Western Boone Jr. - Sr. High School

The Western Boone high school cross country team traveled to Hamilton Heights on Thursday evening for the Landes Invitational, where runners from ten schools competed. The Lady Stars were the team champions with 32 points, followed by runner-up Hamilton Heights with 47 points. Hamilton Heights won the boys' team competition with 32 points; the Stars' boys team was 7th with 164 points. In the girls race, the Lady Stars placed four of their five scoring runners in the top ten, which sealed the team's victory. Hannah Haag and Katheryn Rutherford ran together and finished in 2nd and 3rd, respectively, just five seconds apart in 21:08 and 21:13. Haag earned a personal best, improving her time by seven seconds compared to her previous best. Bailey Haag and Emily Parsons also finished close together in 7th and 8th, respectively, in 22:55 and 22:57. Parsons achieved a personal best time as well, improving by 15 seconds. Samantha Jones rounded out the scoring team in 13th in 24:02. Janelle Gearheart achieved a personal best of 26:44 to finish in 28th. Also finishing close together were Kate Higer in 32nd and Bailey Keyes in 33rd. Rosie Rogers, who finished 39th, earned a personal best of 30:02. Cara Hanna was 46th, and Katherine Mateika was 56th. The girls' team victory was the fourth time a Western Boone team has won at the Landes Invitational since the meet's inception in 1996. In the boys race, Isaac Threlkeld led the way for the Stars and achieved a personal best of 19:17 to finish in 15th. Graham Cavins ran very strongly and narrowly missed his personal by just 0.8 seconds; he was 30th in 20:23. Lane Hardee was next for the team in 39th in 21:03. Carter Hanna and Levi LaGrange finished just nine seconds apart in 22:11 and 22:20, respectively, in 54th and 56th to round out the scoring team. Brawn Puckett and Brayden Schick sprinted to the finish line and both finished in 22:52, with Puckett (60th) placing just ahead of Schick (61st). Schick earned a personal best with his time. Alex Crockett also achieved a personal best of 23:03 in 63rd. Xander Rouse achieved the biggest personal best of the evening, improving his time by 1:34 to finish in 24:52 in 73rd. Jude Balke earned the final personal best of the evening, finishing in 25:33 in 76th. The Stars will compete Saturday at The Hometown Savings Bank State Preview Meet in Terre Haute.