Published: September 29, 2009 11:45 pm         

Clay City boys, Shakamak girls shine in final Tri-River cross country meet

Jasonville — Clay City and Shakamak will go down in the Tri-River Conference record books in cross country.

The Clay City boys and Shakamak girls were the team winners in the final conference meet run in the sport Tuesday evening at Shakamak.

Shakamak seniors Casey Fougerousse and Drew Gambill took individual titles.

Fougerousse won her fourth title in 20 minutes, 36 seconds, and Gambill took his second straight championship with a season-best 16:14.

Jake Phegley of Union was second in the boys race and Shelby Higginbottom of North Central took second in the girls race.

Coach Kelly Miller’s Laker girls won their fourth straight TRC title with 26 points to edge North Central with 29; they were the only teams to field full teams.

Clay City had 25 points to win the boys race for the third year in a row followed by North Central 58, Shakamak 71, Eminence 78, and Linton 95. The Eels had five runners in the top 10.

“We won the first TRC meet in 1970 and now the last one,” said coach Keith Jones.

Gambill has won all of the regular Shakamak races and placed 16th overall in the state preview meet in Terre Haute while placing second in the small-school division. He will be seeking his third trip to the state finals, having placed 89th a year ago.

“I had [some] cramps at state. I had a bad race,” said Gambill.

He said he remains undecided on his choice of college. “I have several options,” he said.

Fougerousse had her best time of the year and enjoyed the cool weather. “I love cold weather,” she said.

She is a multi-sport athlete, also competing in basketball, track, running the mile and two-mile, and softball for the Lakers.

Earlier in the year, she won the small-school division in the state preview meet in Terre Haute.

She has been running since sixth grade. Coach Miller said she had a great freshman year and is running just as well. “She ran more miles in the summer,” said the coach, who ran for White River Valley and Indiana State.

“I had my first injury in 18 years of running this year,” she said. She and her husband, boys coach Jon Miller, are the parents of two boys: William, 4, and Liam, six months.

“Willie calls him Leo,” she said of the name given the youngest boy.

Most of the teams that competed in Tuesday’s meet will return to the course on Oct. 8 for the SWIAC championships.

Clay City’s boys will run on the tough Terre Haute North team Thursday.



TRC championship

Boys results

Team scores — Clay City 25, North Central 58, Shakamak 71, Eminence 78, Linton 95

Top 20 — *Drew Gambill (S) 16:14, *Jake Phegley (Union) 17:09, *Parker Modesitt (CC) 17:11, *Jesse Vansickle (CC) 17:24, *D. J. Danner (NC) 18:00, *Conner Modesitt (CC) 18:08, *Dawson Gore (E) 18:31, *Ben Denker (CC) 18:48, *Austin Sinders (CC) 18:56, *Trevor Pinkston (NC) 19:08, Tyler Richardson (S) 19:13, Dean Danner (NC) 19:15, Ryan Bredeweg (L) 19:26, Scotty McNabb (S) 19:29, Cole Riggleman (L) 19:32, Devin Stutler (NC) 19:34, Leo Pirozzi (E) 19:38, Blake Ford (E) 19:39, Grant Lewiss (E) 19:48, Ridge Gaskin (NC) 20:06

Girls results

Team scores — Shakamak 26, North Central 29

Top 15 — Casey Fougerousse (S) 20:36, Shelby Higginbottom (NC) 21:29, Dani Merrica (Eminence) 22:00, Brandi West (NC) 22:43, Megan Phipps (S) 23:02, Tiffani Goodman (Clay City) 23:16, Chelcee Rehmel (S) 23:17, Olivia Robinson (Linton) 23:19, Cassandra Hordaway (S) 24:26, Elise Miller (S) 24:37, Bre Alsman (L) 25:07, Alison Miller (S) 25:15, Haley Rennick (Linton) 25:26, Kaleigh Decker (CC) 27:14, Ashley Sumner (CC) 28:11