Warsaw Boys, Girls Extend Sectional Title StreaksCULVER – The wind wasn’t the only thing that blew through the 5K course during Saturday morning’s boys and girls cross country sectional at Culver Academies.
On a blustery day along the shores of Lake Maxinkuckee, the Warsaw Tigers and Lady Tigers breezed to their seventh consecutive sectional titles and eighth overall for each program.
The Warsaw boys, who scored 34 points and beat runner-up Culver Academies by 39 points, saw all five of their scoring runners finish in the top 12 of the 69-person race. Senior Lucas Howett led the way with a third-place time of 17:00.
En route to their team championship, the Lady Tigers got a 1-2 finish from seniors Mia Beckham and Emma Bohnenkamper.
Beckham, who sat out the sectional the past two years to rest for regional competition, covered the 5K course in 19:37, finishing 54 seconds ahead of teammate and runner-up Bohnenkamper.
The Lady Tigers, who scored 35 points as a team and beat runner-up Rochester by 25 points, placed four runners in the top 10 and saw their fifth scoring runner finish 13th in the 61-person race.
The top five teams, as well as the top 10 individuals not on an advancing team, qualify for the regional, which will be run Saturday at Culver Academies.
Plymouth finished third in the boys team standings with 83 points, followed by Caston (104), Manchester (117), Rochester (144), Tippecanoe Valley (183), North Miami (233), Triton (236) and Argos (261).
Caston junior Mitchell Rans defended his sectional title, winning in 16:35 and beating runner-up Thomas Rohr, a senior from Rochester, by 16 seconds.
The problem for Rans and Rohr was they didn’t get much help from their teammates.
Caston had just two runners in the top 15, while Rochester’s second finisher in the boys race was 25th.
Howett, on the other hand, got plenty of help from his Warsaw teammates.
Seniors Xavi Ramirez (17:16), Taylor Mills (17:23) and Justin Fleming (17:40 finished fifth, sixth and eighth, respectively. The Tigers’ fifth scoring runner, freshman Sam Lechlitner was 12th in a time of 18:02.
Freshman Jacob Kissling (15th, 18:16) and senior Eric Williamson (24th, 18:53) rounded out the Tigers’ lineup in 15th and 24th, respectively.
Senior Lance Bennett led the fifth-place Manchester Squires with a 13th-place time of 18:02. Other Manchester runners in the boys race included Carter Bedke (16th, 18:23), Ben Reichenbach (26th, 19:03), Ethan Davis (27th, 19:09), Reece Adamiec (35th, 19:45), Montgomery Pattison (39th, 20:03) and Kaden Dillon (53rd, 21:27).
Seventh-place Valley was led by senior Jordan Owens, who finished 14th in a time of 18:09. Owens advanced as an individual and will be joined at the regional by teammates Matthew Howes (28th, 19:09) and Colt Demske (45th, 20:27).
Triton’s boys team also qualified three individuals – freshman Brandon Kitch (37th, 19:46), sophomore Russell Reichard (41st, 20:10) and junior Josiah Page (44th, 20:24).
In the girls team standings, Manchester scored 90 points to finish third behind Warsaw and Rochester.
Culver Academies was fourth with 111 points, followed by Plymouth (140), Tippecanoe Valley (147), North Miami (156), Caston (179) and Argos (272).
Joining teammates Beckham and Bohnenkamper in the top 10 were Warsaw’s Carmen Yoder (9th, 21:34) and Taylor Gunter (10th, 21:38).
Sierra Palmer (13th, 21:56), Megan Dawson (14th, 22:26) and Alexandra Hermann (23rd, 23:08) rounded out the Lady Tigers’ lineup.
Junior Jaelyn Webb led the Lady Squires with a fourth-place time of 20:48, while freshman teammate Torina Runkel was sixth in 21:02.
Other Manchester runners in the girls race included Katie Barker (18th, 22:44), Maddy Evans (30th, 24:01), Anna Markham (37th, 24:55) and Guri Hoidahl (51st, 26:44).
Though they didn’t advance as a team, Valley will be represented in the girls race at the regional.
The Lady Vikings saw three runners advance – sophomores Jadyn Kolesiak (17th, 22:37) and Valeria Jimenez (21st, 23:02), and junior Haley Hoover (33rd, 24:14).
Triton had just two competitors in the girls sectional race, but both advanced to the regional.
Sophomore Brianna Wilhite finished 24th in 23:12, while Baylee McIntire crossed the finish line 29th in 23:55.
CULVER ACADEMIES SECTIONAL
Note – top 5 teams, as well as top 10 individuals not on an advancing team, qualify for the regional.
(BOYS)
Team Scores – Warsaw 34, Culver Academies 73, Plymouth 83, Caston 104, Manchester 117, Rochester 144, Tippecanoe Valley 183, North Miami 233, Triton 236, Argos 261
Race Winner – Mitchell Rans (Caston) 16:35
Warsaw – 3. Lucas Howett 17:00, 5. Xavi Ramirez 17:16, 6. Taylor Mills 17:23, 8. Justin Fleming 17:40, 12. Sam Lechlitner 18:02, 15. Jacob Kissling 18:16, 24. Eric Williamson 18:53
Manchester – 13. Lance Bennett 18:02, 16. Carter Bedke 18:23, 26. Ben Reichenbach 19:03, 27. Ethan Davis, 35. Reece Adamiec 19:45, 39. Montgomery Pattison 20:03, 53. Kaden Dillon 21:27
T. Valley – 14. Jordan Owens 18:09, 28. Matthew Howes 19:09, 45. Colt Demske 20:27, 47. Mitch Smith 20:27, 49. Justin Peconga 20:42, 55. Ethan Hartman 21:34, 59. Evan Lowman 22:12
Team Scores – Warsaw 35, Rochester 60, Manchester 90, Culver Academies 111, Plymouth 140, Tippecanoe Valley 147, North Miami 156, Caston 179, Argos 272
Race Winner – Mia Beckham (Warsaw) 19:37
Warsaw – 1. Mia Beckham 19:37, 2. Emma Bohnenkamper 20:31, 9. Carmen Yoder 21:34, 10. Taylor Gunter 21:38, 13. Sierra Palmer 21:56, 14. Megan Dawson 22:26, 23. Alexandra Hermann 23:08
Manchester – 4. Jaelyn Webb 20:48, 6. Torina Runkel 21:02, 18. Katie Barker 22:44, 30. Maddy Evans 24:01, 37. Anna Markham 24:55, 51. Guri Hoidahl 26:44
T. Valley – 17. Jadyn Kolesiak 22:37, 21. Valeria Jimenez 23:02, 33. Haley Hoover 24:14, 40. Ava Craig 25:21, 44. Lorena Santiago 25:59, 48. Carleigh Byrer 26:27, 53. Marissa McLean 27:10
