A big day from Jordan Burden at the New Haven Cross Country Semi-state could spell a state berth for NorthWood. InkFreeNews file photo by Mike Deak

By Mike Deak
InkFreeNews

HUNTINGTON – The stars will be out at 10:30 a.m. Saturday morning in Huntington, where some of the top cross country talent in northern Indiana will be on display at the New Haven Cross Country Semi-state.

Four of the top 10-ranked teams in the state will converge upon Huntington University for the northeast semi-state boys race. No. 3 Fishers comes in a house afire after sweeping the top seven spots at the Delta regional, impressive considering No. 4 Hamilton Southeastern was in the field. No. 6 Goshen, the Elkhart regional champ, as well as No. 7 Northridge will also make the trip, the RedHawks and Raiders having waged battle against one another the past month through the conference and state ladders.

No. 18 Homestead, No. 20 Fort Wayne Concordia and No. 25 Penn will also be there, along with perennial contenders Fort Wayne Carroll and Bellmont also made the field.

Some of the state’s elite runners will be at New Haven, including defending state champion Izaiah Steury of Angola, who was the West Noble regional champion at 15:41. Penn’s Mariano Retzloff is also in the field, the Kingsmen senior finishing fifth at the finals a year ago, but was eighth at Ox Bow, where some of the top times in the state were turned in. Northridge’s Jack Moore clocked a 15:24, and both Cole Johnston and Drew Hogan of Goshen both were under 16 minutes, as was Ridge’s Jaxon Miller.

Another couple runners to watch are Concord’s Anthony Roberts and Columbia City’s Austin Hall, both with previous times that could slide into individual state berth status.

NorthWood brings its team and its Hype Wagon to Huntington, looking to move up the list and steal one of the top six spots. The Panthers likely don’t have a frontrunner to keep up with the pace of the elite individuals, but have a shot to get the team out if it can get its pack together to run with Brady Hunsberger and Jordan Burden, who have led the team up front. Bereket Bennett and Grady Stevenson both had big regional races while Owen Allen and Cole Davies have been among consistent scorers for the Panthers.

Sliding to the girls side, a lot of the state’s recognized clubs will also be on display, seven of the top 25 active. No. 11 Hamilton Southeastern, No. 13 Homestead, No. 14 Fishers, No. 15 Penn, No. 18 East Noble, No. 21 Fort Wayne Carroll and No. 23 Fort Wayne Concordia all are ready to go, along with contenders Huntington North and Northridge.

A quartet of regional sub-19s should highlight the girls race, including Addison Knoblauch of Homestead, Nicki Southerland of Delta, Addison Wiley of Huntington North and Julie Smith of Penn. The Northridge Raiders also look for their pair of aces, Tame Baylis and Haylee Hile, to rise to the occasion.

NorthWood slipped to fifth at the Elkhart regional, and will really have to do some work to get through to state. Frontrunner Kaitlin Burden, however, has elevated herself in recent weeks, taking second at the sectional and sixth at the regional, putting herself in position to advance as an individual if the Panthers can’t climb the team ladder. Emilie Allen is knocking on the door of one of the individual slots based off combined times, giving NorthWood some added punch at the top. MacKenzie Brewer, Savannah Slone and Sydney Prenkert all scored for NorthWood at the regional.

Races are set to begin Saturday at 10:30 a.m. The top six teams and top 10 individuals not on an advancing team will qualify for the IHSAA State Finals on Oct. 30 in Terre Haute.