Nine area runners advance to IHSAA regional cross country races in Shelbyville

Nine Shelby County cross country runners advanced out of sectional races Saturday morning in Shelbyville and Fortville.

At Blue River Memorial Park in Shelbyville, three Shelbyville girls and a pair of runners from Shelbyville and Waldron secured top 15 finishes to advance to IHSAA regional competition.

The top five teams and the top 15 individuals not on an advancing team qualified for regional races.

Shelbyville’s Macey Robbins finished 18^th overall in 21 minutes, two seconds. She will be joined at the Shelbyville Regional on her home course by teammates Aerin Garcia-Santiago (29^th overall in 22:09) and Paige O’Connor (41^st overall in 22:56).

Shelbyville finished eighth in the team standings. Roncalli was crowned sectional champion while Whiteland, Center Grove, Indian Creek and Perry Meridian all advanced to the Shelbyville Regional.

Also competing for Shelbyville Saturday were Cora Flynn (49^th in 24:02), Avery Keller (60^th in 25:25), Haylee Barnes (62^nd in 25:31) and Claire Kamplain (64^th in 25:42).

Running for Waldron at the sectional were Kassidy Meulen (50^th in 24:09) and Riley Price (58^th in 25:06).

Southwestern was represented by Kyndra King (74^th in 32:53) and Bethany Woodhouse (75^th in 42:02).

Center Grove won the boys team sectional title, edging Indian Creek, 78-80, in the final standings. Also advancing to the regional competition in Shelbyville were Whiteland, Franklin and Roncalli.

Waldron placed ninth and Shelbyville was 10^th.

Shelbyville runners advancing out of the Shelbyville Sectional are (from left, front row): Macey Robbins, Paige O'Connor and Aerin Garcia-Santiago; (second row): Logan Reinhart and Shia Veach.

Shelbyville’s Shia Veach placed 11^th overall in 16:42. He will be joined at the regional by Logan Reinhart (39^th in 17:45).

Waldron advanced two to the regional – Will Larrison (19^th in 17:01) and Jared Crosby (31^st in 17:36).

Also competing for Shelbyville in the sectional were Blake Hughes (69^th in 19:11), Christian Powell (71^st in 19:45), Ethan Coffey (72^nd in 19:58), Ryan Chaney (76^th in 20:15) and Gavin Harker (81^st in 20:39).

Completing Waldron’s team score were Nathaniel Evans (52^nd in 18:20), Jacob Kuhn (75^th in 20:10) and Spencer Armstrong (79^th in 20:30) .

Triton Central’s Hunter Franklin (20:35) and Max Tupper (22:23) closed out their season at the sectional.

Southwestern had four competitors – Chris Claiborne (21:18), Samuel Wilson (23:45), Max Wilson (24:23) and Gavin Harrison (30:34).

Mt. Vernon Sectional

Morristown traveled north to Fortville for the Mt. Vernon Sectional and had two record-setting performances.

Grace McLaughlin and Audrey VanDyke (photo) both broke the Morristown school record of 22:07 set by Kaylee Creekmore to advance to the Shelbyville Regional.

McLaughlin finished the course in 21:21 to place 31^st overall and set a new program record for the Yellow Jackets.

VanDyke finished 36^th in the field in 21:48 to also advance to the regional.

Morristown finished ninth in the team standings.

Also running for Morristown were Brooke Kuhn (22:47), Remi Spicklemire (27:49) and Savannah Theobald (30:22).

Morristown placed 12^th in the boys team standings.

Closing out their seasons were Lakshdeep Singh (51^st in 18:27), Ryan Crisman (56^th in 18:49), Armaan Singh (74^th in 20:56), Bradley Theobald (79^th in 23:09) and Evan Trittipo (24:28).

Shelbyville Regional Information

The top 15 individuals from a non-advancing team and the first five qualifying teams advance to the state championship race on Nov. 2 at LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course in Terre Haute.

There are five regional competitions around the state Saturday. The Shelbyville Regional features qualifiers from sectionals held at Noblesville, Mt. Vernon, Rushville, Shelbyville and Southwestern (Hanover).

The girls race is scheduled to start at Blue River Memorial Park at 10:30 a.m. The boys race follows at approximately 11:15 a.m.

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