In running to 2nd, Carmel boys join national cross-country picture
TERRE HAUTE – It would be rare for an Indiana high school team to aspire to individual and team national titles simultaneously in boys cross-country.
It has never happened, actually.
Carmel could make it happen. The Greyhounds are historically good, led by Kole Mathison. He is historically good, too.
The Greyhounds finished second Saturday night in the Nike XC Town Twilight meet. By another measurement, they were first.
Average 5,000-meter time for Carmel’s five scorers was 15 minutes 20 seconds — fastest in the history of the Lavern Gibson Championship Course, site of Indiana’s state meet since 2004.
Previous record was 15:32 by Nequa Valley at the Nike Midwest Regional in 2016, when the Naperville, Ill., school was fifth at nationals. Previous best for an Indiana team was 15:46 by Carmel at the regional in 2014.
Average for Jesuit, of New Orleans, was 15:22. Jesuit was headed for a meet at Cary, N.C. but changed course because of Hurricane Ina.
Jesuit – ranked No. 3 by DyeStat and No. 4 by MileSplit -- edged Carmel 97-106. Noblesville was fourth and Zionsville fifth.
Mathison finished first in 14:51.7, coming within three seconds of the course record of 14:48.8 set by North Central’s Futsum Zienaselassie in 2011. Mathison was nearly five seconds ahead of junior Andrew Hauser of Rock Bridge (Mo.), the defending Midwest champion. Brebeuf Jesuit’s Cameron Todd, also a junior, was third in 14:57.3.
To break the course record would have been “a perk,” said Mathison, a double state champion on the track and a Colorado signee. “It’s crazy; 14:48 on Lavern is absurd. To even have a crack at it was amazing.”
Carmel — No. 9 by DyeStat and No. 3 by MileSplit — clocked the best five-runner average in the nation this year.
Strong competition, 60-degree temperatures, firm footing and under-the-lights ambiance contributed to record running. Top 11 boys teams came from six states.
“We haven’t had conditions like this for years,” Carmel coach Colin Altevogt said. “And for the guys to come out and really take advantage of that, I’m thrilled.”
Carmel’s scoring five: Mathison; Tony Provenzano, fifth, 15:02; Charlie Leedke, 15th, 15:19; Thomas Biltimier, 42nd, 15:45; Jack Capes, 43rd, 15:45.
Provenzano is a transfer from Hopkins, Minn., where he was second in the state 3,200 meters in 9:16.60 as a sophomore. Mathison said the two push each other in every workout.
Depth is so great that Carmel’s No. 11 runner, junior Maxwell Meisner, was second in a JV race (16:18).
It is improbable Carmel could overtake No. 1 Newbury Park (Calif.) at nationals, set for Dec. 3 at Portland, Ore. But the Greyhounds can aim for that, and Mathison can aim for beating Newbury Park’s Leo and Lex Young. The Stanford-bound twins were second and third in a nationals last year at Huntsville, Ala., finishing 18 seconds ahead of Mathison.
“There’s no reason I can’t give them a run for their money,” Mathison said.
Mathison intends to run at Portland and in another nationals Dec. 10 at San Diego. Nike's Midwest Regional is Nov. 12, also on this course.
Carmel was third at state last year, ending an eight-year streak of finishes in the top two.
Noblesville girls run 2nd
Prospect (Ill.) packed four runners in the top 10 to score 34 points and beat Noblesville by 77 in girls standings. Noblesville (111) finished second in a dual against Mason, Ohio (118) and defending state champion Columbus North (120).
Coach Aaron Becker said the Millers have made a gradual climb and called this outcome “an important psychological boost” heading into sectionals, regionals and state.
“We didn’t get spread out. We stayed tight,” Becker said. “They always hit the middle of the course hard and close well.”
Top Noblesville finisher was half-miler Summer Rempe in 20th. The Millers’ scoring five were separated by 17 seconds.
