Columbus North’s Neal White approaches the finish line at the Boys Cross Country State Finals Oct. 28, 2023 at LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course in Terre Haute.
The Republic file photo
Columbus North has state title aspirations, while Columbus East will look to close the gap under new coach and former Bull Dog Gabe Ocasio and Hauser will seek a third consecutive Mid-Hoosier Conference title.
Here is a look at those two and other area boys cross-country teams heading into the 2024 season:
Columbus North
The Bull Dogs finished sixth in last year’s state meet and are ranked third in the Indiana Runner preseason poll.
“We feel like we can contend to be as good as anybody in the state,” North coach Rick Sluder said. “We’ve worked as hard as we can to do that, so the next 13 weeks, that will be our goal — to work as hard as everybody else and see what we can do at the state meet.”
Senior Neal White finished 12th individually at state last season and was The Republic Boys Cross-Country Runner of the Year.
“Neal White looks fantastic as our frontrunner,” Sluder said. “He got sick during track, and that cost him his tournament, but he’s had a great summer, and then we are just really deep after that. All of our returners had great track seasons, and they just look outstanding.”
Those returning varsity runners coming off solid track seasons are juniors Jace Works and Logan Vanzant and seniors Draven Martinez and Jonny Klaus. Senior Evan Bense, juniors Denton Sluder and Sam Steinmetz and sophomores Justin Reckers and Graham Pumphrey figure to battle for varsity spots.
“Our summer was really strong,” Rick Sluder said. “It was 40 guys working really hard all summer. Our top 15 might be as good as anybody in the state. Our depth is our strength.”
Columbus East
Ocasio, who helped lead North to state titles in 2010 and 2011, takes over a program that finished 10th in last year’s Brown County Sectional.
“The culture is changing at East, and it started in February,” Ocasio said. “They’ve bought in, and we’re looking for a historic season as far as East is concerned. They’re more than ready to go.”
Columbus East’s Jackson Brookes makes his way through the Brown County Sectional Oct. 14, 2023 at Eagle Park in Nashville.
The Republic file photo
Senior Jackson Brookes and Austin Menefee qualified for regional as individuals last season. Juniors Elijah Clore and Lorren Westerfeld also return to the varsity.
Freshman Norman Dickson was the middle school Tri-County champion while running for St. Peter’s Lutheran.
“Our No. 1 through No. 5 are pretty interchangeable at this point,” Ocasio said. “We have five that are pretty strong.”
Senior Chance Knapp also ran varsity last season and could be joined in the top seven by sophomore Maddox Hult, who played soccer. Senior Asher Stevens is back after being injured most of last year. Two sprinters from the track team — junior Deonte Study and senior Kadyn Johnson-Bey — are running cross-country for the first time.
The Olympians, who finished sixth in the Hoosier Hills Conference last season, will host this year’s HHC meet Oct. 5 at Ceraland.
“The goal is to go for the win,” Ocasio said. “We’ve been preaching that since Day 1.”
Hauser
The Jets have won back-to-back MHC crowns and finished sixth in sectional last year, one spot away from advancing to regional as a team.
Hauser’s Nolan Dailey makes his way through the Brown County Sectional Oct. 14, 2023 at Eagle Park in Nashville.
The Republic file photo
Junior Nolan Dailey qualified for regional as an individual. Junior Mason Moore, senior Kase Meister and sophomore Koleson Gernentz also return.
Freshmen Max Moore and Mason Johnson ran on a strong middle school team. Senior Lukas Christian is running cross-country for the first time.
“Hoping to compete for a third consecutive Mid-Hoosier Conference title against what will again be strong competition from Waldron,” Hauser coach Ben Finke said. “Will be looking these next couple of weeks where we are individually after the summer and where we can go from there. A lot will depend on how far our 2-5 can progress over the season.”
Columbus Christian
The Crusaders have doubled their roster size, going from three runners last year to six this season.
Senior Ben Halsey, junior Justin Schlaudroff and sophomore Roman Sanchez return to the lineup. They are joined by freshmen Maddyn Fleeharty, Zander Stephens and Trae Short.
“We’re definitely looking forward to having enough to score as a team and looking forward to see how they can do,” Columbus Christian coach Dean Schlaudroff said. “At least four of those guys are running some pretty good times. It will be fun to see how they improve as the year goes on.”
Jennings County
The Panthers were regional qualifiers last year after finishing fourth in the sectional.
