TERRE HAUTE —
With three of the top five finishers in the Indiana Intercollegiates on Friday at LaVern Gibson, the Indiana State men’s team showed some promise.
With three Terre Haute natives running among the top seven through two races so far, Sycamores’ coach John McNichols will rely heavily on home-grown talent this season.
John Mascari, who redshirted as a freshman at Indiana University, gave his sophomore season a jolt with a victory in his first collegiate varsity race on the same course he raced on at Terre Haute North, where was teammates with sophomore Sycamore Milton Brinza. The duo spent time racing against Terre Haute South’s Taylor Head, who is a redshirt freshman that’s been ISU’s fourth runner so far this season.
“It feels good to have everybody back. We’ve all bonded over the years. It’s good to have everybody together as one team,” Brinza said of the local flavor on the Sycamores.
When Mascari left IU, he gave up a near definite chance to compete in the NCAA Championships for a an opportunity to take the Sycamores to the field for the first time as a team.
As he did when discussing his transfer months ago, Mascari expressed his desire for a trip to nationals without prompting in an interview prior to the Indiana Intercollegiate races.
“This is only the beginning. If we can get five guys under 25 [minutes for an 8K], I think we can get a shot at nationals,” said Mascari, who simply decided he would prefer the comforts of his hometown for the next four years.
“I think I was meant to be here, stay here. I couldn’t ask for better teammates. I’ve just got a better mind set here and I’m happy here. I’m ready to put all that behind me, all the injuries and everything and just compete for the team.”
No complaints from ISU coach John McNichols.
“[Expectations] were high. I watched him run all through high school. Very talented kid, but a very hard worker on top of that. And a good racer. He has all the ingredients,” McNichols said.
Mascari is in top form early in the season, and he and seniors Al Escalera and Dustin Betz will lead the Sycamores into the prestigious Notre Dame Invitational next weekend in South Bend.
Escalera and Mascari led much of the 8,000 meter race on Friday at LaVern Gibson, with Mascari running a personal best 24 minutes, 42.4 seconds. EScalera was second in 24:54, while Betz was fifth ni 25:00.2. Betz won the season-opening race at Bradley as the Sycamores took the team title in that race. The Sycamores finished behind IU and Butler for third at the Intercollegiates.
While McNichols likes the positive attitude Mascari brings to the team, the Sycamores will need to tighten their pack to have a shot at an NCAA berth.
“Well, it’s a long ways. We’ve got a lot of things to do. Obviously we’d have to show more depth than we did [Friday] to have a chance. But we definitely have three frontrunner types that can get up there and mix it up,” McNichols said. “Everything we do now is tough. We go to Notre Dame, that’s one of the toughest invitationals in the country. We go to Pre-Nationals; we’ve hosted that enough to know what that’s all about. Then we have our conference meet. Southern Illinois looks as good as they’ve ever been. Then we go to Wisconsin for the Great Lakes Regional.”
The next few races will be huge for ISU’s frontrunners, but it’s bringing up the fourth and fifth runners that can make the team a potential threat when the time comes to trek to Madison, Wis.
ISU showed stronger depth in its season-opening victory at Bradley as the gap between the winner, Betz, and ISU’s No. 5 runner Tristan Selby was only 32 seconds.
Head was also ISU’s No. 4 finisher that day. The South grad had a strong summer and he’s hoping he can play a role in the Sycamores’ success.
And he’s pretty excited to have Mascari and Brinza, former prep rivals, around to train and compete with.
“During high school our schools were rivals but we always talked in high school. So coming together and getting all these guys close from around the Wabash Valley. I really like that, keeping the talent at home,” Head said.
Head hopes to help bring the back of the Sycamores’ pack in closer to the frontrunners.
“Last year I knew was going to be a big change because the mileage was a big bump so I was just trying to adapt to the new training. This year, I’m just trying to help the team in as many ways that I can and score low,” Head said.
While Head spent his freshman year adjusting to the training of a college distance runner, Brinza felt he was ready to compete right away.
“Freshman year it was fun. Coach gave me the opportunity, after I had some pretty good preseason workouts, he gave me the opportunity to run varsity. I went ahead and put the singlet on and and raced varsity. I don’t regret any of it, it was a ton of fun. I had a great time and now I know I have some good experience,” Brinza said.
Several other Wabash Valley runners are on the roster, including Shakamak’s Drew Gambill and junior varsity runners Andrew Kump and Nathan Kump of West Vigo and Dylan Bertsch of Terre Haute North.
While those young harriers have a chance to develop in the next few years, Mascari is looking like he’s ready to become an elite runner within the region.
While at IU, Mascari suffered a stress fracture in his shin that caused him to miss 12 weeks of running. He made sure he had a productive summer.
