Smythe Wins, Sets New Course Record
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
GOSHEN - Less than an hour after Northridge High School's girls cross country squad turned in a perfect team score, Wawasee sophomore Ryan Smythe came through with an outstanding individual performance at Tuesday's Elkhart Central Sectional.
Confident in the course conditions, saying it "was a perfect day to run," and his own ability, Smythe told his coach he would finish the 5,000-meter race with a new course record.
He made good on his word, winning the boys individual sectional championship at Ox Bow Park with a time of 15:56.
His winning time broke the former course record of 15:59 and led the Warriors to a third-place finish in the boys race.
"I told coach I was going to run a 15:55 and break the record," said Smythe, whose sweatshirt, in an appropriate manner, read "huntin' em down" on the back. "I missed the 15:55 by one second. It was a perfect night to run. It was a perfect night to do some things."
Smythe narrowly trailed Northridge's Loren Spirito as they came down the last straightaway in front of a large crowd of spectators. He sprinted the rest of the race and crossed the line first, holding both arms in the air as spectators applauded.
The top five teams and top 15 individuals from Tuesday's sectional advanced to Saturday's regional at Ox Bow Park.
The girls race is scheduled to start at 9:30 a.m., with the boys race to follow at approximately 10 a.m.
Joining Wawasee's boys team in regional competition Saturday will be both the boys and girls teams from Warsaw.
Both Tiger teams finished fifth. Wawasee's girls team finished sixth and didn't advance, however, the Warrior girls will be represented individually by Catherine Giltner, who finished 15th in a time of 16:19.
Elkhart Memorial won the boys team title with 43 points, edging Northridge by six points.
Wawasee finished third with 79 points, followed by Elkhart Central (103), Warsaw (123), Elkhart Christian Academy (174), Goshen (221), Concord (224), Fairfield (255), Jimtown (278), NorthWood (283) and Bethany Christian (315).
Other runners who figured into Wawasee's five-man score were John Adams (8th, 16:49), Haven Hoffman (19th, 17:27), Austin Hasse (24th, 17:43) and Scott Gingerich (27th, 17:45).
Six of Wawasee's seven runners finished with a personal-best time.
Baxter Burnworth led the way for the Warsaw boys with an 11th-place time of 17:06.
Other runners who figured into Warsaw's five-man score included Kyle McNulty (17th, 17:21), Alf Eherenman (21st, 17:30), Steven Robinson (35th, 17:55) and Nathan Wentz (39th, 18:06).
"We didn't run our No. 1 runner (Matt Campbell)," said Warsaw boys coach Jim Mills. "We could have, but we didn't. We were hoping we could get fifth without him. We ran fairly decent today. We're going to have to run a lot better Saturday."
While Smythe's individual performance highlighted the boys race, there was little drama as far as the winner of the girls race.
Northridge, the defending state champion, literally ran away with Tuesday's team sectional championship.
The Raiders finished with a perfect five-person score of 15, finishing in the top five spots. Northridge's two runners that didn't figure into the team score finished sixth and seventh.
Megan Jackson won the 4,000-meter girls race, finishing in a time of 15:01. Teammate Aimee Gingerich was the runner-up, finishing three seconds behind Jackson.
Concord's Jessica Scott finished eighth in a time of 15:31 and was the first non-Northridge runner to cross the finish line.
Elkhart Memorial finished second as a team with 83 points, followed by Concord (98), Goshen (100), Warsaw (132), Wawasee (163), Elkhart Central (197), Jimtown (209), NorthWood (222), Elkhart Christian Academy (281) and Fairfield (241).
Freshman Erica Ridderman led the Tigers with a 13th-place time of 16:12. Teammate Lindsay Houvener was 21st in a time of 16:44, the same time teammate and 22nd-place finisher Julie Seiss crossed the line with. Ashley Henry finished 34th for Warsaw in a time of 17:14, while Laura McNulty was the fifth scoring Tiger to cross the line, finishing 42nd out of 74 girls in a time of 17:41.
Also for Warsaw, Emily Tuggle finished 49th in a time of 17:58 and Brittany Garver was 59th in a time of 18:27.
Tuesday marked the first time the Warsaw girls team has advanced to the regional under fourth-year coach Jerry Gackenheimer.
"It's exciting," Gackenheimer said of advancing to Saturday's regional. "It's been our goal this year to move on to regional. This is the first time in five or six years a Warsaw girls team has gone to the regional. I know it's the first time since I've been here. It's exciting how hard the girls have worked. And they've worked as a team. This has been a goal of theirs."
