↓
 
Protect Democracy. Support Local News
Articles→Z-File - ARCHIVES→Sports Archive 2015→Warsaw Track Ladies Shoot For Sectional Title

Warsaw Track Ladies Shoot For Sectional Title

InkFreeNews.com Posted May 19, 2015  Updated: May 19, 2015 @ 9:59 PM
Rebecca Lemon will try and help her Warsaw team win its own sectional Tuesday night (File photos by Mike Deak)

Rebecca Lemon will try and help her Warsaw team win its own sectional Tuesday night (File photos by Mike Deak)

The start of the state tournament series for girls track teams means that the stakes increase come Tuesday night.

The Warsaw girls track team expects to stake its claim to another sectional title too.

The Tigers, coming off its 10th straight conference meet championship a week ago, will be the team to beat in the Warsaw Sectional.

The hosts have won eight straight sectional titles, including outpointing runner-up Elkhart Memorial 156-82 a year ago.

“Sectionals are very similar in competition to the NLC but have a much greater focus of either advancing another week or ending a season,” said Warsaw girls track coach Scott Erba.  “These next three meets are what we spend our time and effort preparing for and we expect great performances not only from ourselves, but from the competition. We feel we have created the best line up and team for the post-season; the team that can not only advance as many competitors and relays as possible, but also one that can potentially score the most points at regional and beyond.

“Based on past history, if a team does well in the NLC, they will do well in sectionals and we anticipate that happening again.  Line ups for schools will change from the NLC meet as athletes start to put more focus on events they can score points in and advance while dropping other events.  It really becomes a bit of a chess match when trying to set up a line up.

Our sprints are strong along with high jump, pole vault and long jump.  Our distance crew continues to be a steady rock of consistency and they will play a major part in our team success.”

Warsaw will be led in sectional action by the likes of Mariah Harter, Sam Alexander, Audrey Rich, Nicole Eckert and Allison Miller.  Harter is the top seed in the 100 (12.78), while Alexander is the No. 1 seed in the long jump (17-10). Rich has the top time in the 200 (25.83), Eckert the best mark in the 300 hurdles (46.33) and Miller the top performance in the 3,200 (11:27.11). Rich is the defending sectional champion in the 200 and Miller won the 3,200 last year.

The Tigers also have Jazzmine Brown and Alexie Day tied for the top seed in the high jump at 5-3.

Warsaw also hopes to have senior Tennie Worrell back Tuesday night. The senior standout, who is the top seed and the defending sectional champion in the 400, missed the NLC Meet due to a leg injury.

The Tigers also have the top seed in the 4 X 100 relay team with Harter, Alexander, Rich and Abbi Curtis at 49.28. The trio of Harter, Alexander and Rich teamed with Ann Harvuot last year to finish as state runner-up in the event. Warsaw is also the top seed in the 4 X 400 relay race with the team of Eckert, Rich, Brown and Brooke Rhodes at 4:02.97.

Wawasee coach Scott Lancaster just wants to see his young team compete at a high level and earn some spots in the regional.

“Our goal is to advance to the regional as many as we can,” said Lancaster. “We know that we have at least a couple of girls that are in a position to make that happen – Katlyn Kennedy in the shot put and Hannah Winters in the discus. We also know, and I think they know how slim the margin of error will be for them to advance. There are several other girls who are at the point that a really good performance will get them where they want to go, but an average performance will put them on the outside looking in. This is one of the toughest sectionals in Northern Indiana based on the quality of depth, so there is no room for error. The coaching staff feels that the girls are in a position to compete very well and we expect them to take a step up.”
Action at Warsaw starts with the field events at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday. The 3,200 relay is set for 5:45 with track trials at 6 and track finals at 7. The field at Warsaw includes NLC schools Warsaw, Wawasee, Elkhart Memorial, Concord, Goshen, Northridge and NorthWood, along with Bethany Christian, Elkhart Central, Columbia City, Fairfield, Jimtown, Elkhart Christian Academy and Lakeland Christian Academy.
Abby Overmeyer will be a key performer for Whitko in the Rochester Sectional.

Abby Overmeyer will be a key performer for Whitko in the Rochester Sectional.

Whitko will compete at the Rochester Sectional this year. The Wildcats, who placed fifth in the New Haven Sectional in 2014, are led by sophomore Kaitlyn Reed and senior Elaine Warner. Reed was fourth in both the 100 and the 300 hurdles a year ago and Warner was second in the long jump and high jump.

The Wildcats, whose only sectional title came in 1995, won the Three Rivers Conference Meet last Thursday. Reed had a huge night as she won the 100, 200 and high jump. Michelle Kesley won the pole vault at the league meet, while Warner was second in the long jump. The 4 X 100 relay team of Warner, Reghan Craig, Abby Overmeyer and Megan Thomas also won a TRC title.
Plymouth is the defending champion at Rochester. The 14-team field also includes Triton and Tippecanoe Valley.  Lexi O’Connell of Valley is the defending sectional champion in the 100 hurdles at Rochester. Jaela Meister of Triton was second in both the 300 hurdles and pole vault a year ago. Action at Rochester is set to begin at 5 p.m. Tuesday.

 

 

Print Friendly, PDF & Email




Comments are closed.


↑