The Carmel boys cross country team added another state championship to its collection on Saturday.
The Greyhounds emerged victorious in what turned out to be a three-team fight to the finish at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course in Terre Haute. Carmel scored 136 points to win the state title, just ahead of runner-up Cathedral’s 146 points and third-place Fishers’ 150 points.
In scoring the close win, the ‘Hounds secured their 16th state championship, far and away the most of any school. Carmel’s score of 136 was the third-highest total for a winning team, but it was enough to give the Greyhounds a second straight title.
The Irish had the individual winner in Cole Hocker, who raced home in a time of 15:25.1 and also gave Cathedral one team point. But Carmel had better head-to-head finishes for its second, third and fourth runners, enabling them to quickly catch and overtake the Irish.
Calvin Bates was the Greyhounds’ leading runner. He finished 19th overall and scored 11 points; that would help Carmel stay close. Grant Moon, Ben Johnson and Will Murphy scored 21, 27 and 32 team points respectively, well ahead of Cathedral’s 30, 31 and 40. Bates’ finish also gave him All-State status, which goes to any runner finishing in the top 25.
Fishers also had an all-state runner, as Ethan Meyer took ninth place. Ethan scored four team points, with Alex Meyer scoring 18 and Drew Smith 20 points. That would be more than enough to secure third place for the Tigers, who outdistanced fourth-place Concordia Lutheran by 78 points. Fishers’ fourth and fifth runners, Jared Halamka and Quintin Goldman, scored 52 and 56 points, also well ahead of Concordia’s fourth and fifth runners.
Hamilton Southeastern finished in 13th place with 329 points. Grant Wilson finished in 64th to lead the Royals.
Meanwhile, two individuals competed in the boys race and both earned All-State honors. Guerin Catholic’s Quinn Gallagher placed fifth, the highest of any Hamilton County runner, clocking in at 15:45.7. Noblesville sophomore Travis Hickner placed 21st, receiving All-State in his first appearance at Terre Haute.
Gallagher received a further honor when he was named the boys Charles F. Maas Award for Mental Attitude. Gallagher thus became the first Guerin Catholic runner to receive a cross country Mental Attitude Award.
In the girls race, four county teams placed in the top 10. Carmel finished fourth, with Southeastern placing fifth; that gave both schools podium finishes.
Both schools scored 235 points; the Greyhounds got the edge on the sixth-runner placing. Phoebe Bates led Carmel by taking 49th.
The Royals had the highest-finishing girls runner, as senior Lulu Black finished 10th. That gave Black All-State honors for the second year in a row.
Fishers placed seventh by scoring 261 points, with Vera Schafer’s 33rd-place finish leading the Tigers. Noblesville took ninth with 307 points; Sophie Reichard led the Millers by taking 39th place.
Hamilton Heights’ Maria Mitchell finished 75th in her first race at state.
GIRLS RACE
Team scores: Fort Wayne Carroll 85, Zionsville 149, West Lafayette 176, Carmel 235, Hamilton Southeastern 235, Bishop Dwenger 253, Fishers 261, Brebeuf Jesuit 268, Noblesville 307, Chesterton 314, Floyd Central 322, Franklin Central 326, Valparaiso 328, Lowell 353, Homestead 361, Bloomington North 361, Pike 363, Penn 410, Bloomington South 446, Columbus North 447, Warsaw 449, Crown Point 464, Evansville Memorial 496, Edgewood 500.
Race winner: Emma Wilson (Greencastle) 17:53.9.
Carmel runners: 49. Phoebe Bates 19:23.9, 55. Abby Parker 19:27.1, 67. Lindsey Roper 19:33.1, 79. Jamie Klavon 19:42.8, 88. Brooke Waldal 19:51.3, 90. Alivia Romaniuk 19:52.4, 119. Anna Christie 20:17.0.
Southeastern runners: 10. Lulu Black 18:37.5, 42. Halle Hill 19:18.9, 54. Lilly Cummins 19:25.8, 105. Lilly Patrick 20:02.1, 121. Maddie Mirro 20:20.1, 172. Ellie Pedersen 21:14.9, 185. Brooke Ratliff 21:31.4.
Fishers runners: 33. Vera Schafer 19:11.8, 78. Abigail Carter 19:42.6, 81. Teresa Kraft 19:45.6, 85. Debbie Shera 19:47.7, 104. Elizabeth Barrett 20:01.9, 107. Miya Wai 20:04.9, 151. Emma Gillespie 20:47.1.
Noblesville runners: 39. Sophie Reichard 19:17.3, 76. Madison King 19:40.9, 86. Aubrey Swart 19:48.1, 118. Taylor Gregory 20:16.5, 124. Aubrie Deal 20:22.5, 133. Isabella Sharples-Gordon 20:26.9, 187. Sophie Stahl 21:34.6.
Hamilton Heights runner: 75. Maria Mitchell 19:40.5.
BOYS RACE
Team scores: Carmel 136, Cathedral 146, Fishers 150, Concordia Lutheran 228, Bloomington South 230, Columbus North 234, Zionsville 244, Bloomington North 287, North Central 297, Homestead 300, Franklin Community 310, Highland 329, Hamilton Southeastern 329, Lowell 329, Valparaiso 332, Westview 332, Crown Point 345, Harrison 356, Avon 402, West Noble 434, Floyd Central 478, Tell City 510, West Lafayette 521, Jennings County 549.
Race winner: Cole Hocker (Cathedral) 15:25.1.
Carmel runners: 19. Calvin Bates 16:14.0, 33. Grant Moon 16:27.4, 40. Ben Johnson 16:32.9, 46. Will Murphy 16:36.8, 68. Cameron Harless 16:50.8, 74. Thomas Gastineau 16:54.2, 112. Patrick Campbell 17:10.0.
Fishers runners: 9. Ethan Meyer 16:00.1, 30. Alex Meyer 16:24.3, 32. Drew Smith 16:26.8, 80. Jared Halamka 16:57.3, 86. Quintin Goldman 16:59.8, 109. Thomas Brelage 17:09.3, 125. Dylan Arive 17:20.2.
Southeastern runners: 64. Grant Wilson 16:48.0, 82. Eric Swinson 16:57.5, 102. Eric Carothers 17:06.4, 115. Nolan Satterfield 17:12.4, 117. Jacob Wiggers 17:15.1, 182. James Rathbun 18:10.5.
Guerin Catholic runner: 5. Quinn Gallagher 15:45.7.
Noblesville runner: 21. Travis Hickner 16:15.9.
The Carmel boys cross country team won a close three-team race for the state championship Saturday at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course in Terre Haute. The Greyhounds won their 16th title by scoring 136 points, just ahead of runner-up Cathedral’s 146 points. and third-place Fishers’ 150 points. (Kent Graham)
Guerin Catholic’s Quinn Gallagher won the Charles F. Maas Award for Mental Attitude after the boys meet. Gallagher finished in fifth place, the highest of any Hamilton County runner. (Kent Graham)