If you look at the list of accomplishments for this year's girls track and field team at Warsaw Community High School, it's possible to see why they're sending five individuals to compete in Saturday's state finals at Carroll Stadium on the campus of IUPUI.

That list of accomplishments looks something like this: Kokomo Relay champions, fourth at the Turtle Town Invite, third in the Northern Lakes Conference, second in the Warsaw Sectional, and ninth out of 40-plus teams in the Bremen Regional.

Look at the cards stacked against the Tigers, and their trip to the state finals is all that more impressive.

For starters, junior Summer Boyd, the team's leader, has been running with a herniated disc in her back for quite some time. Boyd will compete in the 1600 relay with her sister, Chelsea, as well as Kim Kurosky, Amy Robertson, Brittany Raber and Liz Wiggins. Two of those will be alternates. Warsaw coach Paul Boyd said he didn't know which four would run at state because things could change at the last minute.

According to Boyd, his daughter's problems started back toward the beginning of April when she complained of back pains. The Boyds went to a chiropractor but made no progress. They then went to a doctor, where Summer was put through a series of excercises and given an X-ray. The doctor told the Boyd's there was the possibility of a stress fracture, but the x-ray came back negative. An MRI was scheduled the day before the Bremen Regional and a doctor's appointment the day of the regional. She was diagnosed with a herniated L-4 or L-5 disc in her back.

"The doctor said it didn't just occur and that it's remarkable what she's accomplished," said the elder Boyd. "I noticed her running form was different. I've been watching her run since fourth grade and she wasn't as efficient and she looked like she was struggling. I probably compounded it by putting her in four events, but she was my horse."

And as far as running goes for Boyd, who also runs cross country in the fall, the doctor will allow that.

"The doctor said she could continue to run," said Boyd. "If she were in a field event where she had to twist and turn, then she would take a risk of injuring it more. The treatment will have to do with some exercises and medication."

Boyd will be in therapy under the direction of Tom Johnson. But until then she will compete in Saturday's state finals, where her coach/father hopes she can put this in the back of her mind and bring home a state championship.

"When she ran at the regionals she was in perfect position," said Boyd. "She was ready to strike in the curve, she was ready to take the field. It just didn't happen."

Now throw into the mix Ginny Gardonio, who will compete in the shot put after bettering her personal record by more than a foot to place third at the Bremen Regional.

"There's a girl who wasn't even going to come out for track," said Boyd. "(Boys coach Troy) Akers kept asking her every day if she would go out for track and she finally did two weeks into the season. She's improved 4 feet since she started and now she's going to the big dance. That young lady's amazing. The night of the regional she had strep throat and slept on the bus all the way there and all the way home. You wouldn't know that she just qualified for state."

Youth would be the third strike against the Tigers, so to speak.

"Something special about this team is there's no seniors," said Boyd. "Everything from here on out is icing on the cake. I don't think they know what's ahead of them until they get there."

Boyd, in his first season as after replacing Doug Ogle as coach, went on to say he has aspirations of being in this same position next year.

"We're building a program here," he said. "Chelsea, Kim and Liz, you can build a program around those three freshmen. You look at their pedigree and Liz is in three sports, Chelsea's in two sports and so is Kim. Akers said you could build a program around your 400, 300 hurdler, 800 and go from there. We have the conference champ in the 400 and 800."

After Saturday maybe they'll have the state champ in the 1600 relay or shot put. Only time will tell.

Three other local schools will be represented Saturday by one competitor each. NorthWood's Grace Bonewitz will compete in the 100 hurdles after she finished second to South Bend Adams' LaQuesha Taylor, who won the race with a time of :15.59 seconds. Bonewitz's second-place time was :15.64 seconds.

Triton's Sisteen Christian placed second in the shot put with her throw of 37-6.

And Wawasee's Staci Weisser placed third in the high jump with a jump of 5-2. Weisser won the Warsaw Sectional with a jump of 5-3.

Listed below is a list of local girls competing in Saturday's Track and Field State Finals Meet at Carroll Stadium on the campus of IUPUI. Field events will begin at 3 p.m. and running trials will get underway at 4:15 p.m. with running finals set to start at 6:15 p.m.

Listed are school, names, events, last week's regional placing, regional time/distance and state seed. Twenty-seven girls (27 teams if it's a relay) compete in each event.

Warsaw

Ginny Gardonio, shot put, third, 36-11 1/2, No. 24

Summer Boyd, 800, fourth, 2:21.78, No. 17

1,600 relay team (Chelsea Boyd, Summer Boyd, Kim Kurosky, Amy Robertson, Brittany Raber, Liz Wiggins), second, 4:10.49, No. 22

NorthWood

Grace Bonewitz, 100 hurdles, second, :15.64, No. 15

Wawasee

Staci Weisser, high jump, third, 5-2, No. 15

Triton

Sisteen Christian, shot put, second, 37-6, No. 21 [[In-content Ad]]