Wawasee

Boys

Last year: Last in NLC

Key losses: John Hursh (distance), Luke Sawyer (400, long jump), Richard Moore (hurdles), Ryan Mikel (800, 1600 relay, 3200 relay), Adam Brown (hurdles)

1998 roster: 44

Key returners: Jeff Moerchen (distance), Rustin Mikel (distance relays, 400, 800), Dustin Lytle (distance), John Glon (distance, 800), Pete Melendez (distance), Jerid Stoffel (distance), Chris Lambert (hurdles, relays), Narron Graves (sprints, long jump), Aaron McFarland (hurdles, short relays), Josh Cole (sprints, short relays), Luke Matz (shot put, discus), Matt Binns (shot put, discus), Jon Olson (pole vault)

Outlook: "I don't think we're as strong in distance as we were last year, but that should still be a strength that will get us a lot of points. It will be difficult for us to get a lot of points in sprints. Chris Lambert should fare well in the hurdles. We'll be a little stronger in field events, but we still have a long way to go." Head coach Kerry Murphy

Girls

Last year: Second in NLC

Key losses: Alysha Aalbregtse (hurdles), Aubrey Coy (distance), Mandy McGuire (high jump)

1998 roster: 27

Key returners: Alisha Henderson (3200-run, sectional champ), Katie McCauley (800), Kimber Chang (300 hurdles)

Outlook: "We're looking to peak around sectional and regional time. We should be good in distance, where we have a good group coming back. Hopefully we'll get points there. Wawasee has had a good tradition the last couple of years, and we hope to build on that." Head coach Joe Company

Warsaw

Girls

Last year: Last in NLC

Key losses: None

1998 roster: 44

Key returners: Ashlee Bouse (hurdles), Bobbi Wildman (sprints), Summer Boyd (distance), Nerecia Taylor (high jump), Kristen DeGeeter (sprints), Erin Cook (sprints, high jump, long jump), Amy Robertson (400), Hillary Barlow (distance), Faith Gonzalez (discus), Rachel Cullison (distance), Cheryl Montague (discus), Ginny Gardonio (shot put), Kim Love (sprints, long jump), Nicole DeRenzo (sprints), Jessica Zaugg (long jump, sprints)

Outlook: "I think with the added numbers, that will help our team depth. Our freshman class will contribute. We should improve. How much, it's difficult to say. We'll be strong with Summer Boyd in the 800 and either the mile or 2-mile. We'll score with Ashlee Bouse in the hurdles. We have a good group of high jumpers who will score some points. Basically we should do well in the hurdles and any races Summer Boyd's in." Head coach Doug Ogle

Tippecanoe Valley

Boys

Last year: Fourth in TRC

Key losses: Josh Brady (400, 1600 relay), Scott Whetstone (distance)

1998 roster: 20

Key returners: Kevin Hileman (800), Eric Prater (400), Jeremy Fox (shot put), Joey Manns (long jump, 300 hurdles), Noah Silveus (high jump)

Who went where: Returner Hileman was undefeated in the 800 until the regional, where he placed fifth and just missed the state cut.

Outlook: "Too many holes. In sprints and certain field events, we're just not tough. We have quality in certain places, but just too many holes. We're not real strong as a team, but we have some strong individuals. At the bigger meets, we should do OK. At dual meets, we'll struggle. Our boys are the opposite of our girls, who are just solid all around." Head coach Terry Screeton

Girls

Last year: Fourth in TRC

Key losses: Heather Wilcox (sprints)

1998 roster: 25

Key returners: Jenny Day (distance), Tamar Strohschein (distance), Tara Pratt (high jump), Andria Parker (shot put, discus), Beth Rose (discus), Sarah Kindig (middle distances), Jenny Sands (high jump)

Who went where: Returners Day, Rose and Sanders advanced to the regional.

Outlook: "We're going to be pretty solid, tough to beat in dual or triangular meets. We're missing that real, real good sprinter. We're solid, but we're missing that. We're especially solid in the 800 on up and in all field events. Our weaknesses are short distances. We have kids there who are somewhat inexperienced." Head coach Terry Screeton

Manchester

Boys

Last year: First in TRC

Key losses: Andy Trickle (long jump, 400 relay), Nate Grossman (400), Terry Karnoff (discus), Korey Ashton (discus, shot put)

1998 roster: 30

Key returners: Nick Iden (hurdles, 400, 1600 relay), Rex Reimer (long jump, 100, 400 relay), Michael Hendrix (100, 400 relay, long jump), Jeremy Stacy (distance), Daniel Walter (distance, 3200 relay), Andres Bueker (400, 400 relay, 1600 relay), Dan Rhodes (pole vault), Klay Bechtold (long jump, high jump, 400 relay), Annon Gaerte (hurdles, high jump), David Barrett (400 relay, 1600 relay), Josh Hileman (distance, 3200 relay)

Who went where: Returner Iden competed at state in the hurdles but did not place; Manchester's team won the sectional to advance to the regional.

