Warsaw Loses NLC Match
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Wawasee Boys Win X Country Meet
By Jen Gibson, Times-Union Sports Writer
SYRACUSE -ÊIn a Tuesday evening that saw a controversial girls race and a predictable outcome in the boys race, Wawasee hosted Goshen and NorthWood for the first regular season Northern Lakes Conference meet.
The NorthWood girls team came out on top of Goshen and Wawasee after a controversial race. Goshen's Kristen Miller and Josie Caton were well in front of the pack near the end of the race when they took a wrong turn and got off the marked course. By the time they got back on track, they had fallen behind several runners from NorthWood.
Panther Nina Bearss ended the race in first place, followed by Miller. NorthWood then secured the win when Heidi Schneider, Cort Sandy and Kim Yoder crossed the finish line third, fourth and fifth, respectively. Teri Schuller, Marie Martin, Holly Hershberger, Leslie Hawkins and Steph Carner each placed in the top 20 for the Panthers.
Jenni Gunden was Wawasee's best finisher, placing 12th with a time of 18:02. Alicia Henderson, Julie Blakeslee and Kayla Auer each finished in the top 20 for the Warriors.
"The girls did the best they could," said Wawasee coach Dave Stookey, "but they just couldn't compete with Goshen and NorthWood. It was a good race."
The Wawasee boys cross country team kept its undefeated record intact after winning their side of the NLC meet against NorthWood and Goshen.
Although Goshen secured the first two spots and NorthWood's Aaron Hoover placed third, Wawasee placed five of the next seven runners to earn the victory.
After Hoover finished the race in 17:04, his teammate Mark Davidhizar finished fifth with a time of 17:20.
"Overall I was pretty pleased with how we ran tonight," said NorthWood coach Kirt Hunsberger. "We started well and ran a good first mile. Then the Wawasee pack took off. (Aaron) Hoover and (Mark) Davidhizar finished well, but we just couldn't seem to break up the pack."
Rob Chalfant was the first finisher for the Warriors, placing fourth overall with a time of 17:12 while his teammates Jerid Stoffel, Flaco Perales, Dusty Lytle and Ryan Stichter placed sixth through ninth, respectively.
"We had a good start and kept a good pace," said Chalfant. "We have a good pack, and we ran well today."
The Wawasee boys, ranked 15th in the latest state cross country poll, are pleased with the win. However, Stookey does not put much stock in the polls.
"Polls, in some ways, don't mean a whole lot," said Stookey. "It's nice to know that someone thinks we deserve to be ranked up there with soem of those teams, but sometimes there are unranked teams that are better than ranked teams. It's an honor to be selected, though."
The Warriors are looking to Saturday when they compete in the Northrop Invitational.
"This was a great team victory," said Stookey. "However, we need to develop an even stronger pack if we are to continue to be successful. We're running at Northrop Saturday where there will be some really good teams. Northrop is loaded with talent and they will be a good team to guage ourselves and see where we are and where we need to be."
BOYS
Wawasee 25, NorthWood 33; Wawasee 24, NorthWood 33; NorthWood 25, Goshen 34
Individual results -Ê1. Jon McKalips (G) 17:02; 2. Andy McKalips (G), 17:02; 3. Aaron Hoover (N),17:04; 4. Rob Chalfant (W) 17:12; 5. Mark Davidhizar (N), 17:20; 6. Jerid Stoffel (W), 17:33; 7. Flaco Perales (W), 17:55; 8. Dusty Lytle (W), 18:02, 9. Ryan Stichter (W), 18:03; 10. Andy Rummel (N), 18:12.
Wawasee finishers -Ê11. Pete Melendez, 14. Eric Gingerich, 18. George Coquillard, 19. Forest Somers, 20. Will Glaser, 21. Mark Speakman, 23. Andrew Waugh, 24. Dustin Young, 25. Andy Popenfoose, 27. Cris Smeltzer, 31. Curtis Smeltzer.
NorthWood finishers -Ê12. Eric Shepherd, 13. Jason Meyers, 16. Andy Yoder, 17. Jon Lechlitner, 26. Michael Reschly, 28. Joel Luevane, 30. Jody Sarber, 32. Matt Mitter, 33. David Stickel, 34. Brent Paulus.
GIRLS
Goshen 15, Wawasee 48; NorthWood 15, Wawasee 49; NorthWood 23, Goshen 32
Individual results - 1. Nina Bearss (N), 16:46; 2. Kristen Miller (G), 16:49; 3. Heidi Schneider (N), 16:50; 4. Cort Sandy (N), 16:56; 5. Kim Yoder (N) 17:01; 6. Josie Caton (G), 17:06; 7. Lynn Gruenwald (G), 17:17; 8. Joni Sheldon (G), 17:19; 9. Anita Marks (G), 17:20; 10. Teri Schuller (N), 17:42.
Wawasee finishers -Ê12. Jenni Gunden, 17. Alicia Henderson, 19. Julie Blakeslee, 20. Kayla Auer, 23. Dineh Mumma, 27. Mandie Sawyer, 31. Jill Mock, 32. Abbey Blakeslee.