To go with Giltner's 15th-place finish, Danyle Wallace was 28th for Wawasee in a time of 17:01, while Ashlee Pollen finished 31st (17:13), Jessica Goldsmith 41st (17:39), Havilah Rensberger 48th (17:56), Brooke Mark 58th (18:24) and Katie Hasse (18:35).
ELK. CENTRAL SECTIONAL
(BOYS)
Team scores - Elkhart Memorial 43, Northridge 49, Wawasee 79, Elkhart Central 103, Warsaw 123, Elkhart Christian Academy 174, Goshen 221, Concord 224, Fairfield 255, Jimtown 278, NorthWood 283, Bethany Christian 315
Wawasee finishers - 1. Ryan Smythe 15:56, 8. John Adams 16:49, 19. Haven Hoffman 17:27, 24.. Austin Hasse 17:43, 27. Scott Gingerich 17:45, 31. Jared Wurtzel 17:49, 44. Kenny Lahrman 18:12
Warsaw finishers - 11. Baxter Burnworth 17:06, 17. Kyle McNulty 17:21, 21. Alf Eherenman 17:30, 35. Steve Robinson 17:55, 39. Nathan Wentz 18:06, 43. Alex Kurosky 18:10, 45. John Tabor 18:13
(GIRLS)
Team scores - Northridge 15, Elkhart Memorial 83, Concord 98, Goshen 100, Warsaw 132, Wawasee 163, Elkhart Central 197, Jimtown 209, NorthWood 222, Elkhart Christian Academy 281, Fairfield 341
Wawasee finishers - 15. Catherine Giltner 16:19, 28. Danyl Wallace 17:01, 31. Ashlee Polln 17:13, 41. Jessica Goldsmsith 17:39, 48. Havilah Rensberger 17:56, 58. Brooke Mark 18:24, 60. Katie Hasse 18:35
Warsaw finishers - 13. Erica Ridderman 16:12, 21. Lindsay Houvener 16:44, 22. Julie Seiss 16:44, 34. Ashley Henry 17:14, 42. Laura McNulty 17:41, 49. Emily Tuggle 17:58, 59. Brittany Garver 18:27 [[In-content Ad]]
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GOSHEN - Less than an hour after Northridge High School's girls cross country squad turned in a perfect team score, Wawasee sophomore Ryan Smythe came through with an outstanding individual performance at Tuesday's Elkhart Central Sectional.
Confident in the course conditions, saying it "was a perfect day to run," and his own ability, Smythe told his coach he would finish the 5,000-meter race with a new course record.
He made good on his word, winning the boys individual sectional championship at Ox Bow Park with a time of 15:56.
His winning time broke the former course record of 15:59 and led the Warriors to a third-place finish in the boys race.
"I told coach I was going to run a 15:55 and break the record," said Smythe, whose sweatshirt, in an appropriate manner, read "huntin' em down" on the back. "I missed the 15:55 by one second. It was a perfect night to run. It was a perfect night to do some things."
Smythe narrowly trailed Northridge's Loren Spirito as they came down the last straightaway in front of a large crowd of spectators. He sprinted the rest of the race and crossed the line first, holding both arms in the air as spectators applauded.
The top five teams and top 15 individuals from Tuesday's sectional advanced to Saturday's regional at Ox Bow Park.
The girls race is scheduled to start at 9:30 a.m., with the boys race to follow at approximately 10 a.m.
Joining Wawasee's boys team in regional competition Saturday will be both the boys and girls teams from Warsaw.
Both Tiger teams finished fifth. Wawasee's girls team finished sixth and didn't advance, however, the Warrior girls will be represented individually by Catherine Giltner, who finished 15th in a time of 16:19.
Elkhart Memorial won the boys team title with 43 points, edging Northridge by six points.
Wawasee finished third with 79 points, followed by Elkhart Central (103), Warsaw (123), Elkhart Christian Academy (174), Goshen (221), Concord (224), Fairfield (255), Jimtown (278), NorthWood (283) and Bethany Christian (315).
Other runners who figured into Wawasee's five-man score were John Adams (8th, 16:49), Haven Hoffman (19th, 17:27), Austin Hasse (24th, 17:43) and Scott Gingerich (27th, 17:45).
Six of Wawasee's seven runners finished with a personal-best time.
Baxter Burnworth led the way for the Warsaw boys with an 11th-place time of 17:06.
