Veatch, Leinheiser lead Carmel sweeps

By Bryan Sweitzer for DyeStat

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- In the past 18 years only two runners have broken 15 minutes at the Indiana High School Cross Country Championships. Futsum Zeinasellassie, the former North Central (Indianapolis) and current Northern Arizona standout, did it. And now, after Saturday’s state meet, Carmel senior Ben Veatch has.

Veatch covered the 5,000-meter race at Lavern Gibson Championship Course in 14:59.8, breaking away from the lead pack at 4K and winning his second straight individual boys state title.

“I just ran my race,” Veatch said. “(Winning) wasn’t a big goal of mine, I just wanted to score (low) points for my team.” 

US#3 Veatch had some company for much of the race: Homestead senior Brayden Law, Oldenburg Academy junior Curt Eckstein and Mt Vernon senior Christian Noble all hung with Veatch up to the 2-mile mark.  The four came through the mile in 4:42, with Noble leading the race a few steps ahead of Veatch.  Two miles in Veatch and Eckstein broke off from the pack, and with a kilometer to go, Veatch broke off from Eckstein, crossing the finish line alone.

“I knew I was pretty fit. Noble took it out in the first mile and I stuck on him,” said Veatch. “When I felt the time was right, I made my move.” 

Law overtook Eckstein in the final 50 meters for second place, running a 15:06.8 PR.  Eckstein was just behind in 15:07.5.

“Going into the race I knew there was going to be a pack of four to five of us,” said Noble, a Lee University commit, who ran 14:55 at his regional meet. “Coming around two miles I wasn’t feeling the best and the pack started getting away. It was really just a fight for fourth after that.”  

While Veatch was the clear favorite to win the boys race, the girls state champion wasn’t even her team’s top runner last year.  Carmel junior Sarah Leinheiser set her season best last year at state, running 18:32 for 22nd place as the fourth scorer on her team.  She improved her time at Lavern this year by more than a minute, running 17:30.8 and winning by 22 seconds. 

“(I was thinking) get to the halfway point, and that’s where I need to see if people will drop or go with me,” said Leinheiser on her strategy.  The race at the mile was led by Leinheiser, Pendleton Heights senior Alex Buck, West Lafayette senior Lauren Johnson and Indianapolis Cathedral senior Katherine Free.  At two miles Leinheiser and Buck had pulled away, with Leinheiser holding a narrow lead.  Buck looked poised to make a move, but sometime in the final kilometer she broke down, walking across the line in 70th.  Free finished second in 17:52.5, and Johnson was third in 18:05.

Johnson, who also won the IHSAA Mental Attitude award, improved on her fifth place finish from state last year.

“I went in expecting it would be us four. It was probably halfway when Sarah and Alex Buck pushed forward,” said Johnson.  “I was fifth at one point but I moved into third on the final straight and gave it my all. I’m really happy how it all turned out.”

In the team placings, Carmel continued to own the day. The boys won with a score of 115 points, while the girls won with 70 points.  Fishers was the second boys team with 158 points, while Carroll was the second girls team, also with 158 points.  This was the sixth straight state title for the girls, which made history. No other girls team has ever won more than five consecutive state titles.

"When we found out (the boys) won, we were more excited about them winning than us winning, to be honest,” Leinheiser said.

“The personal wins are just little bonuses, but the team win today was the ultimate prize," Veatch said.  

For programs like Carmel, the end of the state postseason gives way to the national postseason, where they will meet greater competition through Nike Cross Nationals and Foot Locker Nationals.  Both the Carmel boys and girls have high expectations for themselves on the national stage.

“There are going to be some fast girls, I know it’s going to be hard, but anything can happen, we can still hopefully go for it,” Leinheiser said.

“We’re going to have to race better than we did today,” Veatch said, “But I believe in the guys. I think we can do big things in the postseason.”

In addition to his team’s success, Veatch, who recently committed to run at Indiana University, is aiming to win nationals individually.

“I think I can win any race I step to the line for,” said Veatch. “I know there are some great guys around the nation right now, but I’m just ready for the competition.”