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GOSHEN - On paper, on her black T-shirt and most impressively on the course, Wawasee senior Rachel Stichter was the class of the field in Thursday's Northern Lakes Conference Meet at Ox Bow Park.
On paper, she was favored to win her fourth NLC championship, and on the 4,000-meter course she did just that.
Stichter, who after the race wore a black T-shirt with the message "fastest feet in the meet" printed on the back, won the girls race in a recordtime of 14:13. Her winning time beat her own record time of 14:20 set last year.
"I'm happy with the time," said Stichter, who Tuesday will run for her fourth sectional championship at Ox Bow Park. "It feels good (to win four NLC championships). We finally got runner-up as a team. We've been trying for the last four years to do that. I'm happy about that. We're finally getting stronger as a team."
Stichter is just the second girl in conference history to win four individual cross country championships, joining Northridge's Jolene Williams, who won titles from 1992-95. No boys harrier has ever won four individual conference championships.
Northridge junior Megan Jackson was the runner-up Thursday, finishing 25 seconds behind Stichter. Northridge's Jessie LaFree finished third, followed in the top five by teammate Aimee Gingerich and Plymouth's Julie Rodriguez.
Fifty-six runners competed in the race - seven runners from each of the eight NLC schools. The worst finish for Northridge, currently ranked second in the state poll, was freshman Karissa Cominator's 14th-place time of 16:21.
Just as Stichter made her individual championship look effortless, Northridge cruised to the team title with a score of 22 points. Combined with their 7-0 dual meet record, the Raiders won at least a share of the overall conference championship for the 14th time in 15 years. Northridge and Plymouth shared the crown in 1991, while Warsaw won the title in 2000.
Other team scores Thursday included Wawasee with 88 points, followed by Concord (114), Elkhart Memorial (115), Goshen (126), Warsaw (141), NorthWood (141) and Plymouth (141).
Sophomore Lindsey Houvener led Warsaw to a sixth-place finish with her individual 10th-place finish in a time of 16:10.
"I'm pleased with sixth place," said Warsaw girls coach Jerry Gackenheimer. "I'm pleased, but I'm not satisfied. After the dual meet season, we were tied for seventh, so we improved. We're going to grow the program and do better next year."
Warsaw's seven-person girls lineup Thursday included one senior, one freshman and five sophomores.
Freshman Catherine Giltner was the second Warrior to finish, running the race in a 13th-place time of 16:20. Senior Jennifer Rietman was the second Tiger to cross the line, finishing in a 29th-place time of 17:38.
The boys race saw a little more drama, as Northridge had to fight off a strong effort from fourth-ranked Elkhart Memorial en route to its sixth-straight overall conference championship.
Memorial beat Northridge in the dual meet season, but with the Raiders winning Thursday's conference meet, the two teams share the overall title.
Northridge, led by Braxton Fritz's second straight conference championship, scored 24 points to win Thursday's 5,000-meter boys race. Memorial was second with 41 points, followed by Goshen (86), Wawasee (116), Plymouth (131), Warsaw (133), Concord (201) and NorthWood (223).
Following Fritz in the top five were Northridge's Ken Collins, Memorial's Brent Mravec, Northridge's Ladd Mercer and Memorial's Jaurice Dye.
Freshman Ryan Smythe led Wawasee with a sixth-place time of 16:36. Sophomore Doug Slabaugh was the second Warrior to finish, running the race in a 21st-place time of 17:32.
Junior Kyle McNulty led the sixth-place Tigers, finishing 17th in a time of 17:26. Teammate Matt Campbell was one spot and one second behind him.
Both the boys and girls teams from Warsaw and Wawasee will be at Ox Box Park again Tuesday for the sectional.
GIRLS
Team scores - Northridge 22, Wawasee 88, Concord 114, Memorial 115, Goshen 126, Warsaw 141, NorthWood 141, Plymouth 148
Wawasee finishers - #1. Rachel Stichter 14:13, 13. Catherine Giltner 16:20, 21. Havilah Rensberger 17:05, 25. Ashlee Pollen 17:14, 28. Danyl Wallace 17:33, 44. Katie Hasse 18:22, 46. Abby Gilbert 18:43
Warsaw finishers - 10. Lindsey Houvener 16:10, 29. Jennifer Rietman 17:38, 31. Ashley Henry 17:42, 35. Katie Furnivall 18:04, 36. Laura McNulty 18:05, 37. Emily Tuggle 18:06, 53. Shelby Warner 19:33
BOYS
Team scores - Northridge 24, Memorial 41, Goshen 86, Wawasee 116, Plymouth 131, Warsaw 133, Concord 201, NorthWod 223
Wawasee finishers - 6. Ryan Smythe 16:36, 21. Doug Slabaugh 17:32, 23. John Adams 17:45, 32. Jared Wurtzel 18:18, 34. Austin Hasse 18:22, 42. Seth Blakeslee 18:54
Warsaw finishers - 17. Kyle McNulty 17:26, 18. Matt Campbell 17:27, 27. Steve Robinson 18:04, 35. David Compson 18:24, 36. Baxter Burnworth 18:31, 39. Alex Kurosky 18:41, 43. William Olds 19:03
