All-RTC4 boys cross-country: Winamac’s Fredel wears down competition, is Runner of Year

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

RTC4 Boys Cross Country Runner of the year Logan Fredel

We saw it at the Caston Invitational back in September.

There were some runners who could hang with Winamac senior Logan Fredel for the first mile. There were still a couple who could keep pace with Fredel for the second mile. But by the third mile, he was on his own.

Strong, competitive and the frontrunner on a conference championship team, Fredel is our RTC4 Runner of the Year and the first Winamac runner of either gender to win this award.

The concern is that numbers have been down in cross-country since the pandemic, and that extends well beyond just the RTC4 area.

Still, we had a good influx of young runners in our area this year. Now the great concern is whether the change in the state tournament series – they eliminated the semistate, making it seemingly more difficult for runners from smaller schools to make state – will continue to cut into participation or whether it can recover.

We thank area coaches for sending us their meet results this year, and we thank them for talking to us after meets. As patient as any coach is after their events are over, cross-country coaches are seemingly the most patient. Once again, thank you.

Having said that, this list is ours and ours alone. We take full responsibility for it. We place special emphasis on the Saturday meets, including the conference meets and the state tournament series.

Dane Nathan Collin Leandro Christopher

Bowditch Pierzchalski Hammon Javier Marquez

All-RTC4

• Logan Fredel (Winamac) (Runner of the Year) – Fredel ran a 16:42 in winning that Caston Invitational mentioned above, and he was the only area runner who consistently got under 17 minutes all year. He was the conference champion in 16:24 and an individual regional qualifier.

• Dane Bowditch (Pioneer) – We must admit we were concerned that Bowditch, a junior, ran a 17:45 at the conference meet on the Winamac Town Park road course, but he followed that up with 17:28 at the Logansport sectional and a sizzling 16:40 at the Brownsburg regional that as the race of his life.

• Nathan Pierzchalski (Winamac) – Pierzchalski ran in Fredel’s shadow but consistently had excellent results as well, especially at the Caston Invite (17:22) and the conference meet (16:40).

• Collin Hammon (Tippecanoe Valley) – Valley coach Eric Hudson said after the season was over that he sees Hammon making state during his career, and he certainly seems headed on that path after a strong freshman season. He ran an 18:18 at conference and finished sixth to make the All-Indiana Northern State Conference team and then followed with an 18:11 at the Manchester sectional.

• Leandro Javier (Rochester) – The man they call Arlo made honorable mention All-TRC when he ran an 18:10 at the conference meet and then followed that with an 18:18 on the same Manchester course in the sectional. Then he got even faster at the regional, running an 18:04. He will finally have a full team with him next year.

• Christopher Marquez (Tippecanoe Valley) – Marquez was one spot behind Hammon at the conference meet and made the all-INSC team alongside Hammon. Hearing about the plantar fasciitis issues after the season only made this more impressive. He also was an individual regional qualifier.

• Emry Stackhouse (Argos) – It is so tough to run alone in this sport, especially, as a freshman. Still, Stackhouse did it, and his story was inspiring – from 19:58 at Caston to 18:55 and a spot on the All-Hoosier North team to 18:44 at the Manchester sectional.

• Kane Finke (Caston) – Finke, a senior, put it all together as a senior – strength, conditioning and confidence. He got under 18 minutes at the conference meet when he ran a 17:53 and then ran an 18:49 at the Logansport sectional and advanced to regional.

• Eli Hines (Pioneer) – We know that the Winamac Town Park road course is prone to fast times, but having said that, Hines running a 17:58 and finishing fifth stood out. Then he advanced to the regional as an individual. On paper, Pioneer would figure to be the boys favorite in the Hoosier North next year with Bowditch and Hines.

• Paxton Moon (Winamac) – Moon, a freshman, ran an 18:29 at conference and an 18:54 at the Logansport sectional. He was right there with Hammon, Stackhouse and Rochester’s Caden Biernacki among the top freshmen in our area.

Honorable mention

• Daulton Oaf (Caston)

• Malakai Clayton (Caston)

• Caden Biernacki (Rochester)

• Jack Brumett (Caston)

• Tyson Wachtmann (Rochester)

• Joel Showley (Winamac)

• Braylon Jamerson (Pioneer)

RTC Boys Runners of the Year

• 2020: Peyton Hiatt (Rochester)

• 2021: Austin Dague (Caston)

• 2022: Leighton Dodt (Pioneer)

• 2023: Leighton Dodt (Pioneer)

• 2024: Leighton Dodt (Pioneer)

• 2025: Logan Fredel (Winamac)