EUGENE, Ore. – Three Indiana State track and field athletes combined to earn four top-10 finishes Thursday on the opening day of the 2025 USATF U20 Championships at Hayward Field
 
The Sycamores’ distance duo of Gnister Grant and Peyton Smith both carded top-10 finishes in their respective events, while Emma Yoder earned top-10 marks in both of the throws events she competed in.
 
Smith opened the day for the Blue and White with a career-best performance in the 5000m, running a time of 16:52.17 to finish ninth in the event. Thursday’s performance was a 10-second PR for Smith, who also climbed up to eighth in program history in the event, finishing the season as one of five Sycamores with an indoor or outdoor 5000m time under 17 minutes during the 2024-25 campaign.
 
Yoder also had a career-best performance Thursday in the hammer throw, finishing with a top mark of 52.89m (173-6) to place eighth in the event. The 2025 MVC Outdoor Track and Field Co-Freshman of the Year also carded an eighth-place finish in the discus with a top throw of 47.01m (154-2), capping a season which saw her win the MVC title in the discus as a freshman.
 
Grant closed the day for the Blue and White by finishing 10th in the 3000m steeplechase with a time of 11:22.52. Thursday’s performance was Grant’s fifth steeplechase under 11:25 this season, and also gave the Sycamores a top-10 finish in the event at the USATF U20 Championships for the second straight year after Ryan York finished ninth on the men’s side last season.
 
Up Next
Olivia Marshall closes the 2024-25 Indiana State track and field season Friday at 6:30 p.m. ET when she competes in the shot put at the 2025 USATF U20 Championships.
 
Follow the Sycamores

For the latest information on the Sycamore Track & Field and Cross Country teams, make sure to check out GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media including Facebook and Twitter. Fans can also receive updates on Sycamore Athletics by downloading the March On App from the both the App Store and the Google Play Store.
 

– #MarchOn –

NASHUA – Justin Scott was well aware of the tall task at hand.

Taking on undefeated Coe-Brown Northwood, the No. 1 team in New Hampshire, who Pinkerton had lost to in a 3-0 sweep just weeks prior, he knew a potential upset would be a colossal duty.

Advertisement

“Coe-Brown is a really, really good team,” said Scott. “There’s a ton of athletes, they’re big, they jump, they simply crush it every game.”

Unfortunately, Scott was right on June 10. Coe-Brown dominated from the opening point, sweeping Pinkerton on their way to the finals, 3-0.

“Our plan was to try to keep them on their heels serving, and we had some really good swings, they just have a great Libero,” said Scott. “Coe-Brown has no holes, they have guys that can do it all.”

It’s not an understatement to consider Coe-Brown’s 2025 campaign as arguably the most dominant in New Hampshire volleyball history. They’re not just undefeated — they’re winning everything with ease.

Advertisement

In fact, the No. 1 seed has swept every team, 3-0, except for one match, a five-set thriller versus the No. 2 seed, Dover.

It seemed to be a collision course for those two powerhouses, until No. 3 Hollis-Brookline stunned Dover in five sets, setting up their match versus Coe-Brown on Saturday afternoon in the title game.

While Pinkerton had a respectable first set, falling 25-16, the next wasn’t so sweet for the underdogs, falling 25-5 in the second set, pulling the Bears away for good.

However, Pinkerton did come out strong in the third set, leading 10-6, before Coe-Brown stormed back on a 12-3 run, ending the set, 25-17.

Advertisement

For the Astros, it’s the end of an era for two of the best to do it in recent memory, in Kaden Layne, and Ben Koelb. Layne will continue his playing career at Rivier, while Koelb is headed to Northeastern.

Despite the exit in the semifinals against an impressive Coe-Brown team, Scott believes this run is just the beginning of something to come, with untapped potential for a bevy of underclassmen.

“Ben was a three-year starter, Kaden was a three-year starter, and we have five other seniors that we have to replace,” said Scott. “It’s hard to fill those holes, but with the underclassmen we have, you have to feel confident. We have the power next year, and getting this experience is huge.”

Follow Evan Applebaum on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, at EvanApplebaum2.

Seniors Elaina Avila and Kate Guarneri have played volleyball together since their youth days.

As seniors at Jupiter, they helped the Warriors win their school’s 10th state title overall, and first girls state beach volleyball championship as they rallied to defeat Neptune Beach Fletcher 3-2 in the 3A state final to finish 19-1 and ranked No. 5 nationally.

Avila and Guarneri, and three additional seniors, were members of the team when coach Lilly Fink started the team. There were 45 girls that tried out for that squad, only one had ever played beach volleyball. The remaining players were all indoor players.

“They are solid girls and solid players,” said Fink, whose team dispatched six-time state finalist St. Thomas Aquinas in the semifinals 3-0. “They really rose to the occasion after losing the first set of their match in the finals.”

Avila and Guarneri lost the first set of their match 21-18 to Fletcher’s Karsyn Smith and Lisa Waite before rallying to take the next set 21-14 and then the match-clincher 15-9. The Jupiter duo has only lost three matches in the past two years and finished 16-0 this year.

