Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
GOSHEN - It's not that Jerid Stoffel wanted his Wawasee boys cross country team to take it easy during Tuesday's sectional at Ox Bow Park, but the fourth-year coach admitted the Warriors' focus is on Saturday.
Led by senior Ryan Smythe's fifth-place individual finish, the Warriors finished third out of 12 teams and advanced to Saturday morning's regional.
"Today was a stepping stone," said Stoffel. "We didn't want to just jog or take it easy, but our focus is on Saturday. All year long we've been running for Saturday. We're happy to finish third. We were close to Elkhart Memorial. We wanted to score 100 and we got 68. I'm pretty happy."
Northridge won the boys team championship with a five-man score of 34. Elkhart Memorial was the runner-up with 60 points, followed by Wawasee (68), Warsaw (110) and Concord (161) in the top five.
The top five teams, as well as the top 15 individuals, advanced to Saturday's regional. Joining the Wawasee and Warsaw boys Saturday will be the Warsaw girls, who finished third out of 12 teams with 109 points. Wawasee's girls team finished eighth with 214 points and had no individuals advance.
Smythe, who has missed races this season with sore hamstrings, led all local boys and girls with his fifth-place finish in a time of 16:27.
"I think I can finish top 15 in the state," said Smythe. "I just have to stay healthy. Last year it was pneumonia, this year it was hamstrings. I'm healthy right now. Today was easy for me. I think this team can go to state, maybe finish in the top three at state. We prove it in practice everyday."
Ross Stichter finished eighth for Wawasee in a time of 16:35. Wawasee's other scoring runners were Jose Mejia (15th, 17:05), Haven Hoffman (18th, 17:17) and Doug Slabaugh (22nd, 17:26).
Senior Matt Campbell led Warsaw with a 10th-place finish in a time of 16:48.
"Matt ran the way he has all season," said Warsaw boys coach Jim Mills. "He's been solid for us."
Brian Donovan was the second Tiger to cross the line, finishing 20th in a time of 17:21.
Other scoring runners for Warsaw included Cody Goshert (25th, 17:40), Nathaniel West (27th, 17:42) and Alex Kurosky (28th, 17:43).
As for the fourth-place finish as a team, Mills said, "That's probably where we belong. We had a couple guys that didn't run that well. We're going to have to run better to get out Saturday."
Elkhart Memorial's Jaurice Dye won finished first in the 5,000-meter boys race, setting a new sectional course record time of 15:42. Northridge's Loren Spirito was second in a time of 15:50.
In the girls race, Warsaw sophomore Erica Ridderman led all local finishers with a seventh-place time of 15:21.
"Erica ran a great race," said Warsaw girls coach Jerry Gackenheimer. "She's been solid all season. We're excited about finishing third. The girls ran and competed well today. We're going to work the next three days on being mentally ready and see if we can run a little bit better Saturday and advance to semistate."
Ashley Henry was the second Warsaw girl to finish the 4,000-meter race, crossing the line 18th in a time of 16:25.
Other scoring runners for the Warsaw girls included Lindsay Houvener (22nd, 16:30), Sarah Espinosa (29th, 16:49) and Val Leek (33rd, 17:04).
Led by Hannah Miller's first-place time of 14:54, Northridge won the girls team championship with a score of 20 points. Northridge's Aimee Gingerich was second, two seconds behind her teammate.
Goshen was second as a team with 86 points, followed in the top five by Warsaw (109), Concord (119) and Elkhart Central (137).
Ashlee Pollen led Wawasee with a 30th-place time of 16:52, while teammate Danyl Wallace was 41st in a time of 17:40.
Other scoring runners for Wawasee's girls team included Lydia Karns (42nd, 17:48), Catherine Gilnter (48th, 18:06) and Katie Hasse (53rd, 18:14).
Saturday's regional at Ox Bow Park gets underway with the girls race at 9:30 a.m., followed by the boys race at 10 a.m.
The top five teams, as well as the top 15 individuals, will advance from the regional to the semistate.
2006 SECTIONAL
Ox Bow Park
(GIRLS)
Team scores - Northridge 20, Goshen 86, Warsaw 109, Concord 119, Elkhart Central 137, Elkhart Memorial 145, Jimtown 158, Wawasee 214, NorthWood 228, Fairfield 245, Elkhart Christian 345, Bethany Christian 367
Warsaw finishers - 7. Erica Ridderman 15:21, 18. Ashley Henry 16:25, 22. Lindsay Houvener 16:30, 29. Sarah Espinosa 16:49, 33. Val Leek 17:04, 40. Katie McNulty 17:39, 45. Lauren Smolen 17:56
Wawasee finishers - 30. Ashlee Pollen 16:52, 41. Danyl Wallace 17:40, 42. Lydia Karns 17:48, 48. Catherine Giltner 18:06, 53. Katie Hasse 18:14, 57. Jessica Goldsmith 18:29, 58. Ellie Gilbert 18:35
(BOYS)
Team scores - Northridge 34, Elkhart Memorial 60, Wawasee 68, Warsaw 110, Concord 161, Elkhart Central 178, Elkhart Christian 212, Goshen 228, NorthWood 240, Bethany Christian 245, Fairfield 255, Jimtown 346
Warsaw finishers - 10. Matt Campbell 16:48, 20. Brian Donovan 17:21, 25. Cody Goshert 17:40, 27. Nathaniel West 17:42, 28. Alex Kurosky 17:43, 43. John Tabor 18:04, 55. Jeremiah Stichter 18:31
Wawasee finishers - 5. Ryan Smythe 16:27, 8. Ross Stichter 16:35, 15. Jose Mejia 17:05, 18. Haven Hoffman 17:17, 22. Doug Slabaugh 17:26, 29. Jared Wurtzel 17:44, 49. Scott Gingerich 18:13
