Aaron Fisher of Franklin Central repeated as state champion and the Portage boys claimed the team title in the 54t^h Annual IHSAA Boys Cross Country State Finals on Saturday at the IU Cross Country Course in Bloomington.

All five of Portage's runners placed in the top 50 overall to capture the school's first cross country state championship since 1992. It was the Indians' fourth state title in the sport.

Junior Michael Taylor led the Indians' pack of runners placing second overall in 15:40.38. Also placing for Portage were senior Steve Samuel in 16^th (16:12.71), senior Jason Ritter in 23rd (16:22.11), junior Michael Zondor in 35^th (16:36.48) and sophomore Craig Foster in 50^th (16:47.26).

Placing second behind Portage's 74 points, were defending state champion Franklin Central at 150; Penn was third at 183; Bloomington North finished fourth with 185 points and Carmel rounded out the top five with 189 points.

For Fisher, it was his second consecutive state championship. He became the ninth runner in the history of the meet to win multiple titles and the first since Jason Casiano of Portage won two consecutive championships in 1989 and 1990.

The Franklin Central junior finished the 5,000 meter race in 15:34.08, just ahead of Taylor. Fisher covered last year's race in 15:30.50.

Rounding out the top five individuals were senior Brian Dunn of Franklin Central in third place (15:52.85), senior Silas Canary of Bloomington North in fourth (15:54.47) and sophomore Michael Haschel of Winamac (15:59.37).

Dunn was selected as the recipient of the Charles F. Maas Mental Attitude Award in Boys Cross Country by the IHSAA Executive Committee. He placed third in the state meet helping the Flashes to a runner-up team finish and last year's state championship. Academically, Dunn ranks 19^th in his senior class and is a member of the National Honor Society. He has also been a part of five state championship band competitions at Franklin Central High School. Farm Bureau Insurance, the IHSAA corporate partner, presented a $1,000 scholarship to Franklin Central High School in the name of Dunn.