INDIANAPOLIS -10:30 AM
It was a photo finish today at the 2018 Circle City Conference Joe Harvey Championship held at Brebeuf Jesuit High School.
In the final meters of the boys varsity race, Quinn Gallagher (12) of Guerin Catholic edged out Nick Perkins (12) of Roncalli by just 0.31 seconds.
Perkins, a 2017 state qualifier and reigning champion from the Rushville Regional, led for most of the race but was chased down by Gallagher in the final kilometer.
Finish Line Video Courtesy Circle City Conference
"The plan was to wait and help pace my teammates for the first 3k," said Gallagher who placed 16th at Lavern Gibson last fall. "[The top guys] got out a little further ahead than we planned, so I had to go a little early."
Around the half way mark of the race, Gallagher started moving through the pack to try and reach Perkins and fellow competitor Jack Kovach (11) of Brebeuf.
"[Gallagher] wasn't even a contender until about 400 meters to go," said Perkins. "I wasn't even really thinking about him until he was right there next to me."
As the boys sprinted hard toward the finish, fans and spectators cheered them to the line. With about five meters left, Gallagher had taken over the lead, but one final lean from Perkins made it the closest finish in Circle City Conference history.
"I thought I leaned [enough to get him]," said Perkins before the final results were tallied. "I figured, 'I woke up this early to race, I might as well try and leg it out.'"
Gallagher was equally confident of the win.
"I didn't see [Perkins] in my peripheries," he said. "I'm pretty sure I got him, but it was close."
Ultimately, Gallagher came out victorious with a time of 16:31.82 to Perkins's 16:32.11.
Kovach finished 3rd with a time of 16:40 to lead his Braves to the team title.
Gallagher and Perkins aren't likely to meet again until the Shelbyville Semi-State meet in October where, if we're lucky, they may just have another performance like they showed today.