Seiss, Stichter Top Seeds At State
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
One goes to Warsaw, the other to Wawasee.
One is a junior, the other a senior.
One is among the state's best in the 800-meter run, while the other is a two-mile specialist.
As different as they are, Julie Seiss and Rachel Stichter are much the same.
The duo, both highly decorated multi-sport athletes, are seeded No. 1 in their respective event, and lead a list of area boys and girls track and field competitors that will participate in the state finals today and tomorrow at Indiana University in Bloomington.
The boys state finals are today, with field events beginning at 3 p.m. Opening ceremonies will follow the running preliminaries and will start at 6:10 p.m. The girls will follow the same schedule Saturday.
Both Seiss and Stichter enter the state finals after breaking records at the Bremen Regional May 24.
Seiss set a new record of 2:15.27 in the 800, while Stichter set a new mark of 10:51.24 in the 3,200.
Saturday evening the two will be on the state's biggest stage, and will be there with the biggest target on their backs.
"She came to me and said she really didn't want to be the No. 1 seed," Warsaw coach Scott Erba said of Seiss. "But what it means is that she's in the fast heat and has a good lane position. People are still talking about what she did last year, and she's got herself in the race this year. She's as strong as she's ever been running, outside of the state meet."
Last year Seiss was battling injuries and didn't win the regional. She advanced to state, and then dominated the field in the slower heat, finishing sixth in the state with a time of 2:14.92.
Saturday, both Erba and assistant coach Troy Furnivall think Seiss can run a 2:13. Lawrence North's Temeka Kincy won state last year with a time of 2:13.43 but graduated.
"I don't think being the No. 1 seed puts much pressure on her," said Furnivall, who won the 1982 state championship in the 400 and who still holds the boys school record at WCHS. "We've discussed this and worked so hard for a state championship. I don't think it will phase her a lot."
The Tigers will also compete at state in the 3,200 relay with freshman Katy Cutshall and sophomores Valerie Leek, Lindsay Houvener and Katie Furnivall, the assistant coach's daughter.
"They're in the first heat, seeded third in the heat," said Erba. "Our first goal is to win the heat. Our second goal is to get everyone under 2:30. If we run a great race, the school record is not far away."
For Wawasee, Stichter enters as the top seed in the 3,200 with her new Bremen Regional-record time of 10:51.24.
Stichter finished seventh in the state last year with a time of 10:53.71. The top five finishers from last year's 3,200 state finals all graduated.
Tara Clouse, a junior, has the fourth best seed in the high jump with her winning jump of 5-5 1/4 at the Bremen Regional.
Representing Warsaw in today's state finals are senior Scott Sands and junior John-Wesley Maierle.
Maierle is seeded eighth in the long jump after advancing from the regional by meeting the state standard.
"It's just great for these guys to be down at the I.U. track," said third-year Warsaw boys coach David Hoffert. "They get to have a fun time and they know they're down their with the best competition in the state."
The top nine finishers in each event are considered all state.
"With where he's seeded, if he has the exact same jump I think he can get All-State," Hoffert said of Maierle.
Sands will compete in the pole vault after advancing from the Fort Wayne Wayne Regional by meeting the state standard.
He's seeded with a height of 13-10, but Warsaw pole vaulting coach Mark Alfano thinks he can go much higher.
"I've had a very easy job," said Alfano. "Scott has all the mechanics. He has speed on the runway. He only lacks one thing, confidence. He's capable of going 15-0 or 15-6. He just needs to lean back and let the pole take him over. He's trying to muscle his way over."
For Wawasee, freshman Eric Brown will compete in the 400, while classmate Ryan Smythe will compete in the 3,200.
Whitko will be represented in the 300 hurdles by senior Tyler Wilkinson. [[In-content Ad]]
One goes to Warsaw, the other to Wawasee.
One is a junior, the other a senior.
One is among the state's best in the 800-meter run, while the other is a two-mile specialist.
As different as they are, Julie Seiss and Rachel Stichter are much the same.
The duo, both highly decorated multi-sport athletes, are seeded No. 1 in their respective event, and lead a list of area boys and girls track and field competitors that will participate in the state finals today and tomorrow at Indiana University in Bloomington.
The boys state finals are today, with field events beginning at 3 p.m. Opening ceremonies will follow the running preliminaries and will start at 6:10 p.m. The girls will follow the same schedule Saturday.
Both Seiss and Stichter enter the state finals after breaking records at the Bremen Regional May 24.
Seiss set a new record of 2:15.27 in the 800, while Stichter set a new mark of 10:51.24 in the 3,200.
Saturday evening the two will be on the state's biggest stage, and will be there with the biggest target on their backs.
"She came to me and said she really didn't want to be the No. 1 seed," Warsaw coach Scott Erba said of Seiss. "But what it means is that she's in the fast heat and has a good lane position. People are still talking about what she did last year, and she's got herself in the race this year. She's as strong as she's ever been running, outside of the state meet."
Last year Seiss was battling injuries and didn't win the regional. She advanced to state, and then dominated the field in the slower heat, finishing sixth in the state with a time of 2:14.92.
Saturday, both Erba and assistant coach Troy Furnivall think Seiss can run a 2:13. Lawrence North's Temeka Kincy won state last year with a time of 2:13.43 but graduated.
"I don't think being the No. 1 seed puts much pressure on her," said Furnivall, who won the 1982 state championship in the 400 and who still holds the boys school record at WCHS. "We've discussed this and worked so hard for a state championship. I don't think it will phase her a lot."
The Tigers will also compete at state in the 3,200 relay with freshman Katy Cutshall and sophomores Valerie Leek, Lindsay Houvener and Katie Furnivall, the assistant coach's daughter.
"They're in the first heat, seeded third in the heat," said Erba. "Our first goal is to win the heat. Our second goal is to get everyone under 2:30. If we run a great race, the school record is not far away."
For Wawasee, Stichter enters as the top seed in the 3,200 with her new Bremen Regional-record time of 10:51.24.
Stichter finished seventh in the state last year with a time of 10:53.71. The top five finishers from last year's 3,200 state finals all graduated.
Tara Clouse, a junior, has the fourth best seed in the high jump with her winning jump of 5-5 1/4 at the Bremen Regional.
Representing Warsaw in today's state finals are senior Scott Sands and junior John-Wesley Maierle.
Maierle is seeded eighth in the long jump after advancing from the regional by meeting the state standard.
"It's just great for these guys to be down at the I.U. track," said third-year Warsaw boys coach David Hoffert. "They get to have a fun time and they know they're down their with the best competition in the state."
The top nine finishers in each event are considered all state.
"With where he's seeded, if he has the exact same jump I think he can get All-State," Hoffert said of Maierle.
Sands will compete in the pole vault after advancing from the Fort Wayne Wayne Regional by meeting the state standard.
He's seeded with a height of 13-10, but Warsaw pole vaulting coach Mark Alfano thinks he can go much higher.
"I've had a very easy job," said Alfano. "Scott has all the mechanics. He has speed on the runway. He only lacks one thing, confidence. He's capable of going 15-0 or 15-6. He just needs to lean back and let the pole take him over. He's trying to muscle his way over."
For Wawasee, freshman Eric Brown will compete in the 400, while classmate Ryan Smythe will compete in the 3,200.
Whitko will be represented in the 300 hurdles by senior Tyler Wilkinson. [[In-content Ad]]