Deep Tigers Take Another Track Title
WARSAW – The Warsaw boys track team is not short on confidence.
The Tigers are also not short on quality depth either.
Warsaw put both of those traits on display again Friday night to stand tall again to cap off a tremendous week of championship performances.
The host Tigers, despite not being at full strength, put the hurt on the field to win their own Max Truex Invitational at the Tigers Athletic Complex.
Warsaw, on a night which featured more cold, wind and rain, heated it up once again.
The No. 16 Tigers totaled 122.5 points to win the title for the third straight year in the 33rd annual event. Valparaiso was runner-up with 110 points with Penn third with 107.
LaPorte was fourth in the final team standings with 71 points. Hobart was fifth with 65, followed by Fairfield (56.5), Fort Wayne North Side (46) and Fort Wayne Wayne (22).
Warsaw, which won the Goshen Relays title outright for the first time ever last Saturday, won despite some injuries.
Standout sprinter Mike Miller did not compete due to shin splints. Star, do-it-all performer Gabe Furnivall gutted it out despite a badly sprained ankle after sitting out Thursday night’s conference meet. Ryan Goon showed his fortitude in the final event of the night by holding off Penn and Valparaiso to win the 1,600 relay despite hurting his hamstring during the anchor leg.
“It was a good week,” said Warsaw coach Matt Thacker. “We overcame some adversity with injuries and the weather. We’re trying to stay healthy and battle through this weather.
“The heart of these kids you just can’t replace it. Their competitiveness. They don’t like to lose. It makes it easier because of their competitiveness. This senior class is leaving a legacy.”
The meet was scored by each team’s combined effort of two competitors in each event.
Warsaw had a slew of strong performances. The Tigers won the high jump relay as Stephen Kolbe cleared 6-4 and Brock Riley 6-0. The hosts took the shot put relay as Seth Fouts (59-7 1/4) and Ben Plummer (47-2 1/2) were victorious. Fouts, who will compete for the University of Kentucky next year, set a school and relays record in the shot put at Goshen last weekend. He was named the Outstanding Field Events Performer Friday night.
The Tigers won the 4 X 400 relay with the team of Landon Perry, Gabe Furnivall, Chad Goon and Ryan Goon posting a time of 3:29.35.
Senior standout Ellis Coon won the 1,600, surging past LaPorte star Anthony Didion to win in 4:23.35 in a great race. Didion was second in 4:23.94. Coon, who will run at Tulsa next year, and Nick Bergen combined to earn second place for their team in the event.
Warsaw was second in the 100 relay with Tristan McClone (11.53) and Storm Stapleton (11.67). The pair, who both had outstanding nights, were also second in the 200 relay with McClone clocking in at 23.48 and Stapleton at 23.64.
The duo of Dylan Campbell (42.19) and Ross Armey (42.47) combined for second place in the 300 hurdles. The pair of Ismael Calderon (2:02.99) and Tyler Houvener (2:03.85) were second in the 800 relay. Fouts also teamed with Andrew Scheidt to place second in the discus relay. Fouts threw 128-07 and Scheidt 129-09.
“I thought Storm Stapleton was tremendous for us tonight,” Thacker said. “In the 4 X 100 relay and then in the 100 and 200. He turned the meet in our favor. Ben Plummer had a PR in the shot put for us tonight and Steven Reinholt just keeps getting better in the pole vault.”
“It was also great to se Ellis attack that 1,600. Seeing the real Ellis run is fun to watch.”
Warsaw, which stayed undefeated in conference action Thursday night with wins over Wawasee and Concord, will look to wrap up another unbeaten league season on Wednesday at Northridge in the final NLC meet of the regular season.
Thacker said he hopes to have Miller back, at least on a limited basis, come Wednesday.
The Tigers, who have won 26 NLC meets in a row, will host the NLC Championships on May 13.