Warsaw Runners Seeking Trip To State Meet
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Dale [email protected]
“I’d say West Lafayette has been the most consistent, they might be the favorite, but I think we’ll be right there,” said Mills. “I think we can win it. The goal is to get the whole team to state, but I definitely think we’re good enough win.”
Twenty teams, as well as 40 runners who advanced from various regionals as individuals, will compete in the New Prairie Semistate.
Only six of those 20 teams, as well as the top 15 individuals not on an andvancing team, will qualify for the state meet in Terre Haute on Nov. 2.
Warsaw finished second in the semistate last year and went on to finish fourth at the state meet.
“If we’re gonna win, we need Ellis (Coon) to run faster than he did at the sectional and regional,” Mills said of his standout senior, who won the sectional in a time of 16:28 and the regional in 16:17. “If we had guys running 10 seconds faster, I think that would put us in position to be right there (for the win).”
Saturday’s semistate field includes top 25 teams West Lafayette (4), Warsaw (9), Valparaiso (10), Munster (17), Crown Point (20) and Lake Central (24).
After graduating all-state runners Jake Poyner and Robert Murphy, as well as steady performer Brysten James, from last year’s team, the Tigers haven’t missed a beat this season.
Warsaw went 7-0 against Northern Lakes Conference teams, and then won another outright league title by winning the NLC Meet at Ox Bow Park.
The Tigers then dominated the sectional field, winning with 19 points, while runner-up Culver Academies had 80 points.
With Coon, sophomore Owen Glogovsky, senior Tyler Houvener, junior Nick Bergen and sophomore Jonathan Beres, Warsaw had five of the top six finishers.
At the regional, Warsaw claimed the team title with 20 points, while Western was a distant second with 78 points.
The Tigers’ five scoring runners – Coon, Glogovsky, Houvener, junior Daniel Messenger and Bergen – all crossed the line among the first nine finishers.
The competition at the semistate is on a completely different level.
Mills said the difference between the regional and semistate levels of the state tournament was “night and day.”
So, after graduating Poyner, Murphy and James, and then other talented runners opting not to join the team this year, what would it mean for the Tigers to get back to state?
“It would be a tribute to the guys on this team,” said Mills. “With this team, not many people thought we’d be where we are after losing three of our five runners from fourth-place team in the state, and then other guys not coming out. People thought we’d have a rebuilding year. These guys have worked hard and really stepped up.”[[In-content Ad]]
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“I’d say West Lafayette has been the most consistent, they might be the favorite, but I think we’ll be right there,” said Mills. “I think we can win it. The goal is to get the whole team to state, but I definitely think we’re good enough win.”
Twenty teams, as well as 40 runners who advanced from various regionals as individuals, will compete in the New Prairie Semistate.
Only six of those 20 teams, as well as the top 15 individuals not on an andvancing team, will qualify for the state meet in Terre Haute on Nov. 2.
Warsaw finished second in the semistate last year and went on to finish fourth at the state meet.
“If we’re gonna win, we need Ellis (Coon) to run faster than he did at the sectional and regional,” Mills said of his standout senior, who won the sectional in a time of 16:28 and the regional in 16:17. “If we had guys running 10 seconds faster, I think that would put us in position to be right there (for the win).”
Saturday’s semistate field includes top 25 teams West Lafayette (4), Warsaw (9), Valparaiso (10), Munster (17), Crown Point (20) and Lake Central (24).
After graduating all-state runners Jake Poyner and Robert Murphy, as well as steady performer Brysten James, from last year’s team, the Tigers haven’t missed a beat this season.
Warsaw went 7-0 against Northern Lakes Conference teams, and then won another outright league title by winning the NLC Meet at Ox Bow Park.
The Tigers then dominated the sectional field, winning with 19 points, while runner-up Culver Academies had 80 points.
With Coon, sophomore Owen Glogovsky, senior Tyler Houvener, junior Nick Bergen and sophomore Jonathan Beres, Warsaw had five of the top six finishers.
At the regional, Warsaw claimed the team title with 20 points, while Western was a distant second with 78 points.
The Tigers’ five scoring runners – Coon, Glogovsky, Houvener, junior Daniel Messenger and Bergen – all crossed the line among the first nine finishers.
The competition at the semistate is on a completely different level.
Mills said the difference between the regional and semistate levels of the state tournament was “night and day.”
So, after graduating Poyner, Murphy and James, and then other talented runners opting not to join the team this year, what would it mean for the Tigers to get back to state?
“It would be a tribute to the guys on this team,” said Mills. “With this team, not many people thought we’d be where we are after losing three of our five runners from fourth-place team in the state, and then other guys not coming out. People thought we’d have a rebuilding year. These guys have worked hard and really stepped up.”[[In-content Ad]]
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