Senior star Ann Harvuot will look to help her Warsaw track team win another sectional championship Tuesday night (File photo by Jim Harris)

WARSAW – The Warsaw girls track program has put together quite the impressive sectional streak of success.

Don’t expect that to change come Tuesday night.

The host Tigers will look to make it eight straight sectional championships as the heavy favorite.

Warsaw, fresh off another Northern Lakes Conference title a week ago, is the team to beat as postseason action in the state tournament series commences at the Tigers Athletic Complex.

For the Tigers, who won last year’s sectional with a whopping 178 team points, it’s all about quantity to go with quality Tuesday night. The top four finishers in each event earn a berth back to WCHS on May 27 for the Warsaw Regional.

“Our primary goal is to advance as many individuals and relays to the Regional meet as possible,” said Warsaw coach Scott Erba.  “If we can perform at that high level and compete for those spots (top four), then we are in great shape to win our eighth sectional in a row.”

Warsaw will be joined Tuesday night by NLC counterparts Wawasee, Concord, Elkhart Memorial, Northridge and NorthWood. The sectional field also includes Elkhart Central, Elkhart Christian, Fairfield and Jimtown.

The Tigers won the NLC Meet at home last Tuesday with 170 points. Plymouth was second with 112.5 points.

“We ran well at NLC but we know that our best performances are still coming up,” remarked Erba.  “I was happy to see the improvements we made with confidence and times during the meet and expect that the girls will use that as a springboard for even better performances on Tuesday in the sectional.”

“We expect to get all three relays into the fast heats at Regionals and have athletes represented in nearly all the events.  In the 100, 200, 800, 3,200, 300 hurdles, pole vault and long Jump we have a great opportunity to advance two athletes which would be a huge deal for us.”

The Tigers will be led by senior Ann Harvuot Tuesday. The stellar sprinter won the 100 meter dash at the NLC Meet for the fourth straight year last week. She won both the 100 and 200 sectional titles a year ago, but will not compete in the 200 at the sectional due to a nagging back issue.

Warsaw also has the defending sectional champions in the 400 in Tennie Worrell and in the 100 hurdles in Jackie Ferguson. Warsaw will also be a big factor in all three relays as well as in sprints with the likes of Mariah Harter and Samantha Alexander and in the distance with star freshman Allison Miller and Hannah Dawson leading the way. The Tigers also boast talent aplenty in the field events with Claire Hickerson in the pole vault, Alexander and Courtney Farling in the long jump and Brooklyn Harrison in the throws.

“We are as healthy as we have been in a long time and the girls are excited to not only make it “8 in a row” but to get another week to prepare and compete,” state Erba.  “The State Meet is still our ultimate goal.  We have made small changes in our line up from the NLC meet and feel this gives the girls more focus for fewer events and allows some new girls the chance to compete for us in a big meet.  We feel that experience is the key to success year to year.”

A young Wawasee team was sixth at the NLC Meet. The Warriors, who were ninth at the sectional in 2013, will be led by sprinter Catherine Yankosky in the sectional.

Tippecanoe Valley and Triton will compete in the Rochester Sectional Tuesday night. Culver Academies is the defending champion and the Vikings were third there in 2013.

Whitko, fresh off winning the Three Rivers Conference Meet, will be in sectional action at New Haven Tuesday evening. Bellmont is the defending champion there. The Wildcats are led by freshmen Kaitlyn Reed and Abby Overmeyer.