MARENGO – Bedford North Lawrence senior sisters Claire and Paige Voigtschild advanced as individuals to the IHSAA state cross country meet during the regional at Crawford County on Saturday.
The Stars finished 12th in the team competition with 306 points. The top five teams, plus the top 15 individuals who are not members of qualifying teams advanced to the state finals at the LaVern Gibson Course in Terre Haute on Oct. 31.
Claire, continuing her stunning surge to the forefront this season, was second overall in 18:40.5, setting a personal record while earning her first trip to the final stage of the state tournament series. Paige was fourth in 18:49.9 while advancing to the finals for the third straight season.
“I’m excited that I made it to state, but sad that the season’s almost over,” Claire said. “It’s my last race with the team. They’re such a fun group. Next week it’ll be fun to run with Paige, I just want to place as high as I can.”
“It’s going to be so much more fun having Claire with me this year,” Paige said. “At the start of the race, I was just thinking about how cool it was to have both of us up in the very front.”
Bloomington South freshman Lexi Kollbaum, who won the sectional race at BNL, was the winner in 18:32.5.
Floyd Central claimed the team title with 51 points, followed by Columbus North (76), Jasper (155), Bloomington South (182) and Greensburg (212) in the 25-team field.
Other finishers for the Stars included Ashlynn York (104th overall in 21:41.7), Maggie Minton (117th in 21:57.9), and Genevieve Walker (194th in 23:28.1) among the total field of 241 competitors.
“I am so proud of this team,” BNL coach Amy Greenan said. “They all ran faster today than they did when we were here earlier in the year.
“That being said, Claire had a 30 second PR and pretty much stunned the field. She’s been getting faster – but wow, what a drop, and she just went for the win. It paid off big time.”
In the boys race, BNL did not field a team for the regional, but four Stars competed as individuals.
Hayden Rich was 101st overall in 17:48.7, followed by teammates Eli McFarland (139th in 18:20.4), Sam Strauser (200th in 19:13.4) and Linkin Guthrie (216th in 19:39.8) among a field of 25 teams and 242 runners.
“Overall the boys ran hard,” BNL coach Nick Boyd said. “This was the first regional on the course, and I think it will take some practice to find the rhythm of the course. You can run all the practice races here you want, but nothing prepares you other than running the regional itself. I am proud of all four boys and the way they ran today.”
Columbus North won the team crown with 52 points, followed by Bloomington South (149), Bloomington North (161), Barr-Reeve (167) and Evansville Reitz (168). Springs Valley’s Calvin Seitz was the individual champion with a blistering time of 14:30.7.
IHSAA REGIONAL
