Rachel Stichter Wins Semistate; Wawasee Boys Finish 10th
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
NORTH MANCHESTER -ÊA few weeks ago at the Manchester Invitational, Wawasee sophomore Rachel Stichter won the race with an almost unbelievable time of 13:40. Many people thought that was a one-time deal, and that she could not run a time close to that again.
Stichter proved those doubters wrong Saturday by winning the Manchester Semistate with a time of 13:49. That time put Stichter in first place at the semistate, four seconds ahead of the second place finisher, Alissa McKaig of Fort Wayne Concordia.
"I felt good," said Stichter in a ceremony after the race. "I just wanted to come out and do my best."
Stichter's first qualifies her for the state competition Saturday in Bloomington.
"Rachel ran a smart race today," said Wawasee coach Grace Stichter. "She let the two talented Concordia runners set the pace and she ended up having more left the last 200 meters. Rachel can still amaze me on how great she can run."
Tippecanoe Valley's Laura Lash competed in the Manchester semistate as an individual as well. Lash finished 27th overall with a time of 14:58.
On the boys side of action, Wawasee competed as a team. The Warriors had one individual, Flaco Perales, in the top 15 and finished 10th overall as a team.
"We talked about the times we needed to run to make it out," said Wawasee coach Dave Stookey. "We looked at the times from last year and thought we needed a couple times around 15:40 or so, a couple in the 16:50s, and one at 17 flat to advance. We thought if we had somewhere around 160 points we might be able to make it. Well, we had one guy who ran 15:50, three guys in the 16s and one around 17 flat. We scored a 254, but it didn't get us out of this race.
"There were just too many people in front of us. We tried to stay close to Northridge, but I guess we didn't stay close enough."
Perales paced the Warriors with a time of 15:54, placing 10th overall to advance to the state competition Saturday.
"Flaco hoped to run a little faster than 15:54," said Stookey. "Did he come out too fast? I don't know. He lost contact during the race and never seemed to get back with it. He was second or third here last year, so this was not his best race. I hope he can run strong at the state meet next week."
Following Perales on the Warrior list was Luke Stoffel. Stoffel placed 32nd overall with a time of 16:22. Shane Ostendorf was next for Wawasee with a 68th-place time of 16:48. John Adams (17:01), Ryan Stichter (17:14), Austin Gerber (17:37) and Eric Gingerich (18:05) rounded out the Warrior lineup.
Perales and Stichter will travel to Bloomington Saturday for the state finals. The girls race begins at 1 p.m., while the boys kick off at 1:45 p.m.
MANCHESTER SEMISTATE
BOYS
Team scores -ÊNorthrop 61, New Haven 143, Snider 168, Northridge 185, Concordia 196, DeKalb 210, Huntington North 221, Marion 231, Bellmont 241, Wawasee 254, Carroll 255, Muncie Burris 286, Elkhart Memorial 302, Western 302, East Noble 303, Oak Hill 306, Richmond 326, Yorktown 492, Delta 532, Northeastern 537
Top 15 finishers -Ê1. Matt Cummins (Elk. Mem) 15:23, 2. Corey Drake (Nrop), 3. Josh Wolfe (Dek), 4. Chris Kempf (Carr), 5. Kyle Walsh (West.), 6. Mark Stahl (Dek), 7. Steve Thieme (Bel), 8. Brennon Plotner (Nrop), 9. Garret Bradtmueller (Nrop), 10. Flaco Perales (Waw), 11. Victor McHenry (Norw), 12. Joel Liechty (E.Noble), 13. Braxton Fritz (NR), 14.Cody Hannie (Sni), 15. Troy Hileman (N. Hav.)
Wawasee finishers -Ê10. Flaco Perales 15:54, 32. Luke Stoffel 16:22, 68. Shane Ostendorf 16:48, 82. John Adams 17:01, 100. Ryan Stichter 17:14, 119. Austin Gerber 17:37, 137. Eric Gingerich 18:05
GIRLS
Team scores -ÊNorthridge 78, Concordia 82, DeKalb 113, Homestead 144, Richmond 161, Goshen 186, Carroll 192, East Noble 193, Snider 215, Leo 263, Angola 297, Delta 326, Bishop Luers 257, Winchester 383, Knightstown 389, Huntington North 418, Marion 424, Yorktown 452, Western 461, Northfield 511
Top 15 Individuals -Ê1. Rachel Stichter (Waw) 13:49, 2. Alissa McKaig (Con), 3. Adele Mitchell (Con), 4. Tiffany Brenneman (NR), 5. Cady Valentine (Rich), 6. Leslee Getts (Dek), 7. Alyssa Johnson (Jay), 8. Samantha Lee (Homestead), 9. Mozetta Thiel (Ang), 10. Valeria Hardesty (Dek), 11. Megan Jackson (NR), 12. Amy Kempf (Carr), 13. Melissa Wysong (W. Noble), 14. Elizabeth Herndon (Sni), 15. LeAnn Sarka (Homestead)
Local individuals -Ê1. Rachel Stichter (Wawasee) 13:49, 27. Laura Lash (T. Valley) 14:58 [[In-content Ad]]
NORTH MANCHESTER -ÊA few weeks ago at the Manchester Invitational, Wawasee sophomore Rachel Stichter won the race with an almost unbelievable time of 13:40. Many people thought that was a one-time deal, and that she could not run a time close to that again.