Other runners who figured into Warsaw's five-man score included Kyle McNulty (17th, 17:21), Alf Eherenman (21st, 17:30), Steven Robinson (35th, 17:55) and Nathan Wentz (39th, 18:06).
"We didn't run our No. 1 runner (Matt Campbell)," said Warsaw boys coach Jim Mills. "We could have, but we didn't. We were hoping we could get fifth without him. We ran fairly decent today. We're going to have to run a lot better Saturday."
While Smythe's individual performance highlighted the boys race, there was little drama as far as the winner of the girls race.
Northridge, the defending state champion, literally ran away with Tuesday's team sectional championship.
The Raiders finished with a perfect five-person score of 15, finishing in the top five spots. Northridge's two runners that didn't figure into the team score finished sixth and seventh.
Megan Jackson won the 4,000-meter girls race, finishing in a time of 15:01. Teammate Aimee Gingerich was the runner-up, finishing three seconds behind Jackson.
Concord's Jessica Scott finished eighth in a time of 15:31 and was the first non-Northridge runner to cross the finish line.
Elkhart Memorial finished second as a team with 83 points, followed by Concord (98), Goshen (100), Warsaw (132), Wawasee (163), Elkhart Central (197), Jimtown (209), NorthWood (222), Elkhart Christian Academy (281) and Fairfield (241).
Freshman Erica Ridderman led the Tigers with a 13th-place time of 16:12. Teammate Lindsay Houvener was 21st in a time of 16:44, the same time teammate and 22nd-place finisher Julie Seiss crossed the line with. Ashley Henry finished 34th for Warsaw in a time of 17:14, while Laura McNulty was the fifth scoring Tiger to cross the line, finishing 42nd out of 74 girls in a time of 17:41.
Also for Warsaw, Emily Tuggle finished 49th in a time of 17:58 and Brittany Garver was 59th in a time of 18:27.
Tuesday marked the first time the Warsaw girls team has advanced to the regional under fourth-year coach Jerry Gackenheimer.
"It's exciting," Gackenheimer said of advancing to Saturday's regional. "It's been our goal this year to move on to regional. This is the first time in five or six years a Warsaw girls team has gone to the regional. I know it's the first time since I've been here. It's exciting how hard the girls have worked. And they've worked as a team. This has been a goal of theirs."
To go with Giltner's 15th-place finish, Danyle Wallace was 28th for Wawasee in a time of 17:01, while Ashlee Pollen finished 31st (17:13), Jessica Goldsmith 41st (17:39), Havilah Rensberger 48th (17:56), Brooke Mark 58th (18:24) and Katie Hasse (18:35).
ELK. CENTRAL SECTIONAL
(BOYS)
Team scores - Elkhart Memorial 43, Northridge 49, Wawasee 79, Elkhart Central 103, Warsaw 123, Elkhart Christian Academy 174, Goshen 221, Concord 224, Fairfield 255, Jimtown 278, NorthWood 283, Bethany Christian 315
Wawasee finishers - 1. Ryan Smythe 15:56, 8. John Adams 16:49, 19. Haven Hoffman 17:27, 24.. Austin Hasse 17:43, 27. Scott Gingerich 17:45, 31. Jared Wurtzel 17:49, 44. Kenny Lahrman 18:12
Warsaw finishers - 11. Baxter Burnworth 17:06, 17. Kyle McNulty 17:21, 21. Alf Eherenman 17:30, 35. Steve Robinson 17:55, 39. Nathan Wentz 18:06, 43. Alex Kurosky 18:10, 45. John Tabor 18:13
(GIRLS)
Team scores - Northridge 15, Elkhart Memorial 83, Concord 98, Goshen 100, Warsaw 132, Wawasee 163, Elkhart Central 197, Jimtown 209, NorthWood 222, Elkhart Christian Academy 281, Fairfield 341
Wawasee finishers - 15. Catherine Giltner 16:19, 28. Danyl Wallace 17:01, 31. Ashlee Polln 17:13, 41. Jessica Goldsmsith 17:39, 48. Havilah Rensberger 17:56, 58. Brooke Mark 18:24, 60. Katie Hasse 18:35
Warsaw finishers - 13. Erica Ridderman 16:12, 21. Lindsay Houvener 16:44, 22. Julie Seiss 16:44, 34. Ashley Henry 17:14, 42. Laura McNulty 17:41, 49. Emily Tuggle 17:58, 59. Brittany Garver 18:27 [[In-content Ad]]