Saturday, September 19, 2026 | Altoona, PA - The Indiana Area cross-country team put on an impressive display of talent, speed, and endurance at the annual Mountain Lion Invitational, battling through large competitive fields to secure top individual spots and the boys team taking 1st and the girls with a strong 2nd place and  milestone personal records (PRs).
Boys Pack Led by Branan and Templeton.

In a massive field of 170 runners, the Indiana boys' squad asserted themselves early. Kaiden Branan crossed the finish line first for Indiana, earning an outstanding 8th place finish overall. Right on his heels was teammate Liam Templeton, who claimed the second spot for Indiana and captured 10th place overall to solidify two top-ten finishes for the team.

Adding to the excitement, freshman Jackson Sharbaugh showed that the future of Indiana cross-country is incredibly bright. Sharbaugh crossed the line as Indiana's third finisher, shattering his previous best time to set a brand-new personal record. The team's depth was further on display as the remaining pack of Ben Ferraro and his freshman brother Oliver Ferraro pushed hard to secure vital team points. And a 1st place team finish out of 35 teams. 

The Indiana girls' team mirrored the boys' success with breakout performances of their own with a 2nd place finish in a highly competitive race featuring 148 total athletes and 29 teams.
Morgan Blystone set the pace for the girls, finishing first for Indiana and securing a stellar 8th place overall finish. Blystone's relentless pace paid off as she crossed the line with a brand-new PR. Kayla Baker delivered a strong performance behind her, crossing the line as the second Indiana runner and matching the intensity to place 13th overall.

Rounding out the top three for the girls was Paige Neal, whose grit down the final stretch earned her the third spot for Indiana alongside a new personal record of her own.
Rounding out the top 5 was Clara Weigner and Sophie Elchin the Indiana Area cross-country program leaves the Mountain Lion Invitational with immense momentum as they look ahead to the heart of their invitationals and postseason push.

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