Jacob James (right) with his teammate Ethan Trueblood after Saturday's Franklin Community XC Regional.
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Waldron High School senior and top distance runner Jacob James died in a car crash in Shelby County, Indiana, on Sunday when his vehicle went off the road and into a tree before catching fire, according to the Shelby County Post.
We are heartbroken for the Waldron High community and the James family and offer our deepest condolences.
James was a senior at Waldron High School who has been a member of the cross country and track team for the past four years. He had qualified for the state cross country meet for the first time last year, where he ended up taking 126th place. He had also qualified for his first state track championships this past spring, taking 13th in the 3200 with a time of 9:22.74.
James held a season best of 15:58.70 in cross country this season, which he ran at the Franklin Community Regional where he took 2nd and qualified individually for his fourth semi-state appearance.
He held personal records of 2:10 in the 800m, 4:42 in the 1600, 9:22 in the 3200 and 15:55 in the 5K and was certainly set to be one of the top boys in the IHSAA Shelbyville Semi-State this coming weekend. He also would have been the No. 5 returner come the state track and field meet in the 3200.
James was set to race once more for a spot in the 2019 IHSAA State Meet this coming weekend at the Blue River Cross Country Course in Shelbyville, IN at the Shelbyville Semi-State. Alpha Timing has already announced a moment of silence in honor of Jacob James will be held before the start of the boys race.