NorthWood finishers -Ê11. Marie Martin, 14. Holly Hershberger, 16. Leslie Hawkins, 18. Steph Carner, 21. Nicki Sauer, 25. Dawn Huff, 28. Abby Tullis, 29. Kelly Yoder, 30. LeAnn Davidhizar. [[In-content Ad]]
Wawasee Boys Win X Country Meet
By Jen Gibson, Times-Union Sports Writer
SYRACUSE -ÊIn a Tuesday evening that saw a controversial girls race and a predictable outcome in the boys race, Wawasee hosted Goshen and NorthWood for the first regular season Northern Lakes Conference meet.
The NorthWood girls team came out on top of Goshen and Wawasee after a controversial race. Goshen's Kristen Miller and Josie Caton were well in front of the pack near the end of the race when they took a wrong turn and got off the marked course. By the time they got back on track, they had fallen behind several runners from NorthWood.
Panther Nina Bearss ended the race in first place, followed by Miller. NorthWood then secured the win when Heidi Schneider, Cort Sandy and Kim Yoder crossed the finish line third, fourth and fifth, respectively. Teri Schuller, Marie Martin, Holly Hershberger, Leslie Hawkins and Steph Carner each placed in the top 20 for the Panthers.
Jenni Gunden was Wawasee's best finisher, placing 12th with a time of 18:02. Alicia Henderson, Julie Blakeslee and Kayla Auer each finished in the top 20 for the Warriors.
"The girls did the best they could," said Wawasee coach Dave Stookey, "but they just couldn't compete with Goshen and NorthWood. It was a good race."
The Wawasee boys cross country team kept its undefeated record intact after winning their side of the NLC meet against NorthWood and Goshen.
Although Goshen secured the first two spots and NorthWood's Aaron Hoover placed third, Wawasee placed five of the next seven runners to earn the victory.
After Hoover finished the race in 17:04, his teammate Mark Davidhizar finished fifth with a time of 17:20.
"Overall I was pretty pleased with how we ran tonight," said NorthWood coach Kirt Hunsberger. "We started well and ran a good first mile. Then the Wawasee pack took off. (Aaron) Hoover and (Mark) Davidhizar finished well, but we just couldn't seem to break up the pack."
Rob Chalfant was the first finisher for the Warriors, placing fourth overall with a time of 17:12 while his teammates Jerid Stoffel, Flaco Perales, Dusty Lytle and Ryan Stichter placed sixth through ninth, respectively.
"We had a good start and kept a good pace," said Chalfant. "We have a good pack, and we ran well today."
The Wawasee boys, ranked 15th in the latest state cross country poll, are pleased with the win. However, Stookey does not put much stock in the polls.
"Polls, in some ways, don't mean a whole lot," said Stookey. "It's nice to know that someone thinks we deserve to be ranked up there with soem of those teams, but sometimes there are unranked teams that are better than ranked teams. It's an honor to be selected, though."
The Warriors are looking to Saturday when they compete in the Northrop Invitational.
"This was a great team victory," said Stookey. "However, we need to develop an even stronger pack if we are to continue to be successful. We're running at Northrop Saturday where there will be some really good teams. Northrop is loaded with talent and they will be a good team to guage ourselves and see where we are and where we need to be."
BOYS
Wawasee 25, NorthWood 33; Wawasee 24, NorthWood 33; NorthWood 25, Goshen 34
Individual results -Ê1. Jon McKalips (G) 17:02; 2. Andy McKalips (G), 17:02; 3. Aaron Hoover (N),17:04; 4. Rob Chalfant (W) 17:12; 5. Mark Davidhizar (N), 17:20; 6. Jerid Stoffel (W), 17:33; 7. Flaco Perales (W), 17:55; 8. Dusty Lytle (W), 18:02, 9. Ryan Stichter (W), 18:03; 10. Andy Rummel (N), 18:12.
Wawasee finishers -Ê11. Pete Melendez, 14. Eric Gingerich, 18. George Coquillard, 19. Forest Somers, 20. Will Glaser, 21. Mark Speakman, 23. Andrew Waugh, 24. Dustin Young, 25. Andy Popenfoose, 27. Cris Smeltzer, 31. Curtis Smeltzer.
NorthWood finishers -Ê12. Eric Shepherd, 13. Jason Meyers, 16. Andy Yoder, 17. Jon Lechlitner, 26. Michael Reschly, 28. Joel Luevane, 30. Jody Sarber, 32. Matt Mitter, 33. David Stickel, 34. Brent Paulus.
GIRLS
Goshen 15, Wawasee 48; NorthWood 15, Wawasee 49; NorthWood 23, Goshen 32
Individual results - 1. Nina Bearss (N), 16:46; 2. Kristen Miller (G), 16:49; 3. Heidi Schneider (N), 16:50; 4. Cort Sandy (N), 16:56; 5. Kim Yoder (N) 17:01; 6. Josie Caton (G), 17:06; 7. Lynn Gruenwald (G), 17:17; 8. Joni Sheldon (G), 17:19; 9. Anita Marks (G), 17:20; 10. Teri Schuller (N), 17:42.
Wawasee finishers -Ê12. Jenni Gunden, 17. Alicia Henderson, 19. Julie Blakeslee, 20. Kayla Auer, 23. Dineh Mumma, 27. Mandie Sawyer, 31. Jill Mock, 32. Abbey Blakeslee.
NorthWood finishers -Ê11. Marie Martin, 14. Holly Hershberger, 16. Leslie Hawkins, 18. Steph Carner, 21. Nicki Sauer, 25. Dawn Huff, 28. Abby Tullis, 29. Kelly Yoder, 30. LeAnn Davidhizar. [[In-content Ad]]