Fugiett advances to semi-state

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MUNCIE — To begin a race, Sophia Fugiett doesn’t like to get out to too fast of a start.

She’d rather pass other runners throughout and finish strong.

A half mile into the ISHAA regional meet Saturday at Muncie Sportsplex, the Jay County High School freshman found herself in 13th place.

She wasn’t sure she wanted to be there.

Instead of dropping back she pushed forward.

Fugiett finished 10th as the lone Jay County runner — the Patriots had a pair of boys and girls compete — to qualify for semi-state.

“It’s very exciting,” said Fugiett, who had a time of 21 minutes, 6.4 seconds. “As a freshman, it’s awesome. I can’t really describe this feeling.”

She will represent JCHS at the semi-state after the school failed to qualify anyone for the meet last year. Megan Wellman and Kellie Fortkamp were semi-state qualifiers in 2015.

Yorktown won the team title with 43 points. Pendleton Height was second with 68, and host Delta was a distant third with 114 points. Mt. Vernon (119) ad Monroe Central (127) earned the final two semi-state qualifying spots.

The top five teams and top 10 individuals not on qualifying teams advance to semi-state, which is Oct. 21 at IPFW.

Pendleton Heights scored 51 points to win the boys race. Mt. Vernon (87), Muncie Central (114), Monroe Central (133) and Wapahani (136) rounded out the top five teams.

Fugiett has been the lead JCHS runner all season, and Saturday she made her way toward the front of the pack after a few hundred meters.

At the 1K mark, she was sitting 13th, about 20 second behind then-leader Aubrey Norris of Monroe Central.

“I didn’t know how I wanted to start,” said Fugiett. “I was up near the front and I was like ‘Oh dear, should I be up here or not?’”

But she did. After one mile she stayed put in 13th, and made her way up to 11th after two miles. Over the final mile as she pushed toward the finish line, she overtook Yorktown’s Hannah Rapp to earn the top-10 finish.

“It’s awesome,” she said. “I didn’t think I could do it.”

Fugiett said she was hoping to place in the top 15. Her coaches had a different goal.

“Actually told her before her race, 10th or ninth place,” said JCHS coach Kurt Hess. “She had a really good race. Kept her pace really well.”

Norris fell back to fifth, with Christina Magers of Pendleton Heights winning the regional championship in 19:26.6.

Miranda Alig, another JCHS freshman, had her season come to a close as she finished 33rd. She got caught near the middle of the pack, and was in 42nd after both the first and second miles. A push during the third mile helped her make up 10 spots, and she finished with a time of 22:29.9.

“I was hoping Miranda would slide through,” Hess said.

Alig had been battling a foot injury recently, and is scheduled to have surgery on Friday. Had she made it to semi-state the surgery would have been postponed.

Jay County junior Skyler Myers and senior Alex LeMaster had their seasons end at regional for the second consecutive year. They both started near the back of the pack about 300 meters into the race.

They both made up spots as the race went on. After one mile, Myers was 44th while LeMaster was a dozen spots behind him. A mile later, they both improved eight spots.

At the finish, Myers made up one spot, ended with a time of 18:13.2 for 33rd place. LeMaster fell back one place, and was 49th in 18:48.3.

“I think he got caught in a couple big packs there at the beginning,” Hess said of Myers, who was 15th overall among those who did not qualify as members of a team. “I tried to tell him not to do that … I think staying in those packs kind of messes with their head a little.

“(LeMaster) was trying his hardest his last year. I knew he’d have a good kick there at the end. Like Sophie they all have really good mental toughness there trying to pass kids at the end. Just couldn’t quite get it done.”