Published: May 14, 2008 10:43 am         

Area stars among champs

Kaila Stevens showed she is human and also can bounce back from disappointment.

The Goshen senior finished second in her specialty — the 400-meter dash— before returning to win the 200 Tuesday night in the IHSAA girls track and field sectional at Warsaw High School.

“Kaila is not a machine,” said Goshen coach Bruce Bergdall of his runner who had the No. 1 seed time of 57.91 in the 400. “Losses keep us humble and fuel the fire.”

Stevens got off to a fast start and appeared to be in control about halfway through the race, but Warsaw senior Lauren Pridgen had other ideas. Pridgen overtook Stevens coming down the homestretch finishing in 57.35, ahead of Stevens’ 57.79.

Both times were under the sectional record of 57.9 by Carmen Macon of Elkhart Central in 1991.

“It was more of a mental thing,” Stevens said. “I thought she (Pridgen) was going to die and I wasn’t prepared when she didn’t.”

Stevens bounced back with a win in the 200 (27.86).

“I didn’t want to lose the 200,” she said. “My goal was to just go out hard and stay ahead.”

Bergdall said, “Kaila was fired up for the 200. She cleared her head after the disappointment.”

Warsaw repeated as team champion with 152 points, followed by Elkhart Memorial 105, Northridge 84.5, Goshen 77, Elkhart Central 67, Concord 46.5, Fairfield 35.5, Wawasee 27, NorthWood 21.5 and Jimtown 8.

The top four finishers in each event advance to the Bremen regional on Tuesday, May 20.

Goshen senior Rachel Hollinger-Janzen won the 3,200 (11:18.84).

It was a satisfying victory for the Eastern Michigan University recruit who was edged out at the finish line a year ago by Karissa Cominator of Northridge.

“This feels amazing,” Hollinger-Janzen said. “My strategy was to go out with the lead girls and she how far they could push me. After that I wanted to get out in the lead and not be challenged when it came to the final kick. The wind was a lot stronger than it was here last week for NLC.

“My goal at regional will be top three or the state standard (11:07.93). I will really be bummed if I don’t make it to state.”

Goshen also won the 4 x 400 relay as senior Kelsey Peters, junior Laura Sorg, sophomore Jillian Zimmerman and Stevens were clocked in 4:03.49.

This time it was Stevens who finished ahead of Pridgen on the anchor leg.

“We have an awesome team,” Stevens said. “I knew they would get me the lead. I needed to prove to myself that I could beat her.”

Fairfield had a sectional champion as sophomore Jade Bobeck captured pole vault (9-6). Her teammate, sophomore Emily Sharkey, tied for third with Northridge senior Nikkie Smeltzer (9-0).

“Jade started vaulting in 7th grade,” Fairfield coach Darin Holsopple said. “Her determination makes her good. She is also mentally tough and showed that by bouncing back after two poor weeks of vaulting.”

Northridge senior Melissa Kauffman won the 800 (2:16.91).

“She led the race wire-to-wire,” Northridge coach Josh Fletcher said. “She ran a great time without being pushed.”

Other Goshen regional qualifiers are Sorg, junior Tiffany Higdon, Hollinger-Janzen and Zimmerman in the 4 x 800 relay (third in 10:14.39); Peters 100 (fourth in 13.98) and junior Heather Bronge high jump (tied for third at 4-10).

Goshen freshman Maranda Reed was on her way to qualifying in the 300 before falling down after hitting a hurdle. She still finished fifth (52.04).

“She was leading 200 meters into the race before clipping a hurdle,” Bergdall said. “She might have had a time in the 47s or low 48s.”

Also moving on to regional for Fairfield are junior Megan Miller 100 hurdles (third in 16.94) and sophomore Diamond Setterberg 1,600 (fourth in 5:21.04).

Other qualifiers for Northridge are junior Hanna Mercer, sophomore Allie Pladson, Cominator and junior Megan Hammel 4 x 800 relay (second in 10:00.18); freshman Connie Smith, sophomore Dana Christner, freshman Morgan Lewallen and Smeltzer 4 x 100 relay (third in 51.59); Mercer 300 hurdles (second in 50.39), Pladson 800 (fourth in 2:25.71), freshman Skylair Hilton 3,200 (third in 11:44.60), Lewallen, Christner, freshman Erin Jones and Mercer 4 x 400 relay (third in 4:12.26) and junior Lauren Adams discus (fourth at 107-6) and shot put (second at 34-9).

“Adams was big for us,” Fletcher said. “This is the first time in about 10 years we have had someone in throws at regional.”

Making the regional field for Concord are sophomore Sheila Tomasbi, senior Anika Dion, freshman Hilari Carpenter and senior Tracy Swain 4 x 800 relay (fourth in 10:15.15); sophomore Chloe Brooks 100 (third in 13.80) and 200 (second in 27.11), senior Breanna McGhee 100 hurdles (fourth in 17:16) and senior Heather Willoughby long jump (third at 15-9 1/4).

Wawasee sophomore Crystal Delafuente placed third in the 200 (27.83).