TERRE HAUTE – Competing as individuals Saturday, Warsaw sophomore Zeb Hernandez and Manchester senior Rae Bedke finished their cross country seasons by garnering all-state honors. Hernandez, who finished second in the sectional, regional and semistate rounds of the state tournament, finished 24th among 206 competitors in Saturday’s boys state finals in Terre Haute in a time of 16:19. Bedke covered the famed LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course’ 5K layout in a time of 19:06, finishing 25th out of 208 competitors in the girls state finals. The top 25 finishers in each race earned all-state honors. The Warsaw Lady Tigers were the only local squad to compete in the state finals as a team and finished 13th among the 24 girls teams with 330 points. Junior Mia Beckham led the Lady Tigers with a 26th-place time of 19:07. The rest of Warsaw’s lineup included seniors Allison Miller (69th, 19:51) and Anna Craig (96th, 20:16), sophomore Angie Sanchez-Vigil (136th, 20:44), senior Charlene Orr (140th, 20:47), sophomore Remi Beckham (161st, 21:14) and freshman Megan Metzger (164th, 21:20). Carmel won the girls team championship with 44 points, as the Lady Greyhounds extended their state title streak to seven years. Carmel had three of top six finishers in the girls race, which was won by DeKalb junior Tyler Schwartz in a time of 18:08. Carroll finished second with 113 points, followed in the top five by Homestead (157), Zionsville (166) and Valparaiso (269). Carroll won the boys team championship with 71 points, followed in the top five by Carmel (117), Lowell (166), Fishers (169) and Fort Wayne Concordia (173). Senior Curtis Eckstein of Oldenburg Academy was the boys individual state champion, crossing the line in 15:13. Junior Gabe Fendel (15:4) of Hamilton Southeastern was second, while junior Skyler Stidam (15:51) of Christian Academy of Indiana was third and Caston sophomore Mitchell Rans (15:57) was fourth.
