October 13, 2018 at 6:44 p.m.
Myers moves on
Myers moves on
Copyright 2018, The Commercial Review
All Rights Reserved
MUNCIE — Skyler Myers waited in anticipation as the announcer started reading off individual qualifiers.
He heard the first five names, none of which were his.
Then he heard the name of Winchester senior Cam Abernathy, who Myers knew was a couple spots ahead of him. Abernathy was the seventh name called.
Wapanahi’s Blake Ellis was next. Then Blue River Valley’s Joey Liles.
Finally, the Jay County High School senior got what he wanted — he heard his name.
Myers earned the 10th and final individual semi-state qualifying spot from the IHSAA cross country regional meet Saturday at Muncie SportsPlex.
“I was very nervous,” said Myers, who was 30th overall with a time of 17 minutes, 50.9 seconds. “When I heard my name mentioned … I was so happy.”
Myers was the only Patriot to advance as the JCHS girls and Myers’ teammate Tayler Smeltzer had their seasons end at regional. The top five teams and top 10 individuals not on advancing teams qualify for semi-state.
“It has been a dream of mine since freshman year,” said Myers, smiling throughout his post-race interview. “It’s really been the ultimate goal. I did so much better than last week … Finally making it to semi-state after just barely missing last year is quite the relief.”
A week earlier at sectional, Myers started the race too quickly and lost steam at the end. This race, however, the three-time regional qualifier saved some of his energy during the first two miles of the race, and with a half mile to go he picked up steam.
“He just ran a strong race the whole time and it just seemed like he kind of kept pretty much the same killer pace all the way to the end and still had more in the tank,” JCHS coach Paul Hyatt said. “I really think we haven’t seen his best run time yet.”
Pushing the final 200 meters toward the finish line, Myers overtook Dalton Winans of Monroe Central, beating him by almost a second, which proved to be the difference of getting to run another week.
“I knew I had to get them,” he said. “I’m not taking any chances.”
Smeltzer, who ran at regional for the first time, was 60th overall in 18:51.4.
Lapel junior Luke Combs successfully defended his championship with a winning time of 15:51.8.
Fishers and Hamilton Southeastern were first and second respectively in the team standings as they joined the regional for the first time.
Fishers had runners place second through fifth in totaling 24 points, while Hamilton Southeastern finished with 57 points.
Pendleton Heights (91), Lapel (149) and Frankton (173) earned the other three qualifying positions.
In the girls’ race, Jay County was competing as a full team for the first time since 2015. Led by five underclassmen, they totaled 212 points for eighth out of 10 scoring teams.
Like the boys, Fishers won the team title with 30 points, and Hamilton Southeastern was second with 36 points. They combined for 13 of the top 15 individual positions.
Sophia Fugiett, a Jay County sophomore who reached semi-state as a freshman, led the Patriots by placing 38th in 21:47.7. She was two places and a mere eight-tenths of a second behind Lapel’s Noelle Loller for the 10th and final individual qualifying spot.
Freshmen Raven Weaver (23:07) and Lindy Wood (23:13.8) were 57th and 60th respectively. Sophomores Miranda Alig (24:20.2) and Lita Chowning (24:24.3) finished back-to-back in 68th and 69th.
“I’m not really disappointed in them,” Hyatt said of the girls. “I don’t think anybody expected they were going to make it to regionals this year. To take the whole team there was awesome. It would have been great to advance a couple of them, but better luck to them next year.”
And it’s the future of that group which Hyatt is looking forward to the most.
“I’m hoping next year we can do really well at sectional, maybe even win it, then come out here and then hopefully advance to semi-state as a team,” he said.
Randolph Southern junior Leah Keesling, who was the sectional champion on the same course last week, won the overall championship with her time of 18:41.7.
All Rights Reserved
MUNCIE — Skyler Myers waited in anticipation as the announcer started reading off individual qualifiers.
He heard the first five names, none of which were his.
Then he heard the name of Winchester senior Cam Abernathy, who Myers knew was a couple spots ahead of him. Abernathy was the seventh name called.
Wapanahi’s Blake Ellis was next. Then Blue River Valley’s Joey Liles.
Finally, the Jay County High School senior got what he wanted — he heard his name.
Myers earned the 10th and final individual semi-state qualifying spot from the IHSAA cross country regional meet Saturday at Muncie SportsPlex.
“I was very nervous,” said Myers, who was 30th overall with a time of 17 minutes, 50.9 seconds. “When I heard my name mentioned … I was so happy.”
Myers was the only Patriot to advance as the JCHS girls and Myers’ teammate Tayler Smeltzer had their seasons end at regional. The top five teams and top 10 individuals not on advancing teams qualify for semi-state.
“It has been a dream of mine since freshman year,” said Myers, smiling throughout his post-race interview. “It’s really been the ultimate goal. I did so much better than last week … Finally making it to semi-state after just barely missing last year is quite the relief.”
A week earlier at sectional, Myers started the race too quickly and lost steam at the end. This race, however, the three-time regional qualifier saved some of his energy during the first two miles of the race, and with a half mile to go he picked up steam.
“He just ran a strong race the whole time and it just seemed like he kind of kept pretty much the same killer pace all the way to the end and still had more in the tank,” JCHS coach Paul Hyatt said. “I really think we haven’t seen his best run time yet.”
Pushing the final 200 meters toward the finish line, Myers overtook Dalton Winans of Monroe Central, beating him by almost a second, which proved to be the difference of getting to run another week.
“I knew I had to get them,” he said. “I’m not taking any chances.”
Smeltzer, who ran at regional for the first time, was 60th overall in 18:51.4.
Lapel junior Luke Combs successfully defended his championship with a winning time of 15:51.8.
Fishers and Hamilton Southeastern were first and second respectively in the team standings as they joined the regional for the first time.
Fishers had runners place second through fifth in totaling 24 points, while Hamilton Southeastern finished with 57 points.
Pendleton Heights (91), Lapel (149) and Frankton (173) earned the other three qualifying positions.
In the girls’ race, Jay County was competing as a full team for the first time since 2015. Led by five underclassmen, they totaled 212 points for eighth out of 10 scoring teams.
Like the boys, Fishers won the team title with 30 points, and Hamilton Southeastern was second with 36 points. They combined for 13 of the top 15 individual positions.
Sophia Fugiett, a Jay County sophomore who reached semi-state as a freshman, led the Patriots by placing 38th in 21:47.7. She was two places and a mere eight-tenths of a second behind Lapel’s Noelle Loller for the 10th and final individual qualifying spot.
Freshmen Raven Weaver (23:07) and Lindy Wood (23:13.8) were 57th and 60th respectively. Sophomores Miranda Alig (24:20.2) and Lita Chowning (24:24.3) finished back-to-back in 68th and 69th.
“I’m not really disappointed in them,” Hyatt said of the girls. “I don’t think anybody expected they were going to make it to regionals this year. To take the whole team there was awesome. It would have been great to advance a couple of them, but better luck to them next year.”
And it’s the future of that group which Hyatt is looking forward to the most.
“I’m hoping next year we can do really well at sectional, maybe even win it, then come out here and then hopefully advance to semi-state as a team,” he said.
Randolph Southern junior Leah Keesling, who was the sectional champion on the same course last week, won the overall championship with her time of 18:41.7.
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