AKRON - The Whitko High School boys track and field team recorded its third-straight Three Rivers Conference title Thursday at Tippecanoe Valley High School.
"We knew we would have a good chance, but there are no guarantees," Whitko boys track coach Ron Cherry said about winning the crown.The Wildcats won the conference meet with 167 points, while Southwood came in second with 109 points. Valley finished in fourth with 55 points and Manchester generated 41.5 points, placing seventh.
The Wildcats finished the regular season at 6-1 in the TRC, with that one loss coming to Rochester. Following that setback, Cherry noticed a change in his squad.
"I really haven't had to do a lot of motivating this year, because they've wanted it," Cherry said. "I think the Rochester loss did wake us up a little bit. We kind of just expected to show up and win, but that didn't happen."
Cherry didn't have to do too much motivating, as he does have some senior leadership he can turn to in senior Chase Stouder.
"Chase has provided a lot of leadership this year," Cherry said. "That's nice to have."
In the TRC meet, Stouder was leading by example by winning the 100 (11.14) and 200 (22.88). On top of those wins, Stouder also joined Connor Stouder, Seth Christoffel and Scott Skiles on the winning 1,600 relay team (3:29.99) and also anchored the 400 relay team (Ch. Stouder, Max Elder, Skiles) which set a school record, placing first in 43.60 seconds.
"It was a great day," Stouder said. "It was my goal to come out here and do the best I could. I gotta thank (my teammates). I couldn't have done it without these guys. Every point counts. That's one big thing we've been stressing. Every point counts in this meet."
Whitko also received a first-place from Brian Menzie in the 1,600, breaking another school record with a time of 4:33.93.
"Early in the race, (teammate) Trapper (Mize) was up there quite a bit and he was looking pretty strong," Menzie said. "I wasn't sure if I could catch him. When (Rochester's Alex) Shafer got up there, we were working hard against each other. In the last 100, I just kind of took off and was able to close it."
The Wabash Lady Apaches won the girls' TRC title, racking up 138.33 points, with Whitko coming in second (128.83), Manchester in fourth (79.5) and Tippecanoe Valley in sixth (61).
The Lady Wildcats received first-place finishes from Kelsie Boggs (200), while Valley's only conference champion was Katie Newsome in the 300 hurdles.
Manchester's Andy Sharfman also became a TRC champion in the 1,600, setting a school record with a time of 5:29.86.
"It's exactly how I wanted the race to go," Sharfman, who then placed second in the 3,200, said.
For the boys, Tippecanoe Valley's Gunnar Kaiser won the 800 in 2:01.38, while Whitko got yet another first-place from Alec Wilkinson in the pole vault, clearing 12 feet.
"The distance guys did great, the sprinters did great, the jumpers did great and the vaulters went first and second," Cherry said about his guys. "We set two school records and a meet record in the 4x100 relay. They just came ready to go."
For Whitko, Stouder has been a part of all three TRC titles, and according to him, it's been memorable.
"It's something I'll never forget," he said. "Track is something that's really dear to me. For this team to win the TRC, this is awesome."
BOYS - WHITKO 167, SOUTHWOOD 109, ROCHESTER 106, TIPPECANOE VALLEY 55, NORTHFIELD 54, NORTH MIAMI 48.5, MANCHESTER 41.5, WABASH 41
(TRC C'ships, Winners and Local Results)
100 - 1. Chase Stouder (Wh) 11.14, 2. Connor Stouder (Wh) 11.34, 3. Keegan McNeeley (M) 11.37, 5. Tyler Arceneaux (V) 11.67; 200 - 1. Ch. Stouder (Wh) 22.88, 2. Scott Skiles (Wh) 23.28, 3. McNeeley (M) 23.31; 400 - 1. Adam DuBuque (S) 51.76, 2. Co. Stouder (Wh) 52.49, 3. Seth Christoffel (Wh) 52.59, 6. Josh Doody (V) 53.56; 800 - 1. Gunnar Kaiser (V) 2:01.38, 3. Sean Eberly (Wh) 2:06.98, 6. Jude Stieglitz (Wh) 2:08.92; 1600 - 1. Brian Menzie (Wh) 4. Trapper Mize (Wh) 4:39.50; 3200 - 1. Seth Murphy (R) 10:14.30, 2. Mize (Wh) 10:23.20, 4. Brody Wilson (Wh) 10:31.10; 110 Hurdles - 1. Eric Kennedy (S) 15.87, 2. Trae Bruce (M) 16.20, 4. James Gregory (V) 16.40, 5. Caleb Licata (Wh) 16.47, 6. Jordan Sims (Wh) 16.77; 300 Hurdles - 1. Kennedy (S) 41.08, 3. Sims (Wh) 41.92, 5. Gregory (V) 42.85, 6. Bruce (M) 43.62, 8. Licata (Wh) 44.35; 400 Relay - 1. Whitko (Co. Stouder, Max Elder, Skiles, Ch. Stouder) 43.60, 3. Valley 46.20, 4. Manchester 46.60; 1600 Relay - 1. Whitko (Co. Stouder, Christoffel, Skiles, Ch. Stouder) 3:29.99, 2. Valley 3:30.25, 6. Manchester 3:43.99; 3200 Relay - 1. Rochester 8:21.62, 2. Whitko 8:32.87, Manchester 9:35.67, 8. Valley 10:01.59; High Jump - 1. Larry Chain (S) 6-4, 3. Elder (Wh) 6-0, 4. Bruce (M) 5-8, 7. Brent Busz (Wh) 5-8; Pole Vault - 1. Alex Wilkinson (Wh) 12-0, 2. Bryan Slusher (Wh) 12-0; Long Jump - 1. Chain (S) 22-2.5, 3. Elder (Wh) 20-9, 3. Sims (Wh) 19-9.25; Shot Put - 1. Greg Miller (NM) 51-7, 3. Sam Kimmel (V) 46-2.75, 8. DJ Fouce 39-8; Discus - 1. Miller (NM) 150-8, 2. Kimmel (V) 144-8, 5. Aric Howard (M) 122-11
GIRLS - WABASH 138.33, WHITKO 123.83, SOUTHWOOD 90, MANCHESTER 79.5, ROCHESTER 73.83, TIPPECANOE VALLEY 61, NORTH MIAMI 28.5, NORTHFIELD 23
