CULVER – Running under gray, overcast skies didn't stop Warsaw's boys and girls cross country teams from shining Saturday. Four days after the Tigers and Lady Tigers won sectional titles at Culver Academies in dominating fashion, both squads were the class of the field again at the regional. The top five teams, as well as the top 10 individuals not on an advancing team, qualified for the New Prairie Semistate. With all five scoring-runners among the first nine finishers, led by individual champion Ellis Coon, the 13th-ranked Warsaw boys won the team title with 20 points. Western was a distant second in the 10-team field with 78 points. It was the Tigers' second-straight regional title and third in program history. Triton finished ninth with 201 points. In the girls event, the 25th-ranked Lady Tigers' five scoring-runners all finished among the first 21 runners, as they won the championship with 57 points. Western was second with 74 points, while Rochester finished third with 94. For the Lady Tigers, the regional title was their second in program history and second in three years. The Triton Lady Trojans finished 10th with 287 points. (BOYS) Though he didn't divulge exactly what he said to his runners, veteran Warsaw boys coach Jim Mills admitted he had choice words for them at practice Friday. Call it a motivational speech. Whatever he said worked. “I got on them pretty good,” said Mills, who guided the Tigers to a fourth-place finish in last year's state finals. “I was the old Coach Mills for a while. I felt there were some things we needed to address. We need to get the ball on a roll. Today was a good day for that, and the guys responded.” Coon, a senior who also took first in Tuesday's sectional, won the 89-runner boys regional event in a time of 16:17. Sophomore teammate Owen Glogovsky (16:33) finished fourth, while senior Tyler Houvener (16:48) and juniors Daniel Messenger (16:50) and Nick Beregen (16:53) were sixth, seventh and ninth, respectively. Sophomore Jonathan Beres crossed the line 17th in a time of 17:16, while freshman Trenton Day (18:16) rounded out Warsaw's lineup with a 50th-place finish. “The guys ran great today,” said Mills. “Our top five guys were all in the 16s on a soft course. I wanted them closer today than they were in the sectional, and they did that. I've had confidence in these guys all season. A lot of people thought we might have a down year because of the guys we lost, but I thought we could be just as good. We're a little different, but I thought we could be just as good.” Coon, who is Warsaw's leader now that former All-State runners Jake Poyner (Wake Forest) and Robert Murphy (Vincennes) are running collegiately, acted as if he was more proud of Saturday's team accomplishment than his individual victory. “I didn't really feel like the favorite today,” said Coon, who finished eighth in last year's state finals. “I haven't done anything outstanding since (setting the school record at) Marion. The coolest part for me was having five guys up front at the mile mark. It was cool seeing my teammates up there with me. Our goal next week is getting the whole team to state. It wouldn't be as fun without the whole team there. I'd love to win the semistate, but it's more important to me to get the team back to state.” Following Warsaw and Western in the boys team standings were Kokomo (96), Rochester (114), Winamac (139), Culver Academies (170), Logansport (185), Plymouth (198), Triton (201) and Northwestern (215). Freshman Cordell Sherow led the ninth-place Triton Trojans with a 32nd-place time of 17:50, while junior teammate Derek Johnston was one spot and one second behind him. Other Triton runners included senior Bryce Wanemacher (54th, 18:22), junior Landon Kaufman (62nd, 18:40), freshman Bailey Watkins (66th, 18:58) and senior Junki Park (88th, 21:27). Manchester junior Matthew Fahs-Brown finished fifth in a time of 16:43 and advanced to the semistate. Manchester sophomore Skyler Burke also competed at the regional as an individual, finishing 63rd in a time of 18:41. The Tippecanoe Valley Vikings had three