Warsaw Track Team Too Much For Northridge
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Anthony [email protected]
Following numerous cancellations, the Tigers competed in their second meet in three days Monday at the Tigers Athletic Complex, defeating Northridge 90-42.
The win improves the Tigers to 3-0 in the Northern Lakes Conference, as they look to claim their third-straight NLC title.
Against Northridge, Warsaw coach Matt Thacker wasn’t so much looking to score as many points as possible, but instead, was tinkering with some lineups.
One of those experiments was with the second-place 3200 relay, which was comprised of junior Ismael Calderon, sophomore Daniel Messenger, sophomore Michael Compton and junior Tyler Houvener.
“In the 4x800, we’re looking at the younger guys – who’s going to step up?,” Thacker said. “Who’s going be that next kid that’s truly going to help us out on the varsity level.
“I’m proud with how they competed,” he added. “It’s us trying to look ahead and make us better for the end of this year, the end of next year.”
Junior Ellis Coon would usually run in the 3200 relay, but an injury is keeping him off the track, but he wasn’t the only sidelined Tiger.
Junior Stephen Kolbe, who took first place in the high jump at Saturday’s Goshen Relays with a leap of 6-foot-4, was out with an illness.
So with experiments taking place in some early events, and a couple of his top athletes out, the whole meet wasn’t a breeze for Thacker.
“It was kind of hair-raising after the first couple of events,” he said. “But our depth in distance, sprints, hurdles and whole team aspect really showed through and we were able to pull it out.”
Warsaw got a pair of wins from senior Wyatt Jones in the 100 (11.54) and 200 (22.85), as well as senior Robert Murphy in the 3200 (9:26.85) and 1600 (4:19.54).
Jones also led off the winning 400 relay with senior Nathan Kolbe, junior Chad Goon and junior Tristan McClone (47.56), while the 1600 relay of freshman Landon Perry, senior Jacob Poyner, junior Ryan Goon and Compton also took first place in 3:32.40.
Other individual first-place finishes for the Tigers were by senior Taylor Cone (110 hurdles, 15.79), Nathan Kolbe (400, 51.30), Ryan Goon (300 hurdles, 41.08), Poyner (800, 1:58.57), sophomore Andrew Scheidt (discus, 126-11.5) and sophomore Ben Plummer (shot put, 44-4).
And not only did the meet get completed, as it was postponed from last Thursday, but it took place on a relatively warm night.
Under good conditions, Thacker wanted to see some good times recorded, and he got that.
“Seeing Tristan and Wyatt both go under 12 seconds in the 100 was good,” he said. “You want them doing that, but seeing it was good. The 200 times weren’t bad, but we’re still looking for that competitive fire in everyone. That’s a bonus we’re looking for.”
That fire will likely become lit as the week proceeds, because the Tigers host Plymouth and Concord Thursday, then come right back Friday night for the Max Truex Invitational.
“(Today) and Wednesday will be a couple light days before we get ready for Plymouth and Concord (Thursday) and the Truex Friday,” Thacker said. “It’s going to be a fast week, but by the end of the week, we’re going to be glad it’s over. Next week, we’ll only have one meet, then we’ll have the conference championships (May 7 in Warsaw), which is only two weeks from (today). Track season goes pretty fast.”
On Friday, Warsaw will look to defend its Truex title and its main competition will be the Penn Kingsmen, who defeated Warsaw by one point in the Class A Division of Saturday’s Goshen Relays.
“Our kids want to run against Penn again,” Thacker said. “They’ll be ready to go. The Truex is our invitational, so the kids look forward to it. They can’t wait until Friday.”
