Indiana state cross country finals becoming a tradition for Penn boys and girls
Some cross country programs will compete for years and never reach the IHSAA state finals.
At Penn, it’s an annual event.
When starting guns fire Saturday at the Wabash Valley Sports Center in Terre Haute, Penn’s girls will leave the starting line for the 11th time in the past 12 years.
Penn’s boys, meanwhile, will be running their fifth state meet in the last seven.
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It’s a remarkable accomplishment. At the same time, that shouldn’t be the end of it.
The goal of every runner at a state meet is to stand on the IHSAA awards stand after the 5,000-meter races have been completed.
The top five teams and top 20 individual finishers earn those coveted award medals.
The last Penn boys team to reach the podium was in 1999. The Kingsmen finished third that year. The last Kingsman individual runner was Mariano Retzloff, fifth overall in 2020.
On the girls side, the last Penn team on the stand was in 2014, when the Lady Kingsmen were fourth. Just last year, Julie Smith won an individual award by finishing 17th.
Penn’s girls enter this year’s state meet ranked No. 8 in the final Indiana coaches poll. Penn’s boys are ranked No. 16.
The girls race starts at noon (EDT). Boys run at 2:30 p.m.
This may be the last time a state meet is run under the current format. The IHSAA is expected to completely overhaul its post-season tournament next year, reducing it to three levels and removing semistates from the mix.
The path each team will follow next season is yet to be determined.
Joining Penn’s boys on the starting line will be No. 8-ranked Northridge, No. 19 Goshen and No. 25 LaPorte.
The Raiders are making their second consecutive state meet trip. They have a proud history, appearing at the finals 15 times and winning a state championship in 2004.
Goshen is appearing in its third consecutive state finals. LaPorte is making the trip for the second year in a row.
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The Slicers also have a long history, appearing in 23 state meets total, which places them among the top 15 teams in Indiana. LaPorte was state runnerup in 2007.
Penn’s girls have been to the state finals 22 times, dating back to 1985. Six times, the Lady Kingsmen have finished among the top five teams.
No local athlete is expected to contend for an individual state title, but there are a couple who could finish very well.
In the girls race, defending state champion Lily Cridge of Indianapolis Bishop Chatard is a heavy favorite. A couple weeks ago, she clocked the fastest 5,000-meter time in Indiana high school history, winning the Brebeuf sectional in 16:46.3. She then ran 16:58.6 in the semistate at Shelbyville.
Somewhere in the pack chasing Cridge should be New Prairie senior Lilly Zelasko, who set sectional and regional records this season, including a 17:55.6 at the Chesterton regional. She ran a personal-best 17:46.69 while winning the Northern Indiana Conference championship.
Zelasko placed ninth at last year’s state finals.
Penn’s Mary Eubank and LaPorte’s Lila Gillisse certainly rank as medal possibilities, as well.
In the boys race, Carmel’s Kole Mathison is the guy to beat. He won the Shelbywille semistate in 14:56.1.
Meanwhile, Mishawaka sophomore Liam Bauschke exploded onto the scene this season and could be in the medal chase. He finished second at the New Haven semistate, clocking a personal best 15:26.2.
Northridge freshman Baylor Miller has worked his way into contention, as well.
IHSAA STATE CROSS COUNTRY FINALS
WHEN: Saturday
WHERE: Wabash Valley Sports Center, Terre Haute
START TIMES: Girls at 12 noon (EDT); Boys at 2:30 p.m. (EDT)
ADMISSION: $15 per person. Children age 5 or younger admitted free.
INTERNET BROADCAST: Both state championship races will stream exclusively at IHSAAtv.org via pay-per-view for $15
GIRLS TEAMS: Bloomington South, Carmel, Carroll (Fort Wayne), Columbus North, Corydon Central, Crown Point, East Central, East Noble, Floyd Central, Fort Wayne Concordia, Guerin Catholic, Hamilton Southeastern, Homestead, Indianapolis North Central, Lake Central, Maconaquah, Morgan Township, Noblesville, Northview, Penn, Princeton, Valparaiso, Warsaw, Zionsville.
TRIBUNE-AREA INDIVIDUALS: Lila Gillisse (La Porte), Lillian Zelasko (New Prairie), Deirdre Tomasek (Mishawaka Marian), Tame Baylis (Northridge), Haylee Hile (Northridge), Dakotah Moore (Northridge),
BOYS TEAMS: Bloomington North, Bloomington South, Carmel, Center Grove, Chesterton, Columbus North, Evansville Reitz, Fishers, Floyd Central, Fort Wayne Concordia, Franklin Central, Goshen, Hamilton Southeastern, Indianapolis Brebeuf, Jasper, Lake Central, La Porte, Noblesville, Northridge, Penn, Warsaw, West Lafayette, Valparaiso, Zionsville.
TRIBUNE-AREA INDIVIDUALS: William Bauschke (Mishawaka).
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Penn boys, girls gear up for another IHSAA cross country meet
