Warsaw’s girls track team won its 11th straight Northern Lakes Conference title Wednesday. (Photo by Dave Anson)

WARSAW – Even Scott Erba, Mr. Cool and Calm, had to pause a little and marvel at just what his Warsaw girls track team was able to accomplish Wednesday evening. After rolling through the Northern Lakes Conference undefeated, Erba’s Lady Tigers made it stand up with a convincing 196 points, well ahead of runner-up Northridge’s 119 points. The title is the 11th straight NLC crown Warsaw has worn.

And it wasn’t even close.

Warsaw’s Sam Alexander won the 200 dash. (Photo by Mike Deak)

The Lady Tigers won 10 of the 16 events, and did so with plenty of usual suspects and a few key surprises. Plenty of individuals were expected, then performed, like champions. Sam Alexander reigned as the long jump champ at 17-4.5 and also was the 200 dash champ at 26.05, but had Abbi Curtis right with her in long jump at 16-0 for second and Curtis took fourth in the 200 at 26.50, both personal bests for Curtis.

Alexander, Curtis, Maygan Bellamy and Audrey Rich broke Warsaw’s old meet record in the 4×100 relay with a time of 49.40. Rich and Curtis were one and three in the 100, Rich winning at 12.74, Curtis at 13.03.

Mia Beckham also showed off her talents, rolling in the mile at 5:21.56, then taking off from teammate Allison Miller and Concord’s Ally Smith in the two-mile for a 11:26.34 distance double. While Beckham rocketed away from everyone in the mile, teammate Claire Kehler, who hadn’t raced in a varsity mile before this season, sped up to claim third at 5:30.32.

“It was fantastic on a night like tonight to have the experienced girls like Audrey Rich, Samantha Alexander, Brooke Rhodes, Emily Bailey who have been here for four years and to perform the way they did tonight,” said Erba. “Then have all these new girls, these new pieces to the puzzle and where they fit in. And see these girls fill niches.

Abbi Curtis of Warsaw is mobbed by teammate Shunterra Davis after landing a PR in long jump. (Photo by Mike Deak)

“Abbi Curtis had a fantastic night. She PR’ed in the 200 trials, she PR’ed in the finals. She PR’ed in the long jump and she was on the record-setting four-by-one relay and ran four events. That’s a huge night. She wasn’t able to do that last year. She would have crumbled and fallen apart last year. She wasn’t strong enough. That’s a credit to her preparing.”

All season Alexie Day won high jump events, and did again Wednesday with a 5-3 clearance. But teammate Morgan Bruner also cleared 5-3 and was second on jumps.

In one of the surprise moments for Warsaw, the 800 showed the depth Erba’s squad has with Emma Bohnenkamper winning the race at 2:22.13 and Dayton Groninger second at 2:24.73. The two shined on the basketball court last winter, but neither ran track last year – Groninger ever – creating quite a stunning result.

Warsaw’s 4×800 team of Hannah Dawson, Brooke Rhodes, Anna Craig and Miller won handily at 9:32.90 and the 4×400 team of Bellamy, Remi Beckham, Rhodes and Rich came home at 4:04.52, Rich closing out the win after Northridge got to the line first after the third leg.

Wawasee’s Alexis Manges placed third in the discus. (Photo by Mike Deak)

Joelle Messenger added a runner-up finish in pole vault at 8-6 and taking third in the 300 hurdles was Bellamy (47.77) and third in the 400 was Remi Beckham (1:01.65).

“Earlier today I wasn’t feeling the best I’ve felt, and right now I feel the best I’ve ever felt,” Erba said of his team’s showing. “Seeing them perform tonight, we are going in the right direction.”

Wawasee had its one major contender come through with a resounding win.

Katlyn Kennedy claimed her first NLC tournament victory with a throw of 38-8.5 in the shot put, a full 16 inches further than Plymouth’s Nicole Horvath’s best offering. Wawasee’s only other top-three at the meet was Alexis Manges’ 99-4 discus toss, good for third place. Brooklyn McCulloch was fifth in discus at 94-0.

Other top fives for Wawasee included Hannah-Marie Lamle fourth in long jump (15-6.5) and fifth in the 300 hurdles (48.17).

Jada Parzygnot was fourth in pole vault (8-6), one place ahead of teammate Alexis Brinson (8-6), and Elizabeth Zorn was fifth in the two-mile (12:16.35).

“We had many personal best performances and were very competitive,” said Wawasee head coach Scott Lancaster. “Our girls were only three points away from fourth place. Katlyn Kennedy struggled in the ring a bit, but she did what a veteran does and got the job done.”

Warsaw, Wawasee and every NLC team other than Plymouth will return to Warsaw next Tuesday for the sectional, which begins at 5:30 p.m.