Northfield Notches Tiger Classic Victories
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Warsaw High School hosted the Tiger Classic on Tuesday, but Northfield High School crashed the party, as both the boys and girls cross country teams took first place. The Norsemen also took the individual awards, with runners placing first overall in both boys and girls.
The Northfield boys team, ranked sixth in the state in the most recent poll, just squeaked by Warsaw 29-33. Of the top 12 finishers, 11 came from either Northfield or Warsaw. The Tigers' David Hoffert placed second overall with a time of 17:20, 33 seconds behind Northfield's top runner.
After a Northfield runner placed third, Will Woodward came in 11 seconds behind him. The Norsemen took both sixth and seventh place, before the Tigers took the next four spots. However, Northfield's fifth runner came in 12th to give the Norsemen the victory.
"It was a great performance," Warsaw coach Jeff Grose said. "I'm really proud of the team effort. Unfortunately, we were just a little short. We know we're going to have Hoffert and Woodward come in for us, but I'm really proud of the other guys. They really had a nice race. We're competing more as a team like I was seeing at the end of last season. I think that's a good sign. These guys realize that we don't have the great runners, but we have a lot of guys who can perform well."
Grose singled out Chris Gackenheimer as one who has really stepped. He placed 10th overall at the meet.
"He's really come a long way from last season," Grose said. "Even here early in the season, he wasn't what I considered one of our top runners and maybe even in the top seven. But, he's come a long way and he's doing a nice job for us."
After Warsaw, Oak Hill edged out Peru with 85 points. Peru ended with 88 and Valley placed fifth with 146. Valley's top runner was Kevin Hileman. He placed 24th with a time of 20:11.
On the girls side, it was a one-team race. Northfield grabbed the top three spots, along with sixth and 16th, to run away with the meet with just 28 points. Oak Hill placed second with 58 and Valley took third with 64. Warsaw had a solid top three runners, but struggled on the final two scorers and had 86 points. Peru ended fifth with 120 points.
Jenny Day placed fifth overall for Valley with a time of 17:33. Sarah Kindig and Tamar Strohschein took eighth and ninth place to help the Vikings to the second place finish. Steph Tilden and Jamye McCalla were the other scoring runners for Valley, finishing 18th and 24th.
After the Norsemen's top three runners, Warsaw's Summer Boyd placed fourth with a time of 17:14. The Tigers also got a 12th place finish from Rachel Cullison and a 15th place finish from Amy Robertson.
Coach Paul Sibray had reason to be enthusiastic despite his team's fourth place finish.
"We did excellently," Sibray said. "I told the girls that times aren't going to matter, because a course is rough. Effort was what we were after. Kim Love, our No. 3 girl had a bad headache, so she dropped way back. That was not lack of effort, that was just a physical problem. Everybody else performed splendidly."
Love placed 37th overall, sixth among Warsaw runners. A strong time from her may have put the Tigers close to third.
"If you put Kim in there, we might be a lot better off," Sibray said. "And when you're talking Northfield, you're talking state competitor. They are down there about every year. Their girls program has really done well the last couple of years. Summer (Boyd) thinks she ran a bad race, but she broke up those top four girls Northfield had."
Both the boys and girls cross country team will be at Concord on Wednesday for the first triangular of the year, along with Goshen. The meet will start at 5 p.m.
Top 10 and other Warsaw and Valley Runners
BOYS: NORTHFIELD 29, WARSAW 33, OAK HILL 85, PERU 88, VALLEY 146
1. Andrews (NF) 16:47, 2. Hoffert (W), 3. Culver (NF), 4. Woodward (W), 5. Middlesworth (OH), 6. Parks (NF), 7. McClure (NF), 8. Rice (W), 9. Kennedy (W), 10. Gackenheimer (W), 11. Patrick (W), 19. Jenks (W), 24. Hileman (TV), 27. Fawley (TV), 30. Ross (TV), 32. Tilden (TV), 33. Miller (TV), 34. Boggs (TV)
GIRLS: NORTHFIELD 28, OAK HILL 58, VALLEY 64, WARSAW 86, PERU 120
1. Guenin (NF) 16:23, 2. Carrothers (NF), 3. Mirante (NF), 4. Boyd (W), 5. Day (TV), 6. Cordes (NF), 7. Tyner (OH), 8. Kindig (TV), 9. Strohschein (TV), 10. Corn (OH), 12. Cullison (W), 15. Robertson (W), 18. Jackson (TV), 25. Tilden (TV), 28. McCalla (TV), 30. Wilhite (W), 31. Fluke (W), 34. Norris (TV), 37. Love (W), 38. Blue (W), 39. Whetstone (TV), 42. Kamp (TV), 46. Harrold (W), 49. Winston (W), 52. Kanter (TV), 56. Ellison (W), 57. Siesennop (W), 60. VanCleave (TV), 62. Hake (W), 63. Wilcox (TV), 64. Marandet (W)
Boys Junior Varsity
1. Granger (W) 19:09, 2. Neale (NF), 3. Robertson (W), 4. Sweatland (W), 5. Sibray (W), 6. Krallhan (W), 7. Miller (W), 8. Fussle (W), 9. Kinner (OH), 10. Conley (W), 12. Ridderman (W), 15. Zellers (W), 17. Peters (W), 18. Gackenheimer (W), 25. Moore (W) [[In-content Ad]]
Warsaw High School hosted the Tiger Classic on Tuesday, but Northfield High School crashed the party, as both the boys and girls cross country teams took first place. The Norsemen also took the individual awards, with runners placing first overall in both boys and girls.
