NASHVILLE – Bedford North Lawrence finished ninth in the AA varsity division during boys high school cross country action in Brown County’s Eagle Classic on Saturday.
The Stars totaled 297 points in the 15-team field. Pike won that team title with 52.
Eli McFarland paced BNL, crossing the line in 53rd place in 18:20.4. Other top finishers for the Stars included Hayden Rich (64th in 18:51.0) and Kason Gulley (67th in 18:59.7).
“We had leesome conditions, leading to some good efforts,” BNL coach Nick Boyd said. “We are running well in practice and translating it to the meets. I think our runners seem encouraged. They work hard every day in practice, so it is nice to see them get out to compete. Some races will be faster, and some races will be slower at this point. But we had nice efforts across the board.”
Pike’s Francis Holohan was the individual champion in that division in 16:05.5. In the elite division, Carmel won the team crown with 83 points. Bloomington North’s Caelan D’Onofrio was the overall winner in 15:21.7 on the fast course.
In the girls races, BNL split forces. The Stars finished 16th in the AA field with 393 points, while Brownsburg won the team title with 74. Paige Voigtschild, BNL’s top runner, competed in the elite field as an individual and finished 27th overall in 18:55.1.
Top finishers for the Stars in the team event included Claire Voigtschild (54th in 21:58.8), Madison Chandler (67th in 22:33.8) and Gracie Simmerman (73rd in 22:41.6).
“It’s great to see the racer in Paige emerging,” BNL coach Amy Greenan said. “We had several season bests, and a few girls came really close to their personal bests, showing just how much progress they’ve made. Everyone was focused, ready to race, and really put in the work.
“We’re feeling confident as we move into the next phase of the season, and it’s clear the hard work is paying off.”
Greensburg’s Eleanor Davis was the AA individual winner in 19:08.5. Pendleton Heights’ Anya Zoeller won the elite title in 16:53.5. Carmel won the elite team crown with 49 points.
BNL will compete in the Jennings County Invitational on Sept 20.
BROWN COUNTY INVITATIONAL
