Warsaw Rules NLC Meet
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Three teams. Three goals. One track meet.
That was the underlying theme of the Warsaw-NorthWood-Wawasee track meet held Tuesday in Warsaw. The Tigers were going for their 23rd straight win. NorthWood was looking to challenge Warsaw with a young team. And Wawasee was looking to set some school records.
When all was said and done, each team accomplished its goal.
Warsaw won the meet with 95 points to NorthWood's 53 and Wawasee's 18. NorthWood got some good experience for several young competitors. And Wawasee saw a 20-year-old record fall by the wayside.
"Warsaw is a strong team," said NorthWood coach Mark BeMiller. "We wanted to come out and have a good performance, but I'm not surprised with the outcome. Warsaw is very talented."
And Warsaw used that talent to its advantage. The Tigers started the meet with a win in the 3,200 relay and never looked back. From the first race through the end of the competition, Warsaw held the lead.
But the story of the night was not the winning team. It was an individual from the last-place team, Wawasee's Rob Chalfant, who stole the show.
Chalfant, a state qualifier in cross country this season, set a new Wawasee record in the 3,200. His time of 9:38.08 shattered the previous record of 9:39.6 set by Cam Boyer in 1980 by more than a second. The 20-year-old record was one of the oldest at Wawasee.
"Boy, Rob, what can I say about the kid," said Wawasee coach Jim Wallace. "He's amazing. It will be fun to see what he can do the rest of this year and next year as well."
"That's what makes a track meet fun," said Warsaw coach Troy Akers. "It's neat because somebody can always come in and make a big impression like Chalfant did tonight. It's exciting."
Two other Wawasee runners set personal records as well. Jerid Stoffel set a personal best in the 800 run with his mark of 2:03.4, while Chris Cline's time of 41.6 seconds in the 300 hurdles set a personal mark as well.
"We had a lot of personal bests tonight," said Wallace. "Stoffel is a great senior leader. He's very coachable and sets a good example for the rest of the team."
Warsaw set an example for the rest of the teams in the meet by placing first in 12 of the 16 events. Ryan Hill led the Tigers with two first-place ribbons in the 110 and 300 hurdles. Greg Seiss was Warsaw's iron man, running the 3,200 relay, 400, 800 and 1,600 relay.
"It was a good workout for Greg Seiss tonight," said Akers. "He started the meet with the four-by-eight relay and then won the 400. One race later, he ran the 800 and then finished the night by anchoring the 1,600 relay."
NorthWood, wihch saw several talented seniors graduate last year, placed second. Ian Reed, a senior first-year track participant, won the long jump with a personal best leap of 21 feet, 3-1/4 inches and placed second with a 5-10 high jump. Aaron Hoover placed first in the 1,600 run, while Andy Mitschelen checked in with second-place finishes in the shot put and the discus.
"Before the meet, we scored it out on paper, and we felt we could come out with a good performance," said BeMiller. "In a three-way, you never know what the other team is going to do, so that makes it a little different."
In the most frightening moment of the night, NorthWood's 400 relay team suffered a nasty fall when two runners collided. Eric Esseinwein fell to the track during the handoff on the first turn of the track.
"That was a nasty fall in the 400," said BeMiller. "He was pretty scraped up. He's fortunate we have a week off, but he'll be back. He's tough, and he's a senior."
Warsaw will travel to Middlebury Tuesday for an NLC meet with Northridge and Goshen Tuesday, while Wawasee will host Concord Tuesday. NorthWood resumes action in Plymouth Tuesday as well.
"Obviously we are out of NorthWood and Warsaw's league right now, but we have a group of freshmen who did a very good job tonight," said Wallace. "Wawasee track will be back. We're not out here just for fun. We're out to build a strong track team."
"Our upperclassmen did not perform as well as they could have tonight, but they'll get back on track," said Akers. "Down the road, we should be making a trip to Indy."
