Who’s Number Two?
The staff breaks down the top ten distance runners in Indiana history
“The thing is that in track we are painfully and constantly aware of how we stack up, not just with our contemporaries but with our historical counterparts as well.”
--Once a Runner
Times certainly are a solid indicator of past accomplishments, but there still is a lot debate when it comes to greatness. Our staff has weighed in with their own individual opinions. Below is a poll combining the top tens of five Indiana Runner writers. Scoring was done on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis with one catch: a runner had to appear on at least two lists in order to be in the top ten. Although Mike Slaubaugh ranked Anderson’s John Stayton second (a very old school reference), he did not appear on anyone else’s list.
Cross country and track were considered equally, but only high school careers mattered so the All-American exploits of Nef Araia and Andy Begley didn’t help their cases. Special thanks to Indiana’s Best for helping with all the statistical information.
Honorable Mention: Scott Hiles, Anderson Madison Heights; Tim Keough, Hammond; Nick Middleton, Lawrence Central; Brad Rowe, Crown Point; John Stayton, Anderson; Ken Waterhouse, Bloomington South.
10. Andy Begley, Westview ‘95
State championships: 1994 3200, 1995 cross country, 1995 1600, 1995 3200.
Outlook: Begley became just the second ever boy to win the Triple Crown (cross country, 1600 and 3200) in his senior year, posting track times of 4:11.66 and 9:13.04. Begley’s frontrunning led tiny Westview to a fourth place finish in the state cross country meet in 1994. Health problems cost him his junior cross country season, but Begley rebounded in the spring to win the 3200 at the state finals in 9:12.99.
His 9:09.55 PR, set at the Fort Wayne Wayne regional his senior year barely ranks in the top 50 in Indiana and his 4:11.66 from the state finals is well behind many who do not appear on the list. Begley’s fourth place finish at the Foot Locker national cross country championships in his senior year, however, certainly helps his cause. Only three in the history of Indiana have ever been able to complete the Triple Crown, though the IHSAA did not allow athletes to run both distance events until 1977.
9. De’Sean Turner, Warren Central ‘07
State championships: 2006 cross country, 2007 1600
Outlook: Turner was the premiere runner for one of the strongest classes in history. The cornerstone of Warren’s back-to-back cross country and track & field state championship teams his junior and senior seasons, Turner fell just short of individual titles in the 2005-2006 school year. Pendleton Heights senior Brock Hagerman beat Turner in the state cross country finals by 12 seconds, and the Warrior superstar was second to Andy Weatherford in the 1600 at the track state finals by .08 after running the anchor leg on Warren’s runner-up 4x800 meter relay.
Turner came back his senior season with a vengeance, however. At the cross country state meet, he easily bested the field by five seconds for his first individual title while leading the Warriors to a slightly surprising repeat victory. In track, a very highly touted rematch between Weatherford and Turner didn’t live up to expectations as Turner seized the lead down the backstretch over Franklin’s Sean Wilson and won in 4:08.34, good for a nearly four second victory and the fastest winning time since Christian Wagner’s 4:07.11 in 2003. Turner was also a two-time Foot Locker qualifier.
8. Neftalem Araia, Lawrence North ‘03
State championships: 2001 cross country, 2002 3200, 2002 cross country.
Outlook: One of only ten harriers ever to win back-to-back state titles in the fall, Araia qualified for two Foot Locker finals. His fourth place finish in 2002 tied Begley for the highest placing by an Indiana athlete since Jason Casiano was the runner-up in 1990. Small but mighty, Araia was so intimidating to some opponents in his prime that he simply ran away, virtually unchallenged, from the field his junior year to take the 3200 at the state finals in 9:22.78, the slowest winning time in five years.
After beating an up-and-coming runner from Columbus North in the 2002 state cross country championships, Araia unfortunately ran into the guillotine that was the junior track season of Christian Wagner. Still, the Wildcat is only one of nine Indiana high schoolers under nine minutes for 3200 meters and was an integral part of LN’s track dynasty at the early part of the decade.
7. Mike Fout, LaPorte ‘08
State championships: 2007 3200, 2007 cross country.
Outlook: Certainly an athlete who will be discussed in hypothetical conversations among track fans for years, Fout burst onto the scene with a shocking upset of cross country favorite (and eventual state champion) De’Sean Turner of Warren Central at the 2006 New Prairie Invitational. In a theme that would repeat itself, injuries took their toll that season as Fout qualified for the state finals as an individual but could not compete. The Slicer star rebounded that spring to take the 3200 meter title in 9:03.49 among a myriad of injury rumors, including the false claim that he was running on a broken foot. He built on that success later by becoming just the ninth ever runner to break nine minutes for 3200 meters. His 8:55.77 equivalent is good for seventh all-time in Indiana.
