Sectional is goal for Patriots

Seven regional qualifiers, including two sectional champions and one state medalist, won't be back for the Jay County girls track team this year. But that has done nothing to dampen expectations.

With seven more regional qualifiers returning, the Patriots are hoping to make a run at the conference and sectional titles that have eluded them.

Of the host of returning talent, the biggest key may come from a sophomore returning from injury.

Jordan McMillan was off to a great start to her freshman season before suffering an ankle injury that kept her out for the rest of the year. This season she'll be back to be the team's top sprinter and one of a group of talented high jumpers and long jumpers.

"We're going to count on her a lot," said JCHS coach Brian McEvoy. "She's our number one sprinter. She's one of our (top) jumpers. Last year before she had an ankle injury she was leading us in points for the season. ... We're really going to count on her."

Leading the team in points at any moment during the 2008 season says a lot, as the squad included sectional champions Amanda Johnson, who went on to finish ninth in the state in the 800-meter run, and Erika Hunt.

The best sectional finish from a returning athlete is in the high jump, where senior Lindsey Current was the runner-up a year ago. She will also compete in the long jump, and junior Kelsey Wood will compete in the jumps and the sprints as well.

"They have the possibility of going one, two, three in a lot of meets in high jump," said McEvoy.

The other strength of the team, as it has been for some time, is in the middle and long distances.

Sisters Kylie and Leah Wellman are coming off of third-place sectional finishes last season. Leah, a sophomore, will handle the 800 and 1,600 runs while Kylie, a senior, takes care of the 3,200 run.

Freshman Katie Simmons will also be a key cog in the long distance races.

"(Leah) is one of the most talented runners we have on our roster right now," said McEvoy. "She's just a hard worker. ...

"We're really excited about our distance group. We know they're talented. They have a lot of experience from the cross country season. They've been great in track every year."

Cara Garringer, a sophomore, is the other athlete returning after a top-four individual finish at the sectional last season. She placed third in the shot put in 2008 and was the only freshman or sophomore to qualify for the regional meet.

Freshman Maria Murphy will joining her in the throwing events to give the Patriots their strongest pair in that area since Kerri McClung's state title in 2000.

"We're expecting really big things out of (Cara)," said McEvoy. "She's already throwing pretty good distances this early in the season."

Senior Brianne Wellman, Kylie and Leah's sister, will be the top hurdler after running behind regional qualifiers Hunt and Stephanie Wellman last season. Sophomore Megan Taylor will join her, and Macey Gerber will lead the 400 dash group.

McEvoy said one of the biggest challenges would be replacing the strong team leaders from a year ago. But he also noted that twins Kylie and Brianne Wellman, Cassie Laux and Amy Alig have stepped into the role admirably thus far.

"(Johnson and Hunt) were top-level runners for us," said McEvoy. "They were sectional champions multiple times; beyond that they were great leaders and set great examples. They expected a lot of themselves.

"And Sarah Mescher was the same way with the sprinters. She didn't have maybe the sectional championships to go with it, but she's running collegiately. She pushed girls and she demanded the best out of everyone.

"Those three ... they were the leaders their junior year too. It was their team for two years.

"I think a lot of girls really realized they had to step up and fill some roles.

"With our success the last couple years, we've got a lot of high expectations. ..."

Among those goals are trying to match or better last seasons' 36-3 record, which included an undefeated dual-meet season. But more importantly, the Patriots want to track down the two goals that have eluded them - Olympic Athletic Conference and sectional championships.

JCHS finished just 12.5 points behind OAC champion Connersville last season and 10 back of sectional champion Delta.

"We want to be one of the top teams in the area," said McEvoy. "We still want to go after a conference championship, and the same thing with the sectional championship. I think those are the big benchmarks that separate you.

"We did a lot of great things last year ... but we didn't knock down the big two."[[In-content Ad]]