WARSAW 90, NORTHRIDGE 42
3200 Relay – 1. Northridge (Kurtis Hochstetler, Blake O'Dell, Hunter Johnson, James Bradberry) 8:19.37, 2. Warsaw (Ismael Calderon, Daniel Messenger, Michael Compton, Tyler Houvener) 8:20.96; 110 Hurdles – 1. Taylor Cone (W) 15.79, 2. Austin Healey (N) 15.86, 3. Caleb Klusman (W) 16.32; 100 – 1. Wyatt Jones (W) 11.54, 2. Jacob Wargo (N) 11.76, 3. Tristan McClone (W) 11.84; 1600 – 1. Robert Murphy (W) 4:19.54, 2. Brysten James (W) 4:43.21, 3. Connor Sandt (N) 4:43.75; 400 Relay – 1. Warsaw (Wyatt Jones, Nathan Kolbe, Chad Goon, Tristan McClone) 43.92, 2. Northridge (Austin Healey, Alex Mark, Michael Presnell, Jacob Wargo); 400 – 1. Nathan Kolbe (W) 51.30, 2. Gabe Furnivall (W) 51.76, 3. Hunter Johnson (N) 51.95; 300 Hurdles – 1. Ryan Goon (W) 41.08, 2. Dylan Campbell (W) 42.58, 3. Taylor Cone (W) 42.74; 800 – 1. Jacob Poyner (W) 1:58.57, 2. Ismael Calderon (W) 2:04.47, 3. Tyler Houvener (W) 2:07.03; 200 – 1. Wyatt Jones (W) 22.85, 2. Jacob Wargo (N) 23.62, 3. Alex Mark (N) 23.85; 3200 – 1. Robert Murphy (W) 9:26.85, 2. Blake O’Dell (N) 9:43.85, 3. James Bradberry (N) 10:13.67; 1600 Relay – 1. Warsaw (Landon Perry, Jacob Poyner, Ryan Goon, Michael Compton) 3:32.40, 2. Northridge (Jerry Burciaga, Kurtis Hochstetler, Nolan Rhodes, Hunter Johnson) 3:41.00; High Jump – 1. Austin Healey (N) 5-10, 2. David Goon (W) 5-8, 3. Jacob Wargo (N) 5-8; Pole Vault – 1. Josh Rheinheimer (N) 14-4*, 2. Devin Puckett (N) 12-0, 3. Jeffrey Coulter (W) 11-6; Long Jump – 1. Austin Healey (N) 19-6.5, 2. Nathan Kolbe (W) 18-8.25, 3. Caleb Klusman (W) 18-8; Discus – 1. Andrew Scheidt (W) 126-11.5, 2. Tim Perkey (W) 122-0, 3. Cody Howell (N) 107-10.5; Shot Put – 1. Ben Plummer (W) 44-4, 2. Joshua Hueber (W) 41-0, 3. Michael Fickert (N) 40-6
* – Northridge School Record[[In-content Ad]]
Following numerous cancellations, the Tigers competed in their second meet in three days Monday at the Tigers Athletic Complex, defeating Northridge 90-42.
The win improves the Tigers to 3-0 in the Northern Lakes Conference, as they look to claim their third-straight NLC title.
Against Northridge, Warsaw coach Matt Thacker wasn’t so much looking to score as many points as possible, but instead, was tinkering with some lineups.
One of those experiments was with the second-place 3200 relay, which was comprised of junior Ismael Calderon, sophomore Daniel Messenger, sophomore Michael Compton and junior Tyler Houvener.
“In the 4x800, we’re looking at the younger guys – who’s going to step up?,” Thacker said. “Who’s going be that next kid that’s truly going to help us out on the varsity level.
“I’m proud with how they competed,” he added. “It’s us trying to look ahead and make us better for the end of this year, the end of next year.”
Junior Ellis Coon would usually run in the 3200 relay, but an injury is keeping him off the track, but he wasn’t the only sidelined Tiger.
Junior Stephen Kolbe, who took first place in the high jump at Saturday’s Goshen Relays with a leap of 6-foot-4, was out with an illness.
So with experiments taking place in some early events, and a couple of his top athletes out, the whole meet wasn’t a breeze for Thacker.
“It was kind of hair-raising after the first couple of events,” he said. “But our depth in distance, sprints, hurdles and whole team aspect really showed through and we were able to pull it out.”
Warsaw got a pair of wins from senior Wyatt Jones in the 100 (11.54) and 200 (22.85), as well as senior Robert Murphy in the 3200 (9:26.85) and 1600 (4:19.54).
Jones also led off the winning 400 relay with senior Nathan Kolbe, junior Chad Goon and junior Tristan McClone (47.56), while the 1600 relay of freshman Landon Perry, senior Jacob Poyner, junior Ryan Goon and Compton also took first place in 3:32.40.
Other individual first-place finishes for the Tigers were by senior Taylor Cone (110 hurdles, 15.79), Nathan Kolbe (400, 51.30), Ryan Goon (300 hurdles, 41.08), Poyner (800, 1:58.57), sophomore Andrew Scheidt (discus, 126-11.5) and sophomore Ben Plummer (shot put, 44-4).