“On April 23, I started my summer training. I increased mile every week, hit 100 miles six times. I’m feeling pretty fit, best shape I’ve ever been in,” Mascari said.
While the local products are going to be critical in ISU’s season, Mascari said the Sycamores are relying on the senior leadership.
“They’ve been awesome training partners,” Mascari said. “Every workout we’re together working together. I just want them to realize we can make it. It’s possible. I realize at regionals there’s good teams with IU, Wisconsin, Michigan, Notre Dame. I think we can surprise a lot of teams and see what happens.”
Sports
Related Photos
-
Faster pace: Indiana State University cross country runner Milton Brinza runs in the Indiana Intercollegiate Cross Country meet Friday at the Lavern Gibson Championship course. (Tribune-Star/Joseph C. Garza)
-
Tribune-Star/Joseph C. Garza In the front: Indiana State University's John Mascari runs at the front of the pack with fellow Sycamore, Al Escalera, during the Indiana Intercollegiate Cross Country meet Friday at the Lavern Gibson Championship course.
-
Tribune-Star/Joseph C. Garza He's run this course before: Indiana State cross country runner Taylor Head competes in the Indiana Intercollegiate Cross Country meet Tuesday at the Lavern Gibson Cross Country Championship course.
-
Tribune-Star/Joseph C. Garza Big lead: Indiana State University runner John Mascari nears the finish line to take first place in the Indiana Intercollegiate Cross Country meet Friday at the Lavern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course.
Discussion
Indiana State team on the rise
New member gives squad spark
- Sports
-
IndyCar driver Helio Castroneves, of Brazil, stands in his team pit box as he waits for the start of the final practice session for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Friday, May 24, 2013. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
-
Top guns, again
For the sixth time in his Indy career Friday, three-time Indy 500 champion Helio Castroneves won the Pit Stop Challenge on Carb Day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
-
Sycamores bow out of MVC Tournament
Indiana State’s baseball was out of pitching, and after a loss to Wichita State on Thursday, the Sycamores were out of second-chances too at the Missouri Valley Conference baseball tournament. What the Sycamores weren’t out of was heart, guts and clutch performances from some unlikely sources. But in the end, Friday’s elimination game rematch against the Shockers was a sampling of ISU’s season overall — the Sycamores were out of luck.
-
Freshman Hambrock, THS seek semistate tennis title
Having already claimed Terre Haute North Sectional and Greencastle Regional championships in girls high school tennis, Terre Haute South will try to add a semistate title to its 2013 list of accomplishments today as the Braves battle No. 25-ranked Greenwood.
-
Coach adds regional host to job description
John Hayes has been a familiar face at high school baseball games this spring as he always is, enjoying the games but also looking for players who can help his Wayne Newton Post 346 American Legion team that will start its summer season shortly.
-
Prep roundup: South Vermillion reaches baseball sectional final
South Vermillion built an early 7-0 lead late Thursday night, then held off Owen Valley by a 10-4 score to advance to the championship game of the Class 3A West Vigo Sectional for high school baseball.
-
Metro Sports: Chalk up No. 5 for Liz Evans
Senior Liz Evans capped the top career in Rose-Hulman athletics history with her fifth national championship and eighth All-American award at Wisconsin-La Crosse on Friday.
-
Four Indiana State athletes advance to NCAA outdoor track and field championships
Three Indiana State seniors and a freshman have punched their tickets to the NCAA outdoor track and field championships in two weeks at Eugene, Ore., with their Friday efforts in the 2013 NCAA East Preliminary at Aggie Stadium on the campus of North Carolina A&T.
-
West Vigo advances to sectional championship with walk-off win in ninth
High school baseball sectional games between West Vigo and Edgewood have had a tendency to be unpredictable over the years, but the Vikings and Mustangs outdid themselves in that area Thursday evening — and Thursday night.
-
Wichita State shuts out ISU to force elimination-game rematch
Indiana State starting pitcher Greg Kuhlman did his best.
Actually, he did far better than he ever has previously in an ISU uniform, but while Kuhlman’s gutty pitching effort spoke volumes, ISU’s bats remained ominously silent. -
BOYS TRACK REGIONAL: North gets three winners, South two at Evansville
Terre Haute North had three winners, Terre Haute South two, and the Patriots and Braves finished second and third respectively at the Evansville Regional for boys track on Thursday at Evansville Central.
Hurdlers Cam Stewart and Cole Seward and discus thrower Lee Davis were the winners for North, enabling the Patriots to finish with 60 points to 59 for the Braves.
