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INDIANAPOLIS - It is never easy defending a state championship.

But the Elkhart Lions managed to do just that on Saturday afternoon at North Central High School, claiming the IHSAA State Unified Track and Field championship for the second-straight year, topping second-place Penn 123-119. Fishers, last year’s runner-up, was third with 100.

“It’s exciting and I am so happy for our kids,” Elkhart head coach Todd Sheely said. “We had eight or nine kids that didn’t come back from last year’s team, so this is a new group and I’m just so proud of them. We stumbled in spots, but I think our team support helped carry us in the end.”

Elkhart returned around a dozen athletes from last year’s state championship team.

That group meshed well with the newcomers to create a good group for this year that was able to defend the title.

“It feels great to be able to come back and do it again,” senior Mia Reinholtz said. “It’s just a great environment and having supportive people around is awesome. We were really supportive of each other and have a great bond.”

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The route to a second-straight title didn’t come without some bumps in the road for the Lions.

While they won the NorthWood Sectional, the team didn’t compete as well as they wanted to, and it took a while this season for the athletes to find their roles this spring.

But they followed up the “rough” sectional win by having a better performance in winning the NorthWood Regional, scoring 143 points.

“We really didn’t start clicking until the regional,” Sheely said. “We had some rough spots in the sectional, but did a much better job in the regional. That carried over to today.”

The Lions had a balanced effort across the board on Saturday, leading them to the title.

They got flight wins from Olivia Baca in the long jump, Quinn Chandler in the 100-meters, and the boys 4x100 team of Ian Krempec, Jayvrey Stokes, Katravon Underwood and Francisco Isaula.

But their balance was also there, scoring at least 27 points in three of the four individual events and having 17 different athletes score.

“I felt like we were clicking today,” senior Samantha Cronkhite said. “I was a little scared at first, but as I heard the events going on, I knew we were doing amazing and that was really cool. I am just so happy.”

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Sheely said they knew it was going to be tight at the end, and they told the kids that every point was going to matter.

“We had some kids in some tough spots, lower heats, but they did everything they could,” the coach said. “We told them, ‘if you are seeded sixth, try to get fifth. If you are seeded third, try to get second.’ Our kids did that today.”

As all the events were finished, all that was left was the final results to see if they had done enough.

The places were being read from 13 down to 1, and there was very little separating the teams, with just 13 points separating third and 10th.

Finally, they announced Penn was second with 119 points, leaving only Elkhart to be named champions.

Cronkhite said it was nerve wracking listening to all the scores be read off and hearing how close it was, but then it was pure happiness when they were announced as the state champions again.

“It’s just really special, meeting new people this year and competing,” Cronkhite said. “Losing people from last year was hard at first, but I am glad we were able to continue it. It’s really amazing because I get to be with these people and I get to help the team.”

The 123 points is the fourth most in the 11th year of the Unified State Finals, and just one behind the Lions total from a year ago.

“Last night in the hotel, we had some great team bonding,” Reinholtz said. “I think that really helped us get ready for today. Sectionals was a little rocky, but we have been really good together as a team.”

Elkhart joins Valparaiso and Warsaw as multi-time Unified Track champions (Elkhart Memorial won the state title in 2018 before consolidating with Elkhart Central in 2021). \

Sheely said the growth of Unified Track and Field in the state of Indiana has been tremendous, with 97 teams competing this year – the second most in history.

“Unified is growing exponentially,” Sheely said. “Every single year it gets better and we are adding schools all the time. Pretty soon we are going to need more than three hours for the meet.”

Westfield’s Gabe Schepers and Celina O’Neill were named the Bobby Cox Spirit of Unified Mental Attitude Award winners.

The award goes to an athlete and partner athlete competing in the state finals.

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11th Annual IHSAA Unified Track & Field State Finals
Saturday, June 7, 2025
North Central High School, Indianapolis

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Gabe Schepers and Celina O'Neill of Westfield awarded Bobby Cox Spirit of Unified Mental Attitude Award
At the conclusion of the Unified State Finals, the IHSAA Executive Committee presented Gabe Schepers and Celina O'Neill of Westfield High School the Bobby Cox Spirit of Unified Mental Attitude Award.

This award is presented annually to an athlete and partner athlete participating in the state finals. It is named in honor of Bobby Cox, who served as the IHSAA's eighth commissioner from 2011 to 2020, whose embrace of the Champions Together Initiative led to the establishment of Unified Flag Football and Unified Track and Field as IHSAA sports.

An athlete, nominated by their principal and coach, must excel in mental attitude, joy, courage, self-advocacy, and commitment during their time in high school. A partner athlete, also nominated by their principal and coach, must excel in mental attitude, inclusive behavior, courage, advocacy, and commitment during their time in high school.

Gabe is the son of Kurt Schepers of Carmel and Celina is the daughter of Sandra and Terry O'Neill of Westfield.