2020 Boys Teams XC Season Preview

Boys Team Preview

1.) Columbus North Bulldogs

Last year's State Finish: 4th Place

Projected Top 7:

Matt Newell (11): 15:36 5K XC PB

Reese Kilbarger-Stumpff (11): 15:48 5K XC PB

Andy Stohr (12): 15:53 5K XC PB

Austin Pulkowski (12): 16:12 5K XC PB

Collin Pruitt (12): 16:12 5K XC PB

Evan Carr (11): 16:15 5K XC PB

Will Kiel (11): 16:32 5K XC PB

Brown County Semi State #1

Preview: Columbus North undoubtedly are the team to beat in the State of Indiana coming into this fall. Returning an entire top 7 squad who landed on the podium with a 4th place finish last fall. The Bulldogs will be led by two great frontrunners in Juniors Matt Newell and Reese Kilbarger-Stmpff, who are both potential top 10 runners in the state, and also have great depth in the 3-7 slots and can also potentially get another individual or two in all state position come october. With the Bulldogs incredible depth and two elite frontrunners, this team will be tough to beat all season long.

2.) Noblesville Millers

Last Year's State Finish: 13th Place

Projected Top 7:

Travis Hickner (12): 15:22 5K XC PB

Cole Kimmel (12): 15:32 5K XC PB

Andrew Anderson (12): 15:56 XC PB

Andrew Knight (11): 16:23 5K XC PB

Evan Campbell (12): 16:25 5K XC PB

Billy Gregory (12): 16:33 5K XC PB

Kolby Kazmierski (11): 16:35 5K XC PB

Shelbyville Semi State #1

Preview: The Millers going into last season were a team some people thought could reach the podium. But due to injuries to Andrew Anderson and Andrew Knight in the postseason and an off state meet race from Cole Kimmel the Millers fell all the way to 13th place at last year's state finals. When you look at the Millers going into this fall season. The Millers are a team with a ton of potential. Last fall they were HCC champs beating a Brownsburg team who landed on the podium later on at the state finals. On paper, this could be the best team in Indiana through 3 runners. But the biggest question for the millers this fall is staying healthy and finding a consistent 4-7. If they can do both of those things to go along with the elite frontrunning of Seniors Travis Hickner, Cole Kimmel and Andrew Anderson, the Millers could end up winning their first state championship in school history.

3.) Fishers Tigers

Last Year's State Finish: 8th place

Projected Top 7:

Will Clark (12): 15:58 5K XC PB

Jaylen Castillo (12): 15:59 5K XC PB

Matthew Leppert (12): 16:02 5K XC PB

Max McCollum (12): 16:13 5K XC PB

Jon Roth (12): 16:34 5K XC PB

Alec Foster (11): 16:40 5K XC PB

Colin Simmons (11): 16:42 5K XC PB

New Haven Semi State #1

Preview: The Fishers Tigers have always had one of the best distance running programs in Indiana that are talked about every year when talking about teams who make the podium and this year is no different. The Tigers bring back a slew of talent from last year's team including Senior Will Clark who was all state last fall and Senior Jaylen Castillo, who ran 1:53 for 800 meters and anchored a 1:52 on a state winning 4x8 team on the track as a sophomore, could definitely be a potential all state guy this fall as he's also went sub 16 for 5K on the grass as a junior. Also if Senior Matt Leppert can continue to progress like he did last year, he could also be an all state contender along with Clark and Castillo. With two to three potential all state guys to go with a program like Fishers who is known for their depth, they will be a team to lookout for all season long in the new haven semi state and could end up holding a trophy in terre haute come october.

4.) Carmel Greyhounds

Last Year's State Finish: 2nd Place

Projected Top 7:

Kole Mathison (10): 15:32 5K XC PB

Charlie Schuman (11): 15:56 5K XC PB

Hudson Alden (12): 16:04 5K XC PB

Will Anderson (12): 16:15 5K XC PB

Jacob Fisher (12): 16:21 5K XC PB

Bing Hudson (12): 16:25 5K XC PB

Nate Seketa (12): 16:54 5K XC PB

Shelbyville Semi State #2

Preview: The Greyhounds of Carmel have always been the team to beat at the state meet as they are usually a team that is 1st or 2nd at the state finals every year. But this year's Carmel team lost a lot from last year's second place team (6 of last year's top 10). But still are in the title conversation as they have an Elite frontrunner and individual title contender in Sophomore Kole Mathison, a solid number 2 runner in Charlie Schuman who has the potential to be an all state caliber running this fall. The biggest question for the Greyhounds is finding a well rounded 3-7 lineup, but as we know Carmels program is known for developing runners so they might have no issue finding those runners. This Carmel team has a lot of unanswered questions coming into the 2020 season, but this could be a team that wins a state title in October if they can continue to develop guys to fill in the talent they lost on last year's team.

5.) Brebeuf Jesuit Braves

Last Year's State Finish: 3rd Place

Projected Top 7:

Krishna Thirunavukkararasu (11): 15:40 5K XC PB

Ezra Burrell (10): 16:04 5K XC PB

Collin Stevens (11): 16:18 5K XC PB

Matteo Rosio (10): 16:27 5K XC PB

Eli Franklin (12): 16:45 5K XC PB

Faizan Khan (12): 17:05 5K XC PB

Brian Halvorson (12): 17:22 5K XC PB

Shelbyville Semi State #3

Preview: The Brebeuf Braves only lost 2 of their top 7 from a team who was 3rd in last year's state finals. Yes they lost two very key guys in Jack Kovach and Collin Chambers who were both inside the top 30 last fall at the state meet but this year's Brebeuf teams bring in a ton of young talent with tons of potential. Junior Krishna Thirunavukkararasu was all state last fall and has ran 15:40 on the grass as a sophomore and also rising sophomore Ezra Burrell who ran 16:04 on the grass as a freshman and ran 4:25 for 1600 on the track this summer who is due for a great sophomore season if he continues to progress. The one thing the braves do lack is depth as their 5-7 top returners have yet to break 16:40 this fall. Brebeuf has an exciting top 4 of underclassmen who are due for more improvement this fall season and with potential 2 top 15 guys in Krishna and Burrell, this could be a team who lands on the podium yet again in Terre Haute in 2020.