Warrior Track Win Streak Snapped At 36
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
GOSHEN - Maybe this time it will hold up.
On April 3 Concord broke the Wawasee regular season unbeaten streak at 34 wins with a 63-60 win - or so it appeared.
Earlier this week, Concord announced that it would forfeit eight points it won on the shot put because the throwers were inadvertently throwing shots 10 ounces lighter than regulation.
So, with new life and a 36-meet unbeaten streak, the Wawasee Warriors went to Goshen to battle NorthWood and the host school on Wednesday. Just like the Concord meet, it came down to the final event, and just like the Concord meet, Wawasee took second place by the slimmest of margins.
NorthWood ended with 58 points, Wawasee had 56 points, and Goshen finished with 42 points, as the Warriors lost for the first time in four years.
"They were pretty excited about it (getting the streak back)," head coach Lisa Dilbone said. "It was like, OK, now we've got something to hold onto. We lost it, but we got a second chance."
With that second chance in hand, Wawasee did everything it could to hold the streak this time. In the opening event, the 3200 relay, Wawasee took first with a time of 10:26.41. But then the Warriors hit some rocky events. After seven events, Wawasee trailed NorthWood by 11 points and Goshen by three.
But the Warriors would come back. Kim Reuter took first in the 400 and Alysha Aalbregtse grabbed fourth after leading much of the race to get within seven points. Wawasee then took the top three spots in the 300 hurdles, a major surprise and a momentum shifter. Kimber Chang, Alexis Culver and Janice Bokhart pulled the trick that put Wawasee ahead of NorthWood by two.
On the heels of that event, the Warriors took the top three spots in the 800 with Alisha Henderson leading the way at 2:34.1. Katie McCauley came in second and Kassie Biddle grabbed third to give Wawasee a comfortable lead with five events to go.
Then the momentum shifted again. Wawasee had only one athlete place in the top four in the next three events, Sharada Nethaway in the shot put, and fell two points behind NorthWood.
In the 3200, Wawasee needed at least a second-place finish from Aubrey Coy, and that is exactly what they got. The finish kept the Warriors within four points heading into the final event.
In the 1600 relay, Wawasee had to finish first and NorthWood had to take third. The Warriors won the event, but Northwood was stronger than the Goshen team and finished second to preserve the win.
"We had some really excellent performances tonight," Dilbone said. "Katie McCauley has been sick all season with various things, and tonight, I couldn't believe it. I was really pleased with that."
McCauley took second in the 800. It was only the second time she placed in the top three this year in that event.
"Aubrey Coy brought her times down in the two mile," Dilbone said. "Our 3200 relay team had their best time of the year. This is our best time in the 1600 relay. And the 300 hurdles, wow, that was a surprise. Kimber Chang has been coming on. Coming around on the hurdles, she has a kick. Her times in the hurdles and the 400 are dropping drastically. She ran her best time in the 300 hurdles."
Wawasee (7-1) will be in the Churubusco Relays on Saturday. [[In-content Ad]]
GOSHEN - Maybe this time it will hold up.
On April 3 Concord broke the Wawasee regular season unbeaten streak at 34 wins with a 63-60 win - or so it appeared.
Earlier this week, Concord announced that it would forfeit eight points it won on the shot put because the throwers were inadvertently throwing shots 10 ounces lighter than regulation.
So, with new life and a 36-meet unbeaten streak, the Wawasee Warriors went to Goshen to battle NorthWood and the host school on Wednesday. Just like the Concord meet, it came down to the final event, and just like the Concord meet, Wawasee took second place by the slimmest of margins.
NorthWood ended with 58 points, Wawasee had 56 points, and Goshen finished with 42 points, as the Warriors lost for the first time in four years.
"They were pretty excited about it (getting the streak back)," head coach Lisa Dilbone said. "It was like, OK, now we've got something to hold onto. We lost it, but we got a second chance."
With that second chance in hand, Wawasee did everything it could to hold the streak this time. In the opening event, the 3200 relay, Wawasee took first with a time of 10:26.41. But then the Warriors hit some rocky events. After seven events, Wawasee trailed NorthWood by 11 points and Goshen by three.
But the Warriors would come back. Kim Reuter took first in the 400 and Alysha Aalbregtse grabbed fourth after leading much of the race to get within seven points. Wawasee then took the top three spots in the 300 hurdles, a major surprise and a momentum shifter. Kimber Chang, Alexis Culver and Janice Bokhart pulled the trick that put Wawasee ahead of NorthWood by two.
On the heels of that event, the Warriors took the top three spots in the 800 with Alisha Henderson leading the way at 2:34.1. Katie McCauley came in second and Kassie Biddle grabbed third to give Wawasee a comfortable lead with five events to go.
Then the momentum shifted again. Wawasee had only one athlete place in the top four in the next three events, Sharada Nethaway in the shot put, and fell two points behind NorthWood.
In the 3200, Wawasee needed at least a second-place finish from Aubrey Coy, and that is exactly what they got. The finish kept the Warriors within four points heading into the final event.
In the 1600 relay, Wawasee had to finish first and NorthWood had to take third. The Warriors won the event, but Northwood was stronger than the Goshen team and finished second to preserve the win.
"We had some really excellent performances tonight," Dilbone said. "Katie McCauley has been sick all season with various things, and tonight, I couldn't believe it. I was really pleased with that."
McCauley took second in the 800. It was only the second time she placed in the top three this year in that event.
"Aubrey Coy brought her times down in the two mile," Dilbone said. "Our 3200 relay team had their best time of the year. This is our best time in the 1600 relay. And the 300 hurdles, wow, that was a surprise. Kimber Chang has been coming on. Coming around on the hurdles, she has a kick. Her times in the hurdles and the 400 are dropping drastically. She ran her best time in the 300 hurdles."
Wawasee (7-1) will be in the Churubusco Relays on Saturday. [[In-content Ad]]