Phone: 317-846-6601 Fax: 317-575-4244 Website: www.ihsaa.org
Blake Ress, Commissioner
_________________________________________________________________________
October 27, 2007
WESTFIELD GIRLS,
CULVER’S BANFICH WIN THIRD CONSECUTIVE TITLES
The 2007 girls
state cross country meet was run 1,000 meters further than in years past, but
the state champions from the previous two years maintained their stranglehold
on the top spots.
Culver Academies senior Alex Banfich won the first-ever 5,000 meter state finals race for
girls finishing in 18:21.8. It was her third consecutive state title and she
becomes just the second girl to accomplish that feat joining Kankakee
Valley’s Celeste Susnis who won in 1987, 1988
and 1989. Courtney Adams of Brebeuf also won three
individual crowns in 1992, 1993 and 1995.
Banfich distanced herself from the pack in
the first 2,000 meters of the LaVern Gibson
Championship Cross Country Course in Terre Haute and was never threatened after
that. Junior Megan Ranegar of Valparaiso took runner-up
honors in 18:38.2 and Avon senior Lorna Whaley placed third in 18:46.2.
Westfield senior Maggie Bingham was fourth (18:48.0) and Carroll (Fort Wayne) frosh
Brianna Johnson rounded out the top five (18:48.1).
In the team competition, Westfield
outdistanced Lake Central for the top spot accumulating 81 points to the
Indians’ 114. Carroll placed third as a team with 119 points; Carmel was
fourth with 146 and Bloomington North was fifth with 205. It was the Shamrock’s
fourth girls cross country title to go along with their 1998 championship.
Scott Lidskin has been their coach for each.
Besides Bingham’s fourth place
finish, others scoring points for Westfield were junior Kaitlyn
Love who finished eighth overall (18:57.2); freshman Waverly Neer in 23rd (19:24.5); senior Breanne Ehrman in 40th (19:53.0) and; sophomore Alex
Holland in 48th (20:00.4).
Rachel Zajac
was Lake Central’s top runner finishing 13th overall in
19:09.4.
BANFICH
NAMED MENTAL ATTITUDE AWARD WINNER
Following
the state finals, Culver Academies’ Alexandra Banfich
was named the winner of the Mental Attitude Award in Girls Cross Country by
members of the IHSAA Executive Committee.
The award
is presented annually to a senior participant in the state finals who was
nominated by her principal and coach and has demonstrated excellence in mental
attitude, scholarship, leadership and athletic ability.
Banfich
won the girls state finals race for the third consecutive year becoming just
the second girl in the 27 years of the event to do so. She has served as team
captain in the last two of her four seasons in the sport. She will also compete
in her fourth years of swimming and track and field later this school year.
Academically,
she ranks 14th in her class of 214 senior students. She has served
in numerous leadership positions within the academy and, following last school
year, she was honored as the highest ranking junior female in the school by
being named Senior Prefect. It is an elected position and the very highest
honor you can receive as a female at the school.
Banfich
is undecided on her college choice but appears interested in pursuing international
studies and international business.
She is the
daughter of Peter and Marilyn Banfich of Plymouth.
Indiana
Farm Bureau Insurance, the IHSAA’s corporate
partner, presented a $1,000 scholarship to the Culver Academies in the name of Banfich.
VSN MEANS ACTION PHOTOGRAPHY
Visit our
friends at Visual Sports Network, the IHSAA’s official photographer for all state
championship events and one of the leading action photographers in the
CHAMPIONSHIP MERCHANDISE STILL AVAILABLE
For t-shirts and other merchandise commemorating this year’s tournament or for any of our events, visit our friends at Morris, Inc.
STATE FINALS PROGRAMS AVAILABLE
Couldn’t
be there for the state finals? You can still purchase a copy of the official
souvenir program while supplies last! Programs are $3.00 if you purchase in
person at the IHSAA Office (