Published: November 16, 2009 12:56 am         

Metro Roundup: ISU men’s cross country doesn’t receive at-large bid for nationals

Indiana State’s men’s cross country team missed a chance to run in the 2009 NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Championships by the slimmest of margins as at-large bids for the championship were revealed Sunday by the NCAA selection committee.

“It is disappointing but not that disappointing,” John McNichols, Indiana State men’s cross country coach, said. “The selections were very fair. The guys really ran a great race Saturday and we have a lot coming back next year. I don’t know how many more chances I will get to have a team this good but the guys have shown that they deserve to be among the best in the Great Lakes Region and are already looking forward to next year.”

The Sycamores finished fourth in the Great Lakes Region, their highest finish ever. Regional champion Wisconsin and runner-up Michigan State both received automatic bids while Ohio State, who finished third by beating Indiana State by just seven points, receiving an at-large bid.

“We beat Michigan State during the regular season,” McNichols said, “but we didn’t beat any of the teams that were at-large selections. Seven points separated us and Ohio State and that may have been the difference in the selections.”

Indiana State fans will still have someone to cheer for at the LaVern Gibson Championship Course on Nov. 23; Sycamore senior Eric Schulz qualified for the race with a sixth-place finish at the regional.

“That was our highest-ever individual finish at the regional,” McNichols said. “He was part of a great group of young men this season who set out to prove that they were among the best in the region and I think they did that and more.”

Indiana State cross country team members, coaches, alumni, fans and members of the Indiana State University administration were on hand at Beef O’Brady’s in Terre Haute Sunday night as the selection results were announced.

“It was a great time and a great turnout,” McNichols said. “We really appreciate the support the team has had this season and hope that everyone will make it a point to come out to support Eric.”

Basketball

• Falcons take Banks title — At Cayuga, host North Vermillion defeated Rockville 51-36 Saturday night to win the championship game of the Banks of the Wabash Classic for girls high school basketball.

Kylee West scored 11 points to lead a balanced scoring attack for the winning Falcons. Beth Mahurin paced the Rox with a game-high 12 points.

Turkey Run edged Riverton Parke 44-38 in the consolation game.



NORTH VERMILLION (51) — Chew 1 5-8 7, Turchi 3 1-2 7, Lively 4 1-3 9, C.West 1 1-2 3, K.West 2 6-6 11, Kinneer 2 0-0 4, Martin 3 2-2 8, Poynter 1 0-0 2. Totals 17 FG, 16-21 FT, 51 TP.

ROCKVILLE (36) — Carrington 1 0-2 3, Greene 1 0-2 2, Gordon 0 0-0 0, Riffe 0 0-0 0, Sutherlin 0 0-2 0, Tucker 2 0-0 6, Mahurin 6 0-0 12, Woodard 2 2-2 7, Sandusky 0 2-2 2, Lee 0 0-2 0, White 1 0-0 2. Totals 14 FG, 4-12 FT, 36 TP.

North Vermillion 13 15 6 17 — 51

Rockville 12 7 4 13 — 36

3-point goals — K.West, Carrington, Tucker 2, Woodard. Total fouls — NV 13, R 23. Fouled out — Mahurin.



RIVERTON PARKE (38) — Wood 1 2-2 4, Pollard 2 0-2 4, Yando 3 0-0 6, S.Dickey 3 1-3 7, Falls 2 0-0 4, Haltom 0 0-0 0, Dailey 0 0-0 0, Cookus 1 0-0 2, E.Dickey 0 0-0 0, Byers 0 0-0 0, Burnham 2 0-1 4, Kinne 3 0-0 7. Totals 17 FG, 3-8 FT, 38 TP.

TURKEY RUN (44) — H.Cox 0 0-2 0, Hunt 4 0-0 11, Newnum 2 3-6 8, L.Cox 1 0-2 2, Karr 0 1-4 1, C.Francis 5 3-6 14, Davies 3 2-6 8. Totals 15 FG, 9-26 FT, 44 TP.

Riverton Parke 5 14 11 8 — 38

Turkey Run 25 5 4 10 — 44

3-point goals — Kinne, J.Hunt 3, Newnum, C.Francis. Total fouls — RP 22, TR 13. Fouled out — Falls.

JV championship — Turkey Run 29, North Vermillon 26.

Next — North Vermillion (3-0) is at Westville, Ill. on Friday. Rockville (2-1) hosts Terre Haute South on Thursday. Riverton Parke (0-2) is at Northview on Tuesday. Turkey Run (1-2) hosts Crawfordsville on Tuesday.

Auto racing

• Hansen wins — At Tulare, Calif., Garrett Hansen won the feature Saturday in the first night of the Pacific Coast Nationals for U.S. Auto Club sprint cars at Thunderbowl Raceway.

Hansen led all the way to win the 30-lap main with Cory Kruseman second and Mike Spencer third.

Levi Jones was fourth and hiked his lead in the sprint point totals to 209 points going into Sunday’s race, the final sprint race of the season.



Saturday’s results

Fast qualifier — Bryan Clauson.

C-main winners — Darren Hagen, Casey Riggs.

Heat winners — Cole Whitt, Matt Mitchell, Kyle Larson, Cole Carter.

Feature — Garrett Hansen, Cory Kruseman, Mike Spencer, Levi Jones, Clauson, Tracy Hines, Damion Gardner, Jon Stanbrough.