Eastport–South Manor junior Maddie Laezza delivered another remarkable performance this past weekend, placing second in 17 minutes, 15.2 seconds in the Class B 5K race at the NYSPHSAA Public School State Championships at Queensbury High School. With this impressive finish, she has officially qualified for the prestigious State Federation Championships. That event will be held this weekend at Bowdoin Park in Wappingers Falls. Her advancement to the Federation meet is another milestone in what has already become one of the most compelling stories of the season.
Laezza’s rise is extraordinary, especially considering how new she is to cross country racing. Before this fall season, she had never run the sport competitively. Her athletic background centered on indoor and outdoor track and field, where she excelled in middle-distance and distance events, as well as soccer, a sport she played for years. After careful consideration, she chose to pursue cross country instead of continuing with soccer — a decision that has proven to be transformative for both her and the ESM program.
From her very first meet, Laezza established herself as a dominant force. She went completely unbeaten in all of her local races throughout the regular season. Laezza won every dual meet, consistently finishing well ahead of the field of competitors, and she topped the merged results at both the Suffolk County Division Championships and the State Qualifier. Her combination of speed, endurance, and competitive instinct set her apart immediately.
The only runner to defeat her all season was John Jay–Cross River senior Sloan Wasserman, the top-ranked runner in New York State, who edged her out at the championships. Still, finishing second to the state’s premier talent only underscores Laezza’s rapid rise and enormous potential. With the Federation Championships ahead, she continues to write one of Suffolk County’s most impressive debut seasons.