TERRE HAUTE – Bedford North Lawrence senior sisters Claire and Paige Voigtschild concluded their season with strong races in the IHSAA state championship during girls high school cross country action on Saturday.
Claire, continuing her remarkable late streak of improvement, clocked a new personal-best time of 18:33.33 while crossing in 43rd place. Paige was just off that pace, recording a time of 18:47.50 while finishing 70th overall in the field of 250 competing on the LaVern Gibson championship course.
“It was really fun running at state with Paige,” Claire said. “I am sad that it’s our last meet together. The team was very supportive and all showed up in costumes. Running on the BNL course helped prepare for this course because we’re used to hills, so this was easier than what we’re used to. We have had really good coaches, we’ve had a really good season.”
Paige raced in the state meet for the third time, moving up after finishing 178th and 92nd in the previous two seasons.
“I feel good about my race,” Paige said. “I finished well, maybe that means I didn’t race hard enough in the middle. It’s always a fun experience going to state. It was even more fun with someone going with me.”
“Claire and Paige both had super races,” BNL coach Amy Greenan said. “Paige had her best State performance of her three trips here. Claire had an awesome debut and continues to turn heads and get faster. They both have had great careers, this season has really been fun.”
Fort Wayne Concordia’s Daphne Weller, a junior who finished fifth in the state finals last season, was the individual champion in 16:52.20. Lake Central won the team competition with 136 points.
In the boys race, Springs Valley’s Calvin Seitz was the winner in 14:34.62, shattering the state finals record (14:42.3, set by Owen Valley’s Curt Carey in 1980) while taking the individual honor for the second straight year. Fort Wayne Carroll won the team title with 66 points.
IHSAA STATE FINALS
