10/29/2009
Two new individual champions are assured this Saturday as the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course in Terre Haute plays host to the IHSAA Boys and Girls State Finals.
With seven runners from 24 teams plus 28 individual boys and 24 individual girls, there will be nearly 200 competitors that take to the 5,000 meter course in each race. The boys begin at 1 pm ET with the girls to follow at approximately 1:45 pm ET.
Last year’s individual winners – Sarah Higgens of Center Grove and Drew Shields of Fishers – both graduated opening the door for a number of hopefuls.
Three of last year’s top 10 boys finishers return led by North Central Futsum Zeinasellassie. The sophomore finished as the runner-up in 2008 and appears to be a favorite this time around. He has won each of his three tournament races in dominating fashion including the semi-state win by more than 20 seconds. Junior James Martin of Carroll (Fort Wayne), last year’s third place finisher, and Tyler Byrne, a North Harrison senior, also have taken the top spot in each of their post-season races.
David Osborn of Chesterton took the overall victory at the New Prairie Semi-State last weekend and was one of five Trojan runners to finish in the top 13 helping the school to its first semi-state crown since 2001. Osborn finished 20th in last year’s state meet.
In other team competition last weekend, Columbus North won its first semi-state since 2003 by dominating the field at Carmel. Five Bull Dogs finished in the top 12 and its sixth-best was 19th. Terre Haute North, the host school this weekend, edged North Harrison by a single point (55-56) for its second consecutive semi-state championship at Brown County. Concord topped the charts at New Haven winning the school’s first semi-state in boys cross country.
Four top 10 girls finishers from 2008 are in Saturday’s field and will look to move up the chart this weekend. Lake Central’s Dana Payonk finished fourth at this meet last year and will look to cap her senior year with a state championship. She won the semi-state race at New Prairie by more than 20 seconds.
Sophomore Sarah Bennett helped Carmel win its state-best 13th semi-state with her own individual victory. Teammate Renee Wellman, last year’s fifth place finisher at state, placed third. Bennett finished 39th at state last season.
Brianna Johnson of Carroll (Fort Wayne) who rounded out last year’s top 10, placed third at New Haven on Saturday, more than 14 seconds behind winner Ashley Erba of Warsaw. Boone Grove junior Jordan Chester finished eighth at New Prairie on Saturday, the same finish she had in Terre Haute last October.
Freshman TaPring Goatee of Terre Haute North won the Brown County Semi-State helping the Patriots to their first team crown since 2005. Crown Point won its first girls semi-state championship at New Prairie.
64th Boys and 29th Girls Cross Country State Finals
Date: Saturday, Oct. 31.
Times: Boys 1 pm ET; Girls 1:45 pm ET.
Admission: $8.00 per person.
LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course, Wabash Valley Sports Center, 599 S. Tabortown Road, Terre Haute, Ind. | Course Layouts and Driving Directions
Internet: IHSAASports.org will produce a highlight reel of both girls and boys races and post it to their website Saturday evening.
Boys: Lane Assignments | Entries (Revised 10/27)
Girls: Lane Assignments | Entries (Revised 10/27)
State Finals Program
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