* Kole Mathison poses with Karrie Baloga and the University of Colorado after winning the Champs Sports Nationals XC title
Photo: Cory Mull/MileSplit
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SAN DIEGO, CA — Col. Matheson had to endure a few things Saturday at Balboa Park.
First, the Carmel (IN) High School senior had to hang on through a daunting first mile from Benzie Central's Hunter Joneswho went 2:14 and 4:37 in the 800m and mile at the Champs Sports National Cross Country Championships.
Then, once Mathison made a move and claimed the lead, he had to fend off Christ School (NC) Rocky Hansenwho ran with the Indiana state champion to, indeed, the last hill.
From then on it was all Matheson.
And beyond him, was the entire Midwest Region.
Mathison never looked out of control Saturday, winning his first national title in his final high school cross country event, winning the Champs Sports Nationals crown in 14:56.6.
Mathison, who was one of five Midwest runners to finish in the top six, ran the fastest time at Balboa Park since 2015 and was the first to break 15 minutes since Drew Hunter that year. The performance ranks Mathison 22nd overall in the course. He was fifth as a junior in 2021.
The Midwest, meanwhile, was completely dominant.
Mathison's win marked the fifth straight event where an athlete from the area won the title, following performances by Sandburg's Dylan Jacobs (2017), Indianapolis Cathedral Cole Hawker (2018), Hersey's Josh Methner (2019) and Hartland's Riley Hugh (2021).
Seven of the area runners-up finished as All-Americans, including the runner-up Noah Brecker Robbie'snsdale Armstrong (MN); fourth place Simeon Birnbaum of Rapid City Stevens (ND); fifth place Connor Ackley of Hilliard Davidson (OH); and sixth place Cameron Todd of Brebeuf Jesuit (IN).
The top four finishers all ran faster than their winning time in 2021.
Todd's performance, the top non-senior, was particularly impressive.
The high school junior was third at the Indiana state championships — behind Mathieson and Carmel's Anthony Provenzano — and fourth at the Midwest region.
The only athlete to crack the Midwest team was a West Region winner Samuel Hansensenior from Woods Cross (UT) who went from last in the early stages to third overall, finishing in 15:07.7.
Northeast runners Samuel Burgess of Framingham (MA) and Drew Griffith of Butler (PA) was seventh and eighth, respectively, in 15:13.6 and 15:14.4, while Rocky Mountain (IN) Landon Heemeyer was ninth in 15:14.5 and Jones was 10th in 15:21.1. Hansen, who fell a few feet short of the finish line, finished 11th in 15:22.0.
The closing of the Pan American placements was Ryan Patzak (15:22.9), Nathan Atchue (15:23.1), Connell Alford (15:25.9) and Paul Bergeron (15:26.8).
