Warsaw Will Be Dancing With The Stars
TERRE HAUTE – All that’s left for the Warsaw cross country runners is the big dance. As the Lady Tiger team and the dynamic duo of Tiger boys prepare for this Saturday’s IHSAA state finals, there’s not much left but lacing up the shoes and seeing where the best in the state stand.
“It’s a little more difficult as an individual without team support. Goals are much different without having a team score involved,” said Warsaw boys coach Jim Mills. The Warsaw team missed out on state by one team placing. “At this point in training, keeping the legs fresh is the key and going into the race with confidence is something we drill into our athletes.”
Without that team support, senior Owen Glogovsky and freshman Zeb Hernandez will have to create their own footnotes in history. Glogovsky has experience at state, running as a sophomore and freshman, but knowing a return as a senior is his final chance. Glogovsky was 20th at the semi-state. Hernandez has been increasingly impressive in his maiden voyage, finishing just steps behind Glogovsky at New Prairie last week. Finishing in the top five at the sectional and regional, and winner of the Northern Lakes Conference, Hernandez has put on quite a show. But each runner’s take this weekend should be much different.
“Owen has run in the state meet so he knows the routine and what to expect,” Mills said. “Zeb, on the other hand, is clueless so we try not to make too much out of the state being much different than any other race. He has shown the ability to mix it up with the lead runners, and with Owen in the race, it gives Zeb someone to key on. If both are healthy, I expect them to have good races.”
The Warsaw girls, on the other hand, will have all hands on deck at the LaVern Gibson Championship Course. Finishing fifth at the ultra-competitive New Prairie Semi-state, Warsaw accomplished its overall goal in making its fifth straight state finals as a team, but know the bigger picture is the primary objective.
“Clearly, we did not perform at our best on Saturday and that was disappointing,” said Warsaw girls head coach Scott Erba. “However, the girls did still qualify for the state meet and that gives them another opportunity to have fantastic races this weekend. Prior to the start of the race and even right now, I feel we have outstanding racing efforts yet to give. We have a very experienced group of runners heading to Saturday with a lot of post-season racing experience in them, I expect that to mean something to them.”
Allison Miller was a minor question mark coming into the finals after a lengthy health matter following the race. But the issue of fatigue seems to have resolved itself, according to Erba, and the junior will be ready to run. Miller won the sectional, and combined with regional champ Mia Beckham and Anna Craig, give Warsaw a powerful trio of frontrunners.
The Lady Tigers are not just its aces, but has the pack to run with the top teams in the state. Seniors Brooke Rhodes, Hannah Dawson, Emma Hayward and Claire Kehler have all proved vital in roles this postseason, and help buoy what Warsaw hopes is a podium finish.
“The girls simply need to believe in what they have done this season to prepare for this race and then allow themselves to have that kind of race,” Erba said. “How we run in practice and how we compete in races is different. The confidence they have in practice after school is what they need to pack for Terre Haute this weekend.”
Area boys teams competing include Northridge and Westview. Area girls teams competing include Warsaw, Northridge, Penn and Huntington North.
Individuals include Colin Richardson of Mishawaka, Wesley Meyer of Rochester, Owen Glogovsky of Warsaw, Zeb Hernandez of Warsaw, Jessica Duvall of Mishawaka and Hannah Yeakey of Bethany Christian.
The IHSAA Cross Country State Finals will begin at 1 p.m. with the boys race followed by the girls race at 1:45. The top five teams and top 20 individuals receive IHSAA award medals.