For good reason, Matt Campbell is excited about the future of Warsaw’s girls cross country program. And for good reason, the first-year coach is excited about Saturday’s state finals. Without a senior in the lineup, the sixth-ranked Lady Tigers finished third out of 20 teams in last week’s New Prairie Semistate. The young and talented group will compete against 23 other teams tomorrow in the 34th annual girls state finals, which will be held at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course in Terre Haute. The girls 5K race is scheduled for 1 p.m., followed by the 69th annual boys state finals at 1:45 p.m. “Our goal is to finish in the top 10 (teams),” said Campbell. “We’re going after that. We’re hoping we saved our best race for our last race. The weather could be iffy, all we can ask of the girls is they bring their best effort.” The field of teams for the girls state finals includes 20 of the 24 teams that competed in last year’s season-ending meet, including top-ranked and four-time defending state champion Carmel. The list of competitors also includes 16 of last year’s top 20 runners. Headlining the list of runners is Mishawaka senior Anna Rohrer, who won the state championship two years ago as a sophomore but missed last year’s race because of an injury. The boys 5K race features 14 teams that competed at state in 2013, including two-time defending champion Carmel. The Warsaw Lady Tigers’ postseason run includes winning sectional and regional championships on back-to-back Saturdays at Culver Academies, followed by the third-place finish in the New Prairie Semistate. “We’re pretty excited about the future, and we’re really focusing on a top 5 next year,” said Campbell. “But we’re pretty excited about this weekend, too. We’re definitely looking to get in the top 10, maybe have an outside chance at a podium finish.” Warsaw’s semistate lineup included sophomore Allison Miller in fourth place, as well as freshman Mia Beckham (21st), juniors Emma Hayward (21st), Brooke Rhodes (26th) and Hannah Dawson (41st) and sophomore Charlene Orr (64th). Before finishing fourth at New Prairie, Miller won sectional and regional titles at Culver Academies. “We’re not really placing expectations on her,” Campbell said of what he wants out of Miller Saturday. “We’re just going after a top 25, which is All-State. We just want her and all the girls to give it their all and run a good race.” Miller finished 50th in last year’s state finals as a freshman, while the Lady Tigers finished 21st as a team.
