Delta High's Cross Country team delivered a memorable performance at the Regional #2 meet on
October 25, 2025, held at the Huntington University Cross Country Course. Both the boys' team and
girls' individual qualifiers showcased impressive efforts, setting new personal records and surpassing
expectations.
For the boys, the team finished 9th out of the 25 scoring teams, amassing 289 points. Although they did
not qualify as a team for State - missing the last qualifying spot by four places - the performance
marked the best finish ever for Delta boys in the State tournament. Individual performances were also
notable; junior runner Peyton Engle led the squad with a 27th-place finish out of 247 runners. Engle
competed against other individuals for the top 15 state-qualifying spots reserved for athletes not on one
of the qualifying teams and recorded a personal best time of 16:29.40—an improvement of 1.5
seconds. Finishing second for Delta was junior Nolan Hutchison in 61st place with a time of 17:12.70,
less than a second off his previous best. Senior Noah Parrott came in next in 73rd overall, crossing the
line a few seconds behind Hutchison in a time of 17:21.30. Junior Carter Friend and senior Cameron
Deckman flew through the finish together in 90th and 91st respectively. Friend came away with a time
of 17:35.60 and Deckman finished in 17:36.00. Next for the Eagles was senior Luke Huston in 230th,
running sixth for the squad, who set a new personal record by dropping 7 seconds to finish in 19:40.6.
Gideon Sherck, the team's lone freshman, completed the Regional team for the day, running 19:58.20
as Delta's seventh runner in 236th place.
The girls' contingent, while competing as individuals, also celebrated significant achievements. Despite
having never run at Regional before, all three girls had their best and fastest race of the season.
Sophomore Everly Carter made her mark by finishing 70th out of 243 runners and clocked a personal
best of 20:38.60, shaving off 31 seconds from her previous time. Freshman Gabby Gruwell and
sophomore Ella Ewing followed with times of 21:44.70 and 22:45.70, respectively—each improving
substantially (Gabby by 43 seconds and Ella by 27 seconds). The trio reinforced the strength and
potential of the girls' program and even began setting goals for next year's Regional, both as individuals
and as a team.
While Engle still has one meet left in the season to showcase his talent and hard work, this Regional
meet at Huntington University underscored the dedicated efforts and steady progress made by Delta's
cross country athletes throughout the season. With standout performances on the course and several
athletes reaching new personal bests, the team's efforts paid off when it mattered. The performances at
Regional have not only built confidence among the athletes but have also set a high standard for future
years, embodying the Delta spirit and team culture.
Peyton Engle's teammates and coaches look forward to cheering him on at next week's State
Championship at LaVern Gibson Cross Country Course in Terre Haute. All friends, family, and fans are
welcome to join the team in supporting the State Qualifier on Saturday, November 1st, 2025 at noon.