Barlow Sets Record As Tigers Split With Wawasee

July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.

By DALE HUBLER, Times-Union Sports Writer-

Breaking its huddle at Tuesday night's cross country meet with Northern Lakes Conference rival Wawasee, Warsaw's girls team chanted "Run like the wind."

And so the Tigers did, dominating the Warriors 17-48. Warsaw's top five runners all finished in the top six.

Just as impressive as Warsaw was in the girls race, so was Wawasee in the boys race, topping the Tigers 19-44. The first five Warrior harriers to cross the line all finished in the top seven.

Tiger senior Hillary Barlow won the girls race with a course record time of 15:33, 16 seconds faster than her previous record.

Sophomore Rachel Rondeau (16:25) and junior Jennifer Finch (16:46) finished second and third for the Tigers.

"We have the luxury of three runners who can finish first on any given night," Warsaw coach Paul Sibray said. "Hillary is really healthy this year. Take nothing from Rachel or Jennifer, she's just on her game right now. She's hit her stride. I hope we can keep her there."

Barlow, whose personal record is a 14:57 at last year's Manchester Semistate, also finished first in the Tiger Invitational and second in the DeKalb Baron Classic this season.

Also finishing in the top 10 for the Tigers were Jessica Wehrly (4th, 17:29), Melonie Albert (6th, 17:35), Amy Robertson (7th, 17:59) and Jill Wehrly (8th, 18:11).

"We were just working on running close," Sibray said. "We weren't sure how strong Wawasee was. It was Senior Night, and there was a lot of interference out there. I wanted to make sure the girls were focused, and they were."

Freshman Brittany Winchester led the Warriors with her fourth-place time of 17:24. Two other Wawasee runners finished in the top 10 - junior Kayla Auer in ninth with a time of 18:26 and freshman Jessica Lundgren in 10th with a time of 18:30.

Senior Rob Chalfant crossed the line first in the boys race, winning with a time of 17:14.

Warrior coach Dave Stookey said he was impressed with Chalfant's running, because he's dealing with something he's never had to before - an injury.

"He's gone through some adversity with an injury, something he's never had to do," Stookey said. "He didn't get some of the work in he would have. He's not where he would be at this stage last year, but he's coming back."

Stookey called this injury and I.T. band injury. According to a nurse at Dr. Thomas Krizmanich's office, this Illio-tibial band injury is common for runners and is generally treated like most sprains.

Sophomore Ryan Stichter finished second for the Warriors with a time of 17:20. Also finishing in the top 10 for Wawasee were sophomore Flaco Perales (4th, 17:43), freshman Luke Stoffel (5th, 17:44), junior Curt Farrell (7th, 18:30), freshman Matt Dunithan (8th, 18:31) and sophomore Eric Gingerich (9th, 18:43).

The win puts Wawasee at 1-0 in the NLC.

"Every team in the conference has to be respected," Stookey said. "One team I know we'll have to face is Northridge. Northridge is a lot like us. Thank goodness we don't face them until the last week."

Senior Jake Sweatland was the first Tiger to cross the line, finishing third with a time of 17:33. Two other Warsaw runners finished in the top 10 - senior Matt Krallman in sixth with a time of 18:26 and sophomore Zach Woodward in 10th with a time of 18:46.

Warsaw and Wawasee will be in action Saturday at the Fort Wayne Northrop Invitational.

GIRLS - WARSAW 17, WAWASEE 48

Warsaw finishers - 1. Hillary Barlow 15:33, 2. Rachel Rondeau 16:25, 3. Jennifer Finch 16:46, 5. Jessica Wehrly 17:29, 6. Melonie Albert 17:35, 7. Amy Robertson, 8. Jill Wehrly, 11. Melissa Sparkman, 14. Cassie Noble, 16. Heidi Bowers, 18. Kim Love, 19. Sylvie Marandet, 20. Yvonne Bienas, 21. Laurel Jenks, 22. Linda Winston, 23. Julie Kennedy, 24. Charlotte Winston

Wawasee finishers - 4. Brittany Winchester 17:24, 9. Kayla Auer 18:26, 10. Jessica Lundgren 18:30, 12. Meghan Lantz 18:50, 13. Crystal Fawley 19:11, 15. Mandie Sawyer, 17. Shannon Mumma

BOYS - WAWASEE 19, WARSAW 44

Wawasee finishers - 1. Rob Chalfant 17:14, 2. Ryan Stichter 17:20, 4. Flaco Perales 17:43, 7. Curt Farrell 18:30, 8. Matt Dunithan 18:31, 9. Eric Gingerich, 11. Simon Hernandez, 15. Brian Stutzman, 19. Cris Smeltzer, 21. Pete Melendez, 23. Eric Vallejo, 25. Ryan Earnhart, 28. Dustin Coquillard, 29. Brian Brandon, 30. Jared Rensberger, 38. Jerad Bauman

Warsaw finishers - 3. Jake Sweatland 17:33, 6. Matt Krallman 18:26, 12. Ryan Holbrook 19:00, 13. Darrin Fawley 19:01, 14. Michael Jenks 19:02, 16. Landon Geiger, 17. Matt Lankford, 18. Rob Peters, 20. Cory Gackenheimer, 22. Craig Davison, 24. John Robertson, 26. Jacob Gall, 27. Sean Mochocki, 31. M. Freels, 32. P. Mansfield, 33. Cary Reeves, 34. Micah Siesennop, 35. Ian Harrold, 36. Ryan Lozier, 37. David Sumpter, 39. M. Nichols [[In-content Ad]]

Breaking its huddle at Tuesday night's cross country meet with Northern Lakes Conference rival Wawasee, Warsaw's girls team chanted "Run like the wind."