Stichter proved those doubters wrong Saturday by winning the Manchester Semistate with a time of 13:49. That time put Stichter in first place at the semistate, four seconds ahead of the second place finisher, Alissa McKaig of Fort Wayne Concordia.
"I felt good," said Stichter in a ceremony after the race. "I just wanted to come out and do my best."
Stichter's first qualifies her for the state competition Saturday in Bloomington.
"Rachel ran a smart race today," said Wawasee coach Grace Stichter. "She let the two talented Concordia runners set the pace and she ended up having more left the last 200 meters. Rachel can still amaze me on how great she can run."
Tippecanoe Valley's Laura Lash competed in the Manchester semistate as an individual as well. Lash finished 27th overall with a time of 14:58.
On the boys side of action, Wawasee competed as a team. The Warriors had one individual, Flaco Perales, in the top 15 and finished 10th overall as a team.
"We talked about the times we needed to run to make it out," said Wawasee coach Dave Stookey. "We looked at the times from last year and thought we needed a couple times around 15:40 or so, a couple in the 16:50s, and one at 17 flat to advance. We thought if we had somewhere around 160 points we might be able to make it. Well, we had one guy who ran 15:50, three guys in the 16s and one around 17 flat. We scored a 254, but it didn't get us out of this race.
"There were just too many people in front of us. We tried to stay close to Northridge, but I guess we didn't stay close enough."
Perales paced the Warriors with a time of 15:54, placing 10th overall to advance to the state competition Saturday.
"Flaco hoped to run a little faster than 15:54," said Stookey. "Did he come out too fast? I don't know. He lost contact during the race and never seemed to get back with it. He was second or third here last year, so this was not his best race. I hope he can run strong at the state meet next week."
Following Perales on the Warrior list was Luke Stoffel. Stoffel placed 32nd overall with a time of 16:22. Shane Ostendorf was next for Wawasee with a 68th-place time of 16:48. John Adams (17:01), Ryan Stichter (17:14), Austin Gerber (17:37) and Eric Gingerich (18:05) rounded out the Warrior lineup.
Perales and Stichter will travel to Bloomington Saturday for the state finals. The girls race begins at 1 p.m., while the boys kick off at 1:45 p.m.
MANCHESTER SEMISTATE
BOYS
Team scores -ÊNorthrop 61, New Haven 143, Snider 168, Northridge 185, Concordia 196, DeKalb 210, Huntington North 221, Marion 231, Bellmont 241, Wawasee 254, Carroll 255, Muncie Burris 286, Elkhart Memorial 302, Western 302, East Noble 303, Oak Hill 306, Richmond 326, Yorktown 492, Delta 532, Northeastern 537
Top 15 finishers -Ê1. Matt Cummins (Elk. Mem) 15:23, 2. Corey Drake (Nrop), 3. Josh Wolfe (Dek), 4. Chris Kempf (Carr), 5. Kyle Walsh (West.), 6. Mark Stahl (Dek), 7. Steve Thieme (Bel), 8. Brennon Plotner (Nrop), 9. Garret Bradtmueller (Nrop), 10. Flaco Perales (Waw), 11. Victor McHenry (Norw), 12. Joel Liechty (E.Noble), 13. Braxton Fritz (NR), 14.Cody Hannie (Sni), 15. Troy Hileman (N. Hav.)
Wawasee finishers -Ê10. Flaco Perales 15:54, 32. Luke Stoffel 16:22, 68. Shane Ostendorf 16:48, 82. John Adams 17:01, 100. Ryan Stichter 17:14, 119. Austin Gerber 17:37, 137. Eric Gingerich 18:05
GIRLS
Team scores -ÊNorthridge 78, Concordia 82, DeKalb 113, Homestead 144, Richmond 161, Goshen 186, Carroll 192, East Noble 193, Snider 215, Leo 263, Angola 297, Delta 326, Bishop Luers 257, Winchester 383, Knightstown 389, Huntington North 418, Marion 424, Yorktown 452, Western 461, Northfield 511
Top 15 Individuals -Ê1. Rachel Stichter (Waw) 13:49, 2. Alissa McKaig (Con), 3. Adele Mitchell (Con), 4. Tiffany Brenneman (NR), 5. Cady Valentine (Rich), 6. Leslee Getts (Dek), 7. Alyssa Johnson (Jay), 8. Samantha Lee (Homestead), 9. Mozetta Thiel (Ang), 10. Valeria Hardesty (Dek), 11. Megan Jackson (NR), 12. Amy Kempf (Carr), 13. Melissa Wysong (W. Noble), 14. Elizabeth Herndon (Sni), 15. LeAnn Sarka (Homestead)
Local individuals -Ê1. Rachel Stichter (Wawasee) 13:49, 27. Laura Lash (T. Valley) 14:58 [[In-content Ad]]