“Coach Fink gave us some inspirational words after the first set, and I just decided that this was my last match ever, so just go out and have fun,” Avila said. “After we won, everyone ran out on the court to celebrate, and it was so surreal. We were crying, and I was crying happy tears, and I have never cried happy tears before.”

Guarneri said the fact that they won the state title is starting to sink in. The school honored the team with a Wall of Fame ceremony a few days after they returned home. They hang a photo of district, regional, and state champions in the school’s gymnasium.

“I was looking back at pictures and videos from the season and said, ‘wow, we really did that,’” Guarneri said. “Since we won all three, we get special recognition for it.

“On Friday, when we first got there, we were all nervous and then we had that (long) weather delay,” Guarneri said. “I think that really helped us because it allowed us to gather our thoughts. We said we know how to play, and we will play like we do at our home courts. We got in the right mindset, and we really wanted to win.”

Honorable mention: Archbishop McCarthy: Fabiana Castro, Brianna Masarrachio, Valerie Morales, Emma Pierce; Benjamin: Riley McCaughey, Sailor Plasman; Boca Raton: Lia Ray, Bella Troncale; Boca Raton Christian: Natalia Marciante, Hannah VanZwieten, Mackenzi VanZwieten; Calvary Christian: Vivi Belfort, Bradee Boyd; Cardinal Newman: Ava Castro, Adrianna Hinds; Cypress Bay: Julia Diaz, Anya Noya; Dr. Joaquin Gacia: Lyla Buser, Kadance Roach; Dwyer: Corrine Cabrera, Samantha Homberger, Drew Lotz; Jupiter: Sophie Katz, Islie Lounsbury, Macy McAmis, Bianca Starz; Jupiter Christian: Gabriella Brodner, Ella Murray; King’s Academy: Valeria Diaz, Gabby Fernandez, Miranda Knoll, Sophia Studley; Lake Worth Christian: Alex Krabs, Sophia Tomlinson; Park Vista: Ava Love, Aolani Paula; St. Thomas Aquinas: Emma Bear, Madeline Meltz, Leah Novatne, Alexa Raymond; Wellington: Brielle Dorish, Madeline Lee.

FIRST TEAM

Christopher Bennett, utility, Westminster Academy junior: Recorded 61 goals, 53 assists and 62 steals; scored 15 goals in a game; helped lead team to 24 wins and state championship; USA Water Polo 18U Youth Futures National Team selection.

Samuel Eastaugh, utility, St. Thomas Aquinas junior: Team captain; registered 67 goals, 59 assists and 51 steals; scored seven goals in regional semifinal win; scored 16 goals in four playoff games; USA Water Polo Academic All-American Outstanding Honors recipient.

Dane Fox, driver, Westminster Academy junior: Recorded 103 goals, 51 assists and 39 steals; scored winning goal in overtime in state semifinal; scored six goals in regional final win; had 10 goals in a game.

Lev Konnikov, utility, St. Thomas Aquinas junior: Team captain and led Raiders to 20 wins and state semifinal appearance; recorded 131 goals, 27 assists and 53 steals; scored 11 goals in a game; had five goals in regional semifinal win and four goals in regional final victory.

Juan Lopez, utility, Stoneman Douglas junior: Recorded 108 goals, 50 assists and 16 steals; scored 18 goals with eight assists in a game; led team to regional quarterfinal appearance.

Marcell Varhalmi, goalie, St. Thomas Aquinas sophomore: Finished with 223 saves, 23 assists, 40 steals and two goals scored; registered 19 saves in a game; USA Water Polo ODP 18U Youth National Team selection; competed at senior nationals; trained in Serbia and Italy.

Toni Vlasic, center defender, Cooper City senior: Led team to 17 wins, district title and regional semifinal appearance; registered 114 goals and 41 assists; previously played with USA Water Polo ODP Men’s Cadet National Team and in Junior Olympics.

SECOND TEAM

Sebastian Garcia, utility, Westminster Academy senior

Connor Geskus, driver, Pembroke Pines Charter sophomore

Holden Harkins, utility, St. Thomas Aquinas junior

Andreas Lajko, utility, St. Thomas Aquinas freshman

David Maxson, goalie, Westminster Academy senior

Ethan McPeek, attacker, Cooper City senior

Shane Whitaker, utility, South Broward senior

HONORABLE MENTION

Cardinal Gibbons: Travis Jenkins, Alex Petros

Cooper City: Adrien Goodman, Henry Guerrero, Thomas Moya

Flanagan: Ben Liss

Fort Lauderdale: Daniel Brinkworth, Aiden Carey, Jake Wadlow

Northeast: Magnus Warywoda, Diesel Warywoda

Nova: Matthew Orsini, Xavier Suarez

Pembroke Pines Charter: Joseph Koch, Abraham Penaloza, Tiago Vitale

South Broward: Michael Berbeci

Stoneman Douglas: Marcell Chafloque, Christian Nichols

Westminster Academy: Albie Karaj, Lucas Linares, Christian Clark

COACH OF THE YEAR

Daniel Cercols, Westminster Academy: Guided the Lions to a 24-2 record, district title, regional title and first state championship for boys water polo in school history. “We were so solid all season. We have players who were very hungry to win a state title. Hard work, dedication, discipline and teamwork made this possible.”