-
Top guns, again
- Local Interest
-
-
METRO ROUNDUP: Rose-Hulman's Evans honored as Great Lakes' top athlete
Rose-Hulman senior Liz Evans earned her fifth career NCAA Division III Great Lakes Region Field Athlete of the Year honor, according to results released Wednesday by the U.S. Cross Country and Track and Field Coaches Association.
-
Terry enjoys strong year with Wildcats, and still enjoying suiting up to play
South Vermillion’s Tim Terry is the longest tenured coach in Wabash Valley high school baseball as his Wildcats are set to begin sectional play Thursday against Owen Valley.
But on the Yankees, a 35-and-over team in the Terre Haute Men’s Senior Baseball League, Terry is “just a youngster” if you ask Larry Roesch, his 68-year-old teammate on the Volkers Group Yankees. -
Softball sectionals up for grabs
All three Vigo County high schools and Northview appear to have a realistic chance of winning sectional championships in softball this week.
-
Indiana State baseball series canceled
Heavy rain from Thursday through Saturday has forced Indiana State and Tennessee Martin to cancel their three-game weekend baseball series in northwest Tennessee.
-
METRO ROUNDUP: Rose-Hulman baseball to play DePauw on Thursday after Tuesday's rain
The Rose-Hulman baseball team has rescheduled its non-conference game with DePauw to Thursday night.
The start time remains 7 p.m. for the single nine-inning game that was originally scheduled for today. Tuesday’s scheduled Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference game at Anderson was moved to Sunday because of rain.
-
METRO ROUNDUP: Rose-Hulman's Evans honored as Great Lakes' top athlete
- High School
-
-
Freshman Hambrock, THS seek semistate tennis title
Having already claimed Terre Haute North Sectional and Greencastle Regional championships in girls high school tennis, Terre Haute South will try to add a semistate title to its 2013 list of accomplishments today as the Braves battle No. 25-ranked Greenwood.
- Prep roundup: South Vermillion reaches baseball sectional final
- West Vigo advances to sectional championship with walk-off win in ninth
- BOYS TRACK REGIONAL: North gets three winners, South two at Evansville
- PREP ROUNDUP: Martinsville adavances in Class 4A THS Sectional
-
- College
-
-
Sycamores bow out of MVC Tournament
Indiana State’s baseball was out of pitching, and after a loss to Wichita State on Thursday, the Sycamores were out of second-chances too at the Missouri Valley Conference baseball tournament. What the Sycamores weren’t out of was heart, guts and clutch performances from some unlikely sources. But in the end, Friday’s elimination game rematch against the Shockers was a sampling of ISU’s season overall — the Sycamores were out of luck.
-
Metro Sports: Chalk up No. 5 for Liz Evans
Senior Liz Evans capped the top career in Rose-Hulman athletics history with her fifth national championship and eighth All-American award at Wisconsin-La Crosse on Friday.
-
Four Indiana State athletes advance to NCAA outdoor track and field championships
Three Indiana State seniors and a freshman have punched their tickets to the NCAA outdoor track and field championships in two weeks at Eugene, Ore., with their Friday efforts in the 2013 NCAA East Preliminary at Aggie Stadium on the campus of North Carolina A&T.
-
Wichita State shuts out ISU to force elimination-game rematch
Indiana State starting pitcher Greg Kuhlman did his best.
Actually, he did far better than he ever has previously in an ISU uniform, but while Kuhlman’s gutty pitching effort spoke volumes, ISU’s bats remained ominously silent. -
Indiana State baseball now one win from MVC Championship
Indiana State’s Wednesday morning wish list probably read something like this: a dominant complete game effort from starting pitcher Devin Moore, near-immaculate defense to support him, and a steady diet of clutch situational hitting from lineup spots one to nine.
-
Sycamores bow out of MVC Tournament
- Sports Columns
-
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: Sunday promises to be big day in Indy
Sunday promises to be a super day in Indianapolis.
It’s the 97th running of the Indianapolis 500 followed by Indiana vs. Miami in the third game of the National Basketball Association playoffs. - TRACKSIDE: Local drivers, owners looking to have strong night at Tony Hulman Classic
- Shooters compete to fight cancer
- TILL IT'S OVER: Terre Haute Triathlon's new race director seeks more events for his hometown
- TODD GOLDEN: Don't give up on ISU baseball just yet
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: Sunday promises to be big day in Indy
- Pro Sports
-
-
Luck having fun with his first OTAs
A year ago, quarterback Andrew Luck was unable to attend the Indianapolis Colts’ organized team activity practices due to school commitments at Stanford.
Luck, though, went on to have a stellar year for the Colts despite the lack of summer work with the team. Still, in a sense, he is a rookie during this year’s OTA workouts.
