HSR Week 2 Recap
The HSR series is upon us. Three weeks of qualifying will culminate in the HSR Finals at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis on March 29 with the big school division first and the small school division to follow. Below is Indiana Runner’s weekly breakdown of the second week of competition that included indoor national championships. (Performances at a national meet can be used to qualify for the HSR Finals.)
COLUMBUS NORTH BOYS DISTANCE
Perhaps in the shadow of rival Bloomington North’s dominance, the Columbus North boys distance runners have opened the competition season very strongly. The Bull Dogs have been active in the first two weeks and currently sit fifth in the 4x8 and eighth in the DMR for big schools in HSR qualifying. No team even approaches the depth CN has displayed in the 3200 with the Dogs boasting 9:20, 9:35, 9:42, 9:43, 9:46 and 9:47 with four of those returning next year. North ultimately fell just shy of the podium, though the Dogs were a legitimate contender; early track results indicate this is a school that will linger at the top of the state for the foreseeable future.
CROWN POINT VAULTERS
Only one school returns two state finalist pole vaulters for the boys, and the future could be very bright in this event for Crown Point. Sophomore Isaac Roman, sixth in the state meet as a freshman, has noticeably progressed in his second year. His 15’9.25 is more than nine inches ahead of the next closest competitor. Classmate Jackson Donovan cleared 14’9 this past weekend so the Bulldogs sit 1-3 in HSR qualifying in the vault with junior Bobby Scott (13’6) also in qualifying position for the finals. In the most technical event in track & field where coaching really matter, CP may corner the market in this event with a 1-2 finish possible in ‘26 or ‘27.
BIG SCHOOL BOYS 3200
Cross country state champion Sam Quagliaroli has yet to race, though we will likely see him in something at the Hoosier Crossroads Conference meet this week. Cross country state runner-up Noah Bontrager has had an impressive indoor campaign, though he will be in the small school meet for the HSR Finals. Absent those two–and Quagliaroli very well may race it in two weeks as he is the defending champion–the 3200 at the big school meet could be the most tightly contested event. The top seven currently on the leaderboard are separated by less than three seconds, a list which includes teammates from Bloomington North and Noblesville, the top two teams at the state finals this fall in cross country. Mt. Vernon senior Ahmed Saleh, ninth last spring in the 1600, would have to be considered among the favorites as his 9:19.40 came on a flat track in a race that he won by over ten seconds.
DOUBLE THROWS WINNER POSSIBLE
The same boy hasn’t won both throwing events at the state finals since Carmel’s Langston Newton in 2012. Thought early, our committee (of one) has identified a possible contender to end this double drought: Floyd Central’s Brock Conrad. The senior certainly has the experience after qualifying for the state meet in both events the past two years with the disc probably his primary event. Seventh at the state meet in ‘24 in the disc, his 188’1.5” toss in the sectional is by far the best among current high school athletes. Conrad has made improvements in the shot as well: his 58’4.75 as the first Bloomington North Invite was a PR and he improved upon that at the second BN meet with a 59’0 which currently leads the state by more than two feet. The change from the slick discus ring at IU to a high school facility should bring down the variance in performance at state in the disc as well.
INDOOR RECORDS FALLING RAPIDLY
A combination of shoe technology, new tracks and an unprecedented wave of talent have led to a bevy of records falling. Most notably, Mallory Weller of Concordia has completely rewritten the girls record books with a 4:40 converted 1600 and 10:02 converted 3200 from the New Balance Indoor National meet this past weekend. Those new records–she broke her own mark in the 3200 set a month ago–pair with her school’s record times in the 4x800 and Distance Medley Relays. Bloomington South’s Ellie Barada also broke her own 800 meter indoor record with a 2:06 at Nike Indoor Nationals, meaning all girls distance records have gone down in the last month.
On the boys side, Bloomington North’s Caleb Winders took more than a second off the previous mark with a 1:49.90 in the 800 with Westview’s Noah Bontrager setting a new standard with a converted 8:43 for the 3200. Both are juniors looking for their first individual state championships this June. It’s been a good March for juniors with Franklin Central hurdler also setting a new mark in the 60 hurdles at UIndy this past week with a 7.78. Chatard’s Kalen Sargent, a senior, ran 48.13 to set a new mark in the open 400; his junior teammate Phoenix Boyer was also under the old record indoors. The two teamed up on Chatard’s 3:17.24, slashing three seconds off Center Grove’s previous record that stood for more than a decade.
HSR Week 1 Recap
The HSR series is upon us. Three weeks of qualifying will culminate in the HSR Finals at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis on March 29 with the big school division first and the small school division to follow. Below is Indiana Runner’s weekly breakdown of the first week of competition.
HIGH JUMP SUPERSTARS
Heritage Christian senior Kya Crooke and Warsaw junior Jordan Randall are perhaps the best prep high jumpers in the United States and entered the HSR series well this weekend. Crooke’s 6’0 clearance on Friday at Indiana Wesleyan started a busy weekend for her that included the state’s best long jump (18’1.75) and the best 60 dash among small school athletes (7.69) on Saturday as well as contributing a leg on Heritage Christian’s 4x2 that holds the best mark in qualifying among small schools (1:48.64) Friday night. Despite holding the top U.S. mark this year, Crooke is not a lock to defend her state title. Warren Central sophomore Kira Smith cleared 5’10 on Friday at UIndy, which should put her toward the top of the national performance list.
