Over the last three weeks, Warsaw's boys track and field team has displayed what coach Matt Thacker called a "don't be afraid to fail attitude." The Tigers certainly haven't failed in the postseason thus far, as they won their first overall Northern Lakes Conference championship since 2001, their first sectional title since 2001 and their first regional championship since 1984. With the perfect blend of experience and youth, the Tigers have made Thacker's third year on the job a charm. "It's pretty amazing," Thacker said of his team's postseason success, most notably the one-point win over host Kokomo in last week's regional. "We took a don't be afraid to fail attitude into the conference meet, and it's continued from there. The guys bought into what we're trying to do. They believe in themselves, and they believe in each other." The Tigers hope to continue their postseason success Friday at the 108th annual state meet, which will begin at 3 p.m. at the Robert C. Haugh Track and Field Complex at Indiana University in Bloomington. "We felt like we had an opportunity to win conference," said Thacker. "We didn't think other people thought we could do it, and we felt a little disrespected. We used that as motivation, and the guys performed really well. And then we came out and won the sectional, and then the regional. I told the guys to give it their all, run with pride and passion. And they've done that." Warsaw will compete in four events at the state meet, while Wawasee will be in two events and Whitko and Machester will be represented in one event each. "We've doubled the number of events each year I've been the coach, so I'd love to compete in eight events at state next year," said Thacker. "We were in one event at state my first year, two last year, and four this year. The guys have bought into to what we're doing and we've improved each year." Individually for Warsaw, Stephen Kolbe will compete in the high jump, while Spencer Rheinhardt will be in the 800. Also competing will be the Tigers' 3,200 relay team of Scott Smyth, Trevor Callahan, Jacob Poyner and Rheinhardt, as well as the 1,600 relay team of Chad Goon, Ryan Goon, Wyatt Jones and Rheinhardt. For Wawasee, Nathan Cook will run the 110 hurdles event, while Ben Klaybor will compete in the high jump. Manchester will be represented in the 100-meter dash by Kegan McNeeley, while the 3,200 relay team of Jude Stieglitz, Brody Wilson, Brian Menzie and Trapper Mize will compete for Whitko. In Saturday's 38th annual girls track and field state finals, Warsaw will compete in three events, while Triton will be represented in the discus by Rochester Sectional and Bremen Regional champion Megan Howdeshell. Lauren Burish, who won the Warsaw Sectional and finished runner-up to Howdeshell at the regional, will represent the Lady Tigers in the discus. "Lauren Burish has done a great job improving, not only her technique but also her mental toughness," said Warsaw girls coach Scott Erba. "I'm really pleased with her improvement., and as the competition has gotten tougher so has she." Ashley Erba will compete in the 1,600, while Brooke Kline, Hannah Cutshall, Anna Bearss and Erbal will compete in the 3,200 relay. The 3,200 relay has been Warsaw's most successful event at the state meet as of late. A year ago, Kline and Erba teammed up with Lilly Fleming and Cendall Ogle to finish seventh. At last week's Bremen Regional, Kline, Cutshall, Bearss and Erba won in a time of 9:34.40, finishing four seconds ahead of runner-up Northridge. In last year's state meet, the Lady Tigers' foursome finished seven in a time of 9:26. Coach Erba thinks his current 3,200 relay team can get close to the time of last year's team. "That's the event we've had the most success in," said Scott Erba. "It's gonna take a great effort from this group to run the school record-time we did last year, but I think it's possible. We need to cut two seconds off each of the girls' time."
