FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) – For the first time in program history the Homestead girls cross country team brought home a state championship, as the Spartans bested the field in Terre Haute on Saturday, October 28 in what was a solid showing for northeast Indiana as a whole.

Homestead – who had just two seniors among their top five finishers – wound up first with 108 points, with Concordia coming in second at 115. Valparaiso came in third with 146 points.

Individually, senior Addison Knoblauch came in fourth overall to pace the Spartans at 17:37.6 while freshman Lucy Kramer came in 31st, freshman Ella Antibus 47th, sophomore Caterina Perego 50th, and senior Lauren Saddington 79th.

The IHSAA began holding a girls state championship 1981, and Homestead’s win marks the fourth state championship won by a team from northeast Indiana. Concordia won state in 1983 while Carroll won back-to-back championships in 2019 & 2020. Carroll has also been state-runner up four times (2016, ’17, ’18, and ’21) while Northrop was state runner-up in 1989.

Homestead is coached by Sara Wyss, who is in her 33rd season leading the program.