WARSAW 95, NORTHWOOD 53, WAWASEE 18
3,200 Relay -Ê1. Warsaw (Rob Peters, Davin Fawley, Nate Ridderman, Greg Seiss) 8:45.3; 2. NorthWood
110 Hurdles -Ê1. Ryan Hill (War) 16.2; 2. Nick Juday (NW); 3. Jerod Scrafton (War); 4. Chris Cline (Waw)
100 M -Ê1. Aaron Chabot (War) 11.7; 2. Scott Hill (NW); 3. Brad Seiss (War); 4. Justin Lantzer (NW)
Discus -Ê1. Jarod Leasure (War) 146-7; 2. Andy Mitschelen (NW); 3. Brandon Greenwalt (NW); Ryan Brennan (War)
1,600 M -Ê1. Aaron Hoover (NW) 4:39.5; 2. Mark Davidhizar (NW); 3. Jason Sibray (War); 4. Jake Sweatland (War)
400 Relay -Ê1. Warsaw (Ryan Hill, Brad Seiss, Adam Sisson, Aaron Chabot) 44.5; 2. Wawasee
High Jump -Ê1. Jake Fitzsimmons (War) 6-0; 2. Ian Reed (NW); 3. Brad Seiss (War); 4. Brian Johnson (War)
Pole Vault -Ê1. Zach Scheetz (War) 13-0; 2. Cory Gackenheimer (War); 3. Jeremy Chesley (NW)
400 M -Ê1. Greg Seiss (War) 50.4; 2. Nate Ridderman (War); 3. Jason Brennaman (NW); 4. Ben Pippen (NW)
300 Hurdles -Ê1. Ryan Hill (War) 41.4; 2. Chris Cline (Waw); 3. Grady Randall (War); 4. Nick Juday (NW)
Shot Put -Ê1. Brent Satterly (War) 44-10; 2. Andy Mitschelen (NW); 3. Jarod Leasure (War); 4. Kris Hueber (War)
800 M -Ê1. Jerid Stoffel (Waw) 2:03.4; 2. Greg Seiss (War); 3. Andy Yoder (NW); Rob Peters (War)
Long Jump -ÊIan Reed (NW) 21-3 1/4; 2. Aaron Chabot (War); 3. Adam Bott (War); 4. Micah Seisenop (War)
200 M -Ê1. Brad Seiss (War) 23.9; 2. Adam Sisson (War); 3. Scott Hill (NW); 4. Justin Lantzer (NW)
3,200 M -Ê1. Rob Chalfant (Waw) 9:38.7; 2. Aaron Hoover (NW); 3. Mark Davidhizar (NW); 4. Flaco Peralez (Waw)
1,600 Relay -Ê1. Warsaw (Adam Sisson, Nate Ridderman, Rob Peters, Greg Seiss) 3:33.1; 2. NorthWood; 3. Wawasee
JV -ÊWARSAW 77, NORTHWOOD 48, WAWASEE 31
110 Hurdles -Ê1. Cory Hill (War) 16.9; 2. Grady Randall (War); 3. Case Yorger (NW); 4. Joe Sheets (NW)
100 M -Ê1. Joel Popenfoose (War) 12.0; 2. Tony Buchtel (Waw); 3. Nick Conley (Waw); 4. David Burnley (War)
1,600 M -Ê1. Zach Woodward (War) 5:17.1; Blake Crane (War); 3. Jody Sarber (NW); 4. Sean Machocki (Waw)
Long Jump -Ê1. Derek Sueqzu (Waw) 18-10 1/2; 2. Nick Juday (NW); 3. Case Yorger (NW); 4. Tim Barrett (NW)
Discus - 1. Nick Juday (NW) 123-1; 2. Phil Mallene (War); 2. Abe Almager (NW); 3. Tom Bryan (Waw)
High Jump -Ê1. Jason Brennaman (NW) 5-6; 2. Arnell Frantz (War); 3. Joel Popenfoose (War); 4. Andy Popenfoose (Waw)
400 M -Ê1. Ben Kreinbrink (War)56.3; 2. Micah Seisenop (War); 3. Luke Parrish (Waw); 4. Jeremy Chesley (NW)
300 Hurdles -Ê1. Jared Scrafton (War) 44.5; 2. Cory Hill (War); 3. Pat McKecknie (NW); 4. Luke Parrish (Waw)
800 M -Ê1. Andy Anderson (War) 2:18.2; 2. Melvin Freels (War); 3. Michael Reschley (NW); 4. Darin Fawley (War)
200 M -Ê1. Joel Popenfoose (War) 24.7; 2. Luke Speakman (Waw); 3. David Burnley (War); 4. Nick Conley (Waw)
3,200 M -Ê1. Jody Sarber (NW) 11:57.8; 2. Pete Melendez (Waw); 3. Blake Crane (War); 4. Brent Paulus (NW)
Shot Put -Ê1. Abe Almager (NW) 42-3; 2. Tom Bryan (Waw); 3. Matt Binns (Waw); 4. Matt Payton (War); 5. Matt Small (War)
3,200 Relay -Ê1. Warsaw (Matt Krallman, Melvin Freels, Ulises Garcia, Andy Anderson) 9:01.4; 2. NorthWood
400 Relay -Ê1. Warsaw (Cory Hill, Jared Scrafton, Joel Popenfoose, Grady Randall) 46.7; 2. Warsaw; 3. NorthWood; 4. Wawasee
1,600 Relay -Ê1. Warsaw (Ryan Hill, Kris Hueber, Jon Dock, Brad Seiss) 3:47.4; 2. NorthWood; 3. Wawasee [[In-content Ad]]
Three teams. Three goals. One track meet.
