greenwich
2011 MileSplit NY Dream Team
1 – Nick Ryan
2 – Dan Lennon
3 – Mike Libruk
4 – Dan Galford
5 – Brendan Smith
Alt – Matt Deyo
Alt – Ryan Manahan
The rationale for the boy’s team selection differs from that of the girls. As compared to girls, boys tend to peak physically later in their high school career, meaning that better times are more heavily distributed towards the upperclassman. The above team is arguably one of the best fields a state can produce, as all but one of its members attended a national championship.