Lady Tiger Cubs cruise to WCC championship

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

GREENCASTLE -- The Lady Tiger Cubs set five big goals they wanted to accomplish by the end of the season: win the county meet, win the West Central Conference meet, advance out of the sectional and regional and advance someone to the semi-state race.

They can cross off the conference goal, because on Saturday the Greencastle High School girls cross country team laid waste to the competition and won the meet with 22 points.

"This is the first conference title that this team has won since 2003," GHS coach Garry Anderson said. "We have been close the last two years but this year we finally got it."

The Lady Tiger Cubs took the top two spots in Saturday's race with Colleen Weatherford winning the meet with a time of 21:18 and Kayla Cash coming in behind her at 21:26 and had two of their other five scorers finish in the top 10, making the All-Conference team, Emily Gill and Sara Culler. Gill finished sixth with a time of 21:48, while Culler wrapped up the top 10 with a time of 22:25.

But even though his team dominated the race and had four top 10finishers, Anderson was still a little disappointed in his team.

"I was disappointed that we didn't have a couple more girls finish higher, not too much higher, just a couple of places higher," Anderson said. "I thought that we were capable of doing that, but I have to say that these other teams were fired up. I mean, my gosh, look at that girl from Cloverdale, (Amillia NAlly) she did a great job today.

"What we need to do is learn to race as a team and not just individuals. And what I mean is that when we pass our own runners we help pull each other by encouraging them more," Anderson said. "I wish we had finished just a little better."

With the county and conference goals out of the way, Greencastle can now set their sights on the sectional and Anderson knows that will be a little more changeling than the last two goals.

"Sectional will be tough," Anderson said. "We don't have a horse coming into that race and Brownsburg and Avon are some tough schools. It is going to take the girls running in the low 20's to make the top 15.

"But we should advance out as a team, unless something goes horribly wrong," Anderson said.

Greencastle wasn't the only team that was jumping with excitement Saturday -- so was Cloverdale.

Cloverdale finished second in the conference meet with 62 points and it did it with an all freshman team.

"I'm just so excited," CHS coach Katie McLaughlin said. "Amillia doesn't believe she ran a good race, but, my goodness, he ran a better race today than she did on Tuesday."

Amillia Nally led the Cloverdale runner with a fifth place finish in 21:34.54 while her teammate Claudia Monnett placed seventh with a time of 21:48, giving the Clovers two runners on the All-WCC team this year.

"Claudia and Amillia both finished in the top ten and I can't stop smiling," McLaughlin said. "I ran with five freshman and I have nothing to be upset about and neither do these girls. They have worked all season long for this and it was mental toughness that really helped Amillia bounce back after Tuesday.

"And that just shows what kind of champion she is going to be in the near future if she can overcome stuff like this as a freshman," McLaughlin Added.

The only other county girl to make the All-Conference team was Paxton Stephenson from North Putnam. She finished eighth with a time of 21:56, and that made her coach Kevin Lutes smile.

"Paxton is probably one of the most competitive people that I have ever been able to coach." Lutes said about his star runner. "I know her finishes have bothered her this season and she has been wanting to do a whole lot better, but she is coming to practice after volleyball practice and she is really tired after our practices, but she guts it out and I'm proud of her.

"And if she gets a run of a lifetime she might be bale to get out of the sectional," Lutes added.

As a team, North finished fourth with 75 points while South Putnam finished in third with 67 points, even without anybody in the top 10.

"We had a lot of girls PR today and there finishes were great. They never let anyone pass them up," SPHS Coach Elaine Bye said. "I don't think we finished where I liked too, but they're doing the best they can and I'm happy with that."

The Eagles' top finisher was Amanda Lund, who finished 14th overall with time of 23:35 followed by Kaelynn Cox in 15th with a time of 23:54.

Greencastle, North Putnam and South Putnam take part in the South Putnam Sectional today at 5 p.m. today, while Cloverdale travels to Brown County for its sectional, also slated for 5 p.m.

At South Putnam

Team Scores -- 1. Greencastle 22, 2. Cloverdale 62, 3. South Putnam 67, 4. North Putnam 75, Cascade Inc., Monrovia inc. , Speedway Inc.

All Conference team -- 1. Weatherford (GC) 21:18, 2. Cach (GC) 21:26, 3. Spear (MO) 21:31, 4. Thompson (MO) 21:34.11, 5. Nally (CL) 21:34.54, 6. Gill (GC) 21:48, 7. Monnett (CL) 21:56, 8. Stephenson (NP) 22:08, 9. Musson (CA) 22:21, 10. Culler (GC) 22:25.

Other County finishes -- 11. Dwigans (GC) 22:38, 14. Lund (SP) 23:35, 15. Cox (SP) 23:54, 16. Fear (GC) 23:58, 17. Beasley (SP) 24:51, 18. High (NP) 25:10, 19. Shrum (CL) 25:49, 21. Salyers (NP) 26:09, 22. Yuyama (SP) 26:27,24. Dean (CL) 26:47, 26. Martinez (GC) 27:51, 27. Parent (NP) 28:03, 28. Birt (SP) 29:29, 30. Cherry (SP) 31:17, 31. Robinson (NP) 32:21, 32. Huff (CL) 32:22, 33. Preecs (NP) 37:35

Next Meet -- Greencastle, North Putnam and South Putnam take part in the South Putnam Sectional today at 5 p.m. today, while Cloverdale travels to Brown County for its sectional, also slated for 5 p.m.