Union County senior Luke Bantz will keep running this week after qualifying for semi-state cross country competition at last Saturday’s IHSAA Cross Country regional at Rushville.

Bantz ran the course in 17:18 to finish 19th overall but stood fourth among the 10 individual runners not on an advancing team.
“Little disappointed in the results but not with individual effort,” UC coach Phil Cox said. “Kalin Baumbauer and Luke Paddock had PRs today. ”
Paddock covered the course in 18:36.

In the girls race, Patricia Kelley ran with a side stitch and finished the course in 22:06, or 32nd overall.
Vanessa West followed up in 22:52 to take the 53rd spot overall and Genny Antrim was 65th in 23:33.
Baumbauer’s 25:00 was her personal best time and Emma Sharpe turned in a 25:18 performance.

The top five teams and top 10 individuals not on an advancing team advance to the Shelbyville semi-state on Saturday, Oct. 26.
Keith Bye was the individual boys winner (16:24) and led Warren Central to a second place finish behind Franklin Central in the boys team standings.
Roncalli, Mt. Vernon (Fortville) and Lincoln boys also advanced as the third, fourth and fifth place teams.
Brenna Shaw of New Palestine was the girls winner (19:00) for the second consecutive year. New Pal was repeated as the girls team winner with all five runners finishing in the top 17.

Area individual runners also advancing include: Hagerstown’s Elijah Marcum, Franklin County’s Lauren Kelly, Seton Catholic’s Erica Barker, Connersville’s Tylissa Beckner, Centerville’s Emily Tedder, Bailey Puckett of Lincoln and Katelyn Meyer of Franklin County.

Semi-state
The IHSAA cross country semi-state is at Shelbyville on Saturday, Oct. 26.

2019 IHSAA Boys Rushville Cross Country Regional team scores: Franklin Central 31, Warren Central 61, Roncalli 86, Mt. Vernon (Fortville), 111, Lincoln 135, Rushville 163, Hagerstown 169, New Palestine 195, Centerville 219, Connersville 253.

2019 IHSAA Cross Country Regional boys top 20: 1.Bye (WC) 16:24, 2.Jackson (FC) 16:31, 4.Halcomb (Ha) 16:45, 5.Healey (FC) 16:54, 6.Masih (FC) 17:00, 7.Hackler (FC) 17:01, McCullum (L) 17:02, 8.Sasser (WC) 17:04, 9.Dickey (NC) 17:04, 10.George (GC) 17:07, 11.Kinnaman (GC) 17:07, 12.Morgan (MV)17:07, 13.Hartman (WC) 17:07, 14.Johnson (WC) 17:11, 15.Brown (MV) 17:12, 16.Henkle (FC) 17:13, 17.Herndon (R) 17:15, 18.Irwin (R) 17:16, 19.LUKE BANTZ (UC) 17:18, 20.Bertsch (L) 17:21.

2019 IHSAA Cross Country Regional individual boys top 10 advancing: Halcomb (Ha), Dickey (NC), Kinnaman (GC), Luke Bantz (UC), Darley (NP), Sitzman (Secina), Stanley (Ru), Dixon (Ru), Campbell (EH), Edwards (Ce).

UC boys placings/times: 19.Luke Bantz 17:18, 61.Luke Paddock 18:36. 89 Runners.

2019 IHSAA Girls Rushville Regional Cross Country team scores: New Palestine 29, Franklin Central 40, Roncalli 105, Mt. Vernon 113, Warren Central 140, Centerville 172, Rushville 188, 188, Franklin County 191, Union County 236, Hagerstown 256.

2019 IHSAA Girls Cross Country Regional top 10 1.Shaw (NP) 19:00, 2.Brinkruff (GC) 19:12, 3.Lawson (FC) 18:26, 4.Mann (NP) 19:45, 5.Casner (NP) 20:03, 6.Farmer (FC) 20:10, 7.Kelly (FC) 20:19, 8.Barker (SC) 20:19, 9.Beckner (Co) 20:34, 10.Harvey (NC) 20:39.

2019 IHSAA Cross Country Regional individual girls top 10 advancing: Brinkruff (GC), Kelly (FC), Barker (SC), Beckner (Co), Harvey (NC), Tedder (Ce), Puckett (L), Willis (EH), Somon (BG), Meyer (FC).

UC girls placings/times: 32.Priscilla Kelley 22:06. 53.Vanessa West 22:51, 65.Genny Antrim 23:53, 76.Kalin Baumbauer 25:00, 78.Emma Sharpe 25:18. 84 Runners.