The high school cross-country season may have ended on Saturday, but Columbus North’s Rachel Brougher has three big weekends coming up.
On Saturday, Brougher will host “Racing for an Answer” for her senior project. The relay event, which will go from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the North High School track, will benefit cancer research through the Relay for Life Foundation.
The cost is $10 per person. Relay teams can consist of five to 15 people, and each team needs a lap counter.
Individuals will take turns running or walking a mile at a time. The team which runs or walks the most laps wins.
Brougher’s mentor is North assistant cross-country coach Jan Matchette, a breast cancer survivor.
“My coach battled with breast cancer, and I really wanted to honor her through my project,” Brougher said. “She is really influential with Relay for Life and has participated in a lot of events. It’s a way to honor all the people that have battled cancer.”
Next weekend, Brougher and her Bull Dog teammates will compete in the Nike Cross Regional Nov. 13 at the LaVern Gibson Cross Country Course in Terre Haute. The top two teams qualify for the Nike Cross Nationals in Portland, Oregon.
Then on Nov. 19, Brougher will compete in the Mideast Cross Country Championships in Kettering, Ohio. Brougher, who finished 36th in the state meet, earned that spot by being one of the top 12 seniors at state.
“I am honored to be able to represent Indiana as a cross-country state. I love cross-country,” Brougher said. “This is what I’ve spent over 1,300 days (in a row) in, and I’m happy I get to run in one more race. It shows that after working really hard, I can accomplish my goals.”
Golfer picks St. Francis
Columbus North senior Bryce Turner has made a verbal commitment to play golf at St. Francis.
Turner, a two-time All-Conference Indiana selection, led the Bull Dogs with a 77.64 average for 14 18-hole rounds in the spring. He will join a Cougars team that includes junior Ian Coffey, a former North player, and Austin Proffitt, a freshman from Columbus East.
“When I visited over the summer, I liked the small-campus feel,” Turner said. “Then after talking with (coach Tim Alexander), I feel like I can be in the lineup and contribute right away. That would be awesome.”
Turner hopes to be admitted to St. Francis; Busse Entrepreneurial Program with Integrated Cooperatives and study both finance and management. He hopes to someday own or operate a business.
Turner plans to sign his letter-of-intent during a signing ceremony Wednesday at North.
Sophomore named MVP
Sophomore Kevin Lin has been selected MVP of the Columbus North boys tennis team.
Lin also won the Bull Dog Player Award and the Mental Attitude/Sportsmanship Award. He and Ammar Khaled were a first-team All-State doubles selection.
Isaac Jackson was named Most Improved, while Tyler Allen, Chris Ruble and Akshaya Sabapathy also were cited in that category. Nathan VanDeventer, Sabapathy, Lin and Adam Saad were selected as “Bull Dog Pride” Toughness Players; and Jackson, Ruble VanDeventer and Gabe Kirsch were named “Bull Dog Support” Players. Jackson, Kirsch and Jonathan Ward also were cited for Mental Attitude/Sportsmanship.
Lin, Khaled and VanDeventer made All-Conference Indiana; and Lin and Anay Gangal were named honorable mention All-State for singles. VanDeventer and Lucas Huang were the team captains, and Jackson and Lin were named team captains for next year.
Hauser junior picked for game
Hauser junior midfielder A.J. Titus has been selected to play in Saturday’s Sixth Annual Indiana Elite North South Soccer Invitational at Danville High School.
Titus will play at 5:30 p.m. for the South squad for the second consecutive year. He also played in last year’s Indiana Elite North South basketball event.
