Indian Lake’s cross country teams saw months of hard work and training pay dividends at the Central Buckeye Conference Championships, with five Lakers earning First Team All-CBC honors and two more securing Second Team recognition in the Mad River Division.

The Lakers delivered several standout performances, highlighted by season-best efforts and personal records as the program’s runners put their summer miles and in-season preparation to the test against conference competition.

On the boys side, sophomore Nathan White and freshman Hayden Kuhlke led the way for Indian Lake, earning First Team All-CBC honors with back-to-back finishes in the Mad River Division.

White crossed the finish line sixth in the division with a season-best time of 18 minutes, 17.2 seconds. Kuhlke followed closely behind in seventh place, clocking a personal-record time of 18:17.6. The two runners finished just four-tenths of a second apart, providing Indian Lake with a strong one-two finish among its top performers.

Dalton Young also represented the Lakers, placing 89th overall in 22:24.

The Indian Lake girls turned in an equally impressive performance, led by sophomore Laura Metzger and senior Alicia Brielmaier, who both earned First Team All-CBC recognition.

Metzger paced the Lakers with a third-place finish in the Mad River Division, recording a season-best time of 21:05. Her performance placed her among the division’s top runners and highlighted another strong outing for the sophomore.

Brielmaier added a top-10 finish, placing eighth in 22:13. The senior’s time marked a new personal record, capping an impressive conference championship performance.

Indian Lake’s senior leadership extended beyond its top two finishers, as Kayleigh Taylor and Haley Metzger both earned Second Team All-CBC honors. Taylor placed 11th in 23:05, while Haley Metzger finished 14th in 23:14, recording a season-best time.

Caroline Jones and Abby Arnett rounded out the Lakers’ girls lineup, finishing 52nd and 54th overall, respectively. Jones crossed in 24:36, followed by Arnett in 24:50.

The conference championships provided a rewarding opportunity for Indian Lake’s runners to see the results of their dedication throughout the summer and fall. With multiple all-conference selections and several season-best and personal-record performances, the Lakers demonstrated the progress made throughout the season.

Indian Lake will now turn its attention to the postseason, with both teams scheduled to compete at the OHSAA District Championships next Saturday at the Elvin R. King Cross Country Course at Cedarville University.

With the conference meet behind them, the Lakers will look to carry their momentum into district competition as the postseason continues.