GOSHEN – First-year Warsaw girls cross country coach Matt Campbell needed just one word to describe Saturday’s one-point loss to Northridge in the Northern Lakes Conference championship meet at Ox Bow Park – heartbreaking. The feeling was similar for coach Jim Mills and his Warsaw boys team, which also finished second, losing to Goshen by a mere two points. “In a word, heartbreaking,” said Campbell. “We didn’t want to share the conference championship.” After Saturday’s second-place finish, however, the seventh-ranked Lady Tigers will do just that with the No. 14 Lady Raiders. Northridge, which was 6-1 in the regular-season NLC standings, won the race at Ox Bow Park with 32 points, while previously unbeaten Warsaw scored 33. Elkhart Memorial’s Brooke Moore won the girls 5K race in a time of 18:51.52, and then the next 10 finisers were from Warsaw or Northridge, as the two teams dominated the event. Goshen finished third in the girls team standings with 112 points, followed by Concord (120), Wawasee (123), Plymouth (151), Elkhart Memorial (187) and NorthWood (197). “I hope this lights a fire in the girls,” said Campbell. “I hope this helps us moving forward.” Northridge’s five scoring runners finished second, fourth, seventh, ninth and 10th. Morgan Blyly led the Lady Raiders with a time of 19:23. For the Lady Tigers, Hannah Dawson (19:31.54) finished third, Allison Miller (19:44.41) was fifth, Anna Craig (19:44.75) was sixth, Mia Beckham (19:59.82) finished eighth and Brooke Rhodes (20:11.12) was 11th. Emma Hayward (20:52.16) and Claire Kehler (20:53.71) rounded out Warsaw’s lineup by finishing 16th and 18th, respectively, in the 55-person girls race. Courtney Linnemeier led the Wawasee Lady Warriors with a 20th-place time of 21:04.32. The rest of Wawasee’s lineup included Sarah Harden (21:05.88) in 21st, Aubrey Kuhn (21:11.68) in 24th, Yanelly Pizana (21:37.88) in 26th, Elizabeth Zorn (21:54.09) in 32nd, Reagan Atwood (22:13.99) in 36th and Molly Swartz (22:32.84) in 40th place. On the boys side, there aren’t co-champions, as Goshen finished 7-0 in the regular season and backed that up by scoring 54 points Saturday. The Tigers were 6-1 in the regular season and finished a close runner-up at Ox Bow Park with 56 points. Mills, a straight-shooter when it comes to answering questions, felt like his team should have beat Goshen in both the regular season and in the conference meet. He, however, was left disappointed both times. “Tuesday (in the regular season meet) I think the guys felt like they could just coast,” said Mills. “What killed us today was Owen (Glogovsky). It’s not his fault, but that killed us. There’s no way our top runner is the 17th-best runner in this conference. I’m proud of our 3-4-5 runners, they came to race today, but that 17th-place finish hurt us.” Glogovsky, who has been battling illness, finished 17th in a time of 17:43.58. He has been the Tigers’ top runner this season and has won numerous races. “There’s no way he’s the 17th-best runner in this conference,” said Mills. “Even on a bad day he’s better than that. We think he’s still dealing with a sinus infection that bothered him last week. That’s the only explanation I can come up with.” Daniel Messenger led Warsaw with a fifth-place time of 17:09.85. The rest of the Tigers’ lineup included Jon Beres (17:27.97) in fifth, Lucas Howett (17:29.75) in 10th, Jacob Deboest (17:41.58) in 15th, T.J. Day (18:00.82) in 28th and Avery Torres (18:27.39) in 36th place among the 56 runners. Northridge’s Conner Sandt won the boys 5K race in a time of 16:38.98, followed by Goshen runners Shawn Graves and Gerardo Abad in second and third, respectively. Goshen won the team race Saturday as Lane Graves, Juan Perez and Jason Barahona finished eighth, 19th and 22nd. Northridge finished third with 68 points, followed by NorthWood (107), Elkhart Memorial (109), Wawasee (121), Concord (164) and Plymouth (240). Zach Cockrill led Wawasee with a fourth-place time of 17:00.29. He was the only Warrior in the top 20. Troy Carolus (17:54.79) finished 25th, while Jaxon Bame (17:57.63) was 26th, Brady Robinson (18:17.22) was 32nd, Eric Diaz (18:24.62) was 34th, Sam Griner (19:02.42) was 44th and Stori Bright (19:13.35) finished 47th. Warsaw’s boys and girls teams will be in action again Saturday in the sectional at Culver Academy, while Wawasee’s runners will competed the same day in the sectional at Ox Bow Park.
