Plymouth Track Team Ends Warsaw's NLC Streak
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
When Warsaw girls track and field coach Paul Boyd looks at Plymouth in 2001, he sees Warsaw in 2000.
"Plymouth," he said, "is having the kind of year we had last year."
Last year Warsaw went 6-0 and won the Northern Lakes Conference title. After winning a three-way Wednesday meet with Goshen and Warsaw, Plymouth is halfway to this year's NLC title.
Plymouth scored 80, Warsaw 55 and Goshen 21. Plymouth finished 6-0 in the NLC, but the NLC Tournament takes place next week, and the tournament figures into the final standings as well.
One streak continued and one ended last night. Plymouth moved its overall record to 11-0, while Warsaw's 14-meet NLC win streak dating back to 1999 ended. Warsaw fell to 8-6 overall and 5-1 in the NLC.
Should Plymouth perform well at the tournament and win the NLC title, it will be the first NLC girls track and field title in school history.
Again leading the way for Plymouth was Morgan Uceny. Uceny, the most talented athlete on the track and in the field, won the long jump (16 feet, 3-1/2 inches), 400 (1:00.15) and was a member of the winning 3200 relay team (9:55.65).
Plymouth finished first in 10 of 15 events. Helping Uceny was Ali Burroughs, who won the 100
(12.84 seconds), 200 (27.28 seconds) and was a member of the first-place 400 relay team (51.92 seconds). Teammate Jenelle Palmer won the discus with a throw of 113 feet and the shot put with a distance of 32-6 1/2.
"I knew our competition in the conference would be Northridge and Warsaw," Plymouth coach Angie Stevens said. "We had girls step up all over the place. We went 1-2 [places] in the 100, 1-2 in the shot put and 1-2 in the 800."
After escaping with a one-point win against Northridge earlier this season, Boyd knew Warsaw still had to deal with Plymouth.
"We had a real challenge on our hands," he said. "Up and down the board, Plymouth has someone who can score. They can go 1-2 in every event. If they're weak, it's in the 3200, although they could put Morgan there. They can put her anywhere, she's such a great athlete."
Warsaw finished with four first places. Distance runner Hillary Barlow cruised to wins in the 1600 (5:33.35) and 3200 (12:04.36). Kim Kurosky won the high jump with a height of 5-1, and Warsaw's 1600 relay team of Jill Wehrly, Amy Robertson, Rachel Rondeau and Claire Beckett finished first with a time of 4:12.07.
Despite the 25-point loss, Boyd left feeling confident his team could knock off Plymouth at the NLC Tournament for four reasons.
One, last night's meet was Warsaw's seventh in 14 days. Two, Warsaw was without a key athlete. Three, Jennifer Finch has a hurt foot that requires a bone scan, although that didn't stop her from setting two personal-best times and taking third in the 1600 and 3200 runs. Four, the tournament features seven NLC schools, and while some of the teams may not be as talented, they may have a few athletes who can help take points away from Plymouth.
"Before the meet, Kim Love's dad came up to me and told us she was ill and wouldn't be able to compete tonight," Boyd said. "In her we lost our No. 1 100 hurdler, our No. 1 100 sprinter and a member of our 400 relay team.
"I don't want to use seven meets in 14 days as an excuse. That's the way the schedule is set up. The NLC Tournament brings everybody together and can dilute Plymouth's strong events."
But Warsaw is the team that needs things to fall its way at the tournament. Plymouth controls its destiny. While Warsaw holds out hope of finishing ahead of the Pilgrims at the tournament, the Tigers would undoubtedly switch places with Plymouth now.
And Plymouth assuredly wouldn't, thrilled at its position heading into the tournament.
"Now this sets us up really good in the NLC Tournament," Stevens said.
"Northridge has two losses, and Warsaw has one. Northridge has been closest to us point-wise, and even if they get us at the tournament and we finish second, we would still win the title because they already have two losses."
