Warsaw Track And Field Enjoys Busy Weekend

April 23, 2023 at 8:15 p.m.
Warsaw Track And Field Enjoys Busy Weekend
Warsaw Track And Field Enjoys Busy Weekend

By Chip Davenport-

MISHAWAKA – Recent trends in track and field invitationals afford deep programs the chance to split ranks to assign their best competitors to the invitationals affording them the chance to showcase more specific talents.

Warsaw’s boys’ and girls’ distance runners participated in the Carmel 3200 Showcase Friday night, an event whose caveat allows the state’s top distance runners to gauge their progress in one location before the postseason journey to the state meet begins in 3 ½ weeks.

Warsaw’s girls’ track and field athletes who did not participate in the Friday showcase demonstrated the program’s depth with a third-place finish on a blustery Saturday at the 2023 Penn Lady Kingsmen Invite. The Lady Tigers scored 74.5 points, topped only by runner-up and host Penn (92), and the 2023 invite champion Valparaiso Vikings (159).

High tides raise all ships, and the Warsaw boys’ distance runners, nine in total, each finished with personal records in the 8-lap race.

Tyler Mimnaugh (9:26.13), and Ryun Hoffert (9:40.92) ran races moving upward in their standing among all-time top 3200-meter Tiger runners. Jackson Gackenheimer set Warsaw’s freshman record once again with a 9:43.95 finish.

Josefina Rastrelli competed against the best of the best in the final race of the showcase event under the lights of Carmel Stadium.  Not to be outdone by every other Warsaw runner, Joey clocked in a 10:45 time, resetting her personal best and improving upon her #2 all-time Warsaw ranking. Historically a top-5 time and, given the level of competition this placed Joey #10 in the field.  This performance qualifies Joey for the US Nike Outdoor Nationals and is deemed as meeting the US Gold (first team) standard.  Sammi Rastrelli ran to a third place finish in her heat, crushing her previous best by 1 minute, running an 11:45 race.  This puts Sammi in the #5 freshman and #13 all-time spots. Eden Metz continues to show the training continues to develop these young runners, running a new best of 11:57 (#21 All-time). Junior Elizabeth Vanderbie set a season best with her 12:15 performance, #11 all-time junior. Maddi Lezark turned it on to improve on her previous marks, setting a new personal record of 12:41.

The boys’ track and field squad travels to the oval at Concord High School’s Jake Field to battle the Minutemen and the Northridge Raiders in a Northern Lakes Conference meet Wednesday 5:30 p.m.

Warsaw’s third place finish Saturday at Penn High School was rather impressive considering the squad’s top distance runners did not join their teammates for the meet. Warsaw would typically be in elite company finishing among the top three among the 4 X 800-meter relay, the 1600-meter run, and the 800-meter run, possibly eclipsing Penn for runner up for those wondering about the what-ifs.

Camryn Burner showcased the “burn” in her surname clinching the Lady Tigers’ lone first place finish in the 100-meter dash (12.7 sec.). Burner also added a third-place finish anchoring the 400-meter relay team with Mikayla Mimnaugh, Addison Williams, and Annie Scholl (51.87 sec.) Burner rounded out the day with a fourth-place performance in the 200-meter dash (27.57 sec.)

Abbi Kohler’s (discus, 113-09.5) and Ali Barkey (400m dash, 1:01.38) earned runner up honors in their noted events. Barkey also ran the first leg of Warsaw’s third place 1600-meter relay teamed with Madison Smalley, Ella Laput, and Mimnaugh (4:22.22).

Smalley added a fourth-place finish in the 400-meter dash (1:03.22) while Mimnaugh contributed additional points with a fourth place showing in the 800-meter run (2:24).

Erika Bugg (long jump, 15-11.5), and Ellianna Transparenti (pole vault) added fourth place scoring for the Lady Tigers. Transparenti’s 9-6 vault matched Warsaw teammate Anna Bazzoni’s height, but placement finish was awarded on fewer missed vaults.

Macy Bonifield (fifth, discus, 102-00.5), and Leila Knepp (sixth, long jump, 15-9.5; tie for eighth, high jump, 4-6) rounded out the Lady Tigers scoring at the 2023 Lady Kingsmen Invitational.

