Led by Dodt, Pioneer boys advance to regional

Montgomery, Fernandez advance as individuals to girls regional

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

The Pioneer boys cross-country team finished fourth out of 10 complete teams at the Logansport sectional on Oct. 8 and advanced to regional.

Pioneer’s team consisted of the minimum five runners required for a team score. Sophomore Leighton Dodt was the Panther frontrunner, taking third overall in 16:59.

Other Pioneer runners included junior Carson Meyer, who was 13th in 17:51; senior Jack Cooper, who was 28th in 18:43; sophomore Austin Brooke, who was 37th in 19:15; and freshman Elliot Cooper, who was 55th in 20:51.

Maconaquah won the sectional with 51 points. Northwestern (73), Lewis Cass (75), Pioneer (134) and Logansport (137) also advanced to the regional at Culver Academy on Oct. 15. Logansport edged sixth-place Western (138) by one point for the final team regional berth.

Winamac’s Kolbey Wegner followed up his Hoosier North title from one week earlier with an individual sectional crown. Wegner’s winning time was 16:36. Three Rivers Conference individual champion Isaiah Wittenberg was second in 16:46.

Every boy who ran 19:04 or faster advanced to the regional, either as an individual or as part of a team.

Maconaquah also won the girls team title with 42 points. Western (63), Winamac (72), Northwestern (93) and Carroll (Flora) (137) also advanced as teams to the regional.

Pioneer finished with 193 points and placed seventh and did not advance. However, junior Violet Montgomery and sophomore Paula Fernandez both advanced as individuals. Montgomery, the Hoosier North champion, was eighth overall and second among individuals on non-advancing teams in 20:39. Fernandez was 23rd overall and third among individuals on non-advancing teams in 22:07.

Other Pioneer runners included Grace Alpha, who was 52nd in 26:35; Hannah Zeigler, who was 57th in 30:12; and Madison Coy, who was 59th in 31:36.

Northwestern’s Hannah Moore and Courtney Adams finished 1-2 in 18:57 and 19:11, respectively. Maconaquah’s Abby Jordan, the TRC individual champion, was third in 19:21.

Every girl who ran 24:11 or faster advanced to the regional.

Logansport sectional girls results (points in parentheses): Maconaquah 42, Western 63, Winamac 72, Northwestern 93, Carroll (Flora) 137, Lewis Cass 164, Pioneer 193, Eastern (Greentown) 206, Logansport 240

Pioneer results (193 points, seventh place)

8. Violet Montgomery – 20:39 (8), 23. Paula Collado Fernandez – 22:07 (23), 52. Grace Alpha – 26:35 (50), 57. Hannah Zeigler – 30:12 (55), 59. Madison Coy – 31:36 (57)

Top 10 individuals on non-advancing teams: 1. Aftin Griffin (Lewis Cass) – 20:33, 2. Violet Montgomery (Pioneer) – 20:39, 3. Paula Collado Fernandez (Pioneer) – 22:07, 4. Ava Kantz (Eastern (Greentown)) – 22:12, 5. Cami Caldwell (Kokomo) – 22:37, 6. Kylie Logan (Lewis Cass) – 23:02, 7. Lily Greene (Eastern (Greentown)) – 23:57.3, 8. Alesia Rummel (Eatsern (Greentown)) – 23:57.6, 9. AnnaLeigh Hedrick (Lewis Cass) – 24:06, 10. Claire Bundy (Logansport) – 24:11