Monday October 5th 2026 Under perfect racing conditions Friday night at Bethany Christian Academy, the Hamilton Marines boys cross country team delivered a championship performance to remember—bringing home another Hoosier Plains Conference title! The defending champions knew they were in for a battle. Elkhart Christian Academy had finished ahead of Hamilton in their previous two meetings this season, but with the conference championship on the line, the Marines dug deep and pulled through! Hamilton edged ECA by just four points, 45–49, to keep the trophy with the Marines! Final Team Standings: 1. Hamilton — 45 2. Elkhart Christian Academy — 49 3. Trinity Academy — 72 4. Lakeland Christian Academy — 84 5. Career Academy — 108 Canterbury and Bethany Christian did not field full teams to earn a team score. Senior Robert Schiek left no doubt, leading from start to finish to capture the individual conference championship in 17:05, a commanding 31 seconds ahead of second place! Jace Bean finished fifth in 18:10, joining Robert on the Hoosier Plains Conference First Team, an honor earned by the top seven finishers. The championship came down to fighting for every place. During the final 300 meters on the track, Jace Bean, Lucas Taylor, Copper Farnham, and Marcus Sommers each passed multiple runners before crossing the finish line. Those finishing kicks made all the difference in a meet decided by just four points! Every runner they passed mattered, and the Marines refused to let up when it counted most! Hamilton Results: • Robert Schiek — 1st, 17:05 • Jace Bean — 5th, 18:10 • Lucas Taylor — 9th, 18:31 • Copper Farnham — 14th, 18:56 • Marcus Sommers — 19:57 • Graysen Dilts — 22:13 • Ace Hill — 22:27 • Theo Hicks — 24:44 This championship carries some incredible history. It marks the third boys cross country conference title in program history and the first time Hamilton has won conference championships in any sport in back-to-back years since boys golf won the NECC in 1971 and 1972! Friday also marked just the fourth time in program history that four Hamilton runners finished under 19 minutes. Congratulations to Coach Andy Baker and Minde Raney for the leadership and dedication they bring to this program every day, and to every runner who kept working, kept improving, and pushed through the tough days. Your hard work does not go unnoticed—and Friday night, it paid off with another championship! The celebration continued with a fire truck parade around town, thanks to the Hamilton Fire Department! Thank you for helping give our champions a memorable welcome home! The Marines now turn their attention to the IHSAA Sectional on Saturday, October 17, at West Noble. Small school. Big heart. Back-to-back conference champions. GO MARINES!