Folders |
Indiana XC Championships Preview - Parker West - DyeStatPublished by
Challenges await Rohrer, Carmel in Indiana
By Parker West for DyeStat The day Indiana cross country fans have waited for all season is almost here. Saturday at LaVern Gibson Championship Course in Terre Haute, expectations are high for one of the best IHSAA championship meets in state history. Indiana is one of the only states in the U.S. with single-classification races for its boys and girls championships. Everything comes down to two races. Rohrer Returns The action begins with 208 girls taking off for a much-anticipated 5,000-meter race. Everyone's eyes will be on Anna Rohrer of Mishawaka, the 2012 Foot Locker national champion and 2014 New Balance Nationals Outdoor 5,000 champion. It's Rohrer's first state meet since 2012 and the day she upset Warsaw's Ashley Erba (also a NBNO 5,000 champ). Last year, Rohrer missed the entire season due to a stress fracture and she was unable to defend her state and national titles. She recovered just in time last spring to advance to the state track meet, where she ran even 5:07 splits, running 10:14 for 3,200 meters and a new state record (Waverly Neer had the old mark with 10:20). Rohrer overcame another injury in the summer and early fall and returned to racing in the state tournament where she has three wins with times of 18:54, 17:56 and 17:35. Can Carmel Lose? The last time that Carmel didn't go home with a state championship was 2009, when it was runner-up to Columbus North and coach Rick Weinheimer. Carmel is in the midst of a dynasty in Indiana cross country that has lasted over the long haul. The Greyhounds have won 15 of the 34 IHSAA girls cross country championships. This year's attempt at five in a row won't come easy. The Orioles of Avon look to challenge them for that top spot. Avon is led by sophomore, Taylor Nicholson, who won the IHSAA 1600 meters title as a frosh this past spring with a time of 4:51. Taylor has run a solid 17:53, the second fastest time in the state thus far. Running behind Taylor are seniors Malyka Abramson and Courtney Kerr, who hold personal bests in the 5k of 17:41 and 18:24, respectively. "We are looking forward to a great race against Carmel," Nicholson said. "They are definitely some of our biggest competition, and we hope to be a serious contender for a top spot on the podium." Podium Pledge All season long, the Lady Arabians of Pendleton Heights have been fighting to prove themselves as serious contenders for one of the five podium spots. They've been fairly dominant all season long, as they've only been beaten twice. Though there are no official rankings, the Lady Arabians have been ranked top 10 in the state practically all season. Junior Alex Buck and sophomore Emma Hall lead the team. Buck finished 19th at the state meet last year, then qualified for Foot Locker. She was considered as one of the favorites in the IHSAA 3200 in the spring but she suffered an injury toward the end of her regional race, putting her on crutches and forcing her to watch the state from the sideline. Through a lot of hard work and a lot of prayer, Buck has rebounded and is back in All-State shape. Hall has also stepped up as one of Pendleton's front runners, as she was a consistent 20-minute runner last season. This year, she has broken 19 minutes twice and has only finished outside the top 5 in two races. Pendleton is "team first" in every conversation, another admirable quality. Individual Title Up For Grabs Since Rohrer has only run three races, it's unclear what she will do on Saturday. She does have a 16:52 Cross Country PR, and a 16:16 PR for 5k on the track, but it's too soon to claim that she will just dominate the race, even though she has the fastest time in the state this year with 17:35. Rohrer will likely run in a pack with Avon's Taylor Nicholson, Hamilton Southeastern's Rachel Nichwitz, Penn's Maddie Woods, West LaFayette's Lauren Johnson, and the Harris twins, Kelsey and Haley. All of these girls are Indiana'sub-18 minute runners, with the exception of Haley Harris and Maddie Woods, who both have 18 flat bests. A darkhorse in this race is Nichwitz, who wasn't exceptional in the semi-state meet, but is the top returner from last year's state championship and also possesses sub-five minute mile speed. She isn't the only kicker