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Heading into the boys track sectional, Warsaw is in an enviable position. The Tigers have not lost a dual meet all season.
In fact, the Warsaw has not lost a dual meet in the past two seasons.
Go back a little further, and the Tigers have only lost two meets in the three seasons Troy Akers has been Warsaw's head coach.
As the head girls track coach at Wawasee, Akers was undefeated in his last three seasons, won three Northern Lakes Conference Championships, two sectionals, and two regionals.
However, Akers is reluctant to take credit for the success of his teams.
"In the last six years, I have been blessed with good athletes," said Akers. "But the neat thing about track is the way it is so diverse. Many people think the coach just goes out and blows a whistle and grabs a stop watch, but that is not true."
Along with having great athletes, Akers credits much of his teams' successes to his assistant coaches.
"The assistants help make my job much easier," said Akers. "My main responsibility is overseeing the program. We joke around and I tell them that they make things easy because all I have to do is make sure the kids get to the track.
"We have excellent coaches this year in particular. They deserve most of the credit for where we're at."
This year, Warsaw has two assistant coaches and two volunteer assistants. Jim Mills coaches the distance runners while Gary Fribley coaches the throwing events. Jeff Scheetz assists the pole vaulters, and Herb Duncan helps out with every aspect of the track team.
"Our distance coach Jim Mills is in his first year as a assistant, and he has a lot of experience to lend to our runners," said Akers. "His expertise has definitely helped our team.
"Field events are another story. They are so diverse that many teams have a separate coach for them. We are lucky to have Gary Fribley's experience in our corner. He's been here through five different head coaches, and he is very good technically. Under him, our technical skills have excelled under him.
"Jeff Scheetz volunteered a couple nights a week last year and helped with the pole vault. He decided to learn as much as he could from local experts, and he has really helped Corey Gackenheimer and his son Zach come a long way this season."
"Herb's son ran track for us the past three year and he graduated, but Herb came back this year and still wanted to be a part of it," said Akers. "What he does is invaluable. He's great."
Akers does a little more than "make sure the kids get to the track". He coaches the sprinters, hurdlers and high jumpers.
He also has a clear-cut goal for sectionals.
"At this time of year, coaches focus on getting as many individuals to state as possible," said Akers. "We move away from worrying about the team score and focus on putting the kids in positions where they will be most successful."
At this year's sectional, Akers feels that the 3200 relay team is the team to watch. After polacing fourth at the state meet last year, three of the four runners have returned. Justin Rice, Greg Seiss, and Jon Dock will be returning to the relay along with newcomer Juan Garcia and alternates Adam Conley and Rob Peters. David Hoffert, the fourth member of last year's team, graduated and ran at Anderson University this year.
Akers also feels that Seiss and Rice will fare well in individual events along with Scheetz in pole vault, Justin Bellamy in high jump, Wes Rodman and Steve Fribley in shot put, and Jerrod Leasure and Ryan Brennan in the discus competition.
In the team competition, Akers hopes to see his team in the top three or four.
Warsaw, NorthWood, and Wawasee will hit the track against Bethany Christian, Concord, Elkhart Central, Elkhart Memorial, Fairfield, Goshen, Howe Military, Jimtown and Northridge Thursday in Goshen.
