H.S. CROSS COUNTRY: FC’s Kotowski state bound

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Floyd Central freshman Lydia Kotowski led the way for Saturday's Crawford County Regional champion Highlanders with a fourth-place finish. Staff photo by Greg Mengelt

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October 21, 2012

H.S. CROSS COUNTRY: FC’s Kotowski state bound

Henryville junior Spears just outside top-15

NEWS AND TRIBUNE sports@newsandtribune.com The News and Tribune Sun Oct 21, 2012, 12:13 AM EDT

NASHVILLE — Floyd Central freshman Lydia Kotowski finished ninth at Saturday’s Brown County Semistate to qualify for next Saturday’s state meet in Terre Haute.

However, the Highlanders could not overcome Alyssa Moore’s illness and finished seventh — just eight points behind the fifth and final state team, Evansville Memorial.

“Very proud of all our girls today,” Floyd coach Carl Hook said. “Lydia ran an amazing race.”

Another Highlander freshman, Madison Barney, was second for Floyd, finishing 28th in a personal-best 19:53.

Zoe Doebbler was 55th, Jamie Bierman 56th and Moore 61st for the Highlanders.

“It was a great season and we’re blessed,” Hook said. “I’m looking forward to taking Lydia to state next week.”

Henryville junior Sadie Spears finished 20th overall, missing the individual cut by five spots. Her 19:31 was 15 seconds off of the time to beat to quality.

“She had a rough start, but she made up as many spots as she could,” Henryville coach Brad Nifong said. “She’s motivated for next season.”

Columbus North won the girls’ team championship behind champion Mackenzie Caldwell. whose winning time was 18:06, and runner-up Rachael Sollman.

Silver Creek finished eighth, led by Brittany Sharp’s 24th-place finish. Jessica Backherms was 33rd and Maggie Shields crossed the line 36th.

“I’m very proud of the girls today,” Dragons coach Darrell Kingery said. “We had not been rated very high in the polls and we wanted to earn some respect, and by beating all of the medium-sized schools from the south, I hope we earned a little of that respect.”

New Albany finished 16th, led by two-time state finalist Phoebe Bauer, whose injury-plagued season came to an end in 42nd place.

In the boys’ race, Silver Creek’s Isaak Haas was the top local finisher in 40th place as the Dragons, who were hampered by a Jason Fruits’ fall and subsequent injury, finished 13th.

“The race turned out to be a bummer for us,” Kingery said. “We wanted to get the sixth spot, but that went away when Jason fell at about the two-mile mark.”

Borden was the top-finishing local team in 12th, led again by freshman Julien Magallanes, who was 45th. Floyd Central was 15th with Grant Reynolds leading the way in 50th.

Defending state champion Columbus North won the team title, giving the Bull Dogs a sweep for the day.