Phone: 317-846-6601 Fax: 317-575-4244 Website: www.ihsaa.org
Blake Ress, Commissioner
_________________________________________________________________________
November 1, 2008
CARMEL TAKES TEAM CROWN,
FISHERS’ SHIELDS WINS INDIVIDUAL AWARD
Fishers’ senior Drew Shields
won the race and Carmel captured the team title in the 63rd annual
IHSAA Boys Cross Country State Finals in Terre Haute on Saturday.
Shields had finished second to North
Central freshman Futsum Zeinasellassie
in each of the three state tournament races this month but came through when it
mattered most. Shields (15:20.3) outkicked Zeinasellassie
(15:25.4) and won by more than five seconds. Shields had finished fifth overall
last year and helped Fishers win last year’s team championship.
Carroll (Fort Wayne) sophomore James
Martin placed third in 15:33.9; Zionsville senior Dylan Sorensen was fourth in
15:39.9 and; Noblesville senior Blake Dircksen
rounded out the top five finishers in 15:41.6.
The Carmel boys took the team title
joining their female counterparts in sweeping the team awards this year. It was
the seventh time a school has swept both genders and the fifth time for Carmel
(1982, 1987, 1988, 1996). The Greyhounds accumulated
100 points and were followed by runner-up Carroll (Fort Wayne) with 110 points.
McCutcheon was third with 153, North Central of Indianapolis was fourth with
155 and defending state champion Fishers placed fifth with 158.
J.D. Smith, a senior, finished 15th
overall to lead Carmel’s scoring runners in 15:57.4. Senior Dan Kinn was 21st (16:02.6), junior Tom Ohlman was 27th (16:06.2), sophomore Chris
Walden ended 37th (16:16.6) and junior Dan Porter finished 39th
(16:18.8).
For Greyhounds coach Chuck Koeppen, it was his 11th title in boys cross
country. He also guided the girls team to the crown
this year for his 11th in that sport as well. He also has a boys track championship to his credit for a total of 23
championships – a state record across all sports. He has indicated this
is his last year as coach.
ZIONSVILLE’S
SORENSEN NAMED MENTAL ATTITUDE AWARD WINNER
Zionsville
senior Dylan Sorensen was named the winner of the Charles F. Maas Mental
Attitude Award following the race by members of the IHSAA Executive Committee.
The award
is presented annually to a senior participant in the state finals who was
nominated by his principal and coach and has demonstrated excellence in mental attitude,
scholarship, leadership and athletic ability. It is named after the late IHSAA
assistant commissioner.
Sorensen
finished fourth among all individuals at Saturday’s state finals in a
time of 15:39.9. Besides cross country, Sorensen has earned three varsity
letters in track and field with two appearances in the state meet. He also has
played two years of basketball for the Eagles.
Outside of
sports, he has served with the Student Council, the Letterman’s Club,
Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Eagles as Leaders and the NCAA’s Stay
in Bounds program. He also has been an attendee at the IHSAA Student Leadership
Conference.
Undecided
on his college choice to date, he’s considering studying international
business.
He is the
son of Monique Clupper of Zionsville.
Indiana
Farm Bureau Insurance, the IHSAA’s corporate
partner, presented a $1,000 scholarship to Zionsville High School in the name
of Sorensen.
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