Randall’s 6’10 is far from his best but is still four inches above his next closest competitor during HSR qualifying among big school athletes. He did take three attempts at 7’3 while also running on Warsaw’s 4x2 that is currently in qualifying position for the finals.
WARSAW BOYS BIG INDOOR SEASON
Perhaps aided by its great new indoor facility, the Warsaw boys have put together an impressive indoor campaign so far. In addition to Randall’s U.S. #1 high jump, the Tigers boast strong distance performances. On Friday, Warsaw ran 8:09 to outduel Mt. Vernon then turned a 10:31 the next day in the DMR, the fastest time in that event on a flat track through one week. Prior to the competition window, junior Jackson Gackenheimer ran 9:14 for 3200 meters, the second best performance in the state. The Tigers’ field events are strong as well. Sophomore Tucker Reed cleared 13’0 in the pole vault with junior Cooper Hummitch over 12’6. Warsaw also has a trio of senior throwers: Kameron Kauffman (53’0.5), Benjamin Booren (52’10) and James Leiter (52’7.5) are all in clear qualifying position for the finals in the shot put.
HURDLE/DASH DOUBLE WINNERS
An athlete winning both the 60 dash and 60 hurdles in the same meet is rare, but we saw two instances of it this weekend. Franklin’s Aubrey Runyon won both on Friday night at UIndy with Lawrence Central’s Evan Williams completing the double at the same location the next day. Both are in qualifying position through one week in both events, though it is likely they will concentrate on the hurdles outdoors while contributing relay legs outdoors. Runyon is the top returner in the 300 hurdles, an event that figures to be more competitive this spring than last year.
DAY(S) LATE RELAY PERFORMANCES
Fort Wayne Concordia has been on a tear indoors with distance runners setting new all-time indoor marks in three events. Junior Mallory Weller proved her surprising win at the state championship in cross country was no fluke when she ran 10:11.33 over 3200 meters on February 22 in Michigan to break Addison Knoblauch’s mark from a couple years prior. On that same day, the Cadets ran 9:13.15 to obliterate Hamilton Southeastern’s mark set in 2024. Then, this Friday Concordia took 15 seconds (!) off Homestead’s DMR record from last year at IWU with an astounding 11:52.
A day after Concordia’s new record, Carmel also dipped under the former top mark with a 12:02 at the second IWU Qualifier. Across the state, Bloomington South came within a half-second of Concordia’s time with a 9:13.59 at the Conference Indiana meet. These performances all took place on flat tracks and could be lowered again at national meets or the HSR Finals.
DMR RACES SHAPING UP
A favorite event of distance runners in the indoor season, the Distance Medley Relay seems to have gotten off to a hot start already with six boys teams under 10:40 and six girls teams under 12:40, including two under the previous record. On Wednesday, Bloomington North superstar Caleb Winders passed Carmel on the 800 leg, giving his team enough of a cushion for All-State teammate Caelan D’Onofrio to hold off top Carmel runner Kiefer Jay as the Cougars set a state-leading 10:28 despite being a little shorthanded. (The Greyhounds were rewarded for their trip south with a 10:33, currently third.) Friday saw a great duel between Mt. Vernon and Homestead with just .5 separating MV from the Spartans as the teams went 10:35 and 10:36. Warsaw ran the aforementioned 10:31 to win with a big gap Saturday and Northridge, fresh off its podium appearance this fall, ran 10:38 solo in Fort Wayne. Brownsburg and Noblesville, contenders this fall in cross country both vanquished by Bloomington North, have the athletes to challenge the Cougars but have not run a stacked relay. We anticipate these two putting down fast times at the HCC meet on the banked track of the state fairgrounds in a couple of weeks.
Beyond Concordia and Carmel’s marks, Bloomington South doubled back many of its top runners from the near-record 4x8 to run 12:11 in the DMR. Races between Carmel and Bloomington South at the HSR Finals big school meet could be interesting as the teams try to strike a balance between the two distance relays. The Greyhounds have superior depth, but South holds the ultimate trump card in a close race with Ellie Barada, who set an indoor record over 800 meters in February. Columbia City, Franklin Central and North Central all dipped under 12:40 with Westfield just a couple seconds off. Concordia holds a 94-second gap to its closest competitor in the small school division, but the Cadets could further their record at New Balance Indoor Nationals this weekend.
THE USUAL SUSPECTS - HSE AND CARMEL GIRLS
Rivals Carmel and Hamilton Southeastern seem to be perennial team title contenders in girls track, though the two have won just one title (HSE in 2018). Last year, HSE rewrote the indoor record books and won a national indoor title in the 4x4 while Carmel won the HSR Finals big school division handily. The Royals were just third at the state meet, and Carmel back in a tie for fifth.
The two county rivals appear to be the two best times currently, albeit a week into the season. HSE swept all four relays at the Blue & White Relays meet it hosts at Anderson. The ‘Hounds were even stronger at IWU and now hold top two marks in all four relays among big schools. These were the only schools to break 4:00 in the first weekend of competition, and the two teams went back and forth last outdoor season in this event.
Perhaps the format of the HSR series with limited events and relays counting double is overwhelmingly advantageous to these two usual suspects. Perhaps by June we will see a team like Heritage Christian, Fort Wayne Carroll or Evansville North ascend the podium off the strength of individual excellence. Right now, though, HSE and Carmel appear on a collision course over the next three months that could come down to their strongest event: the 4x4.
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