When the runners representing 16 schools lined up at the starting line at the Rushville cross country sectional on Saturday, Oct. 18, they were competing for a chance to advance to the Shelbyville regional on Saturday, Oct. 25. Only the top five teams and the top 15 individuals not on an advancing team would move forward.
Richmond won the boys race, Hagerstown was second and Northeastern finished third to advance. Batesville won the girls race. Both the Lady Knights, with a third-place finish, and the Lady Tigers, with a fourth-place finish, will run in the regional.
Tanner Paddock from Union County was the individual winner in the boys race in a time of 16:22.8.
Final team standings for boys: Richmond 59 (Cale Newton second, Kenny Li sixth, Brady Newton 14th, Brayden Villafuerte 18th, Cole Hileman 19th, Trevin Crosby 27, Julian Bowden 29), Hagerstown 109 (Kendrick Herr 16th, Bryce Tinkle 21st, Zack Logston 23rd, Benjamin Smith 24th, Hayden Pruitt 25th, Hazard Houghton 40th, Jack Rector 41st), Northeastern 110 (Dash Thacker third, Lucas Chamness fourth, Nicolas Markward 26th, Zachary Wright 35th, Kayden Hill 42nd, Brandt Benjamin 54th, Luke Wiley 62nd) Batesville 113, Union County 127, Oldenburg Academy 156, Centerville 169 (Jonah Cornett eighth, Hunter Biava 28th, Clay Johnson 39th, Grayson Hawkins 46, Abram Jarvis 48th, Tate Chasteen 50th, Mason Flynn 53rd), East Central 188, New Castle, Rushville Consolidated 225, Connersville 244.
Advancing teams: Richmond, Hagerstown, Northeastern, Batesville and Union County.
Advancing individuals: Adam Dennis (Oldenburg Academy), Ethan Chew, (Tri High), Carson Hartwell (Oldenburg Academy), Jonah Cornett (Centerville), Logan Jacobs (Rushville), Abram Hiltz (East Central), Sam Dennis (Oldenburg Academy), Ben Rich (New Castle), Hunter Biava (Centerville), Spencer Mummert (Tri High), Brycen Morgan (New Castle), Hunter Bales (Connersville), Kheagan Kindred (Tri High), Axle Plum (Connersville), Anthony Toler (East Central).
Ava Wade from Batesville was the individual champion in the girls race in a time of 19:01.7.
Final team standings for girls: Batesville 34, East Central 37, Northeastern 91 (Hayden Neagle third, Aubrey Neagle 16th, Madelyn Green 22nd, Zella Cook 23rd, Isabella Green 27th),
Hagerstown 107 (Sophie Garvin 14th, Maycee Favorite 20th, Abigail Smith 21st, Avery Blunk 24th, Makena Lanum 28th, Emsley Holcomb 33rd, Claire Bowen 34th), Rushville Consolidated 150, New Castle 151, Centerville 152, Richmond 198.
Advancing teams: Batesville, East Central, Northeastern, Hagerstown and Rushville Consolidated.
Advancing Individuals: Kinley Puckett (Lincoln), Anyah Amman (New Castle), Anna Nevel (Centerville), Lauren Gilman (New Castle), Kelsey Dare (Union County), Jillian Chew (Tri High), Josie Wenning (Oldenburg Academy), Henley Paddock (Union County), Lilly Loveall (Knightstown), Maddie Ryan (Oldenburg Academy), Lena Allen (Richmond), Adrianna Marcum (Connersville), Bowi Frame (Centerville), Paige Dixon (Centerville), Madison Tompkins (Knightstown).
A version of this article appeared in the October 22 2025 print edition of the Western Wayne News.