“These are my first OTAs. I missed these last year, so I think it’s great. It’s great to get on the field with the defense and trouble-shoot some stuff. Obviously, some of us ran some of this stuff [offense] at Stanford [under new offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton]. But to get out there with the defense and trouble-shoot some stuff is good,” Luck said Wednesday as the team wrapped up its first week of on-field voluntary practice sessions. - Colts hoping for more high marks on draft picks
- Colts in wait-and-see mode for tonight’s NFL draft
- Colts sign Matt Hasselbeck to back up Luck
- Colts introduce free-agent signees
-
Luck having fun with his first OTAs
- Terre Haute Rex
-
Consultation: Rex manager Brian Dorsett talks with his pitcher and players during a time-out Sunday, July 15, at Sycamore Field. (Tribune-Star file/Bob Poynter)
-
2012 an up, down season for Rex
The Terre Haute Rex went through plenty of trials and tribulations during the summer of 2012.
The team got off to a sluggish start to settle for third place during the first half of the Prospect League race, but manager Brian Dorsett rallied the troops to a second-half title. - Metro Roundup: Dorsett, Rex players honored in Prospect League postseason awards
- Rex out of playoffs
- Rex mix, match their way to win
- Rex turn eye to Prospect playoffs
-
2012 an up, down season for Rex
- Colts
-
-
Luck having fun with his first OTAs
A year ago, quarterback Andrew Luck was unable to attend the Indianapolis Colts’ organized team activity practices due to school commitments at Stanford.
Luck, though, went on to have a stellar year for the Colts despite the lack of summer work with the team. Still, in a sense, he is a rookie during this year’s OTA workouts.
“These are my first OTAs. I missed these last year, so I think it’s great. It’s great to get on the field with the defense and trouble-shoot some stuff. Obviously, some of us ran some of this stuff [offense] at Stanford [under new offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton]. But to get out there with the defense and trouble-shoot some stuff is good,” Luck said Wednesday as the team wrapped up its first week of on-field voluntary practice sessions. - Colts' coordinators enjoying getting rookies acclimated
- Werner, 36 others open Colts’ mini camp
- Colts hoping for more high marks on draft picks
- Werner at top of game
-
Luck having fun with his first OTAs
- Auto Racing
-
IndyCar driver Helio Castroneves, of Brazil, stands in his team pit box as he waits for the start of the final practice session for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Friday, May 24, 2013. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
-
Top guns, again
For the sixth time in his Indy career Friday, three-time Indy 500 champion Helio Castroneves won the Pit Stop Challenge on Carb Day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
- Looking for Indy breakthrough, Kanaan enjoying role as team mentor
- TRACKSIDE: Local drivers, owners looking to have strong night at Tony Hulman Classic
- Carpenter arrives as Indy 500 threat
- Carpenter wins Indy 500 pole
-
Top guns, again
George discusses Game 2 performance
West happy with Game 2 win over Heat
Spoelstra on Heat's missed opportunities
Stephenson talks big Game 2 win
Castroneves, Franchitti on making history at Indy
Wertheim: Women's French Open Preview
Mattingly's Dodgers days still may be done
LeBron: 'My turnovers hurt more than anything'
Bosh, Heat not playing up to par
White Hot Heat! Heat vs. Pacers tonight
Cavaliers Use Day Off to Prepare for FSU
Nate Allen is looking for a bounce back season
Seabrook on Canucks series in 2011
Three and Out: Wheeler or Pineda
Cubs' Sveum on Jackson's struggles
Game 4: Blackhawks played against a "really smart team"
Game 4: Blackhawks' Seabrooks "deserved limited minutes"
Game 4: Blackhawks started, couldn't finish
Phil Jackson on leadership: 'You have to follow your intuitive nature'
Phil Jackson on Derrick Rose: 'We like him'
Hope For The Boy Who Can't Smile
Raw: Apple 1 Computer Sells for More Than $650k
Young protestor goes viral on Youtube
High Wire Spectacle Thrills Crowd in Austria
Toronto Mayor says he's not a crack head
Maine island offers lighthouse getaway
Suspect in Killing of Officer Found Dead in Cell
Should We Prepare for Quakes?
Lynn Kindergarten Class Rescues Ducklings
Congressional gold medal awarded to civil rights heroes
Charles Ramsey visits Kentucky
Unique Display Greets Guests At Revel Casino
Cape Cod Train Service Worries Residents
BASE jumper rides snowmobile off cliff to honor dead friend
Bridge Collapse Survivor: 'Rough Day'
SHOCKING: School Guard Throws Girl Down Stairs
Star Wars X-Wing Star Fighter Made of Legos
Actress Amanda Bynes Arrested in New York
Singer Psy Has An Imposter
President Obama Heckled at National Security Speech