PLYMOUTH 80, WARSAW 55, GOSHEN 21
3200 relay - 1. Plymouth (Carin Benge, Morgan Uceny, Rebecca Martin, Kourtney Beckham) 9:55.65, 2. Warsaw 10:04.02, 3. Goshen 10:38.09
100 hurdles - 1. Jenny Russell (G) :16.78, 2. Nicole Latham (G) :16.87, 3. Alysa Faulkner (P) :17.37
100 - 1. Ali Burroughs (P) :12.84, 2. Sarah Craig (P) :13.00, 3. Amy Robertson (W) :13.09
long jump - 1. Uceny (P) 16-3 1/2, 2. Claire Beckett (W) 15-6 1/4, 3. Monica Larimer (G) 14-10 3/4
discus - 1. Jenelle Palmer (P) 113-0, 2. Heather Walenga (W) 96-11, 3. Jenny VanVactor (P) 92-8
1600 - 1. Hillary Barlow (W) 5:33.35, 2. Beckham (P) 5:37.09, 3. Jennifer Finch (W) 5:42.30
400 relay - 1. Plymouth (Burroughs, Jenny Lewis, Kristina Pells, Craig) :51.92, 2. Warsaw :52.06, 3. Goshen :56.65
400 - 1. Uceny (P) 1:00.15, 2. Rachel Rondeau (W) 1:01.18, 3. Jill Wehrly (W) 1:02.68
high jump - 1. Kim Kurosky (W) 5-1, 2. Nickie Rash (P) 5-1, 3. Faulkner (P) 5-0
300 hurdles - 1. Lewis (P) :49.94, 2. Russell (G) :50.46, 3. Chelsea Boyd (W) :51.06
800 - 1. Benge (P) 2:24.34, 2. Beckham (P) 2:25.25, 3. Jenna Rozelle (G) 2:26.08
200 - 1. Burroughs (P) :27.28, 2. Beckett (W) :27.34, 3. Craig (P) :28.06
shot put - 1. Palmer (P) 32-6 1/2, 2. VanVactor (P) 31-7 1/2, 3. Walenga (W) 31-5 1/2
3200 - 1. Barlow (W) 12:04.36, 2. Lynn Gruenwald (G) 12:19.54, 3. Finch (W)
12:39.65
1600 relay - 1. Warsaw (Ji. Wehrly, Robertson, Rondeau, Beckett) 4:12.07, 2. Plymouth 4:13.53, 3. Goshen 4:29.15
JV: WARSAW 64, PLYMOUTH 46, GOSHEN 38
3200 relay - 1. Goshen 10:42.59, 2. Warsaw 11:22.07, 3. Plymouth 11:47.65
100 hurdles - 1. Katie Day (P) :19.56
100 - 1. Sarah Sisson (W) :14.03, 2. Bieie Animashaun (G) :14.90, 3. Lozano (P)
14:94
long jump - 1. Chelsea Boyd (W) 14-9 1/2, 2. Nickie Rash (P) 14-2 1/2, 3. Kami Green (G) 13-4 1/4
discus - 1. Jennifer Stump (G) 87-7, 2. Ann Richardson (G) 86-7, 3. Janna Knisely (W) 86-3
1600 - 1. Ashley Howard (P) 6:19.06, 2. Melonie Albert (W) 6:25.27, 3. Heidi Bowers (W) 6:25.56
400 relay - 1. Plymouth :57.75, 2. Goshen :59.22
400 - 1. Ashley Kitchens (W) 1:07.66, 2. Sunita Horvath (P) 1:09.50, 3. Cori Holzwart (P) 1:12.62
high jump - 1. Jayne Kaufman (G) 4-8, 2. Michelle DeGeeter (W) 4-8, 3. Kendra Fillington (G) 4-4
300 hurdles - 1. Cherie Bonewitz (W) :56.25, 2. Andrea Carothers (P) :59.53, 3.
Tiffany Myers (P) 1:02.40
800 - 1. DeGeeter (W) 2:50.93, 2. Diana Allen (P) 2:51.68, 3. Devin Kindt (P) 2:56.56
200 - 1. Kitchens (W) :28.25, 2. Amanda Cole (P) :28.96, 3. Samantha Yakimicki (P) :29.90
shot put - 1. Breeding (P) 30-5, 2. Knisely (W) 29-11 1/2, 3. Ashley Sparks (W) 29-7
3200 - 1. Bowers (W) 14:14.97, 2. Alberts (W) 14:22.35, 3. Melissa Sparkman (W) 14:30.22
1600 relay - 1. Warsaw 4:24.84, 2. Goshen 4:29.62, 3. Goshen 4:53.90 [[In-content Ad]]
Latest News
E-Editions
When Warsaw girls track and field coach Paul Boyd looks at Plymouth in 2001, he sees Warsaw in 2000.
