GIRLS GOSHEN RELAYS: Panthers place second in Class A as Goshen, Wawasee follows
Apr. 20—GOSHEN — Moving on up a level didn't put any hinderance on NorthWood's girls track team at the 81st running of the Goshen Relays Saturday.
The Panthers invited the step up in competition and didn't disappoint, finishing as the Class A runners-up behind champion Hanover Central.
"They moved the girls up to the 'A' class this year so knowing the teams that were there... it was good for us to get in the 'A' class because we want to run compete against the higher levels," assistant coach Bill Mitschelen said.
"[We] probably weren't expecting the win or to be second but we battled hard, ran hard," Mitschelen added. "With the elements and being cold I think they did better than they were expecting."
It was a breezy day at Goshen High School with temperatures in the mid 40's. The wind was strongest when runners ran towards he finish line.
Try as the weather may have, it didn't damper on what was the 34st running of the girls version of the event. Instead of a later date closer to sectionals, the girls joined the boys for a larger meet, hoping to draw more teams. There were 34 boys teams and 16 girls teams invited Saturday.
The meet lasted over eight hours, starting at 9 a.m. and wrapping up around 5:30 p.m.
For the Panthers, which finished second followed my NLC foes Goshen (third) and Wawasee (fourth), standouts included Hannah Chupp in the 100-meter hurdles, Claire Payne in the high jump and Bridgette Stutsman in the pole vault; all placed first.
"The relays did really good, outstanding on that end," Mitschelen said. "We had guys in the finals of the 100-meter and in the hurdles and we had it on both sides, so that put points on the board and then the girls won the high jump."
Two Panthers, Elayna Yoder and Anna Roeder placed in the 100-meter finals. Ahead in local talent was Goshen's Kristina Petkova who placed second.
Other top scorers in the top class was NorthWood's Sydney Prenkert (1600-meter; second), the Wawasee 4X800-meter relay team of Mia Hodgson, Reese Beasley, Jasmine Hernandez and Addison Powell which finished first, and Goshen's first-place distance medley relay team of Lindsay Rodman, Abigail Kratzer, Kassandra Ortega and Eliza Herber.
Maybe most notable was Indiana State committ and Wawasee senior Emma Yoder in the shot put with a throw that reached over 137-feet — 34-feet more than the next closest.
FAIRFIELD'S FRESHMAN SHINES
For the young freshman sprinter Emma Walter, the words didn't come easy.
That could have also been the case because of her narrow victory for Fairfield in the 100-meter Class B finals.
"I just wanted to be done and go home," said a clearly cold and exhausted Walter. "I just kept my eyes on the finish line and pursued it. I never expect to win but try to do my best."
In a race to the finish line, Walter crossed right before Angola's Malia Hakey and Bremen's Emma Kincaid. Her timed of 13.40 second mirrored her prelim time.
"I feel like my first run was easier because I didn't have competition that much," Walter said on the close finish.
Fairfield placed third overall in the Class B section of Saturday's marathon invite. The Falcons also drew a win in the 4X800-meter relay and in pole vault where Jalyn Stofleth and Shelby Miller locked up the top two spots for the Falcons, respectively.
------
2024 GOSHEN RELAYS — Event winners and final team standings
Honorary referee: Lowell Nafziger
CLASS A
4X100-meter relay: SB Riley (Samara Ford, Keyeira Burton, Kayla Wright, Karis Johnson), 51.54
4X200-meter relay: FW Northrop (Emory Majors, Aniyah Lattimore, Alasia Greene, Nelly Vaughn), 1:49.50
4X400-meter relay: FW Northrop (Aniyah Lattimore, Emory Majors, Alasia Greene, Kalaeh Alexander), 4:24.48
4X800-meter relay: Wawasee (Mia Hodgson, Addison Powell, Jasmine Hernandez, Reese Beasley), 10:31.26
Sprint medley relay (200, 200, 400, 800): SB St. Joseph (Michelle Carter, Chymira Crawford, Sara Prokop, Lauren Frick), 4:30.22
Distance medley relay (1200, 400, 800, 1600): Goshen (Lindsay Rodman, Abigail Kratzer, Kassandra Ortega, Eliza Herber), 13:55.54
100-meter dash: Nelly Vaughn (FW Northrop), 12.87
100-meter hurdles: Hannah Chupp (NorthWood), 17.03
1600-meter run: Isabella Valencia (FW Northrop), 5:41.84
Long jump: Alivia Rice (FW Northrop), 17' 4.75"
High jump: Claire Payne (NorthWood), 4'10"
Pole vault: Bridgette Stutsman (NorthWood), 7'6"
Discus throw: Emma Yoder (Wawasee), 137'1"
Shot put: Samara Rouser (SB Adams), 34'1"
Final Class A team standings:
1. FW Northrop: 140.5
2. NorthWood: 92.5
3. Goshen: 75
4. Wawasee: 55.5
5. SB St. Joseph: 55
6. SB Adams: 49.5
7. FW Snider: 26
8. SB Riley: 20
CLASS B
4X100-meter relay: Bremen (Emma Kincaid, Sara Sahlhoff, Elle Libey, Kila Foster), 51.60
4X200-meter relay: Bremen (Emma Kincaid, Sara Sahlhoff, Elle Libey, Kila Foster), 1:49.78
4X400-meter relay: Tippecanoe Valley (Ava Smith, Betty Shepherd, Hadley Wise, Chesnee Miller), 4:16.14
4X800-meter relay: Fairfield (Lyla Dennis, Katie Kuhn, Elli Yoder, Natalee Lambright), 11:00.54
Sprint medley relay (200, 200, 400, 800): Angola (Anna McClure, Jordan Davenport, Karleigh Gillen, Bella Underwood Sande), 4:34.65
Distance medley relay (1200, 400, 800, 1600): Hanover Central (Kennedy Morgan, Regina Tozzi, Althea Zinmer, Audrey Zuzich), 14:21.51
100-meter dash: Emma Walter (Fairfield), 13.40
100-meter hurdles: Betty Shepherd (Tippecanoe Valley), 17.56
1600-meter run: Audrey Lee (Trinity), 5:37.70
Long jump: Chesnee Miller (Tippecanoe Valley), 15'5"
High jump: Brooke Edison (LaVille), 5'0"
Pole vault: Jalyn Stofleth (Fairfield), 9'0"
Discus throw: Alyson O'Connell (Hanover Central), 108'6"
Shot put: Ava Cryderman (Hanover Central), 31' 8.5"
Final Class B team standings:
1. Hanover Central: 110
2. Angola: 100
3. Fairfield: 96
4. Bremen: 81
5. Tippecanoe Valley: 52
6. Trinity Greenlawn: 41
7. LaVille: 39
8. Bishop Noll: 16
Reach Matt Lucas at 574-533-2151, ext. 240325, or at matt.lucas@goshennews.com.
