Tiger Track Culture Shines At Max Truex Invitational
Tiger Track Culture Shines At Max Truex Invitational
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Steve Krah-
Tiger Track Culture Shines At Max Truex InvitationalJ.W. Maierle is building a culture in his first season as head boys track coach at Warsaw Community High School.
With more than 60 members on the team, he has his boys pulling for one another and fueling their own performances.
“You take the focus off yourself and put it on somebody else and see what happens to you in your events,” said Maierle Friday after the 38th running of Warsaw’s Max Truex Invitational at breezy Fisher Field.
“You take a little time to encourage somebody else and a lot of things will fall into place on your own.
“We have a team camp in the middle (of the field). But I don’t like seeing guys at it. I like to see them out supporting each other.”
Maierle has looked to some seniors to help establish the culture. He singled out Issac Mitchell for his part during the season and Friday.
“He’s there everyday,” said Maierle of Mitchell. “Running fast at the end of the year is our goal and he’s done a fantastic job of that.”
Mitchell was clocked in 52.95 seconds while placing ninth in the 400 dash relay.
“I just gave it all that I had,” said Mitchell. “My training during the off-season has definitely helped.
“Running cross country really carried over to the 400. It gives me some endurance.”
As the Tigers get ready for a triple-dual meet Wednesday against NorthWood and host Plymouth and then the Northern Lakes Conference meet and IHSAA tournament series, Maierle said it was good to face a strong Max Truex field.
Penn (105 points) won the meet, followed by No. 4-ranked and three-time defending champion Carroll (100.5), No. 9 Homestead (95), Mishawaka (78), Valparaiso (72.5), Warsaw (71.5), Fort Wayne Wayne (33.5), Hobart (30) and LaPorte (28).
Each event was scored as a relay.
It was the first Max Truex title for the Kingsmen since 2003. Warsaw last won the meet in 2014.
“It’s a great opportunity for our guys to come out and see some people that are going to push them,” said Maierle. “This is a good test to set us up for that big stage. They won’t be worried about the bright lights. They’ll have been in that environment. They’ll be ready to go.”
Jacob Kissling (third in the 3200 in 10:07.17), Alijah Wade (third in the 200 in 22.96), Sam Lechlitner (sixth in 3200 in 10:12.31), Jayton Brock (ninth in the 200 in 24.01), Tanner Stiver (10th in the 400 in 53.81) were among the top Warsaw individuals on the track.
As a team, Warsaw was also sixth in the 400 relay in 45.56, seventh in the 1600 relay in 3:36.64 and ninth in the 3200 relay in 8:51.68.
The top Tigers in field events were Nick Bazzoni (second in the pole vault at 12 feet, 6 inches), Connor Lennox (second in the high jump at 6-1), Mason Martz (tied for second in the long jump at 20-11 1/2), Nick Miller (third in the shot put at 47-5), Kyle Dawson (fifth in the discus at 129-9), Tyler Metzinger (fifth in the high jump at 6-0), Keagan Larsh (sixth in the long jump at 19-8 3/4).
Penn’s Kevin Krutsch won both the 100 in 10.88 and high jump at 6-4.
Homestead’s Ryan Ruppert ran away from the pack and won the 3200 in 9:37.86.
