Published: May 21, 2008 10:10 am         

Goshen senior wins 400-meter dash at regionals

By GREG KEIM — Goshen High School senior Kaila Stevens didn’t like the feeling after last week’s loss in the 400-meter dash at the Warsaw sectional.

She doesn’t have to worry about that this week as she won the 400 Tuesday night in the Bremen regional in 57.49, not far off the regional record of 57.09 by Caitlin Lauer of South Bend Adams in 2004.

“I wanted to win. I didn’t want to lose again,” Stevens said. “I learned my lesson last week. You always have to step on the track thinking you are going to win, but you can never let yourself get too confident. I took my frustrations out in practice by pushing myself harder.”

Stevens’ loss to Warsaw senior Lauren Pridgen in the sectional is her only one of the season in the open 400.

Goshen had another winner as senior Kelsey Peters, junior Laura Sorg, sophomore Jillian Zimmerman and Stevens finished first in the 4 x 400 relay (4:03.36).

“The 4 x 400 relay had me on the edge of the bleachers,” Goshen coach Bruce Bergdall said. “Clay dropped the baton, which was too bad. I really wanted to see us run against them. This is the third week in a row our girls have been right around 4:02 or 4:03.”

Penn won the team title with 81 points. Elkhart Memorial was fourth with 50, Northridge eighth at 34.33, Goshen ninth at 31, Fairfield 14th at 13, Elkhart Central tied for 16th at 11, Concord 18th at 9, Wawasee and Jimtown tied for 28th at 1.

The top three finishers in each event advance to the state finals on Friday, May 30 at the Robert C. Haugh Track and Field Complex on the Indiana University campus in Bloomington.

Stevens went out to her usual fast start in the 400 before holding off South Bend Clay junior Daniel Elese (second in 57.86) and Pridgen (third in 58.36).

“I was nervous before the race, but used that to get me going,” Stevens said. “Time was not as important as winning.”

Bergdall said, “Kaila came here with the intent of winning. She may have liked not having a target on her back. She thrives on running from behind. It was a nice turn around from last week.”

In the 4 x 400 relay, Peters got Goshen off to a good start and was in the lead when she handed off to Sorg.

Peters came out for track as a senior for the first time. She was also in the 100, placing 12th in the trials (13.46).

“I always dreamed about going to state in basketball,” Peters said. “We never made that, but here we are going in track. Kaila (Stevens) and I have been best friends forever. She is the one who talked me into coming out.”

Stevens said, “Track last year was a lot of fun, but something was not there. I talked Kelsey into coming out. The 4 x 400 team would be nothing without her or the other two girls.”

Goshen senior Rachel Hollinger-Janzen was fourth in the 3,200 (11:22.32).

“You feel sorry for Rachel, finishing fourth in this meet is not the best feeling,” Bergdall said. “We can only hope she gets a call down based on time or scratches from our regionals.”

Northridge is sending senior Melissa Kauffman in the 800 (second in 2:17.71), freshman Connie Smith, sophomore Dana Christner, freshman Morgan Lewallen and senior Nikkie Smeltzer in the 4 x 100 relay (third in 51.12) to state.

“This is the first time in school history we have qualified in the 4 x 100,” Northridge coach Josh Fletcher said. “It says a lot about these girls. They have worked hard all year and have been close to success, just losing out in the NLC meet and in the sectional.

“Smeltzer was in fifth or sixth place when she got the baton and closed to take third.”

Kauffman tried to take the lead with about 200 meters to go in the 800, but Mishawaka sophomore Ashley Name (2:16.75) regained the advantage.

“I got boxed in and tripped so I was worried about being disqualified,” Kauffman said. “This was my hardest race of the season, but the time was not where Coach Fletcher wanted it. It’s exciting going to state. I have never been there before as an individual.”

Northridge freshman Skylair Hilton finished fifth in the 3,200 in 11:31.96.

“Since the tournament series started Skylair has dropped her time 34 seconds,” Fletcher said. “Her time here broke the Northridge freshman record of 11:38 by Jesse LaFree set here at the regional.”

Fairfield sophomore Jade Bobeck finished third in pole vault (9-9).