in the field, though. Nicholson and the Harris twins from Carmel have similar -- or better -- mile times. If Rohrer doesn't build a 200-meter lead, this race could get very tight. Team Predictions: Individuals (Top 25 Individuals earn All-State honors): Boys Preview But it won't be easy. Coach Colin Altevogt and his Greyhounds have the Red Devils of West Lafayette nipping at their heels this fall. Carmel is banking on junior Ben Veatch bringing home the individual title, especially after a dominant 15:10 at the semi-state race last Saturday after taking a few weeks off from racing. Carmel, though, is beatable. At one of the biggest invitationals in the state, the Eagle Classic, the Bulldogs of Columbus North won by 19 points despite Veatch's big win up front (15:16). Columbus North has two outstanding front runners in Seth Williams and Chase Ballard. That pair has gone 1-2 at sectionals, regionals and semi-state. But let's get back to West Lafayette, which has the best chance at beat Carmel. The last time the two schools went head to head, Carmel won it by two points at the Trinity/Valkyrie Invitational in Kentucky. The difference between first and second could be that close again, making it one of the most hotly contested Indiana state meets ever. Sub-15 Alert? Though LaVern Gibson is a very difficult course, it's not impossible to break 15 minutes. Although temperatures could drop down to freezing on Saturday morning, a couple of top contenders could be looking to dip into the 14s. Zack Snider of Brebeuf has already run 14:58 this year and Veatch has run a best of 15:08. The most recent Indiana prep to run sub-15 at Terre Haute was NXN champion Fustsum Zeinasellassie, who clocked 15:06 at the Carmel Semi-State a week before he ran 14:48 at LaVern Gibson. Veatch just ran 15:10 at the Carmel Semi-State and that was after going through the first kilometer in 2:45, and the first mile in 4:36. If Veatch cools down the first mile a bit, it isn't impossible for him go sub-15. Also, if Veatch maintains a hot pace it is very likley that Snider, Cooper Williams and a few others try to hang onto him. Anyone's Race This race may be the tightest individual race the IHSAA has ever seen, with a deep pool of candidates for the top 10. But there are three that are are the main favorites to win. If anyone besides these three wins the race, it would be a surprise. 1. Ben Veatch, junior, Carmel: Veatch has been the leading favorite to win this race all season. Ever since he posted a second place finish in the 3200 Meter at the state track meet, Veatch has caught everyone's attention. He has yet to lose a race this season, and he's already taken down every obstacle standing in his way of winning a state championship. Veatch beat Snider by 20 seconds at semi-state with his 15:10. He will definitely be in that lead pack on Saturday. 2. Zack Snider, senior, Brebeuf Jesuit: Snider has had people talking ever since he was a little freshman. Snider was known as "The Freshman Phenom" in 2011-2012, as he ran a personal best of 15:59 at the Flashrock Invitational, the same race Futsum ran his historic 14:36. Snider was also the only frosh to make the state finals in the 3,200, where he was 20th with a time of 9:20. A year later, Snider finished 16th at the state XC meet and third in the 3200. Last year as a junior he was 10th at the cross country championships and seventh last spring on the track. Snider is looking to finally claim his state title that he's been waiting three long years for. He has lost twice to Veatch this fall but hasn't lost to anyone else in Indiana. 3. Cooper Williams, junior, West Lafayette: Williams is another runner in the elite class of 2016. He holds a 5k PR of 15:13, which he set at the Trinity/Valkyrie Invitational, finishing in third behind Veatch and Snider. Williams never really stirred much conversation until the post season in track this past spring. He had a 9:49 PR in the 3200 and it didn't look like he would advance to the state finals. However, he broke out in a big way, winning his regional title with a massive PR of 9:10. Veatch was 11 seconds back. Williams will try to beat Veatch again on Saturday.
Team Predictions: 1. West Lafayette
2. Carmel
3. Columbus North
4. Brebeuf Jesuit
5. Avon
Individuals (Top 25 Individuals earn All-State honors): 1. Ben Veatch More news |
