BOYS XC: Howard County preview

Kokomo Tribune - Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Western’s boys cross country team is a perennial contender in the Logansport Sectional. The Panthers won back-to-back sectional titles in 2012-13, giving them four titles in a six-year span.

But Winamac ended Western’s reign last year and the Warriors look like the team to beat again this fall.

“Winamac has their entire team back from last year including two state finalists,” Western coach Gary Jewell said.

The Warriors are led by Kyle Collins and Zen Zupin. They finished first and second in the sectional, helping the Warriors edge Western by six points, 43-49, for the title. Kokomo (91), Logansport (123) and Peru (145) claimed the other advancing spots to the regional.

Kokomo coach Ricke Stucker expects many of those same teams to vie for regional spots this year.

“No one will touch the Collins-Zupin duo. ... Their entire team returns,” Stucker said of Winamac. “Logansport is much better and Western is always good. We’ll have to be hitting on all cylinders to get fourth [place].”

Jewell noted the best teams are made in the offseason.

“It’s always a battle getting kids to understand that it’s not what you do starting on Aug. 1 that matters the most, but what you did after Halloween the previous year. The ones who train consistently throughout the year will always perform better during the season than the ones who show up sporadically,” he said.

The following are looks at the five Howard County squads, in order of how they finished in last year’s sectional.

WESTERN

The Panthers are rebuilding after last season’s sectional runner-up finish.

“Currently, of the 13 guys we have on our roster, only three of them saw any varsity action last year,” Jewell said. “We have only one senior, Josh Scott, and one freshman even though we have the largest incoming freshman class in school history. The balance are all juniors and sophomores.

“We probably have eight or nine guys who could break into our top seven at some point this year.”

The Panthers’ returning runners are Scott, junior Josh Everetts and sophomore Alex Taylor. At the Mid-Indiana Conference meet last season, Everetts took first place in 17:43 and Scott was 11th in 18:42. In the sectional, Everetts was fifth (17:12.50), Scott was 21st (18:11.77) and Taylor was 24th (18:19.34).

During the track season in the spring, Everetts was the sectional champ in the 1,600 and 3,200 runs and Scott was the county champ in the 3,200.

Up from the JV squad and competing for varsity spots are juniors Jason Hampshire and Hunter Purtee and sophomores Andrew Granfield, Tyler Lechner and Nate Nicholson. Junior Zach Zentz is also in the mix.

“This is a very young team,” Jewell said. “Realistically, we’re a year away.”

Western won the final five MIC titles. Now in the Hoosier Conference following the MIC’s breakup, Western has the tough task of running against defending state champion West Lafayette.

The Panthers open their season today with the Northwestern Combination meet.

KOKOMO

Stucker sees potential in his squad.

“We have some physical talent, but have not been able to mentally stay focused yet,” he said. “If our ingredients ever come together at the same time, we could be a decent team.”

The Wildkats are led by seniors Ethan Sharp, Logan Hawk, Colten Pearce and Conner Wood. In the 2014 sectional, Sharp finished fourth in 17:05.28, Hawk was 18th (18:00.90), Pearce was 26th (18:26.41) and Wood was 33rd (18:44.57).

The Kats also return junior Coy Brandon and sophomores Corey Dea and Justin Taflinger.

Also in the mix are senior Szhantrayle Roberson, junior Max McHaney and freshman Max White.

Stucker said the expanded North Central Conference is tough. Harrison, Lafayette Jeff and McCutcheon joined last year. Indianapolis Tech is replacing Huntington North this year.

“Our new conference is much tougher,” he said. “If you don’t train and race year round, you will be in the bottom half.”

Kokomo’s season opener is the Logansport Invitational on Saturday.

EASTERN

The Comets are in a rebuilding mode after finishing eighth in the 12-team sectional last season.

“Some of our returning runners were unable to return this year due to work schedules and such, so we have a very young and incomplete team,” coach Ben Cox said.

Sophomore Josh Reprogle is the Comets’ lone returning runner. He finished 51st in the sectional in a time of 19:38.40.

Cox also has sophomore Ethan Shook and freshman Seth Snyder.

“Being incomplete, the team itself won’t be winning any trophies, but the boys are working hard in spite of that,” Cox said. “Josh has the most experience as he’s been running since sixth grade, and he has a great attitude and a distance runner’s build. He finished last year with a 32-second PR in the sectional so we’re looking forward to building on that positive finish.

“I’m still getting to know Seth and Ethan, but they both have a desire to work at it, and I’m looking forward to finding out what they can really do.”

The Comets are in the Hoosier Heartland Conference following the MIC’s breakup.

The Comets begin their season today with the Northwestern Combination meet.

NORTHWESTERN

The Tigers will look to juniors Spencer Hutchins and Corey Menning and senior Owen Munson to lead the way. In the 2014 sectional, Hutchins was 42nd (19:16.43), Menning was 55th (19:58.57) and Munson was 56th (20:04.88). The Tigers finished ninth as a team.

“We have 13 guys out this year and we are off to a very good start,” coach Dave Stevens said. “We have a good mix of returning runners and newcomers.”

Also returning are juniors Camden Hochgesang and Jeremy Jakes and sophomores Jaden Platt and Michael Bolyard.

The newcomers are junior Evan Witter, sophomores Craig Closson, T.J. Macaluso, Gavin Smith and Dylan Stahl and freshman Mitchell Harrell.

“It may take us a few meets to learn what it takes to run at this level,” Stevens said. “Many of our guys are out for cross country for the first time, but they come from other sports where they were competitors. So, I feel excited about watching them learn and develop.”

Northwestern has moved to the Hoosier Conference following the MIC’s breakup.

“I will miss the MIC,” Stevens said. “It was a great conference with very good competition all the time. Eleven schools [in the Hoosier] is a lot, but we will compete and we’re looking forward to making new rivalries and relationships with our new conference members.”

The Tigers open today with their annual combination meet.

TAYLOR

The Titans return sophomore A.J. Good and are adding freshmen Braxton Downs, Eli Paul and Anthony Sommer. Good was 65th in the sectional. Downs and Paul ran in middle school.

The Titans are one runner short of the minimum needed to field a complete team.

“As a young team, I expect good things for the future out of all of them and see this as a year to build some skills and habits that should show great results. ... Team scores are not an option, but the self-improvement throughout the season will be our metric for success,” coach Matt Carlile said.

“Missing most of the summer has us at a disadvantage, but I wouldn’t count these guys out in October when tournament time comes.”

Taylor joins Eastern as a Hoosier Heartland Conference newcomer.

The Titans open their season today with the Northwestern Combination meet.