2018-19 Cross Country State Finals Recap

October 27, 2018

Greencastle's Wilson Repeats as Girls Champion, Cathedral's Cole Hocker is Boys Winner
Carroll Girls, Carmel Boys Claim Team Trophies

Greencastle senior Emma Wilson and Indianapolis Cathedral senior Cole Hocker were honored as individual state champions in the annual IHSAA Boys & Girls Cross Country State Finals at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course in Terre Haute on Saturday.

Under nearly perfect conditions for running with sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-50s, Wilson covered the rolling 5,000 meter course in 17:53.9 to become the first girls repeat winner since Culver Academies' Alex Banfich went three in a row from 2005-07.

Erin Strzelecki, a junior from Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger, was the girls runner-up in 18:00.6. Edgewood sophomore Annalyssa Crain placed third 18:18.6.

Hocker claimed the first individualstate championship - boys or girls - in Cathedral's history checking in at 15:25.1.

Lowell junior Gabriel Sanchez took runner-up honors in 15:41.1 with senior Brennan Butche of Mississinewa right behind in 15:42.7.

In the team standings, Carroll (Fort Wayne) finally claimed the girls team title after finishing as runner-up the last three years. With Phil Yoder guiding the team, the Chargers collected 85 points for the top spot with three of its runners in the top 10 overall and outpaced defending state champion Zionsville with 149 and West Lafayette with 176.

Carroll was led by Meagan Hathaway who finished fifth overall in 18:30.2, Monroe Fruchey in sixth in 18:30.5, and Abigail Green was ninth in 18:34.7. Other scoring teammates included Mallory Clements in 40th in 19:17.5 and Ashlyn Minton in 66th in 19:32.4.

In the boys race, third-ranked Carmel edged out top-ranked Indianapolis Cathedral by a 136-146 margin for the team crown, its third in the last four years and 16th overall. Second-ranked Fishers placed third with 150 points.

The Greyhounds of coach Colin Altevogt were led by Calvin Bates' 19th place finish in 16:14.0 and Grant Moon who finished 33rd in 16:27.4. Other Carmel scorers included Ben Johnson in 40th in 16:32.9, Will Murphy in 46th in 16:36.8 and Cameron Harless in 68th overall in 16:50.8.

Following the meet, Emma Wilson of Greencastle High School and Quinn Gallagher of Guerin Catholic High School were announced as the recipients of the IHSAA mental attitude awards in girls and boys cross country, respectively.

Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance presented a $1,000 scholarship to each school's general scholarship fund in the name of Wilson and Gallagher.