Fout left no doubt in the fall, punishing the field at the state finals with a 25 second victory that was the widest margin in 12 years. In the process, he led LaPorte to its first ever runner-up finish on grass. It didn’t stop there, however. Fout won the Foot Locker Midwest Regional over Thanksgiving weekend to qualify for the national meet. In San Diego, among the best runners in the country, Fout took over around the two-mile mark and charged to the finish to become Indiana’s first ever Foot Locker National cross country champion. Injuries and missed opportunities hurt his ranking but fuel the legend that is Mike Fout.
6. Aaron Fisher, Franklin Central ‘01
State championships: 1998 cross country, 1999 cross country, 2000 1600, 2000 cross country.
Outlook: Another career filled with intrigue due to injury, Fisher is the only true three-time winner in cross country history. (Anderson’s John Stayton won three times, but his initial victory came on a day when two separate races were held.) After an incredible sixth place finish his freshman year, Fisher won his sophomore year by two seconds then extended that margin over the next couple seasons to six and finally 13 seconds in his senior season. Fisher led his team to the state title in 1998 and a runner-up distinction the following year after teammate Brian Dunn placed third. So desperate and frustrated was the field to upend the Flash phenom his senior year that DeKalb’s Ryan Johnson finished last after running himself into exhaustion in 2000 trying to maintain contact with Fisher. A few weeks later, Fisher qualified for his first Foot Locker Nationals.
A six second victory in the 1600 his junior year coupled with a 4:07.89 converted from a full mile in April his senior year at the Arcadia Invitational fueled talk of a Triple Crown and, perhaps even a new state record over 1600 meters. A stress fracture that spring foiled those plans, however. A gutsy Fisher survived with wins in the sectional and regional round in the 1600 his senior year, wearing training shoes. Leading from the gun, Fisher extended his advantage with each lap in an attempt to run away from the field. A sizeable lead dissipated down the homestretch, however, as “charging very hard” was Milan’s Chris Swisher, who nipped the three-time cross country champion at the line to win in 4:16.64. Epitomizing desire and passion for one’s sport, rumor has it that Fishers’ shin hurt so bad following the race that he could not remove his own spikes. His early-season Arcadia time ranks as seventh best in Indiana history and begs the question of “what if?”
5. Carey Pinkowski, Hammond ‘75
State championships: 1973 cross country, 1974 mile, 1974 cross country (tie), 1975 mile.
Outlook: Pinkowski may very well have been not only the best runner in his school, but the best in the history of Indiana until another athlete entered Hammond. Winning the ’73 title outright, Pinkowski tied with a teammate the next year, but a 1-2-5 finish in the scoring wasn’t enough to boost their team to the state title as Portage won.
On the track, Pinkowski holds a top 20 time in the mile at 4:11.10, an event he won in consecutive years as a junior and senior. His 8:53.44 converted time makes him part of the only trio from the same school to break nine minutes in the same year ever. That performance ranks him fourth all-time in Indiana history yet only third on the list of Hammond’s best.
4. Jason Casiano, Portage ‘91
State championships: 1989 3200, 1989 cross country, 1990 3200, 1990 cross country, 1991 3200.
Outlook: Casiano is the only three-time winner in the 3200. Though he never broke nine minutes for his premiere event, Casiano was also an apt miler, covering the 1600 in 4:11.44 at the Duneland Conference meet his senior year. His 1989 victory over 3200 meters made Casiano only the second ever sophomore to win the event.
Casiano’s biggest accomplishment was a runner-up finish in the 1990 Kinney cross country championships (currently Foot Locker). Until this season, that had been the best Indiana finish ever. Casiano was also the first of a multitude of two-time Hoosier qualifiers for the national meet.
3. Don Vandrey, Valparaiso ‘67
State championships: 1965 cross country, 1966 mile, 1966 cross country, 1967 mile.
Outlook: The most unaccredited runner in Indiana history, Vandrey owns the state’s best mile with his 4:04.17 equivalent from the Bloomington Invitational in 1967. His 4:10.8 and 4:10.3 were a far cry from Chapa’s 4:05.8 full mile at the state finals, but the fact remains that Vandrey has covered the distance faster than any Hoosier prep ever.
Specialization kept the Valpo star from posting any smoking fast two mile times, and speculation does not land anyone in McNulty’s best. Vandrey did cover the two mile cross country courses during state meet victories his junior and senior year in 9:27 and 9:33 while finishing fifth as a sophomore. With the help of a third place finish from teammate James Barth, Vandrey led the Vikings to their first of six total team titles. That ranks Valpo third most among all schools and second since 1960.
2. Christian Wagner, Columbus North ‘04
State championships: 2003 1600, 2003 3200, 2003 cross country, 2004 1600, 2004 3200.
Outlook: A move-in from small Lafayette Central Catholic after his freshman year, Wagner energized a Columbus North dynasty that made the podium for five consecutive years in cross country. After finishing tenth in the fall of 2001, Wagner was game to challenge defending champion Nef Araia the next year before ultimately finishing second. That runner-up finish led his Bull Dogs to the title after having finished second to Franklin Community the year before. In his senior year, Wagner dominated all season. He won the state championship by seven seconds, leading three other Dogs to all-state honors as North won in a romp, scoring just 43 points.
