Columbus North IN Boys Edge Center Grove and Carmel (93-95-101) and the Girls Slip Past Carmel 56-60

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

If the Nike XC Town Twilight, Presented by the Garrett Companies, was any indication, the upcoming Indiana state meet is going to be fierce. 

Under the lights and in a driving rain, the U.S. No. 9 Columbus North boys barely beat in-state rivals from Center Grove and Carmel on Saturday night at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course in Terre Haute. 

Carmel junior Kole Mathison ran to win win in 15:37.4 in challenging conditions to beat Columbus North leader Reese Kilbarger-Stumpff (15:44.7). 

RESULTS

The Bulldogs got support from Clayton Guthrie in 16th and Matt Newell in 21st on the way to 93 points and a close victory in the Midwest Race of Champions. Center Grove junior teammates Parker Mimbela and Griffin Hennessy went 5-6 to lead the team to 95 points. 

And Mathison's team finished third with 101 points. 

Indiana teams Fishers and Noblesville placed fourth and fifth and one of Illinois' top teams, York, was sixth. 

Lily Baker of Columbus North won the girls race in 18:17.4, while Carmel put three in the top six. 

Still, No. 24 Columbus North beat No. 19 Carmel 56-60. Noblesville was third with 80 points. 

Those three schools combined for 14 of the top 28 finishers in the race. 

Addison Knoblauch of Homestead IN finished second to Baker in 18:23.9.