Gannaway, Wood Bloomington bound

Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Caitlin Gannaway of Greencastle tossed the shot put 38-feet even to advance to the state finals.

WEST LAFAYETTE -- Dee Wood and Caitlin Gannaway will be at a familiar place next Friday -- Indiana University.

Wood and Gannaway both advanced out of the West Lafayette Regional Tuesday night and will be making a second appearance each in the IHSAA Girls State Track and Field Championships.

Wood went to the state championships three years ago as a freshman on the 400 meter relay team and will be going this year to compete in the 100 meter dash. Gannaway is going down there for the same event she did last year, the shot put.

"I'm going down there (Bloomington) with the intention to medal this year. That has been has been my intention all season, to medal at state," Gannaway said.

Gannaway finished second Tuesday in the event, throwing 38-feet even. A foot shorter than her seed distance.

"I will get my distance back up to where it needs to be," Gannaway said. "I got second last year at this regional, so I haven't gone down any. The only difference is that I'm stronger this year than I was last year."

Gannaway's second place finish was close, but not as close as Wood's.

It was a photo finish in the 100 meter dash. It was so close that it took the judges over half an hour to announce the winner, and Wood was getting anxious wondering if she would be making the trip next week to Bloomington. And when the announcement came over the intercom, her question was answered.

She finished second. Wood finished the race in 12.73 seconds; first place was 12.70.

"I feel good about this," Wood said. "I ran the 200 meter dash between my heat and the finals of the 100 and didn't do too good. But I think I will get better in the 100 dash as I go on next week."

GHS Coach Garry Anderson was all smiles for his two state qualifiers.

"Dee Wood's race was a nice race to watch. I mean a photo finish -- wow -- and it took them a long time to determine the winner of that race," Anderson said. "Caitlin had some good throws. They weren't the throws she wanted, but it got her back down to Bloomington and we are going to work her hard this week and see what happens."

Going into the regional, Anderson had expectations for Wood and Gannaway, but not for his 3,200 relay team.

"I thought Dee and Caitlin would do well and but I didn't expect the 4X800 relay team to place," Anderson said. "They were in the slow heat and low and behold they ran their best time of the season and placed eighth in the regional."

The 3,200 relay team consisting of Emily Gill, Sara Culler, Faith Fear and Ivonne Martinez finished with a time of 10:24.7 putting them in eighth place.Three other individuals from Putnam County took part in the West Lafayette Regional.

Brittany Cox finished 10th in the discus with a throw of 104-feet-9-inches, while her teammate Rachel Egold ran the 800 meter race, finishing 13th with a time of 2:35.43. Cassie Preecs from North Putnam finished ninth in the high jump event, clearing a height of 4-feet-10.5-inches.

At West Lafayette

IHSAA Girls Track and Field Regional

HJ -- 1. Kinsley (HSE) 5-04.5, 2. Walter (TC) 5-03.5, 3. Austin (AV) 5-02.5, 4. Pahud (NB) J5-02.5, 5. Eckols (CA) J5-02.5, 13. Preecs (NP) 4-10.5

3,200 Relay -- 1. Carmel 9:32.28, 2. Nobelsville 9:40.41, 3. Westfield 9:43.06, 4. West Lafayette 9:48.87, 5. Fishers 9:54.99, 8. Greencastle 10:24.78

800 -- 1. Clauser (SM) 2:15.02, 2. Love (WF) 2:15.98, 3. Bennett (CR) 2:19.54, 4. Callahan (DV) 2:19.63, 5. Cange (NB) 2:20.91, 13. Egold (SP) 2:35.43

SP -- 1. Smith (HSE) 40-10, Gannaway (GHS) 38-00, 3. Ford (PL) 37-07, 4. Traver (H) 36-11, 5. Moore (BC) 36-01

100 -- 1. Harmon (CV) 12.70, 2. Wood (GC) 12.73, 3. Watts (CL) 12.83, 4. Smith (WF) 12.83, 5. Owens (BR) 12.84