NORTHERN LAKES CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS (Ox Bow Park, 5K)
GIRLS Team Scores – Northridge 32, Warsaw 33, Goshen 112, Concord 120, Wawasee 123, Plymouth 151, Elkhart Memorial 187, NorthWood 197 Top 15 Individuals – 1. Brooke Moore (EM) 18:51.52, 2. Morgan Blyly (NR) 19:23.05, 3. Hannah Dawson (War) 19:31.54, 4. McKenzie Love (NR) 19:41.04, 5. Allison Miller (War) 19:44.41, 6. Anna Craig (War) 19:44.75, 7. Mackenzie Adams (NR) 19:48.27, 8. Mia Beckham (War) 19:59.82, 9. Mariah King (NR) 20:06.83, 10. Brianna Eggleston (NR) 20:07.45, 11. Brooke Rhodes (War) 20:11.12, 12. Nora Rangel (Gosh) 20:40.05, 13. Tricia Place (Gosh) 20:41.98, 14. Jenna Miller (NR) 20:42.75. 15. Anna Nisen (Con) 20:48.81 Other NR runners – 31. Hanna Durbin 21:54.03 Other Warsaw runners – 16. Emma Hayward 20:52.16, 18. Claire Kehler 20:53.71 Wawasee – 20. Courtney Linnemeier 21:04.32, 21. Sarah Harden 21:05.88, 24. Aubrey Kuhn 21:11.68, 26. Yanelly Pizana 21:37.88, 32. Elizabeth Zorn 21:54.09, 36. Reagan Atwood 22:13.99, 40. Molly Swartz 22:32.84 Regular Season Standings – Warsaw 7-0, Northridge 6-1, Goshen 5-2, Wawasee 4-3, Concord 3-4, Plymouth 2-5, NorthWood 1-6, Memorial 0-7
BOYS Team Scores – Goshen 54, Warsaw 56, Northridge 68, NorthWood 107, Elkhart Memorial 109, Wawasee 121, Concord 164, Plymouth 240 Top 15 Individuals – 1. Conner Sandt (NR) 16:38.98, 2. Shawn Graves (Gosh) 16:52.85, 3. Gerardo Abad (Gosh) 16:55.91, 4. Zach Cockrill (Wawa) 17:00.29, 5. Daniel Messenger (War) 17:09.60, 6. Nolan Rhodes (NR) 17:11.28, 7. Ryan Price (NW) 17:21.36, 8. Lane Graves (Gosh) 17:27.36, 9. Jon Beres (War) 17:27.97, 10. Lucas Howett (War) 17:29.75, 11. Dominic Proffitt (Con) 17:34.34, 12. Justin Sellers (EM) 17:37.54, 13. Emanuel Olvera (NW) 17:39.36, 14. Austin Clark (NR) 17:39.90, 15. Jacob Deboest (War) 17:41.58 Other Goshen runners – 19. Juan Perez 17:48.76, 22. Jason Barahona 17:49.87, 35. Joel Byler 18:25.11, 37. Jaime Castillo 18:33.12 Other Warsaw runners – 17. Owen Glogovskey 17:43.58, 28. T.J. Day 18:00.82, 36. Avery Torres 18:27.39 Wawasee – 4. Zach Cockrill 17:00.29, 25. Troy Carolus 17:54.79, 26. Jaxon Bame 17:57.63, 32. Brady Robinson 18:17.22, 34. Eric Diaz 18:24.62, 44. Sam Griner 19:02.42, 47. Stori Bright 19:13.35 Regular Season Standings – Goshen 7-0, Warsaw 6-1, Memorial 5-2, Nothridge 4-3, Northwood 3-4, Wawasee 2-5, Concord 1-6, Plymouth 0-7