That was the underlying theme of the Warsaw-NorthWood-Wawasee track meet held Tuesday in Warsaw. The Tigers were going for their 23rd straight win. NorthWood was looking to challenge Warsaw with a young team. And Wawasee was looking to set some school records.
When all was said and done, each team accomplished its goal.
Warsaw won the meet with 95 points to NorthWood's 53 and Wawasee's 18. NorthWood got some good experience for several young competitors. And Wawasee saw a 20-year-old record fall by the wayside.
"Warsaw is a strong team," said NorthWood coach Mark BeMiller. "We wanted to come out and have a good performance, but I'm not surprised with the outcome. Warsaw is very talented."
And Warsaw used that talent to its advantage. The Tigers started the meet with a win in the 3,200 relay and never looked back. From the first race through the end of the competition, Warsaw held the lead.
But the story of the night was not the winning team. It was an individual from the last-place team, Wawasee's Rob Chalfant, who stole the show.
Chalfant, a state qualifier in cross country this season, set a new Wawasee record in the 3,200. His time of 9:38.08 shattered the previous record of 9:39.6 set by Cam Boyer in 1980 by more than a second. The 20-year-old record was one of the oldest at Wawasee.
"Boy, Rob, what can I say about the kid," said Wawasee coach Jim Wallace. "He's amazing. It will be fun to see what he can do the rest of this year and next year as well."
"That's what makes a track meet fun," said Warsaw coach Troy Akers. "It's neat because somebody can always come in and make a big impression like Chalfant did tonight. It's exciting."
Two other Wawasee runners set personal records as well. Jerid Stoffel set a personal best in the 800 run with his mark of 2:03.4, while Chris Cline's time of 41.6 seconds in the 300 hurdles set a personal mark as well.
"We had a lot of personal bests tonight," said Wallace. "Stoffel is a great senior leader. He's very coachable and sets a good example for the rest of the team."
Warsaw set an example for the rest of the teams in the meet by placing first in 12 of the 16 events. Ryan Hill led the Tigers with two first-place ribbons in the 110 and 300 hurdles. Greg Seiss was Warsaw's iron man, running the 3,200 relay, 400, 800 and 1,600 relay.
"It was a good workout for Greg Seiss tonight," said Akers. "He started the meet with the four-by-eight relay and then won the 400. One race later, he ran the 800 and then finished the night by anchoring the 1,600 relay."
NorthWood, wihch saw several talented seniors graduate last year, placed second. Ian Reed, a senior first-year track participant, won the long jump with a personal best leap of 21 feet, 3-1/4 inches and placed second with a 5-10 high jump. Aaron Hoover placed first in the 1,600 run, while Andy Mitschelen checked in with second-place finishes in the shot put and the discus.
"Before the meet, we scored it out on paper, and we felt we could come out with a good performance," said BeMiller. "In a three-way, you never know what the other team is going to do, so that makes it a little different."
In the most frightening moment of the night, NorthWood's 400 relay team suffered a nasty fall when two runners collided. Eric Esseinwein fell to the track during the handoff on the first turn of the track.
"That was a nasty fall in the 400," said BeMiller. "He was pretty scraped up. He's fortunate we have a week off, but he'll be back. He's tough, and he's a senior."
Warsaw will travel to Middlebury Tuesday for an NLC meet with Northridge and Goshen Tuesday, while Wawasee will host Concord Tuesday. NorthWood resumes action in Plymouth Tuesday as well.
"Obviously we are out of NorthWood and Warsaw's league right now, but we have a group of freshmen who did a very good job tonight," said Wallace. "Wawasee track will be back. We're not out here just for fun. We're out to build a strong track team."
"Our upperclassmen did not perform as well as they could have tonight, but they'll get back on track," said Akers. "Down the road, we should be making a trip to Indy."
