Tigers Look For State CC Trip
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
It had been more than half a decade before the Warsaw girls cross country team advanced to the semistate round of the state tournament last year. Saturday the Tigers, among other local teams, will find out just how far they can go this year when they compete in the 9 a.m. sectional at Oxbox Park in Dunlap.
Thursday evening Warsaw coach Paul Sibray, in his 10th year of coaching cross country, was asked to compare this year's team to last year's.
"This year is pretty much the same situation," said Sibray. "We have four girls who are running up front strong. We're missing Melonie Albert with injuries, but Rachel Rondeau, a freshmen, has taken over. So basically it's the same situation. We have some questions to answer. We'll find out Saturday."
Some of the questions Sibray says he has could be answered by freshmen Rachel Rondeau, sophomore Jennifer Finch, junior Hillary Barlow and senior Summer Boyd. This foursome was selected to the All Northern Lakes Conference team. The biggest question Sibray said he had was whether or not his team would be healthy.
"If Hillary (Barlow) is in good shape and can run in the top four we'll have a good base," said Sibray, "and if we can fill in the gap between the fourth and fifth runners. If Hillary is in good shape, and if Summer and Rachel are in good shape, that's our biggest question health."
The Tigers won't have any questions as to who they are competing against. The biggest share of the sectional is made up of NLC teams. Warsaw went through the conference season with a respectable 5-1 record.
"All of the conference teams are there except for Plymouth," said Sibray. "So we pretty much know where we stand. The only things are race-day conditions and how well we're feeling."
The Tigers finished second in the sectional a year ago. The team that Sibray calls the sectional favorite is also the only NLC team to hand Warsaw a loss.
"Judging from the season Northridge has had I'd say they're the favorite," said Sibray. "They've beaten us two times this season. Right now they're the favorite. We match up with our 1-5 runners, it just matters who seperates the rest of our runners and how well they run."
Warsaw, Wawasee and NorthWood will compete in the sectional Saturday at 9 a.m. at Oxbow Park in Dunlap. Tippecanoe Valley, Whitko and Manchester will be involved in the Manchester Sectional Saturday at the high school beginning at 9 a.m. [[In-content Ad]]
It had been more than half a decade before the Warsaw girls cross country team advanced to the semistate round of the state tournament last year. Saturday the Tigers, among other local teams, will find out just how far they can go this year when they compete in the 9 a.m. sectional at Oxbox Park in Dunlap.
Thursday evening Warsaw coach Paul Sibray, in his 10th year of coaching cross country, was asked to compare this year's team to last year's.
"This year is pretty much the same situation," said Sibray. "We have four girls who are running up front strong. We're missing Melonie Albert with injuries, but Rachel Rondeau, a freshmen, has taken over. So basically it's the same situation. We have some questions to answer. We'll find out Saturday."
Some of the questions Sibray says he has could be answered by freshmen Rachel Rondeau, sophomore Jennifer Finch, junior Hillary Barlow and senior Summer Boyd. This foursome was selected to the All Northern Lakes Conference team. The biggest question Sibray said he had was whether or not his team would be healthy.
"If Hillary (Barlow) is in good shape and can run in the top four we'll have a good base," said Sibray, "and if we can fill in the gap between the fourth and fifth runners. If Hillary is in good shape, and if Summer and Rachel are in good shape, that's our biggest question health."
The Tigers won't have any questions as to who they are competing against. The biggest share of the sectional is made up of NLC teams. Warsaw went through the conference season with a respectable 5-1 record.
"All of the conference teams are there except for Plymouth," said Sibray. "So we pretty much know where we stand. The only things are race-day conditions and how well we're feeling."
The Tigers finished second in the sectional a year ago. The team that Sibray calls the sectional favorite is also the only NLC team to hand Warsaw a loss.
"Judging from the season Northridge has had I'd say they're the favorite," said Sibray. "They've beaten us two times this season. Right now they're the favorite. We match up with our 1-5 runners, it just matters who seperates the rest of our runners and how well they run."
Warsaw, Wawasee and NorthWood will compete in the sectional Saturday at 9 a.m. at Oxbow Park in Dunlap. Tippecanoe Valley, Whitko and Manchester will be involved in the Manchester Sectional Saturday at the high school beginning at 9 a.m. [[In-content Ad]]