An almost for Falcons

By Greg Keim
THE GOSHEN NEWS

Fri, May 16 2008

— The Fairfield Falcons came within 51/2 points of winning their first-ever Class B championship in the 66th running of the Goshen Relays for high school boys track and field Saturday at Foreman Field.
South Bend St. Joseph’s finished with 113 points while Fairfield had 1071/2.
“If we lose by 5 or 6 points I might not sleep tonight,” said Fairfield coach Bob Miller who had a relay team disqualified for a lane violation. “The kids competed. We had some spots where kids really stepped up.”
St. Joseph’s won it first title.
“We knew it would be close with Fairfield,” St. Joe coach Mike McCarthy said. “Our advantage over Fairfield is in the distance events. Our 4 x 800 and distance medley relays both won and we scored 13 points in the 1,600.
“We did not run head-to-head much with Fairfield. It would have been nice to go up against them more often.
“There is a lot of prestige that goes with winning this meet.”
Fairfield senior Tyler Gangloff and Cory Snep of Whitko both tallied 22 points to share the high-point award.
Gangloff won a 300 intermediate hurdle race (39.83).
“I just tried to run hard and not slow down,” Gangloff said. “This race is more mental than anything. I’m in shape to run the event, but it is all heart and head.
“Last year I finished second to a state-ranked kid so winning is very exciting. We are in B, but I know I can compete with the Class A kids come sectional and regional.”
Fairfield won a 4 x 100 relay as senior Trevor Conrad, Gangloff, senior Alex Korenstra and junior Alic Vanover finished in 43.82.
“I’ve been coaching for 22 years and I never thought you would see a 43 out of the boys from Benton,” Miller said.
Conrad, freshman Tanner Foust, senior Michael Hopkins and junior Jake Yoder won a sprint medley relay (1:38.54).
“Conrad is a first-year senior and Foust ran a tremendous leg,” Miller said.
The sprint medley is a 100, 100, 200 and 400. Foust ran the anchor leg and pulled ahead in the closing meters.
“Falcon Pride is what kept me going,” he said. “I didn’t know if it was possible. We were behind and I gave it all I had. As a freshman it is a honor for me to even compete in the Goshen Relays.”
Gangloff, senior Robby Gingerich, Korenstra and Vanover won a 4 x 400 relay (3:29.75).
“You have to look at the track to see why we finished second,” Miller said. “We were decent in field events. One highlight was (senior) Ryan Lewis in shot put. He had never been over 50 feet before finishing second at 51-4 today.”
West Noble senior Jeff Wysong defended his 1,600 title by winning in 4:29.29.
“It feels good to repeat,” he said. “There was not a lot of competition in my heat. I was pretty confident about winning.
“Running the 1,600 is good for my 800, which is probably the race I will concentrate on in the state tournament.”
Westview senior Jesse Sherman won pole vault (12-0) and junior Aaron Baker of Lakeland discus (149-5).

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