Troy Akers has the unique position of having an impact on two area track programs this year.

Akers left behind an ultra-successful girls' program at Wawasee High School this year to take over the boys' team at Warsaw High School. His touch was definitely felt at Wawasee, where the Warriors are in the midst of a 30-meet win streak in the regular season over the past three seasons. He is hoping to work the same magic - eventually - on the Tigers.

"Here, I am new to them, and they are new to me," Akers said. "We are going to have to grow together. There are some things I have assumed that I shouldn't have. You just have to take a couple steps back and rethink the whole thing and look at the big picture."

Despite changing genders as well as changing schools, the biggest adjustment for Akers won't be the difference between coaching boys and girls. Akers served as a football coach for the Warriors and this year for the Tigers.

"I have often said boys, girls or whatever, it is athletes that we are coaching to develop," he said. "There are a lot of similiarties, and you approach it pretty close to the same. It is going to be a challenge."

Meanwhile, Akers left the Warriors in the capable hands of Lisa Dilbone, who served as his assistant for three seasons. Despite missing key ingredients from a team that finished seventh in the state, Dilbone still feels the pressure, as well as reaping the benefits, from the past success and the current streak.

"I know there is a lot of pressure there especially the seniors coming in have never lost a dual meet," Dilbone said. "Obviously it would be nice to go undefeated this season, but my main goal is to get as many people to state as I possibly can.

"They (the athletes) know what the success has been in the past," she said. "The intensity level is up there. If we work hard, we can still have that kind of success. Even if we do lose a meet or two, it doesn't mean we are not successful."

BOYS

Warsaw

Last year: fourth in sectional

Returners and key performers: P.J. Wiley, 400, 800; Derrick Duncan, 100, 200; Jose Esquivel, 100, 200; Greg Patrick, 1600, 3200; Will Woodward, 1600, 3200; David Hoffert, 400, 800; Nick Stouder, hurdles; Steve Fribley, shot put, discus; Shawn Mudd, hurdles

Coach Troy Akers: "We have got to get some people to take a leadership role. Our senior class is not real deep. We are trying to build this team the way I think any track team should be built. We want to develop some hurdlers and mid-distance guys who can either sprint or run distance. I see right now that a lot of kids want to run, but it is the things that can make you a better team that we don't have a lot of depth in. I am hurting trying to develop jumpers and hurdlers."

Wawasee

Last year: sixth in Northern Lakes Conference

Returners and key performers: Scott Ousley, 100, 200; Ryan Mikel, 800, relay; Luke Sawyer, 400, long jump; Rustin Mikel, 400, relays; Brad Brown, 400, high jump; Trent Gaff, 100, 200, long jump; Luke Matz, shot put, discus; John Hursh, 1600, Jeff Nelson, high jump, hurdler; Chris Lambert, hurdles, relays; Jeff Moerchen, 3200; John Glon, 800, relays; Matt Binns, shot put, discus; Adam Brown, high jump, pole vault; Case Hensler, sprints, long jump; Dusty Lytle, 800, 1600

Coach Kerry Murphy: "We are really young and inexperienced. We are going to rely on those guys who did score for us last year to come through and get some points for us and show good leadership. Our strength will be in the middle distances, the 400 and 800. As soon as Luke Sawyer (leg injury) gets back in the long jump, we will be alright. We are weak in the sprints and the hurdles."

Tippecanoe Valley

Last year: 6-2 overall, second in Three Rivers Conference

Returners and key performers: Josh Brady, 400, 800, TRC champ in 400 last two years; Kevin Hileman, 800, 1600 relay; Joey Manns, 100, 200; Simon Rongoni, 100, 200; Ryan McFarland, 1600, 3200; Scott Whetstone, 1600, 3200; Josh Pettit, shot put, discus; Kevin Miller, shot put, discus

Coach Terry Screeton: "Josh Brady will be a mainstay for us. We are expecting real good things from him. We are going to be OK. Average to above-average is what I am looking at right now. We have some weak events that are pretty glaring, and I don't think we will be as strong as our team last year."

Whitko

Last year: 5-5, fifth in Three Rivers Conference

Returners and key performers: Tim Mason, long jump, sprints, regional qualifier; Ray Smith, shot put, discus; Bo Mullins, shot put, discus; Jared Deckena, 400; Jimmy Linn, sprints, long jump; Chad Holzinger, high jump

Coach Ron Cherry: "Tim (Mason) is our leader in terms of points and other intangibiles. He is our bread and butter. We have a real strong junior class."

