Culler eclipses school record as GHS places eighth

Junior Sara Culler set a Greencastle cross country school record Saturday, running a 20:58 at the Ben Davis Regional. Culler finished 27th.

INDIANAPOLIS -- The temps were not the only things falling over the weekend. Greencastle's girls' cross country team marched into regional and placed eighth and junior runner Sara Culler set a new school mark.

Culler led the GHS runners with her record-breaking time of 20:58, eclipsing the mark set by Hannah Serlin last season. Culler set a quick pace early and maintained it to post her time. She placed 27th on the day.

Kaitlyn Murtagh followed Culler in 31st position with a time of 21:09 and freshman Emily Gill was 35th overall with a time of 21:27. Fellow freshman Jasmine Dwigans came in 45th in a time of 21:57, while Felicia Barger was 58th in a time of 23:25. Ivonne Martinez recorded a time of 23:46, good enough for 62nd place, while Olivia Humphreys followed in 63rd with her time of 23:48.

GHS head coach Garry Anderson was pleased with his girls after the meet and acknowledged that the eighth place finish was an accomplishment in its own right.

"We were very pleased with our times overall," Anderson said. "We were hoping to finish higher, but the outcome of the teams finishing sixth, seventh and eighth were only 11 points apart. This is good when you consider the competition. I think the finish, eighth place, is the best finish in a regional for a Greencastle cross country team."

In addition to Culler's performance, Anderson noted that his top four runners all set new PRs.

With three juniors, two sophomores and two freshmen, Anderson is excited to see what the 2009 season has in store.

"Next season looks very promising with all the girls that ran today returning," Anderson said.

At Ben Davis

†--school record