"Plymouth," he said, "is having the kind of year we had last year."
Last year Warsaw went 6-0 and won the Northern Lakes Conference title. After winning a three-way Wednesday meet with Goshen and Warsaw, Plymouth is halfway to this year's NLC title.
Plymouth scored 80, Warsaw 55 and Goshen 21. Plymouth finished 6-0 in the NLC, but the NLC Tournament takes place next week, and the tournament figures into the final standings as well.
One streak continued and one ended last night. Plymouth moved its overall record to 11-0, while Warsaw's 14-meet NLC win streak dating back to 1999 ended. Warsaw fell to 8-6 overall and 5-1 in the NLC.
Should Plymouth perform well at the tournament and win the NLC title, it will be the first NLC girls track and field title in school history.
Again leading the way for Plymouth was Morgan Uceny. Uceny, the most talented athlete on the track and in the field, won the long jump (16 feet, 3-1/2 inches), 400 (1:00.15) and was a member of the winning 3200 relay team (9:55.65).
Plymouth finished first in 10 of 15 events. Helping Uceny was Ali Burroughs, who won the 100
(12.84 seconds), 200 (27.28 seconds) and was a member of the first-place 400 relay team (51.92 seconds). Teammate Jenelle Palmer won the discus with a throw of 113 feet and the shot put with a distance of 32-6 1/2.
"I knew our competition in the conference would be Northridge and Warsaw," Plymouth coach Angie Stevens said. "We had girls step up all over the place. We went 1-2 [places] in the 100, 1-2 in the shot put and 1-2 in the 800."
After escaping with a one-point win against Northridge earlier this season, Boyd knew Warsaw still had to deal with Plymouth.
"We had a real challenge on our hands," he said. "Up and down the board, Plymouth has someone who can score. They can go 1-2 in every event. If they're weak, it's in the 3200, although they could put Morgan there. They can put her anywhere, she's such a great athlete."
Warsaw finished with four first places. Distance runner Hillary Barlow cruised to wins in the 1600 (5:33.35) and 3200 (12:04.36). Kim Kurosky won the high jump with a height of 5-1, and Warsaw's 1600 relay team of Jill Wehrly, Amy Robertson, Rachel Rondeau and Claire Beckett finished first with a time of 4:12.07.
Despite the 25-point loss, Boyd left feeling confident his team could knock off Plymouth at the NLC Tournament for four reasons.
One, last night's meet was Warsaw's seventh in 14 days. Two, Warsaw was without a key athlete. Three, Jennifer Finch has a hurt foot that requires a bone scan, although that didn't stop her from setting two personal-best times and taking third in the 1600 and 3200 runs. Four, the tournament features seven NLC schools, and while some of the teams may not be as talented, they may have a few athletes who can help take points away from Plymouth.
"Before the meet, Kim Love's dad came up to me and told us she was ill and wouldn't be able to compete tonight," Boyd said. "In her we lost our No. 1 100 hurdler, our No. 1 100 sprinter and a member of our 400 relay team.
"I don't want to use seven meets in 14 days as an excuse. That's the way the schedule is set up. The NLC Tournament brings everybody together and can dilute Plymouth's strong events."
But Warsaw is the team that needs things to fall its way at the tournament. Plymouth controls its destiny. While Warsaw holds out hope of finishing ahead of the Pilgrims at the tournament, the Tigers would undoubtedly switch places with Plymouth now.
And Plymouth assuredly wouldn't, thrilled at its position heading into the tournament.
"Now this sets us up really good in the NLC Tournament," Stevens said.
"Northridge has two losses, and Warsaw has one. Northridge has been closest to us point-wise, and even if they get us at the tournament and we finish second, we would still win the title because they already have two losses."