Manchester

Last year: third in Three Rivers Conference

Returners and key performers: Nick Iden, hurdles; Nate Grossman, hurdles; Rex Reimer, long jump; Andres Bueker, 400, 800, relays; Annon Gaerte, relays; Doug Carter, shot put; Eric Sommer, shot put; Jeremy Stacy, 1600, 3200; Royce Walters, 1600, 3200; Daniel Walters, 1600, 3200; Tom Wion, 400, 800

GIRLS

Wawasee

Last year: 10-0, first in Northern Lakes Conference, seventh in state

Returners and key performers: Alysha Aalbregtse, hurdles; Mandy McGuire, high jump; Sharada Nethaway, discus, shot put; Kara Waldceser; Aubrey Coy, 1600, 3200; Alexis Culver, hurdles; Lydia Carpenter, sprints, jumps; Stefanie Tarner, sprints

Coach Lisa Dilbone: "We lost a lot of seniors last year, but we have a lot of freshmen and sophomores who are stepping into key roles. We have a lot of numbers, and I think it has a lot to do with success. Of course when you have a successful program, everybody wants to be part of that."

Warsaw

Last year: 1-8, fifth in the Northern Lakes Conference

Returners and key performers: Christina Anderson, discus; Faith Gonzalez, discus, shot put; Holly Glass, shot put; La' Toirie Frantz, high jump; Ashlee Bouse, hurdles; Rebecca Harman, sprints, relays; Andria Harrold, sprints, relays; Nicole Derenzo, sprints, relays; Jessica Zaugg, sprints, relays; Summer Boyd, 1600, 3200; Bobbi Wildman, sprints; Jodi Wildman, 1600, 3200

Coach Doug Ogle: "We have a strong freshman class. We have some girls from Lakeview that were undefeated in two years. We want to finish in the top three in the conference and have a winning record in our dual meets. Our team depth will be better this year. We advanced the program last year, and this is a big year. I am hoping that last year, although not huge in terms of wins, will be valuable in terms of experience."

Tippecanoe Valley

Last year: 4-4 overall, third in Three Rivers Conference

Returners and key performers: Jenny Day, 1600, 3200; Aura Strohschein, 1600, 3200; Kelly Walters, 400, 800; Jenny Sanders, 400, 800; Christina VanCleave, 400, 800; Heather Wilcox, 100, 200; Destiny Billups, 100, 200; Tara Pratt, high jump; Andria Parker, shot put, discus

Coach Terry Screeton: "We are going to be tough. We have somebody in each event, and we are pretty solid. We have a lot of depth. We should be battling for the spot in the conference."

Whitko

Last year: sixth in Three Rivers Conference

Returners and key performers: Susan Dome, 400, 800, 1600; Heidi Hull, hurdles, relays, shot put, discus; Amber Landis, long jump, relays; Dawn Rife, sprints; Ellie Deckena, 400, 800; Dawn Stone, 1600, 3200; Brooke Southworth, 1600, 3200

Coach Brian Balsmeyer: "Our big weakness is speed. We don't have a lot of natural speed. Susan Dome finished fifth at the regional. She will be a workhorse for us. Our strength is in the distance races. We should be adequate in the field events."

Manchester

Last year: fourth in Three Rivers Conference

Returners and key performers: Tara Wion, sprints, long jump, relays; Dani Wion, sprints, relays; Erin Groombridge, 400, 800; Christi Stephan, hurdles, relays; Marissa Knecht, 1600, 3200; Shay Knecht, 1600, 3200; Cassie Markstahler, 1600, 3200; Christy Markstahler, hurdles, 800, 1600; Amuda Timoteo, hurdles, 400; Carmen Miller, relays; Christa Michael, relays; Natalie Stambaugh, shot put, discus; Shannon Poe, shot put, discus

Coach Keith Metzger: "I have four strong seniors, and we have good underclassmen that are stepping up. It is a matter of bringing everybody together at the right time at the end of the season."

Triton

Returners and key performers: Audra Meinert, shot put, discus; Angie Glatfelter, 100, 200, relays, long jump; Reghan Kreft, 1600, 3200; Alyssa Bradley, 1600, 3200; Jackie Shriver, hurdles

Coach Jason Hunter: "We have a small team (12 members), so everybody will play a key role this year. It is a young team. We have two seniors, one junior, and the rest are freshmen and sophomores. It is going to be a challenge." [[In-content Ad]]