Indian Creek runner Noah Greenwood (361) works for position at last season’s Shelbyville Regional.
Daily Journal file photo
The opportunity to represent his school on the highest of platforms as a sophomore was a dream come true for Noah Greenwood.
That experience now tucked away, the Indian Creek runner is crafting workouts, rest, diet and more this season in an all-out effort to get back.
“It was a great experience, and it’s an opportunity I hope to have this year,” said Greenwood, who navigated the LaVern Gibson course in Terre Haute to a 160th-place finish. Teammate Luke Neibert came in 228th.
“Definitely a lot of pressure, but it was just a sense of accomplishment being there.”
Traditionally a program on the outside looking in when it comes to state qualifiers — the most recent boy to make it had been Jeff Evans in 1986 — Indian Creek could be in a position to fare even better this time around.
Both Greenwood and Neibert, a senior, return to give the Braves a formidable 1-2 punch at the top of coach Brady Devine’s lineup. The defending Johnson County meet champions also bring back seniors Henry Fleetwood and Lukas Hogan with some talented ninth-graders vying for the other spots.
Greenwood and Neibert are expected to battle for the top position, but ultimately it’s all about team success.
“We get along pretty well. We’re all friends,” Greenwood said. “Yeah, I want to be the No. 1 runner, but I think we all just want to do our best.”
Greenwood’s fastest time is the 16 minutes, 29.8 seconds he posted in finishing 33rd at the Shelbyville Regional. He was close to that at state, running a 16:34.3. Other accomplishments included placing third at county and sixth at the Western Indiana Conference meet.
The junior would like to get his times down into the low 16s this season, which begins Aug. 24 when the Braves host an invitational.
Greenwood starts races strong and possesses a good finishing kick, according to his coach. He continues working to improve his speed and endurance through the middle 3k — arguably one of the most difficult aspects of the sport to teach.
“It’s kind of conditioning your mind to just being uncomfortable,” Devine said. “Do you want it more than they do or not?”
Greenwood does — albeit in his own uniquely quiet manner.
“Noah is just the kid who shows up, does his thing and goes home. Whatever I say, he does, and he has no complaints,” Devine added. “He’s the last kid I’m worried about whether he’s going to get it done that day.
“Every time he races, he gets better.”
A relatively scary prospect for someone only halfway through his high school career.
Center Grove Trojans
Coach: Howard Harrell
Last season: Sectional champion, fourth at regional, 15th at state meet
Who’s back?: Curtis Williams and Mason Vrshek, seniors; Cameron Cox and Michael Leavitt, juniors; Ethan Holbrook, Jayden Salo and Yared Seymoum, sophomores
New faces to watch: Christian Langrel and Nathan Sequeira, juniors; Will Cuskaden, Riley Dodson, Craig Salo and Gabe Sunga, sophomores; Luke Adler, freshman
What to expect: The Trojans’ run of five consecutive teams qualifying for the state meet — a run that includes finishes of third, fourth and sixth — may or may not be in jeopardy. That said, momentum and expectations are always in the their corner, so never say never. Cox, Leavitt, Williams and Salo all finished in the top 20 at sectional last fall, with Holbrook not far out at 24th. Without any proven stars, Center Grove’s strength will likely be in its balance.
Franklin Grizzly Cubs
Coach: Jeff Powers
Last season: Fourth at sectional, 16th at regional
Who’s back?: Luke Holcroft, Alex Lin and Isiah Tunis, juniors; Liam Fennig, Brooks Huddleston and Phoenix Hoge-Mills, sophomores
New faces to watch: Luca Doyle, sophomore; Luke Dougherty, freshman
What to expect: The future certainly looks promising for the Grizzly Cubs, whose primary runners are underclassmen. Expect Tunis or Fennig, respective 10th- and 13th-place finishers at the Shelbyville Sectional last season, to be the pace-setters as the season progresses. Huddleston, Lin and Holcroft were others who gained valuable varsity experience early in their careers. Doyle, who placed 55th at sectional as a Greenwood Christian freshman, should also make an impact.
Greenwood Woodmen
Coach: Tad Frahm
Last season: Third at Johnson County and Mid-State Conference meets, fifth at sectional, 14th at regional
Who’s back?: Henry Barrett, Sam Cassel-Bertolet and Jacob Squire, seniors; Jackson Frahm, Grady Havens and Zach Penn, juniors; Robert Hecker, Camron Knoll, Jaxon McIlwain and Jack Siminski, sophomores
New faces to watch: Eli Hawkins and Jonah Knoll, freshmen
What to expect: The senior nucleus of Squire, Cassel-Bertolet and Barrett are expected the Woodmen in terms of both execution and example. Squire came through with an 11th-place effort at sectional last season, while Barrett and Cassel-Bertolet crossed the line 30th and 44th, respectively. The emergence of some underclassmen will be vital to the Woodmen’s collective improvement.
Greenwood Christian Cougars
Coach: Matt Pierce
Last season: Placed 12th at sectional
Who’s back?: Nathan Cottongim, senior; Thomas Bumps, Steven McClain and Gavin Rothrock, juniors; Patrick Branch, Eli Nelson, Randy Stout and Noah Vazquez, sophomores
New faces to watch: Griffin Carney and Max McNichols, freshmen
What to expect: The Cougars will be extremely young this season, though Cottingim, the lone senior, did qualify for the regional as a 10th-grader in 2022.
Indian Creek Braves
Coach: Brady Devine
Last season: Johnson County champion, sectional runner-up, 12th at regional
Who’s back?: Logan Ankney, Andrew Elsbury, Henry Fleetwood, Lukas Hogan and Luke Neibert, seniors; Noah Greenwood and Tyler Lower, juniors
New faces to watch: Hank Seitzinger, Atticus Smith and Isaac Smith, freshmen
What to expect: The Braves, who qualified Greenwood and Neibert for the state meet last season, appear to possess even more depth this time around thanks in part to a talented freshmen class. Not to be overlooked are Fleetwood, a top-20 finisher at sectional, and Hogan (33rd). Devine anticipates great competition for the final spots in his top seven and feels this squad can compete for county, sectional and Western Indiana Conference championships.
Whiteland Warriors
Coach: Scotty Kern
Last season: Fifth at county, sixth at Mid-State Conference meet and ninth at sectional
Who’s back?: Caleb Fox, Peyton Land, Nick Perry and Jason Rose, seniors; Jayden Clark, Nolan Edens, Riley Gerteisen, Tristan Jordan, Trenton Martinelle, Steven Mergi, Brandon Siebe and William Watson, juniors; Brady Goedeker, Evan Reisert, and Conor Shirley, sophomores
New faces to watch: Cooper Doty, Connor Ferguson, Nathan Fish, Cannon Jordan, Graham Mund, Xavier Seitz, Brendan Shirley, Ben Verel, Jayden Walls, Colton Watson, Joseph White and Rylan Wilkins, freshmen
What to expect: The Warriors will be a mix of old and new, with Kern expected to utilize the talents of freshman runners who, as eighth-graders, won the Junior Mid-State Conference, placed second at county and wound up 20th at the Indiana middle school state meet. As for the upperclassmen, William Watson and Edens (26th and 28th at sectional, respectively) are veteran varsity runners capable of helping their younger teammates throughout the season.
