Boys, girls compete today at Logansport

Kokomo Tribune - Tuesday, October 13, 2009

The IHSAA cross country state tournament commences today with 32 sectionals across the state, and if recent results are any indication, the Western girls find themselves in an unusual position at the Logansport Sectional.

The Panthers have won the past six straight sectional championships, but for once they enter competition much like everyone else - just looking to be among the top five teams that qualify for the Culver Academies Regional on Saturday.

Joining Western's girls and boys from Howard County are Eastern, Kokomo, Northwestern and Taylor. The rest of the field includes Lewis Cass, Maconaquah, Madison-Grant Oak Hill, Peru, Pioneer and the host Berries.

A season-robbing stress fracture to junior Ashley Gaskins, who finished fourth at Logan a year ago, as well as other nagging illnesses and injuries have slowed the Panthers in 2009.

Just last Tuesday, Western had its streak of three consecutive Mid-Indiana Conference titles snapped by upstart Eastern, while the Panthers finished third.

"We're hoping for a top five, as well as everyone else, but unfortunately I'm afraid we're not going to be able to keep our string alive," said coach Bo Britton. "But I can't be displeased with the effort the kids are giving me. I'm proud of that"

Last year's top five included Western, Northwestern, Oak Hill, Maconaquah and Pioneer in that order, but at least two teams are making a strong case why they deserve top billing.

The Comets, led by three talented freshmen, captured their first-ever conference championship last Tuesday. They haven't been to a regional since 2002 and -like, the MIC - have never won a sectional crown.

"That would-be super," coach Brandon Mink said of a possible sectional title. "When you throw in Oak Hill, they are certainly going to be right there.

"If you try to look back on paper at past performances, you kind of have to throw the papers out the window and go by who's ready and who's hungry for it"

Ninth-grade twins Bethany and Brittany Neely and classmate Sarah Wagner captured three of the top five spots in Tuesday's MIC race, with Bethany Neeley winning the individual title. She should challenge Oak Hill Jenna Norris, the defending Logansport Sectional champion.

"We're hoping [the girls] can repeat what they did last Tuesday," said Mink. "If we don't win and we run that well, that would still be OK with me.

"We can't control how well Oak Hill or Northwestern or Western or Lewis Cass will do, but we can try our best Ten seconds either way could be huge."

The Kings were sixth at Logan a year ago yet wound up second to Eastern last week, led by Ashley Baber and freshman Jenna Yeakley.

The Panthers do return five girls who were members of the 2008 regional runner-up team, including juniors Corianne Myer and Kayla Gaskins.

"We're getting better and getting over the flu," Britton said. "We have some minor injuries that the girls are running through. You just never know. We'll see who has a good day [today]."

The Purple Tigers have an outstanding freshman of their own, Heidi Freeman. She was second to Bethany Neeley in the MIC and teams with Hannah Ault to give Northwestern a potent 1-2 punch.

Another top-10 finisher who won't return is Wildkat sophomore Annika Taber, who was runner-up a year ago but broke her leg this season. Kokomo finished seventh in 2008.

BOYS RACE

Western also is the boys returning champion, although the Panthers were beaten by Maconaquah in Tuesday's conference race.

Most observers see Oak Hill, with all-state runner Cameron Balser, as the favorite. The Golden Eagles won titles in 2003,2005 and 2007.

"Probably Oak Hill, Maconaquah, Western, and then it's hard to tell from there," said Kokomo coach Ricke Stucker, whose Wildkats haven't failed to qualify for a regional in more than a decade.

"We're sick, hurt and we lost a kid to disciplinary problems [last] week, so we're just trying to find a way to put a team together."

Newcomer Adrian Glover finished ninth in last Tuesday's North Central Conference meet and should be healthy today, but Dylan Walker and Jordan Lee are both ailing.

"And then, we have a sick No. 4 and nobody after that. We don't have that kind of depth," Stucker said. "We're just going to hope we have some halfway healthy kids and kids and sneak into fifth place.

"The Panthers will be without John Capps, sidelined by a broken toe, but have senior Austin Young, the newly crowned MIC champ who was fifth at Logan last year.

First-year coach Gary Jewell , says watch for who best can put their top five in good scoring position late in the race.

"Somebody in my pack of four [runners behind Young] needs to step up," said Jewell. "We've got to beat somebody. We can't be content with beating each other.

"Do we have a shot at winning? Yeah, I think we do, but it's going to take some effort on our part."

The Braves rely on their pack, placing five runners between second and 10th place in the MIC.

Jeff Bingham, who assists his wife, Melanie, the head coach, said Oak Hill has managed to beat Maconaquah every time this season.

"[Oak Hill's] No. 1 runner [Balser] isn't going to score many points. That's how they beat us," said Bingham, whose son Jacob was second in the conference. "Their No. 1 runner scored 1 and our No. 1 scored 40, so already we're down 39 points. So it's going to be real interesting."

The Comets are a regional dark horse. They finished third in the MIC and haven't been to a regional since 2004.

"We're looking to get the guys over the hump," Mink said. "It's been a long, dry spell getting to regional. I know our seniors are tired of not advancing and they're eager to prove themselves. Hopefully we can secure that fifth spot for them."