WARSAW 95, NORTHWOOD 53, WAWASEE 18
3,200 Relay -Ê1. Warsaw (Rob Peters, Davin Fawley, Nate Ridderman, Greg Seiss) 8:45.3; 2. NorthWood
110 Hurdles -Ê1. Ryan Hill (War) 16.2; 2. Nick Juday (NW); 3. Jerod Scrafton (War); 4. Chris Cline (Waw)
100 M -Ê1. Aaron Chabot (War) 11.7; 2. Scott Hill (NW); 3. Brad Seiss (War); 4. Justin Lantzer (NW)
Discus -Ê1. Jarod Leasure (War) 146-7; 2. Andy Mitschelen (NW); 3. Brandon Greenwalt (NW); Ryan Brennan (War)
1,600 M -Ê1. Aaron Hoover (NW) 4:39.5; 2. Mark Davidhizar (NW); 3. Jason Sibray (War); 4. Jake Sweatland (War)
400 Relay -Ê1. Warsaw (Ryan Hill, Brad Seiss, Adam Sisson, Aaron Chabot) 44.5; 2. Wawasee
High Jump -Ê1. Jake Fitzsimmons (War) 6-0; 2. Ian Reed (NW); 3. Brad Seiss (War); 4. Brian Johnson (War)
Pole Vault -Ê1. Zach Scheetz (War) 13-0; 2. Cory Gackenheimer (War); 3. Jeremy Chesley (NW)
400 M -Ê1. Greg Seiss (War) 50.4; 2. Nate Ridderman (War); 3. Jason Brennaman (NW); 4. Ben Pippen (NW)
300 Hurdles -Ê1. Ryan Hill (War) 41.4; 2. Chris Cline (Waw); 3. Grady Randall (War); 4. Nick Juday (NW)
Shot Put -Ê1. Brent Satterly (War) 44-10; 2. Andy Mitschelen (NW); 3. Jarod Leasure (War); 4. Kris Hueber (War)
800 M -Ê1. Jerid Stoffel (Waw) 2:03.4; 2. Greg Seiss (War); 3. Andy Yoder (NW); Rob Peters (War)
Long Jump -ÊIan Reed (NW) 21-3 1/4; 2. Aaron Chabot (War); 3. Adam Bott (War); 4. Micah Seisenop (War)
200 M -Ê1. Brad Seiss (War) 23.9; 2. Adam Sisson (War); 3. Scott Hill (NW); 4. Justin Lantzer (NW)
3,200 M -Ê1. Rob Chalfant (Waw) 9:38.7; 2. Aaron Hoover (NW); 3. Mark Davidhizar (NW); 4. Flaco Peralez (Waw)
1,600 Relay -Ê1. Warsaw (Adam Sisson, Nate Ridderman, Rob Peters, Greg Seiss) 3:33.1; 2. NorthWood; 3. Wawasee
JV -ÊWARSAW 77, NORTHWOOD 48, WAWASEE 31
110 Hurdles -Ê1. Cory Hill (War) 16.9; 2. Grady Randall (War); 3. Case Yorger (NW); 4. Joe Sheets (NW)
100 M -Ê1. Joel Popenfoose (War) 12.0; 2. Tony Buchtel (Waw); 3. Nick Conley (Waw); 4. David Burnley (War)
1,600 M -Ê1. Zach Woodward (War) 5:17.1; Blake Crane (War); 3. Jody Sarber (NW); 4. Sean Machocki (Waw)
Long Jump -Ê1. Derek Sueqzu (Waw) 18-10 1/2; 2. Nick Juday (NW); 3. Case Yorger (NW); 4. Tim Barrett (NW)
Discus - 1. Nick Juday (NW) 123-1; 2. Phil Mallene (War); 2. Abe Almager (NW); 3. Tom Bryan (Waw)
High Jump -Ê1. Jason Brennaman (NW) 5-6; 2. Arnell Frantz (War); 3. Joel Popenfoose (War); 4. Andy Popenfoose (Waw)
400 M -Ê1. Ben Kreinbrink (War)56.3; 2. Micah Seisenop (War); 3. Luke Parrish (Waw); 4. Jeremy Chesley (NW)
300 Hurdles -Ê1. Jared Scrafton (War) 44.5; 2. Cory Hill (War); 3. Pat McKecknie (NW); 4. Luke Parrish (Waw)
800 M -Ê1. Andy Anderson (War) 2:18.2; 2. Melvin Freels (War); 3. Michael Reschley (NW); 4. Darin Fawley (War)
200 M -Ê1. Joel Popenfoose (War) 24.7; 2. Luke Speakman (Waw); 3. David Burnley (War); 4. Nick Conley (Waw)
3,200 M -Ê1. Jody Sarber (NW) 11:57.8; 2. Pete Melendez (Waw); 3. Blake Crane (War); 4. Brent Paulus (NW)
Shot Put -Ê1. Abe Almager (NW) 42-3; 2. Tom Bryan (Waw); 3. Matt Binns (Waw); 4. Matt Payton (War); 5. Matt Small (War)
3,200 Relay -Ê1. Warsaw (Matt Krallman, Melvin Freels, Ulises Garcia, Andy Anderson) 9:01.4; 2. NorthWood
400 Relay -Ê1. Warsaw (Cory Hill, Jared Scrafton, Joel Popenfoose, Grady Randall) 46.7; 2. Warsaw; 3. NorthWood; 4. Wawasee
1,600 Relay -Ê1. Warsaw (Ryan Hill, Kris Hueber, Jon Dock, Brad Seiss) 3:47.4; 2. NorthWood; 3. Wawasee [[In-content Ad]]