Kellenberg's Aidan Hopkins wins school's first CHSAA state cross country title since 2007
Aidan Hopkins from Kellenberg crosses the finish line in first, winning the Boys Varsity CHSAA High School Cross Country intersectional championships with a time of 12:29.4 at Van Cortlandt Park on Nov. 14, 2026. Credit: Dylan Thiessen
Aidan Hopkins’ ascension has reached its pinnacle.
The Kellenberg sophomore spent the last year skyrocketing up distance running leaderboards, becoming one of the best on Long Island and in the CHSAA. But after Saturday’s CHSAA Intersectional cross country championships at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, Hopkins is no longer one of the best.
He is the best.
Hopkins won the 2.5-mile race in 12 minutes, 29.4 seconds, becoming the first Long Islander to win the Catholic state championship since St. Anthony’s alumnus Collin McLaughlin in 2023. He is the first Firebird to win the title since Thomas Elnick in 2007.
“This is an amazing feeling,” Hopkins said. “Our school hasn’t been known for its running program recently, so it feels good to get us back on the map in the running realm.”
His victory was 5.7 seconds clear of Xaverian senior Elliot Stowe. Hopkins was 8.7 seconds ahead of Monsignor Farrell senior Edwin Alleva — the 2024 champion.
“It feels really good to have my name cemented in history,” Hopkins said.
Chaminade senior Ryan Going placed fourth in 12:56.6. His finish paced the Flyers, who scored 73 points to win their second consecutive team CHSAA championship.
Senior Blake Weaver contributed a seventh-place finish in 13:11.5, junior Kazuma Clarke took 14th in 13:31, senior James Duffy grabbed 17th in 13:35.4 and sophomore George Anastasis rounded out Chaminade’s scoring effort with a 14:01.8 (31st).
Going and Weaver’s high placements made a big difference, because St. Anthony’s (81 points, second place) crossed its No. 5 runner first.
“Last year, I was towards the back of our varsity team, so to be able to be at the front and lead us to the back-to-back state championship feels really great,” Going said.
On the girls’ side, St. Anthony’s won its seventh consecutive team title, scoring 35 points behind a surprise performance from senior Catherine Savage.
Savage almost won the individual championship, placing second in 15:47.6 — 1.8 seconds behind Notre Dame junior Charlotte Jaffres Bell. Savage was the top Long Island finisher, followed by Sacred Heart senior Elle Riches, who was third in 16:14.3.
Behind Savage’s breakout time came St. Anthony’s juniors Fallon Siriban (fourth place, 16:15.3), Megan Murtha (sixth, 16:18.9) and Juliana Sampugnaro (11th, 16:48.8). Senior Elena Ciaccio rounded out the scoring effort (12th, 16:50.1).
“It’s awesome to know that this is what I could do,” Savage said. “Being able to be in the position where I can score these points and bring us to victory fills me with a lot of pride.”
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.
