GOSHEN — Levi Schlegel was spent.
And a champion.
The Goshen senior recorded a personal best time at the best possible time to win the Goshen Boys Cross Country Sectional individual title.
Schlegel, who has been outstanding all fall for the RedHawks, posted a time of 15:39.94, to edge Northridge freshman Andyn McClane (15:42.70) and Fairfield's Evan Correll (15.42.83).
The top five qualifying teams and the top 15 individuals from non‐advancing teams advance to the New Prairie Sectional next Saturday, just one step from reaching the state finals.
When his run was over, Schlegel laid on the grass at Ox Bow Park for several minutes, while family, friends and coaches congratulated him for his strong finishing kick.
Schlegel as third behind Correll — who was battling the flu — and McClane for over half the race, before the will to win kicked in.
"When you hate to lose as much as I do, you find a little something more,'' Schlegel said. "I wanted to make something happen.''
Schlegel did just that, chasing down McClane and Correll entering the final stretch to earn his sectional title.
In the boys team race, McClane and fourth-place finisher Milo Bullaro helped lead Northridge to the title.
The Raiders finished with 44 points on the day to edge Wawasee (53) and Goshen (79) for the championship. NorthWood and Elkhart will also advance as a team.
"I thought our boys did a great job today,'' Northridge coach Ryan McClane said. "Addyn set a record at Northridge for a freshman with his time and Milo was Milo finishing fourth. I think we can advance next week out of semistate, but we'll need a few guys in the middle to move up some in the pack.''
While the Raider boys earned their title, the Northridge girls were dominant, placing five girls in the top 10 and winning with a score of just 28, to beat runner-up Fairfield (84) and third place Elkhart Christian (93). Wawasee and NorthWood also advanced to run at the regional.
It's the first team title for the Northridge girls since the fall of 2023, as Goshen has won in each of the past two years.
How good were the Raiders on Saturday? Seven runners posted personal bests on the cool-cold day to run.
"I told the girls before the race that we wanted to take advantage of the perfect conditions to have a great day,'' Ryan McClane said. "To win like we did today, without our No. 3 runner who is out with a calf injury, says a lot about these girls. To have something like that thrown at them and they responded like they did today says a lot.''
The top two runners were Raiders, as sophomore Brayleigh Adams (18:43.63) edged teammate Madison Cobb (18:44.81) for the individual title. Fairfield teammates Layna Stoltzfus and Lyla Dennis came home third and fourth.
Adams led from start to finish to win her first sectional title, after coming home fifth last season as a freshman.
"I really wanted to get off to a good start and try to lead,'' Adams said. "I really liked the cooler temperatures today and having Madison running with me at the end was great too. We work well together and push each other to do our best to win.''
Winning the team title was also important to Adams.
"We haven't been able to quite get the job done the last few years, so to win today and have everyone run well makes the day even better.''
Another very happy coach was Peter Casaletto, who saw his Elkhart Christian girls place three runners in the top 20 and come home third as a team, the best ever finish for the Eagles at the sectional.
"For us, a school with 200 kids, to come here and finish third is a great accomplishment,'' Casaletto said. "We were hoping to finish third coming in today and the girls ran great and got it done.''
Anna Meyer was the top finisher for the Eagles in sixth, while freshman Audrey Wilkinson was 12th. Casaletto also credited freshman Bo Maxwell for finishing 20th after missing all but one meet this year with a hip injury.
For the second straight year, Jimtown will have three runners at the regional next Saturday, as Cami Schwartz and Macie Lafree advanced for the girls and Simon Steven for the boys.
Elkhart's Rosell Robles, Leah Walker and Kavisha Patel also advanced for the Lions' girls team.
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GOSHEN SECTIONAL
At Ox Bow
GIRLS
Teams scores: Northridge 28, Faifeidl 84, Elkhart Christian 93, Wawasee 130, NorthWood 163, Elkhart 174, Goshen 184, Concord 185, Bremen 189, Westview 232, Jimtown 255.
Top 15: Brayleigh Adams (Nr) 18:43.63, Madison Cobb (Nr) 18:44, Layna Stoltzfus (F) 19:07, Lyla Dennis (F) 19:43, Bailyn Likens (W) 20:01, Anna Meyer (ECA) 20:03, Jozie Love (Nr) 20:08,Kloey Swathwood (Nr) 20:13, Gracey Moyer (B) 20:15, Natalie Gillette (Nr) 20:16, Aubrey Cronin (Nr), 20:19, Audrey Wilkinson (ECA) 20:21, Rosell Robles (E) 20:26, Juliana Hinkle (F) 20:27, Clara Boecher (NW) 20:29.
Advancing without a team: Gracey, Robles, Cami Schwartz (J), Emilia Martin (G), Lauren Hartsell (B), Corinne Muck (B), Macie LaFree (J), Jenifer Tenopala Rico (G), Leah Walker (E), 21:45, Danica Montiel (C) 21:49, Zoe Smith (C), 22:07, Evie Mashala (C) 22:21, Kavisha Patel (E) 22:21, Bella Sherck (Wv) 22:24.
BOYS
Team scores: Northridge 44, Wawasee 53, Goshen 79, NorthWood 106, Elkhart 177, Concord 187, Elkhart Christian 201, Bremen 208, Fairfield 221, Westview 243, Jimtown 268.
Top 15: Levi Schlegel (G) 15:39.94, Andyn McClane (Nr) 15:42.70, Evan Correll (F) 15:42.83, Milo Bullaro (Nr) 15:54, Josiah Maxwell (NW) 16:06, Mason Worrell (W) 16:13, Bently Smythe (1) 16:25, Kaleb Kehoe (Nr) 16:35, JohnDavid Stoffel (W) 16:39, Micah Kauffman (NW) 16:43, Fernando Gutierrez (Nr) 16:46, Nathan Brown (ECA) 16:52, Kolton Eaton (W) 16:57.00 Claran Deegan (G) 16:57.90, Jesse Sawatzky (G) 17:02.
Advancing without team: Correll, Brown, Joseph Davis (B), Elijah Towner (C), Jordan Krallman (B), Lucas Mullet (Wv) Simon Steven (J), Jonathan Lopez-Garcia (C), Evan Beechy (Wv), Clayton Morris (ECA), Winters Mazerick (B), Will Temple (F), Josiah De La Vega (C), Sam Kratzer (C), Luis Garcia (Lv).