By Lori Wood | For The Times-Post
TERRE HAUTE — For all the runners from Lapel and Pendleton, it was their first time competing in the IHSAA State Cross Country Finals on Oct. 29.
For one, it closed out his career running the Laverne Gibson Championship Cross Country Course in Terre Haute.
Arabian sophomore Ava Jarrell was the top finisher from the two schools. She ran the course in 18:58.7, finishing in 31st and not even a full tick off of a Top 30 podium finish.
Lapel freshman Sophie Goodwin, battling a foot stress fracture finished her first state finals race in 203rd spot with a time of 24:43. Goodwin is the first girl from Lapel to make the state meet.
For the boys, junior Bulldog Cameron Smith was 63rd with a time of 16:29.5, while Pendleton Heights senior Andrew Blake ran his final race as an Arabian.
Blake ran a time of 16:39.5 and finished 84th. Blake was the first runner for the boys team to make the state finals since 2018 when Milan Jones placed 93rd.
Lapel’s last appearance in the state meet was in 2019 when Luke Combs placed third.
