News

One of the most colorful of all IHSAA state championship events on the calendar takes place this Saturday as runners from across the state will converge on the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course in Terre Haute to determine this year’s state champions. The boys race begins at 1 pm ET with the girls race to follow at 1:45 pm ET.

Twenty-four full teams and 40 more individuals who qualified without their squad (208 runners in each race) will compete in each race over the 5,000 meter course known as one of the finest in the nation.

The boys team title could be a showdown between the top two teams in the latest coaches poll – No. 1 Carmel and No. 2 Columbus North. The two schools own 17 state championships between them and shared the last five in a row with the Greyhounds ending the Bull Dogs three-year run a year ago.

Six of last year’s top 20 finishers are back for another shot at the tape including Zachery Panning of Fort Wayne Concordia, last year’s state runner-up and local favorite Jackson Bertoli of Terre Haute South, last year’s fourth place finisher. Besides those two, other semi-state winners last weekend were Ellis Coon of Warsaw and David Dalton of Greenwood.

On the girls side, defending state champion Anna Rohrer of Mishawaka is not participating in this year’s tournament after being sidelined earlier this season with a broken bone in her foot just days after recording the fastest 5,000 meter time in state history (16:52.24) back in August. Her absence leaves the door open for someone else to etch their name into the history books.

Some of the prime contenders include semi-state winners Mackenzie Caldwell of Columbus North, who finished fourth last year, Elena Lancioni of LaPorte, Kelcy Welch of Carmel or Maddie Woods of Penn. Or it could be one of the other seven returnees from last year’s top 20 finishers.

Like their boys team, Carmel’s top-ranked girls are the three-time defending state champion. The Greyhounds will be seeking their fifth title in six years and would become the first school since Floyd Central (1989-92) to win four consecutive. The school’s girls golf team already earned the state title on Oct. 5.

A live webstream of Saturday’s races will be available courtesy of Terre Haute North High School and local CBS affiliate Channel 10 beginning at 12 pm ET: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/terre-haute-north-video

68th Boys and 33rd Girls Cross Country State Finals
Date: Saturday, Nov. 2, 2013.
Site: LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course, Wabash Valley Sports Center, 599 S. Tabortown Road, Terre Haute, IN  47803
Course Layout
Times: Boys at 1 pm ET; Girls at 1:45 pm ET.
Admission: $8.00 per person.
Feeder Semi-States: Brown County, Carmel, New Haven, New Prairie.
Webstream: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/terre-haute-north-video

Boys Lane Assignments | Girls Lane Assignments | Boys Coaches Poll | Girls Coaches Poll

State Finals Media Credentials – The 2013-14 IHSAA State Finals Media Credential issued previously for the girls golf and boys tennis state finals is good for admission. For those outlets without credentials and planning to cover the cross country state meet, please apply by e-mailing your request (with name of individual applying) to IHSAA Sports Information Director Jason Wille at jwille@ihsaa.org. E-mail requests MUST originate from a recognized business account; e-mails from personal accounts (ie: yahoo.com, aol.com, etc.) will not be accepted. Approved requests will be available for pickup at the Wabash Valley Family Sports Center adjacent to the course beginning at 11 am ET. Please have media identification available and enter the grounds using the east gate nearest the Sports Center.

Media Services – IHSAA Sports Information Director Jason Wille will be on site to assist in your coverage of this year’s state finals. Official programs will be available at the Sports Center facility along with computer-generated results following the races. Wireless access will be available for filing stories and photographs. Please be aware that the building will close promptly at 6:30 pm ET/5:30 CT.

Notables

Girls Teams Qualified (24)
Avon, Bloomington North, Bloomington South, Carmel, Carroll (Fort Wayne), Columbus North, Floyd Central, Franklin Central, Hamilton Southeastern, Homestead, Huntington North, Jasper, Lake Central, LaPorte, Northridge, Pendleton Heights, Penn, Portage, Terre Haute North, Twin Lakes, Warsaw, West Lafayette, Westfield, Zionsville.

Returning Girls Teams from 2012 (17)
Avon, Bloomington North, Bloomington South, Carmel, Carroll (Fort Wayne), Columbus North, Franklin Central, Hamilton Southeastern, Homestead, Huntington North, Northridge, Penn, Portage, Terre Haute North, Warsaw, West Lafayette, Westfield.

Most Consecutive Girls Team Appearances
33 by Carmel, 1981-current.

Active Streaks of Girls Team Appearances (Three or more years)
33: Carmel.
10: Carroll (Fort Wayne), Terre Haute North.
7: Bloomington South, Columbus North.
6: Huntington North, Portage.
4: Terre Haute South, West Lafayette, Westfield.
3: Avon, Hamilton Southeastern, Northridge, Penn, Warsaw.

Girls Team Appearance Droughts Broken (10 or more years)
25: Pendleton Heights (1988).
14: LaPorte (1999).
11: Floyd Central (2002).

Girls First Team Appearance
Twin Lakes, Zionsville.

Former Girls State Champions in the Field
None.

Defending Girls Team Champion
Carmel is the three-time defending team champion and looking for its fifth title in last six years.

Defending Girls Individual Champion
None.

***

Boys Teams Qualified (24)
Bloomington North, Bloomington South, Brebeuf Jesuit, Carmel, Carroll (Fort Wayne), Columbus North, Crown Point, Evansville North, Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger, Homestead, Lake Central, Lawrence North, Munster, North Central (Indianapolis), Northridge, South Adams, South Bend Riley, South Knox, Terre Haute South, Valparaiso, Warsaw, West Lafayette, Westfield, Zionsville.

Boys Teams Returning from 2012 (14)
Bloomington North, Bloomington South, Carmel, Carroll (Fort Wayne), Columbus North, Evansville North, Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger, Homestead, Northridge, Terre Haute South, Valparaiso, Warsaw, West Lafayette, Westfield.

Most Consecutive Boys Team Appearances
38 by Carmel, 1976-current.

Active Streaks of Boys Team Appearances (Three or more years)
38: Carmel.
8: Bloomington South.
7: Columbus North.
6: Valparaiso.
4: Carroll (Fort Wayne), Terre Haute South.
3: Evansville North, Warsaw.

Boys Team Appearance Droughts Broken (10 or more years)
12: South Bend Riley (2001).

First Boys Team Appearance
Brebeuf Jesuit, South Adams, South Knox.

Former Boys State Champions in the Field
None.

Defending Boys Team Champion
Carmel is the defending team champion and aiming for its third crown in six years (2008).

Defending Boys Individual Champion
None.

***

About the Indiana High School Athletic Association, Inc. (IHSAA)
Founded in 1903, the purpose of the Indiana High School Athletic Association, Inc. (IHSAA) is to encourage, regulate and give direction to wholesome amateur interschool athletic competition between its 412 member schools. The Association provides state championship tournament series in 20 sports, 10 for girls and 10 for boys. Approximately 160,000 student athletes participate in IHSAA sports on an annual basis.