Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
NAPPANEE - Three teams got together to compete in a girls track meet Thursday that happened to be in the Northern Lakes Conference. That's about where the similarities stop.
NorthWood, the host school, is a veteran team looking for an NLC Championship and competing for this year. Warsaw is a young, middle-of-the pack NLC team looking at this season as a year for improvements before opening eyes next year. Concord is a cellar dweller in the NLC just trying to get to where Warsaw is.
That difference in philosophy played itself out in the final score as NorthWood scored 84 points to run away with the meet. The Tigers finished second with 42.5 points, and Goshen ended third with 28.5 points.
"We told the girls that we wanted to make a statement tonight," NorthWood head coach Kirt Hunsberger said. "The kids were ready tonight, and they gave it up on the field."
Hunsberger went on to say that his team had personal bests in almost every event, including the 3200 relay in which the Panthers broke the school record. Angie Callander, Teri Schuller, Brooke Tobias and Cort Sandy ran a 10:34.3, which is almost 12 seconds faster than any time in the area this year.
Kelli Andrews anchored the sprints for the Panthers, Grace Bonewitz the hurdles and Brooke Tobias the distance events.
Andrews won the 100 and the 200, Bonewitz won both hurdles events, and Tobias rounded it out with wins in the 1600 and 3200. In all, NorthWood won 12 events, while Warsaw won just two and Goshen one.
"We're trying to fill some holes, and I think we did that tonight," Hunsberger said. "Things are falling into place."
Warsaw ran well, but the Tigers just didn't have the speed to match up with NorthWood yet. Warsaw first-place finishes came in the 800, in which Summer Boyd just beat NorthWood freshman Cort Sandy, and the 1600 relay, in which Warsaw beat NorthWood by three seconds. The relay win was run by Amy Robertson, Brittne Raber, Rachel Cullison and Boyd.
The Tigers had some other strong showings, like Boyd's second-place finish in the 1600, Ashlee Bouse's runner-up performance in the 300 hurdles and the 400 relay team that ended second. Also, Hillary Barlow ran well in the 3200, ending second, and Ginny Gardonio placed well in both the shot put and the discus.
"I'm real happy," Warsaw coach Doug Ogle said. "Now we've beaten Goshen and Plymouth and almost Concord. Last year at this time, I was wondering what it would take to reach the top of the NLC. NorthWood's a senior dominated team, and if Northridge is getting some scoring from seniors, we'll be in the thick of things for the next three years."
NorthWood is now 7-0 and 3-0 in the NLC. Warsaw (2-4, 2-2 NLC) will compete in the Churubusco Invite Saturday at 9 a.m.
NORTHWOOD 84, WARSAW 42.5, GOSHEN 28.5
1600 - 1. Brooke Tobias (NW) 5:33, 2. Summer Boyd (W), 3. Cort Sandy (NW)
400 - 1. Angie Callander (NW) 1:05.16, 2. Heather Holdreed (G), 3. Brittine Raber (W)
300 hurdles - 1. Grace Bonewitz (WN) :49.22, 2. Ashley Bouse (W), 3. Kelly MIller (G)
800 - 1. Summer Boyd (W) 2:35.17, 2. Cort Sandy (NW), 3. Rachel Cullison (W)
200 - 1. Kelli Andrews (NW) :27.12, 2. Lindsay Carlin (NW), 3. Bobbi Wildman (W)
3200 - 1. Brooke Tobias (NW) 12:33, 2. Hillary Barlow (W), 3. Cort Sandy (NW)
high jump - 1. Shelly Stichter (NW) 5-0, 2. Erin Cook (W), 3. Heather Kramer (G)
long jump - 1. Latt Bounmythavong (NW) 16-8, 2. Jessica Theis (G), 3. Erin Cook (W)
shot put - 1. Renee Atkins (G) 33-5.5, 2. Ginny Gardonio (W), 3. Natalie Nunemaker (NW)
discus - 1. Adria Almager (NW) 107-11, 2. Faith Gonzalez (W) 107-2.5, 3. Renee Atkins (G)
100 hurdles - 1. Grace Bonewitz (NW) :15.63, 2. Kelly Miller (G), 3. Ashley Bouse (W)
100 - 1. Kelli Andrews (NW) :12.64, 2. Lindsay Carlin (NW), 3. Kim Yoder (NW)
3200 relay - 1. NorthWood (Angie Callander, Teri Schuller, Brooke Tobias, Cort Sandy) 10:34.3 school record, 2. Goshen
400 relay - 1. NorthWood (Grace Bonewitz, Lindsay Carlin, Latt Bounmythavong, Kelli Andrews) :51.73, 2. Warsaw
1600 relay - 1. Warsaw (Amy Robertson, Brittne Raber, Rachel Cullison, Summer Boyd) 4:23, 2. NorthWood
