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Indian Creek's Dowty wins second title in three years
TERRE HAUTE – Setback prefaced comeback.
That was the theme of the IHSAA’s 45th girls cross-country state meet Saturday.
Start with Libby Dowty.
She was defending champion a year ago, and she said she “let the nerves get to me.” On this afternoon, no one was getting close to her.
The Indian Creek senior became a state champion again. Her time was 17:10.2, just off the state meet record of 17:06.7 she set in 2023 at the LaVern Gibson Championship Course. She won by eight seconds over runner-up Macey Thompson of Lake Central.
Defending champion Mallory Weller of Fort Wayne Concordia Lutheran was sidelined by a calf injury.
“It’s pretty incredible,” Dowty said. “God has taught me a lot through my loss, and it made me stronger and a better person.”
Dowty is perhaps as strong as it gets in cross-country. The Louisville commit is also a state qualifier in wrestling.
Sadie Foley’s comeback was as gritty as it gets.
She helped Carmel win a state track title while running on what turned out to be a broken ankle last June. Five months later, she led Carmel to a cross-country state title.
Carmel scored 100 points, extending its record to 21 state titles in the sport. Concordia Lutheran was second with 129, Bloomington South third with 150 and Homestead fourth with 172.
Foley finished third in 17:22.6 and teammate Larkin Taylor 10th in 17:46.0. Annabel Pollert, who secured the track title by finishing third at state in the 3,200 meters, was 22nd in 18:10.2.
In track, Foley was tripped near the start of the 1,600 before the race was recalled. She stayed on the track for several minutes for medical treatment, which included a taped ankle and bandaged leg. She came away with scrapes and spike wounds.
She finished fifth in the 1,600 and ran third leg on a 4x400 relay team that was second. Carmel needed those points to beat Hamilton Southeastern 54-46.
The next day, Foley was diagnosed with the fracture. She biked and cross-trained all summer, not resuming regular running until late August.
Patience paid.
“I think it’s been really rewarding for me,” Foley said. “I think it’s motivated my teammates. So that’s been a big part of this season.”
It was the second title for second-year coach Scott Williams, who arrived at Carmel after 33 years as a teacher, coach or administrator at Ben Davis.
“It’s tough to do anything twice, despite any type of circumstances,” he said. “We just knew we had to come down and adapt to the situation.”
Carmel will return to this course Nov. 16 for the NXR Midwest Regional, aiming for a return to the nationals. The Greyhounds were third in the 2024 regional, four points out of first. They were 15th at Portland, Ore., after receiving an at-large bid.
Elsewhere among individuals, Kankakee Valley’s Jenna Walker was fourth. Two sophomores, Concordia Lutheran's Daphne Weller (sister of Mallory) and Pendleton Heights’ Anya Zoeller, were fifth and sixth.
Bishop Chatard senior Julia Score was seventh for a fourth top-10 finish. She was 10th in 2022, third in 2023 and fifth in 2024.
