<p>Andrew Bixler qualified for the boys cross-country state finals last season, but he would have preferred to have some company there.</p>
<p>More focused on team success than individual accomplishments, the Franklin senior could get his wish this fall as the Grizzly Cubs return most runners from a squad that won sectional and regional titles.</p>
<p>“I was happy to be there, but it was a little disappointing,” said Bixler of his placing (103rd) at state in October. “This season we have pretty much the same team as last year. I think we have a chance to get to state as a team.”</p>[sc:text-divider text-divider-title="Story continues below gallery" ]
<p>Bixler starts the season, which begins Aug. 13 at the Early Bird Invitational at Blue River Park in Shelbyville, as the Cubs’ No. 1 runner.</p>
<p>In 2017, he placed both fourth at sectional and regional and was the 20th to cross the finish line at the Shelbyville semistate, where he established a new personal-best time of 15 minutes, 56.9 seconds.</p>
<p>Bixler’s athletic passion used to be swimming, but he grew tired of the sport and switched to cross-country in sixth grade. A year later he started competing in track, and he has been part of both teams ever since.</p>
<p>In an attempt to prepare for this season, Bixler and some teammates have made Saturday drives to state parks to experience some different challenges while running.</p>
<p>“We’ve been to Brown County, Fort Ben (Fort Benjamin Harrison) and Eagle Creek,” said Bixler, who carries a 4.0 grade-point average in the classroom. “It’s something other than pavement, and there are hills mixed into the trails.”</p>
<p>Franklin coach Adam Schwartz said Bixler has generally led more by example than with his voice. However, there is a level of assertiveness from the senior that hadn’t been there before.</p>
<p>“We preach a lot about the team. Everyone chips in. Every guy has to push the guy ahead of him,” Schwartz said. “Andrew is a pretty down-to-earth guy, but you can look at him to be a leader. Now that some of the upperclassmen have graduated, it’s more like it’s his team.”</p>
<p>And if all goes according to plan, that whole team will be joining him in Terre Haute at season’s end.</p>[sc:pullout-title pullout-title="Scouting the county" ][sc:pullout-text-begin]<p>A look at Johnson County’s high school girls cross country teams:</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline">Center Grove Trojans</span></p>
<p>Coach: Wes Dodson</p>
<p>Last year: Second at Franklin Sectional, won Shelbyville Regional, 17th at Shelbyville Semistate</p>
<p>Key returnees: Nina Fujii and Stephanie Embree, seniors; Gabby Ellis, Gabrielle Harrell and Marielle Harrell, juniors; Sadie Schemmell, sophomore</p>
<p>Top newcomers: Hudson Gilstorf and Rebecca Stockman, freshmen</p>
<p>Outlook: Fujii and Gabrielle Harrell are back to lead the Trojans after placing ninth and 11th, respectively, at the sectional. "Nina and Gabrielle are our top two runners, and we have two freshmen who are pushing those two," Dodson said. "Also, Sadie Schemmell has made tremendous strides. I’m pretty excited. I think we’re a little better than we were last year."</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline">Edinburgh Lancers</span></p>
<p>Coach: Amy Macy-Schilling</p>
<p>Last year: Finished 11th at Brown County Sectional</p>
<p>Key returnee: Kaylia Kelley, junior</p>
<p>Top newcomers: Elle Dayton and Malkia Willard, sophomores</p>
<p>Outlook: Macy-Schilling has three runners but hopes to bring more onto the team as the Lancers’ season progresses. "We want to start the season and just get our beginning times and try to get better and better," she said. "And we want them to have fun, too."</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline">Franklin Grizzly Cubs</span></p>
<p>Coach: Ray Lane</p>
<p>Last year: Fourth at Franklin Sectional; fifth at Shelbyville Regional; 15th at Shelbyville Semistate</p>
<p>Key returnees: Abby Burton and Caroline Selking, seniors; Piper Reed and Megan Tennell, juniors; Lilly Lacy, sophomore</p>
