Miller tops county runners at Shelbyville Semistate

SHELBYVILLE — Greencastle freshman Landon Miller led the charge for the Putnam County runners taking part in the IHSAA Cross Country Shelbyville Semistate Saturday at Blue River Memorial Park.

Miller (16:38.5) finished 55th overall in the boys’ race with teammate Charlie Menzel (17:03.8) finishing 80th overall.

North Putnam’s Jeremiah Miles (17:24,7) finished in 101st place with teammate Brayden Monnett (17:35.7) not far behind in 110th place.

In the girls’ race, Cloverdale’s Ella Szczerbik (22:07.3) finished 155th overall.

Carmel beat out Ben Davis Regional champion Zionsville 67-74 for the boys’ team title behind race winner Kole Mathison (14:56.1), the only sub-15 minute finisher in the field. Center Grove, Noblesville, Indianapolis Brebeuf Jesuit and Franklin Central also qualified for the IHSAA Cross Country State Finals.

The Millers would win the girls’ team title on 68 points, 14 ahead of North Central (Ind.). The Greyhounds and Eagles, along with Guerin Catholic and East Central, qualified for the state finals.

Defending girls’ state champion Lily Cridge (16:58.6) of Indianapolis Bishop Chatard won the girls’ race by nearly 30 seconds and was the only sub-17 minute runner in the field.