Oak Hill High School

OHXC Golden Eagle Freshman standout Brantley Blair competed Saturday in the IHSAA State Cross Country Championships held in Terre Haute on the famous Lavern Gibson Course. Blair who became just the 2nd Golden Eagle and boy runner from Grant County to qualify for the State Finals as a Freshman ever finished 83rd in the 250 runner field. Blair covered the course in a time of 16:06 which stands as the 4th best time ever by a Golden Eagle at the State Finals on the Lavern Gibson course. He moved past Trenton Sweet on the list and trailed only Cameron Balser (08) and Neno Bellinotti's (05) times of 15:51 along with Owen Jackson's 15:55 (23). There have been multiple years where 16:06 would have earned Blair a Top 50 finish or even pushed the Top 25 but Saturday was flying. Springs Valley's Calvin Seitz won the individual title for the 2nd straight year running away from the field in an amazing time of 14:34 clearing the field by 26 seconds. It took 15:28 on a tough course Saturday to earn a Top 25 Podium Medal. While Blair did not have the results he had hoped for entering Saturday as a Top 30-40 athlete it did not come without trying and putting himself out there are the Freshman stuck his nose in the mix from the get go and was in the Top 10 moving with the lead pack through the 1st mile in 4:30. Blair's finish is the 2nd best by a Golden Eagle Freshman at the State Finals - Balser 52nd in 2006. Blair's Freshman season was ranked as 1 of the 7 best by a Freshman in the history of the State - the 6 individuals ranked ahead of him all went on to compete for State Titles in their career. His season was ranked 2nd best ever by a Golden Eagle athlete regardless of age-grade, and he broke the previous OHXC Program Record 3 times this season with 15:18 being his best. He was the Central Indiana Conference Champion and will undoubtedly be a 1st Team Coaches Association All State Selection.