Jay, SA runners focused on state

Katie Simmons, Hannah Moore and the Starfire boys have an unusual fall-break destination in mind. All of them would like to make a trip to Terre Haute.
They will have a chance to make reservations Saturday. The Jay County High School girls and South Adams boys cross country teams, and Moore, will compete in the semi-state tournament hosted by New Haven at IPFW.
The top five teams and top 15 individual runners in each race advance to the state finals, which will be contested Oct. 29 at LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course in Terre Haute.
“I don’t think you go into this meet and think of anything other than that,” said SAHS coach Clint Anderson of the goal of a state finals berth. “You’re one step away from the biggest meet of the year, and I think any time you’re in this position you’ve got to give it everything you’ve got and believe you’ve got a shot until people prove otherwise.”
After a fourth-place regional finish, the Patriot girls are seeded 19th out of 20 teams in the semi-state. But Simmons has had her sights set on the state finals ever since her track season ended in late May.
She’s bettered the Jay County school records by 30 seconds this season, and she finished as the runner-up to Winchester’s Whitney Wiist at both the sectional and regional meets.
Simmons’ time of 19:22.55 at the regional meet makes her the No. 11 seed for the semi-state. She was 78th last season after finishing 120th in 2009.
The last Patriot to make the state finals was Alyssa Johnson in 2003.
“Her goal is definitely to get to the state meet,” said JCHS coach Brian McEvoy. “She’s done absolutely everything a coach could possibly ask of her and then some. She’s done everything she possibly can do to put herself in that position.
“We know there are going to be a couple of distinct packs,” he added, noting that the top few runners are likely to break away. “We’d kind of like to be in that second group. It’s going to have to be a really quick start.”
Ashley Erba of Warsaw is the semi-state favorite by less than two seconds over Columbia City’s Samantha Roush with a regional time of 18:10. Huntington North’s Robyn Karst in the No. 15 seed at 19:31.
The South Adams boys team won the Bellmont Invitational, Bi-County Conditioner and Spencerville Invitational this season, and won the Allen County Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament titles. After a second-place effort in the Bellmont sectional, the Starfires turned a lot of heads as they finished just one point behind runner-up Whitko at the Marion regional.
Although they are on the outside looking in for a team berth in the state finals — they are seeded ninth with a projected 229 points — they have set their tournament focus on putting their best foot forward at IPFW.
“They’ve been getting better it seems week after week,” said Anderson. “If we can keep improving at the level we’ve been improving, it could be a pretty good day for us.
“I think they’re going to give it as good a fight as we’ve ever put fourth at semi-state. This boys team is really confident right now.”
The fifth seeded team is Warsaw (186) followed by Whitko, Northridge, Concordia and the Starfires. Fifth-ranked Mishawaka is the semi-state favorite ahead of No. 13 South Bend St. Joseph, No. 12 Homestead and No. 11 Carroll.
Junior Evan Liecthy is the only Starfire seeded in the top 15 individually as he sits 11th with his regional time of 16:16. Carroll’s Zachery Panning is the No. 15 seed at 16:20.
Moore, a senior, is the only Starfire girl competing Saturday after she placed seventh at the Marion regional. She was the best area runner at the semi-state last season with a 22nd-place finish, and her season-best regional time of 19:41.75 makes her the 25th seed this season.
“I’m hoping she’s about ready to peak,” said Anderson. “She got a taste of what it’s like last year to be running with not too many people in front of her. Hopefully that experience carries over.”
South Adams has never had a runner advance to the state finals in boys or girls cross country.
The only team seeded behind Jay County in the 20-team girls field is Delta, which trailed the Patriots in sectional and regional competition. After Simmons, Eme Miller is next highest seed for JCHS at 77th.
McEvoy said he hopes his team, which has finished 19th in the semi-state each of the last two years, will be able to put together a strong effort to cap the season.
“We’ve never really gone there and had our top five girls run as well as they could,” he said. “That’s one thing we’re looking at. We’re not expecting to win, but I think if we can go up there and run well that’s the biggest thing.”[[In-content Ad]]