IR TOP 50 BOYS TEAMS PRESEASON COUNTDOWN!!

Our annual tradition continues! IR has ranked the preseason top 50 teams in the state for each gender. Check back frequently as we update our list every few days!

BOYS TEAMS:

#46  - Barr-Reeve Vikings

Mater Dei Regional #8

State meet history: 1 appearance (2016)

2024 Results:

Jasper Sectional: 3rd place (80 points)

Mater Dei Regional: 16th place (425 points)

Returning Runners:  (Based on results from the Mater Dei Regional)

Pierce Yoder (11) - 16:24 (38th place)

Alton Klopfenstein (11) - 17:21 (93rd place)

Nicholas Wright (11) - 17:27 (97th place)

Tye Thompson (12) - 19:45 (229th place)

Ethan Darcus (10) - 21:43 (246th place)

Dawson Fitch-Edwards (12) - 22:57 (247th place)

2025 Outlook: The Vikings bring back six from a regional qualifier and should benefit greatly from the return of junior Paxton Traylor who did not race in the tournament but enjoyed an excellent track season, running under 10:00 for 3200 meters. Traylor and classmate Pierce Yoder should give Barr-Reeve an excellent frontrunning duo in the southern semistate, and junior Alton Klopfenstein ran 4:38 for 1600 meters. Those three are the start of a potential state meet team. While the Vikings don’t have an abundance of depth, two incoming freshmen finished in the top 20 of the middle school state meet small school division and could help round out the scoring. Perhaps this is a team a year away.

#47 – Roncalli Royals

Shelbyville Regional #14

State meet history: Never qualified

2024 Results:

Shelbyville Sectional: 5th place (112 points)

Shelbyville Regional: 11th place (335 points)

Returning Runners: (Based on results from the Shelbyville Regional)

Will Lewis (11) - 16:37 (57th place) 

Jim Buchmeier (11) - 16:55 (74th place) 

Owen Lewis (12) - 16:58 (77th place) 

Thomas Mallers (11) - 18:19 (172nd place) 

Luke Senac (10) - 18:26 (177th place) 

Chris Jerry (10) - 18:33 (188th place) 

2025 Outlook: The Royals enter the season with the impossible task of replacing frontrunner Sam Vaught. Roncalli does bring back a solid top trio and got great experience in both seasons last school year. In particular, junior Will Lewis ran under 10:00 for 3200 meters and could see continued progression after improving rapidly as a sophomore. That would possibly put him in position to qualify for the state meet individually out of the state’s most competitive regional.

#48 – Lake Central Indians

New Prairie Regional #10

State meet history: 18 appearances (last in 2024), 2 podium finishes (last in 1983), 1 runner-up title (1982)

2024 Results:

Highland Sectional: 1st place (37 points)

New Prairie Regional: 4th place (163 points)

IHSAA State Finals: 19th place (426 points)

Returning Runners: (Based on results from the New Prairie Regional)

Ben Perschon (12) - 16:15 (10th place) 

Ethan Gonzalez (12) - 17:42 (96th place) 

2025 Outlook: Lake Central has made each of the last three state finals and could extend that streak despite graduating five of the team’s top six runners. Senior Ben Perschon has finished in the top 40 at the last two state cross country meets and competed in three different state finals in track, the most recent in a season where he covered 3200 meters in 9:21. LC is in an easier route to the state meet, though certainly it will need more than Perschon’s frontrunning to get there. Perhaps a strong freshman class could help LC levitate in the top five of the regional.

#49 – LaPorte Slicers

New Prairie Regional #11

State meet history: 24 appearances (last in 2023), 2 podium finishes (last in 2007), 1 runner-up title (2007)

2024 Results:

New Prairie Sectional: 2nd place (27 points)

New Prairie Regional:12th place (365 points)

Returning Runners: (Based on results from the New Prairie Regional)

Ethan Howes (11) - 17:34 (83rd place) 

Jack Miskowicz (11) - 17:49 (103rd place) 

Luke Romine (11) - 18:13 (134th place) 

Josh Diaz (11) - 20:31 (234th place) 

2025 Outlook: The Slicers missed the state meet last season, snapping a three-year streak, and takes heavy graduation hits. Not all hope is lost to get back to Terre Haute, though. Junior Jack Miskowicz had an excellent track season, running 4:28 for 1600 meters and 9:27 for 3200 in addition to running on LaPorte’s 4x800 relay at the state meet. He should serve as an excellent frontrunner and a couple of talented newcomers could possibly make the difference to qualify for the state meet in perhaps the least treacherous path.

#50 - Angola Hornets

New Haven Regional #7

State meet history: 2 appearances (last in 2023)

2024 Results:

West Noble Sectional: 3rd place (105 points)

New Haven Regional: 8th place (273 points)

Returning Runners: (Based on results from the New Haven Regional)

Kaden Klink (12) - 16:22 (19th place) 

Gavin Cooke (12) - 16:33 (24th place) 

Hugh Robertson (10) - 18:23 (141st place) 

Grady Hoover (12) - 18:35 (160th place) 

Aiden Burns (11) - 19:38 (215th place) 

Brady Leininger (12) - 20:11 (227th place) 

2025 Outlook: The Hornets broke a five-decade drought from the state meet two seasons ago and could wait significantly less time for a return trip after missing last year. Angola has two solid returners in seniors Kaden Klink and Gavin Cooke, both of whom enjoyed strong track seasons. If the Hornets fall short of the state meet as a team, the pair should qualify individually like they did last year. Junior Ayden Copeland ran 1:57 for 800 meters after moving up from the 400 earlier. If he elected to run cross country, he could pair well with a strong incoming freshman class to put Angola in contention for a second state meet appearance in three years.