Can any South Bend-area cross country team break the state meet podium jinx? Maybe
It has been a while, that’s for sure.
A spot on the awards podium at the IHSAA state cross country finals. That’s the goal of every team traveling to the Wabash Valley Sports Center in Terre Haute this Saturday.
It’s a worthy goal, but one that has been elusive for Tribune-area programs over the last decade.
The top five teams at a state finals earn award medals.
More: Injured athletes excel at New Prairie Cross Country Regional
The last area girls team to gain that honor was Penn. Led by third-place individual finisher Maddie Woods, the Kingsmen girls raced to fourth at the state finals in 2014.
And the last boys team to mount the podium was Mishawaka. Miguel Lozano placed sixth in the individual race, lifting the Cavemen to fourth place in 2011.
As far as winning the whole thing, you really have to go back a ways. Northridge brought home a boys state championship in 2004. Michigan City Elston, which doesn’t exist anymore, earned back-to-back girls state titles in 1993 & 1994.
More: Penn's Mary Eubank running at the front of sectional cross country contenders
So, will this year be any different?
“We’re certainly going to try, but that’s probably a lot to ask, at least in our case,” said Penn girls coach Michael Clements. “I think an ‘A’ goal for us would be to make the top 10.”
Penn, La Porte and Northridge will compete in the boys meet, which starts at 12 noon (EDT). Penn is the area’s lone representative in the girls finale at 2:30 p.m.
A year ago, Penn’s girls finished sixth at state, missing the podium by one spot. But a lot of talent graduated from that Kingsman squad, and the field at the state meet appears to be a little deeper this season.
Mary Eubank, a senior who finished 18th at state a year ago, will spearhead the Penn attack. She finished fifth in the 3200-meter run at the IHSAA track finals last June, and on a perfect day, she could potentially make a run at the individual title.
“It’s kind of the same with Mary as with the team. On the right day, the top 10 is certainly realistic,” said Clements. “I never count her out of any race.”
Penn’s girls finished the season ranked No. 15 in the final coaches state poll. On the boys side, Northridge is ranked 12th, Penn 17th and La Porte is No. 21.
Northridge had to adopt a new race strategy this season. For the first time in years, the Raiders don’t have an outstanding frontrunner, just a bunch of really good boys who run in a tight pack.
At last weekend’s New Prairie regional, only 25 seconds separated the Raiders’ No. 1 runner, Marc Hernandez, from No. 5, Xavier Miller. Yet none of them finished among the individual top 15.
“The state meet is aggressive early, and not that’s the way we’ve run,” said Northridge coach Ryan McClane. “Part of the challenge in Terre Haute is to be controlled some at the beginning, and then see if that pack can work together to move up.”
Penn’s boys are very similar to Northridge. At the regional, there were just 30 seconds between the first Kingsman, Bandon Mueller, and No. 5 Jack Ryan. And, like the Raiders, there were no Kingsmen among the top 15.
Not coincidentally, Penn finished only four points behind Northridge at the regional.
“I think we’re feeling really good about ourselves,” said Penn asst. boys coach Chad Wetzel. “We had some key injuries we had to overcome this year, and to still be in this position, almost winning the regional, we’re feeling pretty good about (the state finals).”
Mishawaka's Liam Bauschke back in the hunt
Bad timing. Mishawaka junior Liam Bauschke, a serious contender for the boys individual state championship, suffered a knee injury during the week leading up to the New Prairie regional.
He still won that race, but was obviously not himself.
Now, the state meet looms ahead.
“He's in a lot of pain now but it's getting better every day and he has already shown he can tolerate a lot of pain and discomfort,” reported Mishawaka coach Chris Kowalewski on Tuesday. “I think the parents and coaches were more stressed about the injury than Liam. He was trying to keep level-headed about it as much as possible.”
Bauschke finished ninth at state last year. Earlier this season, at the Culver Academies Invitational, he won a showdown against defending state runner-up Tony Provenzano of Carmel.
“We obviously want him to compete and do his best, but we're also looking out for his long-term goals and post-season races. We're literally taking training and preparation for Saturday day by day,” said Kowalewski.
“I'm really proud of how he is handling all this. It is not easy, emotionally or mentally, being injured and some kids can really take it personally. You did nothing wrong, it was out of our control, all we can do is respond to it, and he is responding brilliantly.”
IHSAA STATE CROSS COUNTRY FINALS
WHERE: Wabash Valley Sports Center, Terre Haute
WHEN: Saturday. Boys Start at 12 noon (EDT). Girls Start 2:30 p.m. (EDT).
ADMISSION: $15 per person. Children age 5 or younger admitted free. All ticket sales will be digital only via Eventlink (additional fees may apply). No cash.
STREAMING: Both state championship races will stream exclusively at IHSAAtv.org via pay-per-view for $15.
BOYS
TEAMS (25): Angola, Avon, Bloomington North, Bloomington South, Brownsburg, Carmel, Carroll (Fort Wayne), Center Grove, Columbus North, Evansville Reitz, Fishers, Floyd Central, Fort Wayne Concordia, Franklin Central, Hamilton Southeastern, Indianapolis North Central, Lake Central, La Porte, Noblesville, Northridge, Penn, Valparaiso, Wabash, Warsaw, Zionsville.
TRIBUNE-AREA INDIVIDUALS: Bol Agwick (South Bend Adams), Liam Bauschke (Mishawaka), Max Malloy (Elkhart Central), Aaron Richter (Elkhart Central), Lincoln Clark (Goshen), Dorian Diaz (Goshen), Noah Bontrager (Westview).
GIRLS
TEAMS (25): Bloomington South, Brownsburg, Carmel, Carroll (Fort Wayne), Columbus North, Corydon Central, East Noble, Edgewood, Franklin Central, Fort Wayne Concordia, Guerin Catholic, Hamilton Southeastern, Harrison (West Lafayette), Homestead, Indianapolis North Central, Jasper, Lake Central, Morgan Township, Noblesville, Penn, Portage, Valparaiso, Warsaw, Westfield, Zionsville.
TRIBUNE-AREA INDIVIDUALS: Faith Spain (La Porte), Dakotah Moore (Northridge), Sophie Wray (Plymouth), Kassandra Ortega (Goshen), Chesnee Miller (Tippecanoe Valley).
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Penn, LaPorte, Northridge cross country to run at IHSAA state finals
