Fendel runs fast 1,600, Greyhounds lock up team title

By Bryan Sweitzer for DyeStat

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- As Gabe Fendel came through the halfway point of the 1600-meter final in 1:59, the crowd at the Indiana High School Boys State Track Championships started to get louder. They knew that the Hamilton Southeastern junior was on pace for a historic time. Could he get the state record of 4:03.00? Could he go under four, putting him among the greatest of all-time not only in Indiana, but the U.S.? 

Fendel will have to go after those targets another day. In the end, he ran 4:04.70 to win the race by almost nine seconds. The time was still fast enough to be best by a junior this season nationally, and it was the fifth-fastest time ever at the Indiana state meet. 

"It's around where I wanted to be," Fendel said. "I wanted to come and beat the state meet record. I wanted to go out in even pacing, but I really wanted to get out fast and I think that got the best of me. I went out way too fast, so that kind of got to me in the third lap. I can't be mad, 4:04 is a huge PR and it's kind of what I wanted to run, so I'm really happy."  

Fendel, who also had the top 3,200 in the state (8:50.56 at the Arcadia Invitational) did not compete in that event because of a false start and disqualification at his regional. After his big win at state, he looks forward to competing in the mile at the Brooks PR Invitational in Seattle, where he'll go against other top U.S. runners such as D.J. Principe, Sam Worley and Cooper Teare. 

"I'm hoping to run about 4:02 for the whole mile, that'd be a huge PR and it'd really set me up well for next year, too," Fendel said.  

Elsewhere, Carmel used all around balance to take the team title for the third year in a row with 68 points. The Greyhounds compensated for the loss of last year's 1,600 and 3,200 winner Ben Veatch with an impressive performance from senior Ryan Lipe, who won the pole vault with US#5 17-3. He also placed second in the 100 in 10.61 and ran on the 4 x100 and 4x 400 relays that both placed sixth. 

"Last year everyone on the team looked up to Ben Veatch. He doubled and it was up to him to win the meet, and it's amazing to be compared to someone as great as him," said Lipe, who underwent surgery on his hip last November and admitted to being surprised in what he was able to accomplish on Friday. 

"It's been amazing that I've been able to come back and train with such a great squad. I love my teammates at Carmel and they've definitely pushed me every day to become better," Lipe said. Although he is headed to Alabama next year to focus on pole vault, he hasn't ruled out training for the decathlon. 

Evansville Harrison senior Noah McBride also had two wins, edging Lipe to win the 100 in 10.55 and winning the 200 handily in 21.14. Oldenburg Academy senior and defending state cross country champion Curtis Eckstein used a huge last lap kick to win the 3,200 in 9:08.54, passing Christian Academy junior Skyler Stidam toward the end of the race. 

"I just came around the turn, and I could tell Skyler was tiring out, and I was like 'Man, maybe I have a little bit left to go get him,' and I did," Eckstein said. Stidam finished second in 9:09.69. 

New Palestine senior Samuel Voelz edged Pendleton Heights senior Parker Jones by two hundredths of a second in the 800 with a time of 1:52.60, and came back soon after to anchor his 4x400 team to second place. 

"I started the season thinking I was going to be in the 400, and that turned into the 800, and after I posted some times I realized I could win it, and ever since then, it's been a goal," Voelz said. He said it was fitting that Jones, a conference rival and friend since middle school, was right there with him.  

"He's the only one I'd want to do it with," Voelz said of Jones. "He's been my running friend since sixth grade, and it's always always been New Pal vs Pendleton, and so to finally edge him out there is awesome." 

Jones won the IHSAA Mental Attitude Award to cap off a busy day in which he ran in the 4x800 and placed fifth in the 1,600 in addition to running the 800. 

"I didn't expect to come out and win this, but I'd say it's the best honor you can get," Jones said. 

Avon placed second in the meet with 46 points and North Central third with 43.