Paul Van Laningham, Isabella Keller Execute Late Moves To Win Individual Titles In Terre Haute

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Bobby Goddin Photos

RESULTS/VIDEOS

Paul Van Laningham patiently waited for his spot and then dashed past four runners and into the lead on the long home straightaway at LaVern Gibson Championship Course to win the top boys race at Nike XC Town Twilight. 

Van Laningham of Cooper KY kicked away from the rest of th field over the final 200 meters and won in a time of 14:51.5. 

He improved by 27 secodns and moved up from a 14th place finish in the Race of Champions in 2024.

Jace Works of Columbus North IN was second in 14:57.2 and led the No. 12 Bulldogs over several of the top teams in the Midwest region. 

Zander Ritenhour of Lakewood Park Christian IN (14:57.2), Carter Zieren of Reitz IN (14:58) and Ruel Newberry of Denton Guyer TX (14:59) were all under the 15-minute barrier. 

Columbus North scored 115 points to beat in-state rival Noblesville (189) and Illinois crosstown rivals Plainfield North and Plainfield South, which both scored 229. St. Louis Univrersity MO was fifth with 240. 

After Works, Columbus North had Denton Sluder in 23rd, Graham Pumphrey 36th, Justin Reckers 40th and Joseph Day 44th.

Isabella Keller of Effingham (St. Anthony) IL bided her time behind Libby Dowty for two miles before steadily gaining ground and taking the lead 13 minutes into the race. 

Keller kept rolling to the finish line and her time of 16:53 was a 13-second improvement upon her fourth-place finish in 2024. 

Dowty finished in 16:56 and placed second for the second year in a row. Anya Zoeller from Pendleton Heights IN was third in 17:15 and Annika Swan of Chicago (St. Ignatius) IL was fourth in 17:19.4.

No. 12 Carmel IN put three in the top eight and then endured a 64-second wait for its No. 4, but that was no issue for the Greyhounds, who scored 74 points. 

Anabel Pollert was fifth, just ahead of teammtes Sadie Foley and Larkin Taylor, seventh and eighth. 

Mt. Prospect (Prospect) IL was second with 143 points and Bloomington South IN was third with 154.