And so the Tigers did, dominating the Warriors 17-48. Warsaw's top five runners all finished in the top six.

Just as impressive as Warsaw was in the girls race, so was Wawasee in the boys race, topping the Tigers 19-44. The first five Warrior harriers to cross the line all finished in the top seven.

Tiger senior Hillary Barlow won the girls race with a course record time of 15:33, 16 seconds faster than her previous record.

Sophomore Rachel Rondeau (16:25) and junior Jennifer Finch (16:46) finished second and third for the Tigers.

"We have the luxury of three runners who can finish first on any given night," Warsaw coach Paul Sibray said. "Hillary is really healthy this year. Take nothing from Rachel or Jennifer, she's just on her game right now. She's hit her stride. I hope we can keep her there."

Barlow, whose personal record is a 14:57 at last year's Manchester Semistate, also finished first in the Tiger Invitational and second in the DeKalb Baron Classic this season.

Also finishing in the top 10 for the Tigers were Jessica Wehrly (4th, 17:29), Melonie Albert (6th, 17:35), Amy Robertson (7th, 17:59) and Jill Wehrly (8th, 18:11).

"We were just working on running close," Sibray said. "We weren't sure how strong Wawasee was. It was Senior Night, and there was a lot of interference out there. I wanted to make sure the girls were focused, and they were."

Freshman Brittany Winchester led the Warriors with her fourth-place time of 17:24. Two other Wawasee runners finished in the top 10 - junior Kayla Auer in ninth with a time of 18:26 and freshman Jessica Lundgren in 10th with a time of 18:30.

Senior Rob Chalfant crossed the line first in the boys race, winning with a time of 17:14.

Warrior coach Dave Stookey said he was impressed with Chalfant's running, because he's dealing with something he's never had to before - an injury.

"He's gone through some adversity with an injury, something he's never had to do," Stookey said. "He didn't get some of the work in he would have. He's not where he would be at this stage last year, but he's coming back."

Stookey called this injury and I.T. band injury. According to a nurse at Dr. Thomas Krizmanich's office, this Illio-tibial band injury is common for runners and is generally treated like most sprains.

Sophomore Ryan Stichter finished second for the Warriors with a time of 17:20. Also finishing in the top 10 for Wawasee were sophomore Flaco Perales (4th, 17:43), freshman Luke Stoffel (5th, 17:44), junior Curt Farrell (7th, 18:30), freshman Matt Dunithan (8th, 18:31) and sophomore Eric Gingerich (9th, 18:43).

The win puts Wawasee at 1-0 in the NLC.

"Every team in the conference has to be respected," Stookey said. "One team I know we'll have to face is Northridge. Northridge is a lot like us. Thank goodness we don't face them until the last week."

Senior Jake Sweatland was the first Tiger to cross the line, finishing third with a time of 17:33. Two other Warsaw runners finished in the top 10 - senior Matt Krallman in sixth with a time of 18:26 and sophomore Zach Woodward in 10th with a time of 18:46.

Warsaw and Wawasee will be in action Saturday at the Fort Wayne Northrop Invitational.

GIRLS - WARSAW 17, WAWASEE 48

Warsaw finishers - 1. Hillary Barlow 15:33, 2. Rachel Rondeau 16:25, 3. Jennifer Finch 16:46, 5. Jessica Wehrly 17:29, 6. Melonie Albert 17:35, 7. Amy Robertson, 8. Jill Wehrly, 11. Melissa Sparkman, 14. Cassie Noble, 16. Heidi Bowers, 18. Kim Love, 19. Sylvie Marandet, 20. Yvonne Bienas, 21. Laurel Jenks, 22. Linda Winston, 23. Julie Kennedy, 24. Charlotte Winston

Wawasee finishers - 4. Brittany Winchester 17:24, 9. Kayla Auer 18:26, 10. Jessica Lundgren 18:30, 12. Meghan Lantz 18:50, 13. Crystal Fawley 19:11, 15. Mandie Sawyer, 17. Shannon Mumma

BOYS - WAWASEE 19, WARSAW 44

Wawasee finishers - 1. Rob Chalfant 17:14, 2. Ryan Stichter 17:20, 4. Flaco Perales 17:43, 7. Curt Farrell 18:30, 8. Matt Dunithan 18:31, 9. Eric Gingerich, 11. Simon Hernandez, 15. Brian Stutzman, 19. Cris Smeltzer, 21. Pete Melendez, 23. Eric Vallejo, 25. Ryan Earnhart, 28. Dustin Coquillard, 29. Brian Brandon, 30. Jared Rensberger, 38. Jerad Bauman

Warsaw finishers - 3. Jake Sweatland 17:33, 6. Matt Krallman 18:26, 12. Ryan Holbrook 19:00, 13. Darrin Fawley 19:01, 14. Michael Jenks 19:02, 16. Landon Geiger, 17. Matt Lankford, 18. Rob Peters, 20. Cory Gackenheimer, 22. Craig Davison, 24. John Robertson, 26. Jacob Gall, 27. Sean Mochocki, 31. M. Freels, 32. P. Mansfield, 33. Cary Reeves, 34. Micah Siesennop, 35. Ian Harrold, 36. Ryan Lozier, 37. David Sumpter, 39. M. Nichols [[In-content Ad]]

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