Daily Reporter staff reports
Several Hancock County cross-country teams and runners put together impressive performances during Saturday’s sectional competitions.
At the New Palestine Sectional, the Dragons girls finished second as a team, qualifying for regional this coming Saturday at Rushville with the top-five sectional teams and top 10 individuals not on a qualifying team advancing.
The Dragons recorded 60 points, while Franklin Central was first at 31. Warren Central was third (66), Greenfield-Central was fourth (94) and Roncalli was fifth.
The Dragons’ boys team also placed second with 73 points. Franklin Central won the team title with 55 points. Roncalli was third at 83, Warren Central was fourth at 103, and Indianapolis Scecina Memorial was fifth at 122.
New Palestine’s top girls runners were freshmen Brenna Shaw and Kendall Mann, who placed fourth and fifth in 20 minutes, 40.03 seconds and 21:07.90, respectively.
New Palestine junior Grace Voelz joined Shaw and Mann on the all-sectional team (top 20 finishers) by taking 12th in 22:24.38. Sophomore Haley Rickey gave the Dragons four runners in the top 20 with an 18th-place showing in 23:05.08.
The Greenfield-Central girls team was led by senior Sydney Cook in sixth at 21:18.34. She was followed by freshman Audrey Brinkruff in seventh at 21:18.80. Junior Sarah Muckerheide was 16th in 22:45.56.
Individually, Eastern Hancock pushed through a pair of runners in seniors Annie Floyd and Liberty Dunham. Floyd was 20th overall in 23:15.87. Dunham was 22nd at 23:33.42.
Kyler Harrison paced the Dragons’ boys with a third-place run in 17:10.59. He was followed by fellow junior Drew Austin, who placed fourth in 17:14.26.
Josh Collins, a junior, was 12th for New Palestine in 17:55.54.
Cougars junior Parker Niemeier was the top individual without a qualifying team, running to a 10th-place finish overall in 17:44.36. Senior Cooper Hanson was 11th overall in 17:49.06.
Greenfield-Central senior Zach Archibald (20th, 18:13.24) and freshman Luke Muckerheide (40th, 19:14.02) also qualified for regional.
Eastern Hancock had four runners advance to regional: junior Skyler Schrope (16th, 18:06.15), senior Will Huffman (17th, 18:06.76), freshman Daniel Campbell (37th, 19:05.31), and sophomore Nick Edwards (42nd, 19:22.36).
Marauders push teams to Delta Regional
The Mt. Vernon Marauders cross-country teams powered their complete boys and girls lineups into next weekend’s Delta Regional at the Muncie Sports Complex.
The Marauders boys were second overall as a team with 60 points at the Pendleton Heights Sectional on Saturday. The host Arabians won with 33 points. Lapel was third with 118, Blue River Valley was fourth with 128 and Anderson was fifth with 155.
Senior Alex Carver led the Marauders with a fifth-place run in 17:35. Sophomore Marco Ramirez was eighth in 17:47. Senior Drew Bluethmann was 10th in 17:54. Senior Timothy Broaders was 18th in 18:15, and senior Trey Klevickas was 19th in 18:16 to give Mt. Vernon five in the top 20.
The Mt. Vernon girls team placed third with 108 points. Yorktown won the sectional with 26. Pendleton Heights was second at 53. Lapel finished fourth with 120. Frankton took fifth with 128 points.
The Marauders were paced by senior Kassandra Ramirez in 11th overall at 22:08. Sophomore Rilee Hartman placed 19th in 22:32.
Volleyball
Marauders win Bishop Chatard Invitational title
The Mt. Vernon volleyball team swept its way to the Bishop Chatard Invitational title Saturday, defeating the host Trojans 3-2 in the title match.
The Marauders fell behind 25-19, 25-20 after two sets against Bishop Chatard before winning the next three 25-23, 25-13, 15-7.
Meridan Eads had 25 assists and Victoria Bulmahn added 18 for the Marauders. Bulmahn also had 19 kills and four blocks. Claire Ertel and Sarah Herman each recorded 13 kills. Grace Hurst led the defense with 30 digs. Ertel had 28 digs.
The Marauders extended their winning streak to five straight with a 3-0 win against Fort Wayne Bishop Luers in their first match (25-12, 25-12, 25-14).
Mt. Vernon finished the regular season with six consecutive wins and is 17-11 heading into sectional play this Thursday against host Greenfield-Central.
