Lapel’s Cameron Smith(r) runs in a pack at the start of the boys race at the IHSAA Cross Country State Championship meet on Saturday, October 28,2023 at LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course in Terre Haute.
Center Grove’s Kyle Montgomery trying to stay ahead of Lapel’s Cameron Smith(309) at the finish line at the IHSAA Cross Country State Championship meet on Saturday, October 28,2023 at LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course in Terre Haute. C
Pendleton Heights’ Ava Jarrell(788) making a kick to pass two runners at the finish line of the girls race at the IHSAA Cross Country State Championship meet on Saturday, October 28,2023 at LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course in Terre Haute.
TERRE HAUTE — Two local runners made their return to the Indiana High School Athletic Association Cross Country State Finals this past weekend.
Lapel senior Cameron Smith made his second-straight appearance in the boys race, while Pendleton Heights junior Ava Jarrell ran in the girls race for the second year in a row.
Both improved on their times from last season at Lavern Gibson Championship Course on Saturday afternoon.
Jarrell moved up one spot from her 31st-place finish a year ago to earn 30th with a time of 18:32.1. The time was a 25-second improvement from last season.
While Smith’s final placement in the race didn’t improve, his time did.
His time of 16:11.4 was an 18-second improvement and earned him 86th place out of 250 runners.He finished 63rd last year.
Jarrell entered the race with a win at the Noblesville Sectional, and an 11th place finish at the Shelbyville Regional.
Smith placed 13th at the sectional and 10th at the regional.
Indianapolis Brebeuf’s Cameron Todd was the boys individual champion with a time of 14:55.5.
Carmel won its second straight team title with 76 points, defeating runner-up Fishers (185) by more than 100 points.
Indian Creek sophomore Libby Dowty defeated Delta’s Nicki Southerland by nine seconds to win the girls individual title with a time of 17:06.7.
Homestead won the girls team title with 108 points, narrowly beating Fort Wayne Concordia (115) and Valparaiso (146).