DUNLAP - Both Jerry Gackenheimer and Jim Mills were happy their Warsaw Community High School cross country teams finished second at Tuesday's sectional and advanced to Saturday's regional.
Both coaches, however, were a little frustrated about losing to Northern Lakes Conference foe Northridge - again."The Lady Tigers are a good team," said Gackenheimer, whose Warsaw girls team lost to Northridge by three points at the conference meet and by four points at Tuesday's sectional at Ox Bow Park.
"Unfortunately, Brooke Kline has a broken leg and couldn't run today. She finished fourth at the NLC meet. Lilly Fleming has a breathing issue which prohibits her from finishing races. But, the rest of the girls picked up the slack and competed very well."
Warsaw's Ashley Erba (19:33) and Anna Bearss (19:52) finished second and third, respectively, while teammates Kristin Quick (20:30) finished seventh, Creigh Ogle (21:19) was 13th and Madeline Hooks (21:20) finished 14th.
All five of the Lady Tigers' scoring runners finished in the top 14, but Northridge came away with the sectional championship for the 20th consecutive season, edging Warsaw 35-39.
"It's encouraging that we ran well, but it's disappointing we couldn't run a little better," said Gackenheimer. We'll give it another shot Saturday and try and beat Northridge."
The top five teams, as well as the top 15 individuals, advanced to Saturday's regional at Ox Bow Park. The girls race is scheduled for 9:30 a.m., followed by the boys race at approximately 10 a.m.
NorthWood's Cynthia Medina won Tuesday's 80-person girls race in a time of 19:26.
Joining Northridge and Warsaw in the top five as teams were NorthWood (74), Fairfield (102) and Concord (135).
Goshen finished sixth with 153 points, followed in the 12-team field by Elkhart Memorial (205), Wawasee (230), Jimtown (265), Bethany Christian (267), Elkhart Central (317) and Elkhart Christian Academy (334).
Stephanie Rhodes led Wawasee with a 35th-place time of 22:49, while Nicole Rhodes was 42nd in a time of 23:07.
Other scoring runners for Wawasee included Jennifer Slabaugh (48th, 23:38), Tessa Riley (51st, 23:46) and Sarah Jones (54th, 23:59).
"We didn't get the results we were aiming for, but they ran hard and gave it all they had to give," said Wawasee girls coach Grace Stichter. "It was a rough season with the injuries and illnesses, but we'll come back stronger next year."
In the boys race, Warsaw senior Jordan Scroggs was the top area finisher, crossing the stripe in a second-place time of 16:36. Goshen senior Tyler Wynn was the sectional champion in a time of 16:24.
Warsaw's five scoring runners all finished in the top 19, but Northridge came away with the team championship, beating runner-up Warsaw 41-59.
"I'm tired of being second," said Mills. "Northridge just always has a couple guys that surprise you. I look at what we had coming back this year and what Northridge had, and we should be right there. It is what it is. We've got a very good team, and we can't be satisfied just being the runner-up. We want to win."
Fairfield finished third with 87 points, followed by Goshen (96), Concord (97), Wawasee (140), Elkhart Christian Academy (215), NorthWood (216), Elkhart Central (253), Elkhart Memorial (259), Bethany Christian (319) and Jimtown (342).
Warsaw's Jacob Poyner finished ninth in a time of 16:56, while Trevor Callahan was 13th (17:10), Spencer Rheinhardt was 16th (17:28) and Ismael Calderon finished 19th (17:36).
"Our fifth run ran in the 17:30s," Mills said of Calderon, a freshman. "I'll take any freshman the runs in the 17:30s. I hope we can put it all together Saturday."
Reid Stichter was the only Wawasee Warrior to advance, finishing 14th in a time of 17:16.
Adam Doll was 17th (17:29) for Wawasee, while Thunder Olson finished 23rd (17:49), Jooey Bornman finished 39th (18:22) and Austin Yoder finished 47th (18:43).
ELKHART SECTIONAL
At Ox Bow Park
GIRLS
Team Scores - Northridge 35, Warsaw 39, NorthWood 74, Fairfield 102, Concord 135, Goshen 153, Elkhart Memorial 205, Wawasee 230, Jimtown 265, Bethany Christian 267, Elkhart Central 317, Elkhart Christian Academy 334
