The Warsaw trio of Ellis Coon, Jake Poyner and Robert Murphy (shown above) placed 1-2-3 Saturday in the 3,200-meter run at the Hoosier State Relays (Photos provided by Jeff Murphy)

By TIM CREASON

MARION – With a lap to go in the boys 3,200-meter run, public address announcer Dennis McNulty almost shouted into his microphone as he watched from his vantage point near the finish line.

“The Tigers are roaring!” boomed McNulty, a spike of excitement in his voice as he watched three orange and black uniforms racing down the backstretch. “They’re flying!”

A moment later, they rolled off the curve and onto the homestretch. Junior Ellis Coon and senior Jake Poyner, virtually side-by-side, with senior teammate Robert Murphy just a couple steps back.

Runners aren’t supposed to do what Warsaw’s terrific trio did Saturday, especially during a high school track meet that some call the unofficial indoor state championship.

But there it was … a 1-2-3 finish at the annual Hoosier State Relays.

And nobody else was close.

“We talked ahead of time, and we knew this was possible,” said Poyner, who lost to Coon by an eyelash on the final sprint to the finish line. “Whenever we’re together, we key off of each other. I had a feeling this would be a good day.”

Their final times: Coon 9:19.40; Poyner 9:19.55; Murphy 9:21.79. Personal bests for all. Fourth-place finisher James Huffman of Indianapolis North Central was seven seconds further back.

The huge indoor meet – held at Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion – is managed by the track coaches association and draws athletes from all corners of Indiana to compete in two different classes.

While the IHSAA does not sponsor indoor track — and there’s no such thing as an indoor state meet — the Hoosier State Relays allows Indiana’s best to get a look at each other at the start of the season, in preparation for the big outdoor finale in Bloomington next June.
Athletes qualify for the Relays at a series of indoor competitions during February and March. Twenty-four competitors make it in each event.

The three-place sweep in the 3,200 – and a second place in the distance medley, with Coon, Poyner and Murphy manning three of the legs while teaming with Nathan Kolbe – enabled Warsaw to finish third in the final boys team standings.

Warsaw’s Stephen Kolbe was third in the high jump Saturday.

Warsaw high jumper Stephen Kolbe did his part as well, clearing 6 feet, 6 inches to finish third. Kolbe, a junior, tied for sixth place at the State Finals in 2012.

Lawrence Central nipped Hamilton Southeastern, 60-59, for the championship. Coach Matt Thacker’s Warsaw squad scored 46 points for its third-place finish.

Warsaw’s girls totaled six points to tie for 22nd place. Carmel (64 points) won the girls title.

“Seriously, I’m more happy that we got 1-2-3 than I am to get the personal win,” said Coon following the boys 3,200, which had spectators buzzing for several minutes afterwards. “I actually didn’t know Robert was in third till the very end.”

Coon admitted the final times caught their attention.

“Coming into the season, my PR was 9:44,” he said. “It really is a gift from God to be able to do this. I worked as hard as I could over the winter.”

“We’re healthy, we’re pushing each other, I don’t think we’re running too fast, too early,” said Poyner. “I think it’s going to be a fun season.”

The trio of Poyner, Coon and Murphy led the Warsaw boys cross country team to a fourth-place finish in the State Finals last October.

Warsaw’s only points in the girls meet were scored in the 4 x 400 relay. The Tigers finished sixth in 4:09.77.

Warsaw star senior Ashley Erba, sidelined with stress fractures, was unable to defend her championship in the girls 3,200-meter run. Erba, who won the IHSAA state championship in the 3,200 last June, has signed with Providence College.

Mishawaka sophomore phenom Anna Rohrer broke Erba’s meet record (10:47.34) by clocking 10:33.18. Rohrer won the girls state cross country individual championship in the fall in a state record time, while Erba (the state champion in 2011) placed second. Rohrer then went on to win the Foot Locker national cross country championship.