<p>Top newcomers: Sydney Clements, sophomore; Jenna Newton, freshman</p>
<p>Outlook: The Grizzly Cubs are vying for another semistate berth and have the county’s top returning runner in Lacy, who placed second at sectional and fifth at regional. “We feel pretty optimistic,” Lane said. “We want to be back in the running to get to semistate and improve our finish there.”</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline">Greenwood Woodmen</span></p>
<p>Coach: Blaine Williams</p>
<p>Last year: Sixth at Franklin Sectional</p>
<p>Key returnees: Janae Johnson and Lauren Spencer, seniors; Julia Arruda and Mallory Watson, juniors</p>
<p>Top newcomer: Selena Pinon, freshman</p>
<p>Outlook: "We have a strong core of veterans who have been running varsity cross country since they were freshmen," Williams said. "We have seniors on our team for the first time since 2015. I’m excited to see how that group of returners continues to improve and lead by example for our younger girls. Last year we were so close to advancing to the regional as a team, and I’ve challenged the girls to make that their goal this fall."</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline">Greenwood Christian Cougars</span></p>
<p>Coach: Sean Branch</p>
<p>Key returnee: Anna Subris, senior</p>
<p>Top newcomers: Abby Muck, sophomore; Whitney Smith, freshman</p>
<p>Outlook: Subris, who returns after finishing 37th at the Franklin Sectional, is joined by a pair of rookies. Though his squad can’t compete in meets as a team (five runners are needed), Branch likes what he’s seen so far in practices. "We’re hoping to see the girls achieve individual success," he said. "As a team, we want them to support each other. They are dedicated, hard-working young ladies."</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline">Indian Creek Braves</span></p>
<p>Coach: Kirsten Taft</p>
<p>Last year: Eighth at Brown County Sectional</p>
<p>Who’s back: Shaelyn Biddle and Marissa Smith, seniors; Sieria Bowman, junior; Luci Woodrum, sophomore</p>
<p>Top newcomers: Hailey Burkett, junior; Kiley Breedon, sophomore; Paxton Marshall, freshman</p>
<p>Outlook: "I would really like everyone to (set personal bests) this season and see our top five advance to regional," Taft said. "We’ve been working really hard all summer. It’s just going to take consistency."</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline">Whiteland Warriors</span></p>
<p>Coach: Jennifer Sims</p>
<p>Last year: Third at Franklin Sectional; seventh at Shelbyville Regional</p>
<p>Key returnees: Shelby Kress, senior; Taylor Leytham and Erica Walling, juniors; Lauren Fish, Hannah Parker and Heaven Smith, sophomores</p>
<p>Top newcomers: Alexa Brodnik, sophomore; Lydia Lukich and Katia Olmstead, freshmen</p>
<p>Outlook: First-year coach Sims would like for the Warriors to add another week to their postseason after making it to regional last season. "They did really well last season, but I’m hoping this year to go even further," said Sims, a former athlete at Perry Meridian. "For me, what has stood out the most are the relationships on the team. Just everyone being so positive and pushing each other."</p>[sc:pullout-text-end][sc:pullout-title pullout-title="Scouting the county" ][sc:pullout-text-begin]<p>A look at Johnson County’s high school boys cross country teams:</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline">Center Grove Trojans</span></p>
<p>Coach: Howard Harrell</p>
<p>Last year: Third at Franklin Sectional; second at Shelbyville Regional; ninth at Shelbyville Semistate</p>
<p>Key returnees: Archit Malik and Sebastian Martin, seniors; Nick Wilson, junior</p>
<p>Top newcomers: Christian Antal and Raef Sauer, freshmen</p>
<p>Outlook: Injuries delayed the progress of the Trojans during the summer, with four of the team’s top six athletes missing time in June and/or July. The goal for Center Grove this season is to continue to progress in the regular season and be a factor once the postseason arrives in October.</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline">Edinburgh Lancers</span></p>
