CROSS COUNTRY: Squads take aim at regional

Kokomo Tribune Oct. 15, 2017

Ten boys cross country squads along with 10 girls teams are set to converge today in the Culver Academies Regional on the banks of Lake Maxinkuckee. Out of those, five teams on each side will advance to next Saturday's New Prairie Semistate.

To say the least, the margin for error is growing increasingly thin.

Western, Kokomo and Cass represent the area contingent on the boys side, with Logansport and Winamac also advancing out of last week's Logansport Sectional. On the girls side, Maconaquah, Western, Northwestern and Cass took the top four spots in Logan last week, with the host Berries joining the fray.

Along with the teams that advance from Culver Academies to New Prairie, the top 10 individuals not on an advancing team move on from each race. Below are previews of the girls and boys races.

BOYS RACE
Western coach Gary Jewell pointed to Warsaw as the "800-pound gorilla in the room" in the boys race. Culver Academies, Plymouth, Caston and Manchester are the other four advancing squads from the Culver Academies Sectional.

"We're just looking to advance," Jewell said. "There's probably three teams there that no one is going to touch, Warsaw, Culver and Plymouth. Our goal this season was to make it to semistate as a team. It would have been nice to win sectionals, but it wasn't the goal that semistate was."

The Panthers took second at the Logan Sectional behind the host Berries, with Tyler Lechner and Brayden Curnutt logging strong finishes in fourth and fifth place respectively, with Andrew Granfield (eighth) right behind.

"I think if we do what we're capable of doing, we should be OK," Jewell said. "I think we can get fourth, we would definitely like to get better than fifth. If we get under 130 points I think we'll be OK."

Cass’ Bailey Scott took the top spot individually in 17:24 in the Logan Sectional while the Kings were third as a team.

Kokomo raced to a fifth-place sectional finish to advance, with its top finish belonging to Julian Wallace in ninth place. Corey Dea (17th) and Justin Taflinger (19th) also cracked the top 20.

"We are keying on Manchester, Winamac and Cass," Wildkat coach Ricke Stucker said of jockeying for the fifth team spot. "We have our top three kids trying to place in the top 30 and possibly qualify for semistate. All six guys have to be focused, healthy and really want to perform."

Carroll’s Alec Smith was second individually at sectional and Peru’s Adam Garner was third. They advanced as individuals to the regional along with Peru’s Braxton Jimenez (seventh), Mac’s Caleb Winegardner (14th) and Sam Bourne (20th), Eastern’s Caleb Vogl (18th) and Brayden Richmond (26th) and Northwestern’s Mason Correll (30th).

GIRLS RACE

Maconaquah toppled two-time defending champion Western in Logansport last week, with the Braves' Madison Winegardner taking second individually. Mac also placed Haley Wimmer (fifth) and Karli Miller (seventh) in the top 10.

Western's top runners last week were Olivia Lushin (sixth), Natalie Nicholson (ninth) and Hannah Lushin (11th).

"The girls are ready to pick up where they left off at sectionals," Western coach Joni Neer said. "I think the pressure is off at this point and they can just go out and have fun running and finish up strong."

Teams from the Culver Academies Sectional joining the Logan teams are Warsaw, Rochester, Manchester, host Culver and Plymouth.

"When you look at it, Warsaw is going to get first," Neer said. "Really, it becomes a fight for second. Rochester is strong, and I think it will be them, us and Maconaquah vying for second, third and fourth. If we walk away with anything lower than fourth, it will be a disappointment. I think those second, third and fourth positions should be close and make it kind of fun. You can never dismiss Manchester, either."

Northwestern coach Dave Stevens sees his squad, which took third at sectional, in a logjam for the fifth advancing team spot.

"I think we'll be battling with Manchester, Cass and Culver," Stevens said.

The Tigers' Lauren Longshore raced to a fourth-place finish at sectionals, followed by Casey Lechner (eighth) and Sophia Yager-Motl (12th).

"They were excited about taking third," Stevens said. "They are having a very positive week of practice getting ready for regionals. All in all they are really excited for the opportunity to possibly make a run for the semistate. Just a very positive camp this week."

Cass' Miah Martin took first at the Logan sectional, with teammate Alexis Jackson finishing third.

In addition to the area teams, several individuals advanced from the Logan Sectional to Saturday's regional. Peru’s Jaelin Richardson (14th), Mya Lancaster (23rd) and Sadie Carter (24th), Eastern’s Katrina Witt (19th), Victoria Leeder (20th) and Ella Kantz (21st), and Kokomo’s Taylor Walden (24th) will all represent their squads individually.