The Lady Tigers will celebrate Senior Night at the oval on Fisher Field Tuesday 5:30 p.m. where they’ll host Northridge and Goshen in a NLC meet.

MISHAWAKA – Recent trends in track and field invitationals afford deep programs the chance to split ranks to assign their best competitors to the invitationals affording them the chance to showcase more specific talents.

Warsaw’s boys’ and girls’ distance runners participated in the Carmel 3200 Showcase Friday night, an event whose caveat allows the state’s top distance runners to gauge their progress in one location before the postseason journey to the state meet begins in 3 ½ weeks.

Warsaw’s girls’ track and field athletes who did not participate in the Friday showcase demonstrated the program’s depth with a third-place finish on a blustery Saturday at the 2023 Penn Lady Kingsmen Invite. The Lady Tigers scored 74.5 points, topped only by runner-up and host Penn (92), and the 2023 invite champion Valparaiso Vikings (159).

High tides raise all ships, and the Warsaw boys’ distance runners, nine in total, each finished with personal records in the 8-lap race.

Tyler Mimnaugh (9:26.13), and Ryun Hoffert (9:40.92) ran races moving upward in their standing among all-time top 3200-meter Tiger runners. Jackson Gackenheimer set Warsaw’s freshman record once again with a 9:43.95 finish.

Josefina Rastrelli competed against the best of the best in the final race of the showcase event under the lights of Carmel Stadium.  Not to be outdone by every other Warsaw runner, Joey clocked in a 10:45 time, resetting her personal best and improving upon her #2 all-time Warsaw ranking. Historically a top-5 time and, given the level of competition this placed Joey #10 in the field.  This performance qualifies Joey for the US Nike Outdoor Nationals and is deemed as meeting the US Gold (first team) standard.  Sammi Rastrelli ran to a third place finish in her heat, crushing her previous best by 1 minute, running an 11:45 race.  This puts Sammi in the #5 freshman and #13 all-time spots. Eden Metz continues to show the training continues to develop these young runners, running a new best of 11:57 (#21 All-time). Junior Elizabeth Vanderbie set a season best with her 12:15 performance, #11 all-time junior. Maddi Lezark turned it on to improve on her previous marks, setting a new personal record of 12:41.

The boys’ track and field squad travels to the oval at Concord High School’s Jake Field to battle the Minutemen and the Northridge Raiders in a Northern Lakes Conference meet Wednesday 5:30 p.m.

Warsaw’s third place finish Saturday at Penn High School was rather impressive considering the squad’s top distance runners did not join their teammates for the meet. Warsaw would typically be in elite company finishing among the top three among the 4 X 800-meter relay, the 1600-meter run, and the 800-meter run, possibly eclipsing Penn for runner up for those wondering about the what-ifs.

Camryn Burner showcased the “burn” in her surname clinching the Lady Tigers’ lone first place finish in the 100-meter dash (12.7 sec.). Burner also added a third-place finish anchoring the 400-meter relay team with Mikayla Mimnaugh, Addison Williams, and Annie Scholl (51.87 sec.) Burner rounded out the day with a fourth-place performance in the 200-meter dash (27.57 sec.)

Abbi Kohler’s (discus, 113-09.5) and Ali Barkey (400m dash, 1:01.38) earned runner up honors in their noted events. Barkey also ran the first leg of Warsaw’s third place 1600-meter relay teamed with Madison Smalley, Ella Laput, and Mimnaugh (4:22.22).

Smalley added a fourth-place finish in the 400-meter dash (1:03.22) while Mimnaugh contributed additional points with a fourth place showing in the 800-meter run (2:24).

Erika Bugg (long jump, 15-11.5), and Ellianna Transparenti (pole vault) added fourth place scoring for the Lady Tigers. Transparenti’s 9-6 vault matched Warsaw teammate Anna Bazzoni’s height, but placement finish was awarded on fewer missed vaults.

Macy Bonifield (fifth, discus, 102-00.5), and Leila Knepp (sixth, long jump, 15-9.5; tie for eighth, high jump, 4-6) rounded out the Lady Tigers scoring at the 2023 Lady Kingsmen Invitational.

The Lady Tigers will celebrate Senior Night at the oval on Fisher Field Tuesday 5:30 p.m. where they’ll host Northridge and Goshen in a NLC meet.
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