Courtney Study of New Palestine crossed the finish line in ninth place at the IHSAA Sectional 21 cross country meet Saturday at Mt. Vernon High School.
Rob Baker | For The Daily Reporter
FORTVILLE — Hancock County’s girls cross country teams went 3-for-3 at Saturday’s Mt. Vernon Sectional.
Host Mt. Vernon was runner-up to sectional champion No. 17 Franklin Central. New Palestine and Greenfield-Central took the final two qualifying spots for Saturday’s Rushville Regional.
Eastern Hancock does not have a girls cross country team this season.
Six teams were vying for five regional positions. Warren Central was the lone team that did not qualify for the regional
Franklin Central had a near perfect score (15), finishing with 17. The Flashes had the top four positions, led by Savana Miller, who finished the 5K course in 19:05.2.
Mt. Vernon kept Franklin Central from going 1-to-5 and having a 15-point race. Freshman Hannah Hauser placed fifth (20:04.9) and sophomore Emma Gale finished sixth (20:12.8). The Marauders had 55 points. Senior Mindy Cornelius wasn’t too far behind her teammates, placing eighth in 20:22.6.
Roncalli was third with 66 followed by New Palestine (113), Greenfield-Central (123), and Warren Central 133, which will get all of its runners to the regional, but will not be able to have a team score.
The top 10 individuals not associated with the five advancing teams also move on to regional competition.
“Four girls had lifetime bests,” Mt. Vernon coach Brian Williams said. “We’re still talking about trying to get that first meet where everybody has their best day. As a group, they had their best day, because we were able to beat Roncalli. That was a big deal. That wasn’t supposed to happen based on previous times (for both teams). Two weeks ago they beat us pretty easily at the Golden Bear Invitational (in Shelbyville).
“I’m very pleased with the way the girls stepped up and ran well.”
New Palestine was led by junior Courtney Study. She placed ninth overall with a time of 20:27.5. Greenfield-Central’s top runner, sophomore Lexie Copeland, finished 12th in 20:50.4.
“All season-bests (times) for them and five all-time bests,” New Palestine coach Chuck Myers said of his team. “It was close. Greenfield wasn’t too far behind us and Warren wasn’t too far behind them. It was a battle (to get to the regional). We got the fourth spot. That’s all you can ask for, another week to run.”
The Rushville Regional girls race begins at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Rushville Consolidated High School.
