Maddie Laezza sets course record in 5,000 meter run at Sunken Meadow

Suffolk County has boasted some New York legends in recent memory, like Shoreham-Wading River’s Katherine Lee, Floyd’s Zariel Macchia and Bayport-Blue Point’s Sophia McInnes. One thing that the three of them have in common: none of them have ever run as fast at Sunken Meadow State Park as Eastport-South Manor junior Maddie Laezza did on Monday.

Laezza finished the 5,000 meter run in 18 minutes, 9.1 seconds to win the Suffolk Division Championships, breaking Suffolk’s course record at Sunken Meadow. The previous mark of 18:10.4 was set by Lee in 2016.

Laezza was a lifelong soccer player her whole life and is only in her first year as a cross country runner. She had run indoor and outdoor track in the past, but this past summer, she attended The Running School in Fulton County. After having fun there, she decided she wanted to switch from soccer to cross country.

“Everyone had always been telling me, ‘You’re such a good runner, you should do it,’” Laezza said. “I decided to just do it. In the back of my mind, I miss soccer a little bit, but I love this. It’s so fun.”

By outperforming those past legends on Sunken Meadow’s strenuous course, she won both the Suffolk Division III championship and the overall championship, as she placed first in the merged results between the four divisions.

“I didn’t ever expect myself to be this successful with running,” Laezza said. “I just never imagined this. I always looked up to Zariel and Sophia, and I’m just so shocked that I passed them. It feels really good, but I’ve got to stay humble. There’s always going to be somebody out there ready to beat me.”

The only repeat individual champion was Northport freshman Fiona King, who won Division II in 18:22 and placed second in the overall merge. Center Moriches senior Emma Gold won the Division IV championship in 20:10.5, dethroning Mount Sinai sophomore Cali Gabrielson.

SEE PHOTOSPhotos: Suffolk girls cross country division championships

Bay Shore senior Maggie McCormick took home the Division I title in 18:30, placing third in the merge. After failing to qualify for the state meet last year, she set out to make this year a big one. So far, she has met her expectations, as she won every dual meet in the regular season and is a division titleholder.

“I never want to feel like that again after last cross country season,” McCormick said. “I made it my goal to do anything in my power to be the best possible athlete, teammate and student overall. It feels great to know that the promise I made to myself is coming true, but once again, I’m not fulfilled yet.”

McCormick, along with junior Riley Shoemaker, sophomore Julianna Trotta, freshman Ryan Cruikshank and senior Darlyne Marca, helped Bay Shore score 17 points to win the Division I team title. Ward Melville, led in order by freshman Isabella Horn, juniors Elizabeth Wright and Julia Schmitz, freshman Lauren Casey and junior Lina Muy, scored 49 to win Division II. Cali Gabrielson, along with eighth graders Delaney Gervino and Capri Gabrielson, and sophomores Kylie Heins and Kyra Metzler, helped Mt. Sinai score 27 to win Division IV.

Sayville, led by junior Marianna Duffy and her freshman sister, Christina Duffy, scored 30 points to win Division III. Along with sophomores Elizabeth Butruch and Aislyn Beach, as well as junior Catherine Simovich, Sayville scored 86 points in the merge to win it all.
 

By Mike Anderson

michael.anderson@newsday.com

Mike Anderson is a high school sports reporter who has covered 12 sports so far at Newsday. He was the sports editor of Stony Brook University's campus newspaper for two years.