While the cross country accolades that included two trips and a seventh place finish at the Foot Locker National meet were certainly noteworthy, Wagner did most of his damage on the track. His 4:07/8:55 double at the state finals his junior year destroyed Araia. So impressive was Wagner’s junior campaign that his 4:13/9:04 double—unheard of in previous year—was deemed “disappointing” by Indiana Runner patrons. Wagner’s 8:50.81 equivalent from a full two miles at the Adidas Outdoor Championships in 2003 ranks third all-time with his 4:07.11 coming in fourth ever.
Wagner’s biggest contributions to the sport went beyond his own championships. His national title win at AOC in 2003 led Araia to a second place finish and 8:54.46 performance. By attacking from the gun, Wagner helped five runners hit the automatic qualifying standard for 1600 meters at the 2004 Franklin regional. In one of the most famed races in Indiana track & field lore, Wagner outdueled Batesville senior Rob Grote, 8:57.78 to 9:00.09. The 3200 race at that year’s state finals swelled to 31 competitors as nine runners hit the standard at the Franklin regional, including Bull Dog teammates Ryan Dixon and Ben Milroy.
1. Rudy Chapa, Hammond ‘76
State championships: 1974 two mile, 1974 cross country (tie), 1975 two mile, 1975 cross country, 1976 mile.
Outlook: Who else? Chapa’s three decades old performances are still the gold standard among Indiana distance running. The Hammond hero holds both state meet records that all Hoosier high schoolers aspire to break but have yet been able to do so. He was third at the state cross country meet as a sophomore in the days when tenth grade was the first year of high school. Chapa followed his rookie season up with two state titles, sharing the honor with Pinkowski before winning by 24 seconds on a 2.5 mile course in 1975.
The inconvenient rule that prohibited distance runners from doubling keeps Chapa’s state title count down to five. How he would have fared in the mile against Pinkowski in ’74 or ’75 is anyone’s guess, and a battle between Chapa and 2 mile champion David Kelley in 1976 could have been legendary. With Chapa electing to run the mile that year, Kelley won in 9:02.7, four seconds slower than Chapa’s winning time (and meet record) the year before. In fact, Chapa’s state meet performances in his junior and senior years were so dominant that the IHSAA chose to lift the ban on doubling the year after he graduated.
His 4:04.67 equivalent is second all-time to Vandrey while an 8:48.27 performance at the sectional meet his junior year is the best 3200 ever. In fact, his seemingly untouchable state meet record of 8:55.10 was set in a pouring rainstorm. His sophomore performances over the mile and two-mile distances are both class records. Chapa also holds the 10,000 meter high school record in an astonishing 28:32, which converts to 9:11 for a full two miles done three times in a row (and then some.)
Here are the top ten lists of our each of our staff members:
Colin Altevogt
1. Rudy Chapa – Hammond
2. Christian Wagner – Columbus North
3. Don Vandrey – Valpraiso
4. Aaron Fisher – Franklin Central
5. Carey Pinkowski – Hammond
6. Jason Casiano – Portage
7. Mike Fout – LaPorte
8. Nef Araia – Lawrence North
9. Andy Begley – Westview
10. Nick Middleton – Lawrence Central
Brandon Jones
1. Rudy Chapa – Hammond
2. Christian Wagner – Columbus North
3. Jason Casiano – Portage
4. Don Vandrey – Valparaiso
5. Aaron Fisher – Franklin Central
6. Carey Pinkowski – Hammond
7. Nef Araia – Lawrence North
8. De’Sean Turner – Warren Central
9. Nick Middleton – Lawrence Central
10. Mike Fout – LaPorte
Stephen M. Bain
1. Rudy Chapa – Hammond
2. Jason Casiano – Portage
3. Don Vandrey – Valparaiso
4. Mike Fout – LaPorte
5. Nef Araia – Lawrence North
6. Christian Wagner – Columbus North
7. Carey Pinkowski – Hammond
8. Aaron Fisher – Franklin Central
9. Ken Waterhouse – Bloomington South
10. De’Sean Turner – Warren Central
Mike Slaubaugh
1. Rudy Chapa – Hammond
2. John Stayton – Anderson
3. Jason Casiano – Portage
4. Christian Wagner – Columbus North
5. Don Vandrey – Valparaiso
6. Carey Pinkowski – Hammond
7. Brad Rowe – Crown Point
8. Andy Begley – Westview
9. Aaron Fisher – Franklin Central
10. Mike Fout – LaPorte
Mark Biros
1. Rudy Chapa – Hammond
2. Christian Wagner – Columbus North
3. Don Vandrey – Valparaiso
4. Mike Fout – LaPorte
5. Nef Araia – Lawrence North
6. Carey Pinkowski – Hammond
7. Scott Hiles – Anderson Madison Heights
8. Aaron Fisher – Franklin Central
9. De’Sean Turner – Warren Central
10. Jason Casiano - Portage
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