The host squad scored a 33 to win the invite, followed by Western (40), Winamac (66), Delphi (108), Clinton Central (112), Eastern (132) and Caston (186).
Ashley Bordner covered the course in a meet-best 21:41 to lead Carroll, followed by Lauren Wilkinson in sixth (22:20), Abby Reinke in seventh (22:21), Kaitlin Kennedy in ninth (22:45) and Hope Hayden in 10th (22:44).
Jenn Elliott took second in 21:55 to lead Western. Lacey Myer was fifth in 22:17, Corianne Myer took eighth in 22:32, Bre Nicholas was 12th in 23:03 and Kayla Gaskins was 13th in 23:04.
"We are missing two of our top five runners, " Western coach Heather Yentes said. "Carroll is strong right now. They've always been competitive with us and they have a good pack, which our girls were finally able to get into, just not far enough to get first in the meet. Lacey Myer did get a [personal best] for us and she did a great job of racing."
Emily Rethlake was 15th to lead Eastern (23:22), Danielle Stiner was 21st (23:47), Emily Wilcox was 27th (24:50), Lindsey Repogle was 33rd (26:29) and Abby Altman was 36th (28:03)
Western runs in the New Prairie Invitational Saturday.
Western won the invitational with a score of 28. The host squad was second (73) and Winamac came in third (113). Tri-Central was fifth (137). Clinton Central came in sixth (144) and Eastern had an incomplete team.
The Panthers' Zac Martinez covered the course in 17 minutes, 35 seconds to lead all runners. Also for the Panthers, Corey Scott (17:48) was fourth, Kody Harmon 18:07) and Austin Young (18:28) took sixth and "seventh, respectively, and Michael Ladd (18:54) rounded out the top 10.
I was real pleased with our four medalists," Western coach Joe Orr said. "We had five guys in the top 10 and 11 in the top 35. Martinez ran well to win. The Winamac kid was pretty good, and Martinez had a good race on his hands in the last 100 meters."
Hansen Martin led Eastern with an 11th place finish (19:08), and Ryan Horner was 23rd (19:44).
Ty Bowman led Clinton Central with a third place finish (17:45). Carroll's Sean Smith was eighth (18:36), and Tri-Central's Justin Huddleston placed 18th (19:31).