Senior Kraedyn Young finished 33rd at state and has aspirations of earning All-State honors this year. Juniors Zachary Wahlman and Dawson Leak and senior Brock Maschino also return to the varsity.
Junior newcomer Max Rodriguez could be the team’s No. 2 runner. Juniors Jace Phillips, freshman Sean Ernstes and sophomore Eli Lucas are battling for the other varsity spots.
“We kind of have our backs up against the wall this year, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing,” Jennings coach Luke Inman said. “We made it through the summer, and we have a decent base heading into the season. We have the right ingredients to still be a strong team. We don’t have the numbers, but we have the frontrunners. We’ll have to see how these kids respond.”
Brown County
The Eagles were hit hard by graduation and underclassmen not returning after finishing eighth in last year’s sectional.
Senior Kai Koester and sophomore Aden Skaggs were regional qualifiers as individuals. Sophomore Xavier Himebaugh also returns.
Freshmen Nathan Cumberledge, Jacob Schwein and Alex Schwenk make up the rest of the roster.
“They’re young,” Brown County coach Rob Abraham said. “They’re coming along pretty good. They had a pretty good camp.”
South Decatur
Coming off an 11th-place sectional finish, the Cougars will have five runners to begin the season.
Sophomores Nick Hunter and Josh Chastain are the lone returners. They are joined by sophomore newcomers Luke Poling and Michael Nobbe and freshman Joe Morrow.
“We are looking to build as a team,” South Decatur coach Bethany Fromer said. “We are glad that we will have five boys to start the season. There may be a few more in the next week. We have goals to finish strong and stay together and healthy this season. Looking forward to hosting the Invite at home and then the (Decatur) county meet. The hills at the camp and home course are key to our endurance and we are up for the challenge.”
Edinburgh
The Lancers have a new coach in Alex Engelbert, a former Central Middle School and Waldron High School athletics director.
Englebert was just hired on Tuesday. He had only one runner, freshman Julian Espino, when the school year began on Wednesday and hopes to add a few more.
Trinity Lutheran
With six runners, the Cougars will have enough to score as a team after having only four last year.
Sophomores Braxton Sinclair, Stephen Trager, Rylan Adair and Sam Dyer are the returners. They are joined by sophomore Oliver Eggersman and freshman Nathan Negrete.
“We’re growing, which is a good thing,” Trinity coach Keith Dyer said. “Probably the part we’re happiest about is being able to score as a team.”
2024 boys cross-country schedules for Bartholomew County schools:
Columbus East
Aug. 24 at Brown County Harrier Classic, 9:15 a.m.
Aug. 27 at Columbus North, 5:30 p.m.
Sept. 7 at Columbus North Classic, 9:30 a.m.
Sept. 14 at Whiteland Invitational, 8:30 a.m.
Sept. 21 at Jennings County Invitational, 9 a.m.
Oct. 5 in HHC meet at Ceraland, 9 a.m.
Columbus North
Aug. 17 at Valley Cross Kickoff at Terre Haute, 9 a.m.
Aug. 21 at Brown County Challenge, 5:45 p.m.
Aug. 27 vs. Columbus East, 5:30 p.m.
Aug. 31 at Franklin Invitational, 8:30 a.m.
Aug. 31 at Dennis Bays Inviational at Evansville, 10 a.m.
Sept. 7, Columbus North Classic, 9:30 a.m.
Sept. 14 at Brown County Eagle Classic, 8:30 a.m.
Sept. 21 in Conference Indiana meet at Ceraland, 9:30 a.m.
Sept. 28 at Lincoln Trail meet at Tell City, 9 a.m.
Oct. 5 at Nike Valley Twilight at Terre Haute, 6 p.m.
Hauser
Aug. 20, Hauser Hokum-Karem, 6 p.m.
Aug. 24 in Small School Invite at Blue River Park, 10:30 a.m.
Sept. 14 at Whiteland Invitational, 8:30 a.m.
Sept. 21 at Jennings County Ray Gerkin Invitational, 9 a.m.
Sept. 26 at South Ripley Big Pumpkin Invitational, 5:30 p.m.
Sept. 28, Hauser Heritage Day Classic, 9 a.m.
Oct. 3 at Greensburg Invitational, 5 p.m.
Oct. 5 in Nike Twilight at Terre Haute, 6 p.m.
Oct. 12 in MHC at North Decatur, 9 a.m.