individuals in Saturday's boys regional race. Senior Brandon Maull (18:11) was 47th, while sophomore Jesse Floor (18:13) finished 47th and freshman Tom Solano (19:57) finished 81st. (GIRLS) Warsaw girls coach Scott Erba changed his team’s lineup for Saturday’s regional. It didn’t seem to slow the Lady Tigers, who showed off their youth and depth. “I’m glad we’re deep enough so I could rest some kids today,” said Erba. “Our goal is to get back to state. We were able to give some other girls a chace to run in a big race. It’s a great experience for our young kids to get a taste of the postseason. It worked out for us. We rested some kids, and we won a regional championship.” Sophomore Hannah Dawson led Warsaw in the 85-person girls race with a fifth-place time of 19:47, while sophomore Brooke Rhodes was ninth in 19:58. Other runners for the Lady Tigers included freshman Allison Miller (11th, 20:16), sophomore Emma Hayward (16th, 20:38), freshman Charlene Orr (21st, 20:50), junior Hannah Thomspon (41st, 21:47) and freshman Lauren Orr (43rd, 21:49). “Hannah ran a really good race,” said Erba. “She ran her personal-best time at the regional. You can’t ask any more than that.” Rochester senior Anna Bearss, who ran as a freshman and sophomore at Warsaw, won the sectional and regional. Miller finished second in the sectional with a time of 19:32. In Saturday’s regional she was slowed by what Erba called a “stomach issue.” Followowing Warsaw and Eastern in the girls team standings were Rochester (94), Western (111), Winamac (127), Plymouth (129), Culver Academies (130), Maconaquah (170), Northwestern (199) and Triton (287). Junior Courtney Burns led the Lady Trojans with a 59th-place time of 22:41, while senior Taylor Hatfield (24:00) was 72nd, senior Kayleigh Craig (24:09) was 74th, freshman Aimee Gladieux (25:32) was 82nd and freshman Megan Hayes (27:07) finished 85th. Senior Alexandra Kann was unable to complete the race for Triton due to an injury. Manchester had two individuals in the girls event, freshman Clara Burdette (68th, 23:11) and sophomore Trista Hill (70th, 23:18). Tippecanoe Valley sophomore Brooklyn Conley also competed as an individual, finishing 65th in a time of 23:01.
CULVER ACADEMIES REGIONAL Note – top 5 teams and top 10 individuals not on advancing team advance to New Prairie Semistate
(BOYS) Team scores – Warsaw 20, Western 78, Kokomo 96, Rochester 114, Winamac 139, Culver Academy 170, Logansport 185, Plymouth 198, Triton 201, Northwestern 215 Top 10 individuals – 1. Ellis Coon (Warsaw) 16:17, 2. Robert Duke (Eastern) 16:22, 3. Matt Grider (Western) 16:27, 4. Owen Glogovsky (Warsaw) 16:33, 5. Matthew Fahs-Brown (Manchester) 16:43, 6. Tyler Houvener (Warsaw) 16:48, 7. Daniel Messenger (Warsaw) 16:50, 8. Jeremy Breedlove (Kokomo) 16:51, 9. Nick Bergen (Warsaw) 16:53, 10. Zen Zupin (Winamac) 16:58 Other Warsaw runners – 17. Jonathan Beres 17:16, 50. Trenton Day 18:16 Triton – 32. Cordell Sherow 17:50, 33. Derek Johnston 17:51, 54. Bryce Wanemacher 18:22, 62. Landon Kaufman 18:40, 66. Bailey Watkins 18:58, 88. Junki Park 21:27 T. Valley – 47. Brandon Maull 18:11, 49. Jesse Floor 18:13, 81. Tom Solano 19:57
(GIRLS) Team scores – Warsaw 57, Eastern 74, Rochester 94, Western 111, Winamac 127, Plymouth 129, Culver Academies 130, Maconaquah 170, Northwestern 199, Triton 287 Top 10 individuals – 1.Anna Bearss (Rochester) 18:46, 2. Taryn Shot (Northwestern) 19:02, 3. Carly Jones (Easten) 19:30, 4. Avery Ewing (Eastern) 19:40, 5. Hannah Dawson (Warsaw) 19:47, 6. Jessica Sprinkles (Eastern) 19:54, 7. Hannah Bugeln (Culver Academies) 19:56, 8. Adrianna Dague (Caston) 19:57, 9. Brooke Rhodes (Warsaw) 19:58, 10. Claire Collins (Winamac) 20:01 Other Warsaw runners – 11. Allison Miller 20:16, 16. Emma Hayward 20:38, 21. Charlene Orr 20:50, 41. Hannah Thompson 21:47, 43. Lauren Orr 21:49 Triton – 59. Courtney Burns 22:41, 72. Taylor Hatfield 24:00, 74. Kayleigh Craig 24:09, 82. Aimee Gladieux 25:32, 85. Megan Hayes 27:07, Alexandra Kann DNF Manchester – 68. Clara Burdett 23:11, 70. Trista Hill 23:18 T. Valley – 65. Brooklyn Conley 23:01
