The Colts once again showed why they are one of the best running programs in the country.

CBA Cross Country captured its fourth-straight Eastern States Championship at the Manhattan Invitational on October 11.

Running on the historic Van Cortlandt Park course, the Colts scored 78 points to beat nationally-ranked Bishop Hendricken (RI), who finished second with 125. The win marks CBA’s 21st Eastern States crown, a meet record, as well as the team’s ninth title since 2009.

The victory was especially meaningful as CBA took home the newly-named Alex Kemp Trophy, honoring the late CBA runner from the Class of 2024 who played a key role in the 2022 and 2023 Eastern States victories. Sharing the stage with the Kemp family, the team’s celebration was as much about legacy as it was about performance.

On the course, the Colts produced the third fastest team average ever at Van Cortlandt Park (12:41.5).

Luke Hnatt ‘26 (12:10) and Gavin Schmitt ‘27 (12:28) led the way, both earning spots in the CBA all-time top 10 at VCP. Sean Galvin ‘26 (12:44), Wyatt Falkowski ‘26 (12:56), and Ryan Collins ‘26 (12:58) rounded out a scoring five that showed both talent and depth.

Looking ahead, the win signals that the Colts are not just strong in the present, but also well-positioned for the remainder of the season and beyond.

With upperclassmen like Hnatt and Schmitt running some of the fastest times in program history, and a deep core of underclassmen preparing to carry the load, CBA positions itself as a national contender for the rest of the fall.

The Colts will run in the Shore Conference Championship on October 23, before the Non-Public A State Championship on November 8.