<p>Coach: Amy Macy-Schilling</p>
<p>Top newcomer: Parker Young, freshman</p>
<p>Outlook: The Lancer boys again just have one runner on the roster. This time, it’s Young, who will have to learn to push himself on a daily basis in practice without any teammates to spur him on.</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline">Franklin Grizzly Cubs</span></p>
<p>Coach: Adam Schwartz</p>
<p>Last year: Won Franklin Sectional; won Shelbyville Regional; eighth at Shelbyville Semistate</p>
<p>Who’s back: Andrew Bixler and Isaiah Lindsey, seniors; Drew Hargis, Drew McGaha, Wyatt McCullough and Will Tucker, juniors; Anthony McDonald, sophomore</p>
<p>Top newcomer: Ethan Pheifer, sophomore</p>
<p>Outlook: The Grizzly Cubs could be primed for a special season if all goes according to plan. Bixler, Lindsey and McCullough form a strong nucleus capable of leading the program deep into the postseason. "We should be really good, but until we get on the course and actually compete, we won’t know for sure," Schwartz said. "I like the way the runners on this team push each other. They’re competitive, but not over-competitive to get mad when a teammate beats them."</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline">Greenwood Woodmen</span></p>
<p>Coach: Blaine Williams</p>
<p>Last year: Sixth at Franklin Sectional</p>
<p>Who’s back: Josh Alfrey and Zach McCauley, seniors; Keith Alford, junior; Tyler Scott, sophomore</p>
<p>Top newcomers: C.J. Meyer and Conner Watson, freshmen</p>
<p>Outlook: With five of the top seven runners from last year graduated, this is will likely be a reloading year for the Woodmen. "We have some guys who we need to step up to help us continue the success we’ve had the last few years," Williams said. "I’ve been impressed with how they’ve been training this summer, and I’m looking forward to seeing how our freshmen and sophomores continue to develop."</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline">Greenwood Christian Cougars</span></p>
<p>Coach: Sean Branch</p>
<p>Key returnee: Zane Stout, senior</p>
<p>Top newcomers: Devin Patterson, junior; Aden Sloan, freshman</p>
<p>Outlook: Barring injury, the Cougars should be able to compete in team events as Branch welcomes five runners to practices. "As a team, we really want to perform well in the conference, county and sectional meets and score as high as possible," he said.</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline">Indian Creek Braves</span></p>
<p>Coach: Brady Devine</p>
<p>Last year: Seventh at Brown County Sectional</p>
<p>Key returnees: Nate Decker, senior; Hunter and Mitchell Ellis, juniors; Jackson Fenton and Jack Mitchell, sophomores</p>
<p>Top newcomer: Chris Lister, sophomore</p>
<p>Outlook: Devine, a 2014 Indian Creek graduate, has more questions than answers at this point. The exception is Decker, the team’s lone senior, who advanced to semistate last season. "Nate Decker should make it at least to semistate. He’s a pretty tough kid," Devine said. "Individually, it’s just having them all get better as the season goes on is our main goal."</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline">Whiteland Warriors</span></p>
<p>Coach: Gary Emerson</p>
<p>Last year: Fourth at Franklin Sectional; fourth at Shelbyville Regional; 14th at Shelbyville Semistate</p>
<p>Key returnees: Mika Long and Eric Williams, seniors; David Fox and Will Jefferson, sophomores</p>
<p>Top newcomers: Rohit Dubb and Xavier Goble, sophomores; Gavin Liken, Michael Perkins and Ashton Spoonamore, freshmen</p>
<p>Outlook: About to start his 17th season, Emerson feels good about his top three runners. "Our goal is to always advance to the semistate and be in the top three in the county and conference meets," he said. "If I can find a sophomore or freshman to fill the number 4 and 5 spots, we can be pretty good."</p>[sc:pullout-text-end]
