Shelbyville's Veach qualifies for IHSAA State Finals

Shelbyville senior Shia Veach has been chasing his school’s cross country record for two seasons now. He will get one more chance to do so at the state’s toughest meet.

Veach secured his berth in the IHSAA State Finals with a 12^th-place finish Saturday at the Franklin Regional held at CERAland Park in Columbus.

The top five teams and top 15 individuals not on an advancing team qualified for the state championship meet that will be held Saturday afternoon at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course in Terre Haute.

Veach’s time of 15.38 seconds was a personal best and moved him within two seconds of Sean Hudson’s school record set in 2003.

Veach’s time was the 40^th fastest regional time around the state Saturday.

The IHSAA Girls Championship race is scheduled for noon Saturday. The boys race will follow at 1 p.m.

Three representatives from Shelby County also competed in the boys regional in Columbus. Waldron’s Jacob Kuhn finished in 17:21. Shelbyville’s Eden Ortega crossed the finish line in 17:47. And Morristown’s Ryan Crisman finished in 18:31.

Shelbyville’s girls cross country team finished 16^th in the team standings at the Franklin Regional.

Macey Robbins (19:48) and America Leon (19:55) became the first Golden Bears to finish in under 20 minutes since 2015.

Robbins’ time came with five seconds of Danielle Lubbe’s program record of 19:43 and left her in 52^nd place overall at the regional.

Also competing for Shelbyville were Harper Kinsey (21:54), Kat Seal (22:42), Anne Marie Fansler (23:55), Belle Orem (24:21) and Claire Kamplain (25:32).

Morristown’s Audrey VanDyke finished in 21:57 and Lauren Kuhn followed in 23:00.

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