Ciara O’Shea of Madison Central (Ky.) finished first in 16:52.1, less than three seconds off the course record. Homestead junior Addison Knoblauch was second in 17:21.3, perhaps becoming a state co-favorite with defending champion Lily Cridge of Bishop Chatard. Cridge, with a best of 17:17.5 this year, won the City meet Saturday morning at Graham Martin Park, Indianapolis.
Nike XC Town Twilight
At Terre Haute
BOYS
Top 10 teams (out of 38) – 1, Jesuit (La.) 97; 2, Carmel 106; 3, Plainfield (Ill.) South 140; 4, Noblesville 175; 5, Zionsville 188; 6, Mason (Ohio) 190; 7. Rock Bridge (Mo.) 239; 8, Hinsdale (Ill.) Central 268; 9, Columbus North 286; 10, Center Grove 289.
Other Indiana teams – 13, Fishers 370; 14, Franklin Central 393; 15, Brebeuf Jesuit 402; 17, Bloomington North 484; 18, Brownsburg 500; 19, Bloomington South 509; 22, North Central 572; 24, Avon 708; 25, Lebanon 710; 26, Perry Meridian 723; 27, Homestead 725; 28, Edgewood 803; 30; Northview 906; 31, Westfield 921; 32, Terre Haute South 955; 33, Ben Davis 956; 34, Terre Haute North 982; 35, Plainfield 995.
Top individuals – 1, Kole Mathison, Carmel, 14:51.7; 2, Andrew Hauser, Rock Bridge, 14:56.4; 3, Todd Cameron, Brebeuf, 14:57.3; 4, Dan Watcke, Hinsdale Central, 14:58.9; 5, Tony Provenzano, Carmel, 15:02.6; 6, Brady Mullen, Jesuit, 15:04.0; 7, Clayton Guthrie, Columbus North, 15:04.5; 8, Camyn Viger, Plainfield South, 15:05.4; 9, Ian Kemey, Rock Bridge, 15:07.5; 10, Luke Thompson, Brentwood Academy (Tenn.) 15:09.3. Also, 11, Caden Click, Noblesville, 15:10.0; 15, Charlie Leedke, Carmel, 15:19.0; 16, Nate Killeen, North Central, 15:22.4; 19, Brayden Henkle, Franklin Central, 15:25.1
GIRLS
Top 10 teams (out of 33) – 1, Prospect (Ill.) 34; 2, Noblesville 111; 3, Mason (Ohio) 118; 4, Columbus North 120; 5, Assumption (Ky.) 180; 6, North Central 196; 7, Homestead 246; 8, Carmel 252; 9, Zionsville 297; 10, Grayslake (Ill.) 306.
Other Indiana teams – 12, Bloomington South 344; 13, Edgewood 400; 14, Lebanon 422; 15, Franklin Central 424; 17, Northview 505; 18, Brownsburg 507; 20, Plainfield 567; 25, Westfield 651; 26, Terre Haute South 761; 27, Terre Haute North 802; 28, Perry Meridian 873; 29, Martinsville 899; 30, Avon 912; 31, Owen Valley 976; 32, Ben Davis 1,029.
Top individuals – 1, Ciara O’Shea, Madison Central (Ky.), 16:52.1; 2, Addison Knoblauch, Homestead, 17:21.3; 3. Tatum David, Olney (Ill.), 17:18.8; 4, Lily Baker; Columbus North, 17:30.3; 5, Hailey Erickson, Prospect, 17:41.1; 6, Veroniz Znadja, Prospect, 17:42.6; 7, Molly Farrell, Marshall, 17:49.1; 8, Meg Peterson, Prospect, 17:50.9; 9, Julia Kiesler, Columbus North, 17:52.3; 10, Lily Ginsberg, Prospect. Also, 14, Lily Myers, Bloomington South, 18:09.5; 19, Jasmine Klopstad, Carmel, 18:25.4; 20, Summer Rempe, Noblesville, 18:27.1.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Kole Mathison, Carmel boys run to No. 2 but can target No. 1 (in USA)