PLYMOUTH 80, WARSAW 55, GOSHEN 21
3200 relay - 1. Plymouth (Carin Benge, Morgan Uceny, Rebecca Martin, Kourtney Beckham) 9:55.65, 2. Warsaw 10:04.02, 3. Goshen 10:38.09
100 hurdles - 1. Jenny Russell (G) :16.78, 2. Nicole Latham (G) :16.87, 3. Alysa Faulkner (P) :17.37
100 - 1. Ali Burroughs (P) :12.84, 2. Sarah Craig (P) :13.00, 3. Amy Robertson (W) :13.09
long jump - 1. Uceny (P) 16-3 1/2, 2. Claire Beckett (W) 15-6 1/4, 3. Monica Larimer (G) 14-10 3/4
discus - 1. Jenelle Palmer (P) 113-0, 2. Heather Walenga (W) 96-11, 3. Jenny VanVactor (P) 92-8
1600 - 1. Hillary Barlow (W) 5:33.35, 2. Beckham (P) 5:37.09, 3. Jennifer Finch (W) 5:42.30
400 relay - 1. Plymouth (Burroughs, Jenny Lewis, Kristina Pells, Craig) :51.92, 2. Warsaw :52.06, 3. Goshen :56.65
400 - 1. Uceny (P) 1:00.15, 2. Rachel Rondeau (W) 1:01.18, 3. Jill Wehrly (W) 1:02.68
high jump - 1. Kim Kurosky (W) 5-1, 2. Nickie Rash (P) 5-1, 3. Faulkner (P) 5-0
300 hurdles - 1. Lewis (P) :49.94, 2. Russell (G) :50.46, 3. Chelsea Boyd (W) :51.06
800 - 1. Benge (P) 2:24.34, 2. Beckham (P) 2:25.25, 3. Jenna Rozelle (G) 2:26.08
200 - 1. Burroughs (P) :27.28, 2. Beckett (W) :27.34, 3. Craig (P) :28.06
shot put - 1. Palmer (P) 32-6 1/2, 2. VanVactor (P) 31-7 1/2, 3. Walenga (W) 31-5 1/2
3200 - 1. Barlow (W) 12:04.36, 2. Lynn Gruenwald (G) 12:19.54, 3. Finch (W)
12:39.65
1600 relay - 1. Warsaw (Ji. Wehrly, Robertson, Rondeau, Beckett) 4:12.07, 2. Plymouth 4:13.53, 3. Goshen 4:29.15
JV: WARSAW 64, PLYMOUTH 46, GOSHEN 38
3200 relay - 1. Goshen 10:42.59, 2. Warsaw 11:22.07, 3. Plymouth 11:47.65
100 hurdles - 1. Katie Day (P) :19.56
100 - 1. Sarah Sisson (W) :14.03, 2. Bieie Animashaun (G) :14.90, 3. Lozano (P)
14:94
long jump - 1. Chelsea Boyd (W) 14-9 1/2, 2. Nickie Rash (P) 14-2 1/2, 3. Kami Green (G) 13-4 1/4
discus - 1. Jennifer Stump (G) 87-7, 2. Ann Richardson (G) 86-7, 3. Janna Knisely (W) 86-3
1600 - 1. Ashley Howard (P) 6:19.06, 2. Melonie Albert (W) 6:25.27, 3. Heidi Bowers (W) 6:25.56
400 relay - 1. Plymouth :57.75, 2. Goshen :59.22
400 - 1. Ashley Kitchens (W) 1:07.66, 2. Sunita Horvath (P) 1:09.50, 3. Cori Holzwart (P) 1:12.62
high jump - 1. Jayne Kaufman (G) 4-8, 2. Michelle DeGeeter (W) 4-8, 3. Kendra Fillington (G) 4-4
300 hurdles - 1. Cherie Bonewitz (W) :56.25, 2. Andrea Carothers (P) :59.53, 3.
Tiffany Myers (P) 1:02.40
800 - 1. DeGeeter (W) 2:50.93, 2. Diana Allen (P) 2:51.68, 3. Devin Kindt (P) 2:56.56
200 - 1. Kitchens (W) :28.25, 2. Amanda Cole (P) :28.96, 3. Samantha Yakimicki (P) :29.90
shot put - 1. Breeding (P) 30-5, 2. Knisely (W) 29-11 1/2, 3. Ashley Sparks (W) 29-7
3200 - 1. Bowers (W) 14:14.97, 2. Alberts (W) 14:22.35, 3. Melissa Sparkman (W) 14:30.22
1600 relay - 1. Warsaw 4:24.84, 2. Goshen 4:29.62, 3. Goshen 4:53.90 [[In-content Ad]]