Kokomo Tribune - Wednesday, October 03, 2007

Panthers sweep league CC crowns

RUSSIAVILLE — The Western cross country teams proved why there’s no place like home Tuesday.

For the record, Maconaquah was host of the 2007 Mid-Indiana Conference meet, but with the race held perennially here at Oakbrook Valley Park, the MIC has become practically homecoming for the Panthers.

Running on its home course, Western swept both championships — something the Panthers haven’t done in at least 10 years — in convincing fashion.

The girls bunched their pack of top five runners between the third and ninth spots to record a cool 31 points on the hot and windy October day. Northwestern, led by runner-up Jennifer Claudio, was second with 70.

The Panther boys nearly duplicated the girls’ score, putting five runners between fifth and 12th place for 40 points. Defending champion Hamilton Heights was second with 58.

For the Western girls, the win was their second straight. For the boys, it was their first MIC title since 2003.

"We’ve really pointed toward conference and sectional championships and to advance to semistate [this year]," said boys coach Joe Orr, "so this is a big goal."

The Panther girls made it look easy even without two of their top runners, Katie Hollingsworth (bruised hip) and Ashley Gaskins (stress fracture).

Caity Murdock of Hamilton Heights won the race with a time of 20 minutes, 19 seconds, followed by Claudio in 20:32. After that, though, it was almost all Western.

Junior stalwart Jenn Elliott, the defending individual champion, crossed the finish line third in 21:11. She was followed fourth by freshman Corianne Myer, then two more frosh, Bre Nicholas and Kayla Gaskins — seventh and eighth, respectively — and junior Lacey Myer in ninth.

The return of Hollingsworth, the team’s only senior, is an if, not a when. That thrusts Elliott into a leadership role she observed her freshman year from seniors Annina Gruber and Cassie Myer

"We lost a lot of girls at the beginning [of the season], so I’m really proud of everybody," Elliott said. "I love being a leader. I learned from Cassie and Annina and I’ve just taken everything they’ve taught me and put it out here."

First-year coach Heather Yentes has relied heavily on the veteran Elliott to guide the youthful team as the Panthers go after a fifth straight sectional championship next week at Logansport.

"It’s awesome to have Jenn and she’s a great leader," said Yentes. "She is always positive and a good motivator for [the rest of the girls]."

Claudio found the going rough at times over the hilly Oakbrook course but held on for second place. Her finish, along with teammates Hannah Ault (6th), Gretchen Catron (14th), Morgan Hullinger (20th) and Ruby Sanchez (28th), helped the Purple Tigers to their second straight runners-up finish.

"It’s my senior year, so I had to give it all I had," Claudio said. "I knew Jenn and knew that was my competition. I saw the girl from Hamilton Heights and knew I had to push myself. I was going for second or third and got second. I’m happy with that."

Coach Dave Stevens had some doubts at the start of the season about how this team would come together around Claudio. His girls have responded, according to him.

"Overall, I’m really happy," he said. "They set all my questions aside relatively early [in the season]. They work so hard in practice and stick together. I’m really proud of where we’re at heading into sectional."

Freshman Ashley Baber was fifth for Cass, which finished third, the Kings’ best finish since being runners-up in 2000.

Hamilton Heights fell all the way to fourth despite Murdoch’s effort. Eastern was fifth behind Emily Rethlake’s 11th-place finish and Danielle Stiner in 13th.

Maconaquah was sixth, Peru seventh and Taylor eighth.

WHS boys reclaim title

The Panthers suffered through growing pains in recent years, with only one senior on the roster in 2006. That experience has brought them closer this year, says junior Zac Martinez.

Martinez led the charge Tuesday, finishing fifth in 17:29. Next came freshman Chris Love sixth, Kody Harmon seventh, Austin Young 10th and Corey Scott 12th.

All five are underclassmen.

"We’re just putting it together as a team and it feels really good," he said. "Last year we were really young, and this year over the summer we trained together every day and ended up becoming real good friends. We were pretty much one big family over the summer.

"We’re one, big team this year."

Orr was pleased with the win but thought there was room for improvement.

“I don’t think our top two runners ran as good as they are capable of doing," he said. “Chris Love and Kody Harmon and Austin Young really ran a good race and Michael Ladd, even though he didn’t score, he had an excellent day and I’m really proud of them.

“With the hot weather lately some of the guys have been getting after each other in practice, but I guess that’s good for competition and makes them better when they get out here."

Peru’s Aaron Garretson won the boys race with a time of 16 minutes, 52 seconds, 22 seconds ahead of runner-up Martin Garrison of Heights.

Garretson said he was looking forward to his postseason taper.

“This is a tough course, even when it’s not hot and windy," Garretson said. “I was by myself for a lot of [the race]. I’m just looking forward to sectional right now."

Garretson led the Bengal Tigers to third place. Maconaquah was fourth with Bryce Comp finishing eighth overall, and Northwestern was fifth behind Kory Kennedy. Kennedy was seventh at the midway point but brought himself up to finish fourth in 17:22. “I’m always amazed how much ground [Kennedy] can make up," said Stevens. “I’m trying to figure out a way so that he doesn’t have to make up that much ground. We’re going to keep trying until I can find something that helps him get in that top group real early, not at the two-mile mark." Eastern was sixth and Cass seventh. Taylor does not field a boys cross country team.