Outlook: "I think the season will go very well. Our guys are putting a lot of effort in at practice. As far as the conference goes, I would hate to say. I think we'll be pretty strong, no doubt. We'll definitely be strong with Nick and Annon in the hurdles. We have two or three good 100 runners, six pole vaulters and three high jumpers. Long jump should be real strong. Distance will be strong, middle distances are good, and our relays shouldn't be too bad. Shot put and discus may be our weak points." Head coach Ned Bowman

Girls

Last year: N/A

Key losses: N/A

1998 roster: 15

Key returners: Cassie Markstahler (distance), Shay Knecht (distance), Marissa Knecht (distance), Shanna Poe (shot put, discus), Natalie Stambaugh (shot put, discus), Christy Markstahler (hurdles, distance)

Who went where: Poe went to the regional.

Outlook: "Yes, we want to be successful as a team, but we're more interested in personal records. We have a very young team with several freshmen and sophomores who haven't run." Head coach Lynn Simmers

NorthWood

Boys

Last year: Fifth in NLC

Key losses: Justin Hershberger (shot put, discus)

1998 roster: 36

Key returners: Doug Brown (high jump, sprints), Corey Brown (sprints, long jump), Matt Traub (pole vault), Bill Mitschelen (pole vault), Jason Brennaman (high jump, middle distance), Brad Greenlee (distance), Jon Cook (hurdles)

Who went where: Returner Cook went to the regional in hurdles.

Outlook: "We have just three seniors, so the bulk of our team is pretty young. It's a team that will get better as the year goes on. Our distance kids will be young, but they should get better. We should be strong in the pole vault, high jump and sprints. Those are the three areas we're deepest in." Head coach Mark BeMiller

Girls

Last year: Second in NLC

Key losses: Timi Wagmiller (high jump)

1998 roster: 27

Key returners: Kelli Andrews (100, 200, NLC champ in both), Latt Bounmythavong (long jump, NLC champ), Lindsay Carlin (sprints), Grace Bonewitz (hurdles), Shelly Stichter (high jump), Brooke Tobias (distance), Adria Almagers (shot put, discus), Cort Sandy (distance)

Who went where: Returners Bonewitz (hurdles, 400 relay), Andrews (200, 400 relay), Carlin (400 relay) and Bounmythavong (400 relay) competed at state. Andrews took 12th at state, while the 400 relay team finished 10th. Bonewitz took 16th.

Outlook: "Looking at the NLC, Concord, Northridge and ourselves will be at the top. All three of us run a meet together on April 23, so that should be interesting. We'll be solid in sprints, as usual, and in short relays and hurdles. I think we will surprise some people in the distance events. Brooke holds the school records in the 1600 and 3200, and Cort Sandy, a freshman, has beaten her in our indoor meets this year. Up front in each event, we have somebody. I'm not sure about our depth in field events." Head coach Kirt Hunsberger

Triton

Girls

Last year: Sixth in NSC

Key losses: Audra Meinert (shot, discus), Angie Glatfelter (sprinter)

1998 roster: 12

Key returners: Sisteen Christian (shot, discus), Jenna Weissert (long jump, high jump, 1600 relay, 200, 1997 MVP), Reghan Kreft (distance), Alissa Bradley (distance), Melody Kuhn (hurdles, 400)

Who went where: Returners Bradley, Kreft, Kuhn and Weissert advanced to the regional

Outlook: "My No. 1 goal is for everybody to beat their personal-best times. We're a small team, so we'll always be playing the numbers game. Teams like Plymouth and Jimtown can really bring the numbers. Hopefully we'll place higher in the conference. We're No. 1 all-around in girls sports in the NSC, and we'd like to keep that." Head coach Jason Hunter

Whitko

Boys

Last year: Second in TRC

Key losses: None; no seniors on last year's team

1998 roster: 32

Key returners: Tim Mason (sprints, long jump), Bo Mullins (shot put, discus), Ray Smith (shot put, discus), Jimmy Linn (hurdles, sprints, discus, shot put), Aaron Engle (sprints, pole vault), Jered Deckena (400), Chad Holzinger (long jump, high jump, 400)

Who went where: Returner Mason placed 10th at the state finals in the long jump and advanced to the regional in the 100 and 200. Engle, Linn, Deckena, Mullins and Smith advanced to the regional.

Outlook: "The future looks promising, but you never know for sure how things will work out. One key to our success will be how our distance runners come through. We have a good group from our cross-country team, which was one of our better teams in recent years. Most of those guys are sophomores and freshmen. We should do well if they score points." Head coach Ron Cherry

Girls

Last year: Sixth in TRC

Key losses: Susan Dome (distance)

1998 roster: 22

Key returners: Heidi Hull (100 and 300 hurdles), Brooke Southworth (distance), Amanda Morford (sprints), Amber Landis (sprints, long jump), Ellie Deckena (distance), Amy Teel (hurdles, 400)

Who went where: Returners Hull, Southworth, Metzger and Deckena advanced to the regional

Outlook: "By the end of the year, if the girls work hard and improve on the mental aspect, we should be pretty competitive. We didn't lose anybody in our sprints, and we have freshmen who will help. We lost Dome in our distance, and now we will have girls who will try to share the workload. The field events are an area of concern, especially high jump and discus." Head coach Brian Balsmeyer [[In-content Ad]]