Senior staff writer
Franklin Central swept the first four places Saturday in winning the girls 5K run in the Golden Bear Cross Country Invitational at Blue River Memorial Park in Shelbyville.
Freshman Shayla Traas dominated the run in 18 minutes, 6.52 seconds and was followed by senior teammate Brooke Talhelm, 19:17.96, freshman Kathryn Matthies, 19:40.31, and senior Emily Welch, 19.41.67. Senior Jennifer Comastri (20:07.26) was seventh.
The Flashes, No. 20 in the state, won with 17 points and had eight runners among the top 16 finishers (top five count in team points).
Southport, led by Delaney Bucker’s sixth-place finish (19:51.31) was third with 94 points. Beech Grove, paced by senior Kyli Luna, 21st, 21:40.69, finished seventh.
In the boys meet, Southport’s Michael Crook finished 11th (16:39.95) to lead the Cardinals to a fourth-place finish.
The Cardinals amassed 97 points, with Beech Grove fifth and Roncalli sixth in the nine-team 5K run.
Beech Grove senior Vilis Vuskalns finished 10th (16.39.53) to pace the Hornets. Roncalli freshman Nick Perkins, 23rd, 17:08.87, led the Rebels.