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The IHSAA 2025 State Cross Country Championships were held this past Saturday at the Lavern Gibson Championship XC course in Terre Haute, Indiana. The top teams and individuals from across the state competed in the one-class XC championship race, each qualifying first through the Sectional and then Regional round. The WCHS girls team qualified as a team via their fourth-place finish at Regionals, and Jackson Gackenheimer punched his ticket for the boy’s championship race by winning the New Haven Regional Race.
The boy’s championship race was first to run with temperatures in the low 50’s, ideal for distance running. Gackenheimer had been predicted to finish in the top 10 going into the race. Competing against several other D1-commits, the future IU Hooser runner was determined to position himself early in the race to allow for a potential upset. Gackenheimer’s first mile clocked in at 4:51, strongly running with a tightly packed lead group of 15 elite runners. Attempting to gain some room, Gackenheimer put forth a surge to the lead at the 2K mark. Eventual winner Calvin Seitz (Springs Valley), John Libs (Noblesville), and Notre Dame-commit Noah Bontrager (Westview) pulled away slightly from the group during the second mile. Gackenheimer would remain with the chase pack, crossing the two-mile mark just one second off the leaders. With 1K remaining, Gackenheimer positioned himself to remain the hunt, five seconds behind the leading three. Gackenheimer gave every ounce of energy, and quite a bit of true grit to hold his position over the final 800 meters of the race as they came through the final straightaway into the finish. With thousands of fans cheering on the elite runners, he crossed the line 7th overall with a finishing time of 15:13.67. Less than 1.5 seconds separated the fourth through eighth runners. Well-prepared for this extremely challenging course, he bested his previous course time by nearly 30 seconds and earned the honors of being named to the IHSAA All-State team.
When asked how he prepared for this race, the WCHS record holder simply stated he “kept it fun, remembered the immense gift it is and ran knowing Jesus is with me. My strategy going in was to compete up front and make strong moves. I made my move at 2k and raced from that point. The course was as always awesome. Never a bad day in ‘Terradise’. The weather was beautiful and made for some great running conditions”. Terradise is the nickname for the Terre Haute course given by thousands of championship runners over the years.
Following the boy’s race was the girl’s championship race. Loaded once again with the 25 best teams and individuals from around the state, the WCHS girls’ squad was focused on continuing to show the power of their team with strong performances from all seven runners. The Warsaw Lady Tigers capped off a remarkable cross-country season with an inspiring performance. Racing with poise, confidence, and grit, the Lady Tigers proved they belonged among Indiana’s best, finishing 15th overall with 388 points—just 12 points shy of 14th-place Avon. Along the way, Warsaw toppled several of the state’s perennial powerhouse programs, marking their highest state meet finish since 2016.
Future DePaul Blue Demon, Senior Sammi Rastrelli led the charge once again, running with a pack of girls comprising the 25th-40th runners in the field. Crossing the 4K mark at the 33rd spot, she would pick off four runners over the final 1K to finish 29th overall in a blazing 18:20.2, capping off a stellar senior campaign. The senior Rastrelli continues to make her mark in the WCHS record books, running the fifth-fastest time ever for a Tiger at the State Meet and. Freshman sister, Dani Rastrelli, followed with a determined effort. Rastrelli was in a highly congested pack over the entirety of the race until she made a move over the final mile moving from 80th to 70th place in a time of 19:07.9. The Freshman Rastrelli concludes her freshman season as the fastest freshman ever at the State Meet on this course. Eden Metz turned in another strong performance for Warsaw, running 19:37.8 to claim the 128th spot. Like her teammates, the IU Indianapolis-commit picked off twelve runners over the final mile. This was a course PR for Metz and the 17th fastest recorded Lady Tiger time at State. Rounding out the scoring five were Abi Marsh, who delivered a breakthrough sub-20 personal best of 19:59.3 (174th), followed by Katie Robertson, who also notched a PR with a time of 20:28.7 (204th). Both continue to best their previous performances, moving up to #39 and #52 on the all-time WCHS list. Hannah Fisher (20:45.9, 226th and 49th on the WCHS all-time list) and Savannah Purdy (20:56.5, 230th) completed the team’s impressive all-under-21:00 effort—the second time this season that every Warsaw runner finished below that mark. Given the known difficulty this particular course and pressure around competing well at a State Championship event, important to note this is also only the third time in school history that all seven runners ran sub-21 minutes at the State Meet.
“This group came here today determined to prove they belong among the best,” said Coach Fleming. “We knew the race would go out fast, but the girls positioned themselves well early and competed with heart the entire way. When you have 20 athletes finishing within ten seconds of each other, every stride, and every place matters. These girls never stopped racing—they showed composure, confidence, and a fierce competitive spirit. I couldn’t be more proud of the way they represented Warsaw.” Fleming’s staff each provided additional thoughts after this final race of the season.
Coach Zvers echoed those sentiments, adding, “What stands out most about this group is their unity. They trust each other, they train together with purpose, and they show up when it matters most. To see four girls under 20 minutes at the state meet—it’s a testament to their hard work all season long.” Coach Howett praised the team’s preparation and consistency: “This team is a coach’s dream. They bought into the process, supported one another, and executed the race plan exactly how we talked about. They’ve raised the standard for what it means to compete for Warsaw.” Coach Linn highlighted the senior leadership that guided the team through the season: “Our seniors have set such an incredible example. Their leadership, faith, and commitment to doing things the right way—on and off the course—have shaped the identity of this program. We’re deeply grateful for the tone they’ve set for our younger runners.”
The 2025 season closes as one of the most memorable in recent history for the Lady Tigers—marked by growth, resilience, and undeniable progress. With a top-15 state finish, multiple personal bests, and a team culture built on faith and determination, Warsaw’s future looks bright.
As the sun set over the LaVern Gibson course, the Tigers and their fans walked away with pride, purpose, and the legacy of a season that proved Warsaw Cross Country runs with the heart of champions. Several of these runners will compete in various meets in the month of November, including the Indiana All-Stars Meet of the Champions, as well as the regional qualifier meets Nike Midwest and Brooks Midwest XC meets.