And not only did the meet get completed, as it was postponed from last Thursday, but it took place on a relatively warm night.
Under good conditions, Thacker wanted to see some good times recorded, and he got that.
“Seeing Tristan and Wyatt both go under 12 seconds in the 100 was good,” he said. “You want them doing that, but seeing it was good. The 200 times weren’t bad, but we’re still looking for that competitive fire in everyone. That’s a bonus we’re looking for.”
That fire will likely become lit as the week proceeds, because the Tigers host Plymouth and Concord Thursday, then come right back Friday night for the Max Truex Invitational.
“(Today) and Wednesday will be a couple light days before we get ready for Plymouth and Concord (Thursday) and the Truex Friday,” Thacker said. “It’s going to be a fast week, but by the end of the week, we’re going to be glad it’s over. Next week, we’ll only have one meet, then we’ll have the conference championships (May 7 in Warsaw), which is only two weeks from (today). Track season goes pretty fast.”
On Friday, Warsaw will look to defend its Truex title and its main competition will be the Penn Kingsmen, who defeated Warsaw by one point in the Class A Division of Saturday’s Goshen Relays.
“Our kids want to run against Penn again,” Thacker said. “They’ll be ready to go. The Truex is our invitational, so the kids look forward to it. They can’t wait until Friday.”
WARSAW 90, NORTHRIDGE 42
3200 Relay – 1. Northridge (Kurtis Hochstetler, Blake O'Dell, Hunter Johnson, James Bradberry) 8:19.37, 2. Warsaw (Ismael Calderon, Daniel Messenger, Michael Compton, Tyler Houvener) 8:20.96; 110 Hurdles – 1. Taylor Cone (W) 15.79, 2. Austin Healey (N) 15.86, 3. Caleb Klusman (W) 16.32; 100 – 1. Wyatt Jones (W) 11.54, 2. Jacob Wargo (N) 11.76, 3. Tristan McClone (W) 11.84; 1600 – 1. Robert Murphy (W) 4:19.54, 2. Brysten James (W) 4:43.21, 3. Connor Sandt (N) 4:43.75; 400 Relay – 1. Warsaw (Wyatt Jones, Nathan Kolbe, Chad Goon, Tristan McClone) 43.92, 2. Northridge (Austin Healey, Alex Mark, Michael Presnell, Jacob Wargo); 400 – 1. Nathan Kolbe (W) 51.30, 2. Gabe Furnivall (W) 51.76, 3. Hunter Johnson (N) 51.95; 300 Hurdles – 1. Ryan Goon (W) 41.08, 2. Dylan Campbell (W) 42.58, 3. Taylor Cone (W) 42.74; 800 – 1. Jacob Poyner (W) 1:58.57, 2. Ismael Calderon (W) 2:04.47, 3. Tyler Houvener (W) 2:07.03; 200 – 1. Wyatt Jones (W) 22.85, 2. Jacob Wargo (N) 23.62, 3. Alex Mark (N) 23.85; 3200 – 1. Robert Murphy (W) 9:26.85, 2. Blake O’Dell (N) 9:43.85, 3. James Bradberry (N) 10:13.67; 1600 Relay – 1. Warsaw (Landon Perry, Jacob Poyner, Ryan Goon, Michael Compton) 3:32.40, 2. Northridge (Jerry Burciaga, Kurtis Hochstetler, Nolan Rhodes, Hunter Johnson) 3:41.00; High Jump – 1. Austin Healey (N) 5-10, 2. David Goon (W) 5-8, 3. Jacob Wargo (N) 5-8; Pole Vault – 1. Josh Rheinheimer (N) 14-4*, 2. Devin Puckett (N) 12-0, 3. Jeffrey Coulter (W) 11-6; Long Jump – 1. Austin Healey (N) 19-6.5, 2. Nathan Kolbe (W) 18-8.25, 3. Caleb Klusman (W) 18-8; Discus – 1. Andrew Scheidt (W) 126-11.5, 2. Tim Perkey (W) 122-0, 3. Cody Howell (N) 107-10.5; Shot Put – 1. Ben Plummer (W) 44-4, 2. Joshua Hueber (W) 41-0, 3. Michael Fickert (N) 40-6
* – Northridge School Record[[In-content Ad]]
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