Wawasee Wired For Regional
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
SYRACUSE - Excitement is in the air at the Wawasee High School track.
Why?
Maybe it's because the boys cross country team placed first in the sectional last week.
Maybe it's because it is the team's first sectional title in school history.
Or maybe it's because excitement is infectionus. These guys are just plain excited to be where they are.
The Warrior runners are not excited because they are surprised to be where they are - they've earned their spot at the top of the heap.
With honors including an NLC title and a 15-1 record, the Warrior cross country team has worked hard to get where it is.
"This is a hard-working team," said senior Curtis Shoemaker. "We're also a close-knit team."
Wawasee's boys cross country team does not just run together, they spend much of their free time together - by choice, not because they are forced to.
This team enjoys spending time together. They watch movies, they get together. They are a team, both in and out of competition.
All week, this team has prepared for what is to come.
Tuesday, they ran on the track. Wednesday, they traveled to Goshen to practice where they will run Saturday. Friday, the team plans to go to head coach Dave Stookey's house to have dinner and watch videos of themselves running.
"Basically, we are not doing anything drastically different from what we have been doing all season," said Stookey. "We are making a few adjustments, but what we have been doing has worked all year."
"We're trying not to think about what's ahead," said Jeff Moerchen, a senior. "We're just going to go out and run."
Even though the team is not making many changes, they have a clear-cut goal. They want to get out of the regional and move on to semistate.
"We want to get out of the regional and look forward to semistate," said freshman Curtis Farrell.
Wawasee will need to place in the top five at the regional in order to advance to the semistate. Like any other sport, the level of competition increases as the number of teams competing decrease.
"We've competed against most of the teams in the regional," said Stookey. "We haven't competed against DeKalb or East Noble."
DeKalb is probably more talented than most of the teams there, but it will be difficult to beat Goshen and the others as well.
"As teams advance to higher levels, the meets become more and more tense and exciting," Stookey said. "The teams that compete get better and better."
Pete Melendez has another goal for the team. "We plan to represent Wawasee well at the regional," he said.
"We have so many people who support us," said Stookey. "Our assistant coach, Kevin Gilbert, was a runner here at Wawasee 20 years ago, and he has really added to our team.
"From Mary Hurley, the athletic director, to parents, to the middle and elementary schools that help prepare the runners, we have many people to thank for our success."
WAWASEE CROSS COUNTRY LINEUPS
Boys: Last week's Elkhart Central Sectional times, places listed
Wawasee finished first
3. Rob Chalfant 17:12, 10. Jeff Moerchen 17:26, 15. Jerid Stoffel 17:52, 17. Pete Melendez 17:59, 37. Curtis Farrell 18:36, 46. Dustin Young 19:03, 55. Curtis Choemaker 19:40.
Girls: Last week's Elkhart Central Sectional times, places listed
9. Stephanie Huffman 16:05, 13. Megan Hoffman 16:27
Next: Wawsee's boys team and individual girls compete in Saturday's 10:30 a.m. Elkhart Central Regional. The top five teams and top 15 individuals will advance to semistate. [[In-content Ad]]
SYRACUSE - Excitement is in the air at the Wawasee High School track.
Why?
Maybe it's because the boys cross country team placed first in the sectional last week.
Maybe it's because it is the team's first sectional title in school history.
Or maybe it's because excitement is infectionus. These guys are just plain excited to be where they are.
The Warrior runners are not excited because they are surprised to be where they are - they've earned their spot at the top of the heap.
With honors including an NLC title and a 15-1 record, the Warrior cross country team has worked hard to get where it is.
"This is a hard-working team," said senior Curtis Shoemaker. "We're also a close-knit team."
Wawasee's boys cross country team does not just run together, they spend much of their free time together - by choice, not because they are forced to.
This team enjoys spending time together. They watch movies, they get together. They are a team, both in and out of competition.
All week, this team has prepared for what is to come.
Tuesday, they ran on the track. Wednesday, they traveled to Goshen to practice where they will run Saturday. Friday, the team plans to go to head coach Dave Stookey's house to have dinner and watch videos of themselves running.
"Basically, we are not doing anything drastically different from what we have been doing all season," said Stookey. "We are making a few adjustments, but what we have been doing has worked all year."
"We're trying not to think about what's ahead," said Jeff Moerchen, a senior. "We're just going to go out and run."
Even though the team is not making many changes, they have a clear-cut goal. They want to get out of the regional and move on to semistate.
"We want to get out of the regional and look forward to semistate," said freshman Curtis Farrell.
Wawasee will need to place in the top five at the regional in order to advance to the semistate. Like any other sport, the level of competition increases as the number of teams competing decrease.
"We've competed against most of the teams in the regional," said Stookey. "We haven't competed against DeKalb or East Noble."
DeKalb is probably more talented than most of the teams there, but it will be difficult to beat Goshen and the others as well.
"As teams advance to higher levels, the meets become more and more tense and exciting," Stookey said. "The teams that compete get better and better."
Pete Melendez has another goal for the team. "We plan to represent Wawasee well at the regional," he said.
"We have so many people who support us," said Stookey. "Our assistant coach, Kevin Gilbert, was a runner here at Wawasee 20 years ago, and he has really added to our team.
"From Mary Hurley, the athletic director, to parents, to the middle and elementary schools that help prepare the runners, we have many people to thank for our success."
WAWASEE CROSS COUNTRY LINEUPS
Boys: Last week's Elkhart Central Sectional times, places listed
Wawasee finished first
3. Rob Chalfant 17:12, 10. Jeff Moerchen 17:26, 15. Jerid Stoffel 17:52, 17. Pete Melendez 17:59, 37. Curtis Farrell 18:36, 46. Dustin Young 19:03, 55. Curtis Choemaker 19:40.
Girls: Last week's Elkhart Central Sectional times, places listed
9. Stephanie Huffman 16:05, 13. Megan Hoffman 16:27
Next: Wawsee's boys team and individual girls compete in Saturday's 10:30 a.m. Elkhart Central Regional. The top five teams and top 15 individuals will advance to semistate. [[In-content Ad]]