Pair of state podiums for Wilson

Finding herself in a position she has rarely been in during her running career, coming from behind, Emma Wilson of Greencastle nonetheless had reason for celebration Friday night, with two sixth-place finishes in state and a pair of impressive times, including a 10:40.29 in the 3,200.

GHS freshman places 6th in 1,600, 3,200

BLOOMINGTON -- Greencastle freshman standout Emma Wilson completed an excellent year on the track by finishing sixth in both the 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs on Friday at Indiana University's Robert C. Haugh Track and Field Complex.

Wilson had been seeded eighth in the 1,600, but turned in a time of 4:58.17 to finish two spots higher than her seeding.

Senior Grace Walther of Homestead won the race in 4:48.68, as the five runners to defeat Wilson were four seniors and one junior. Walther has signed to run for Indiana.

In the 3,200, Wilson turned in a time of 10:40.30 to actually finish one spot lower than her seeding despite cutting 10 seconds off her Bloomington North-regional record time set last week.

"That is very hard to believe," Greencastle coach Garry Anderson said. "That is huge. She raced well, and she is a very determined young lady."

Senior Alex Buck of Pendleton Heights won the race in a time of 10:28.97. Ironically, Buck will run for Greencastle native Joe Franklin at the University of New Mexico this fall.

Anderson had predicted this week that Wilson's best chance to place was probably in the 3,200, based upon the seedings and the greater length involved.

"In the 1,600, I didn't anticipate her dropping her time that far," he said. "She did very well, And she raced both races very well. I am very happy with her performance."

Wilson appeared more tired after the 3,200 than in the previous rounds of the state tournament, and found herself in a new situation where people running ahead of her and next to her had her boxed in at times.

"This is really good weather to run in, and I'm very happy with my times," Wilson said. "It was a really great day. Getting boxed in like that hasn't happened too much to me this year, and that probably hurt my times a little."

Wilson once again broke her own 3,200-meter school record, but still has not conquered the 1,600 standard set by former Tiger Cub and current Butler great Colleen Weatherford.

Weatherford holds the 1,600 mark at 4:57.62, of which Wilson is just .55 of a second away from breaking. Weatherford is a two-time all-Big East Conference performer in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and will be a senior at Butler this fall.

Wilson can also strive to equal or surpass Weatherford's stellar 2012 state finals performance, in which she placed fourth at the state meet as a junior in both the 800- and 1,600-meter runs.

"That's definitely something for her to shoot for," Anderson said. "I know she'll put in a lot of miles between now and next year, and I know she'll work hard.

"She'll mature and get stronger, and with that she will also get more confident," Anderson added. "A lot of the runners ahead of her were seniors, so they won't be back next year. She has a great future."

Wilson, who does not run in competitive meets during the summer, plans to take a break from running for a little while.

"Then it will be back to training for cross country," she said.

Wilson's eight points for her two sixth-place finishes placed Greencastle in a five-way tie for 31st place in the team standings.

Warren Central won with 70 points.

Greencastle's 4x400 relay team, consisting of of seniors Corrie Romer and Allison White and freshmen Bailey Shuee and Seelye Stoffregen, was hoping to break the school record but fell 2.53 seconds short of that goal.