The Northfield boys team, ranked sixth in the state in the most recent poll, just squeaked by Warsaw 29-33. Of the top 12 finishers, 11 came from either Northfield or Warsaw. The Tigers' David Hoffert placed second overall with a time of 17:20, 33 seconds behind Northfield's top runner.
After a Northfield runner placed third, Will Woodward came in 11 seconds behind him. The Norsemen took both sixth and seventh place, before the Tigers took the next four spots. However, Northfield's fifth runner came in 12th to give the Norsemen the victory.
"It was a great performance," Warsaw coach Jeff Grose said. "I'm really proud of the team effort. Unfortunately, we were just a little short. We know we're going to have Hoffert and Woodward come in for us, but I'm really proud of the other guys. They really had a nice race. We're competing more as a team like I was seeing at the end of last season. I think that's a good sign. These guys realize that we don't have the great runners, but we have a lot of guys who can perform well."
Grose singled out Chris Gackenheimer as one who has really stepped. He placed 10th overall at the meet.
"He's really come a long way from last season," Grose said. "Even here early in the season, he wasn't what I considered one of our top runners and maybe even in the top seven. But, he's come a long way and he's doing a nice job for us."
After Warsaw, Oak Hill edged out Peru with 85 points. Peru ended with 88 and Valley placed fifth with 146. Valley's top runner was Kevin Hileman. He placed 24th with a time of 20:11.
On the girls side, it was a one-team race. Northfield grabbed the top three spots, along with sixth and 16th, to run away with the meet with just 28 points. Oak Hill placed second with 58 and Valley took third with 64. Warsaw had a solid top three runners, but struggled on the final two scorers and had 86 points. Peru ended fifth with 120 points.
Jenny Day placed fifth overall for Valley with a time of 17:33. Sarah Kindig and Tamar Strohschein took eighth and ninth place to help the Vikings to the second place finish. Steph Tilden and Jamye McCalla were the other scoring runners for Valley, finishing 18th and 24th.
After the Norsemen's top three runners, Warsaw's Summer Boyd placed fourth with a time of 17:14. The Tigers also got a 12th place finish from Rachel Cullison and a 15th place finish from Amy Robertson.
Coach Paul Sibray had reason to be enthusiastic despite his team's fourth place finish.
"We did excellently," Sibray said. "I told the girls that times aren't going to matter, because a course is rough. Effort was what we were after. Kim Love, our No. 3 girl had a bad headache, so she dropped way back. That was not lack of effort, that was just a physical problem. Everybody else performed splendidly."
Love placed 37th overall, sixth among Warsaw runners. A strong time from her may have put the Tigers close to third.
"If you put Kim in there, we might be a lot better off," Sibray said. "And when you're talking Northfield, you're talking state competitor. They are down there about every year. Their girls program has really done well the last couple of years. Summer (Boyd) thinks she ran a bad race, but she broke up those top four girls Northfield had."
Both the boys and girls cross country team will be at Concord on Wednesday for the first triangular of the year, along with Goshen. The meet will start at 5 p.m.
Top 10 and other Warsaw and Valley Runners
BOYS: NORTHFIELD 29, WARSAW 33, OAK HILL 85, PERU 88, VALLEY 146
1. Andrews (NF) 16:47, 2. Hoffert (W), 3. Culver (NF), 4. Woodward (W), 5. Middlesworth (OH), 6. Parks (NF), 7. McClure (NF), 8. Rice (W), 9. Kennedy (W), 10. Gackenheimer (W), 11. Patrick (W), 19. Jenks (W), 24. Hileman (TV), 27. Fawley (TV), 30. Ross (TV), 32. Tilden (TV), 33. Miller (TV), 34. Boggs (TV)
GIRLS: NORTHFIELD 28, OAK HILL 58, VALLEY 64, WARSAW 86, PERU 120
1. Guenin (NF) 16:23, 2. Carrothers (NF), 3. Mirante (NF), 4. Boyd (W), 5. Day (TV), 6. Cordes (NF), 7. Tyner (OH), 8. Kindig (TV), 9. Strohschein (TV), 10. Corn (OH), 12. Cullison (W), 15. Robertson (W), 18. Jackson (TV), 25. Tilden (TV), 28. McCalla (TV), 30. Wilhite (W), 31. Fluke (W), 34. Norris (TV), 37. Love (W), 38. Blue (W), 39. Whetstone (TV), 42. Kamp (TV), 46. Harrold (W), 49. Winston (W), 52. Kanter (TV), 56. Ellison (W), 57. Siesennop (W), 60. VanCleave (TV), 62. Hake (W), 63. Wilcox (TV), 64. Marandet (W)
Boys Junior Varsity
1. Granger (W) 19:09, 2. Neale (NF), 3. Robertson (W), 4. Sweatland (W), 5. Sibray (W), 6. Krallhan (W), 7. Miller (W), 8. Fussle (W), 9. Kinner (OH), 10. Conley (W), 12. Ridderman (W), 15. Zellers (W), 17. Peters (W), 18. Gackenheimer (W), 25. Moore (W) [[In-content Ad]]