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New Prairie Girls Semi State Preview

By:  Katie Cahillane

 

The days are getting shorter, the leaves on the trees are changing colors, the temperature outside is dropping, and fall is finally here.  

 

For cross country runners, coaches, and fans, that only means one thing:  The Indiana State Championship Meet is on the horizon and Semi-State is here! 

 

Runners have been obsessing with October 24th all season.  This single day – single morning, will be the morning of assorted outcomes that will define the 2009 Indiana Cross Country Championship and who will be there. 

 

In the Northern part of the State, about 150 girls will line up Saturday morning at the infamous New Prairie course.  The official will signal the runners, while coaches, fans, and family members are holding their breaths on sides, lining the course, and then the gun will go off.  The ground will literally thunder and shake as all 150 girls storm down that first straight away, leaving the starting line as far behind them as possible. 

The New Prairie Semi-State has some of the top returning teams and individuals from last year’s State Meet.  Will Lake Central and Dana Payonk be able to conquer the Lady Vikings and hold on to their Semi-State crown?  And how in the world are the results going to play out between the top four teams from the Duneland Athletic Conference, who have been going back and forth and battling each other all season?  Who will travel to the State Meet individually?  This Semi-State has several contenders that fall into that category, but which will continue the journey down to the LaVern Gibson Course in Terre Haute on Halloween?   

 

All of these questions will be answered on Saturday, October 24th, so get excited! 
 

Teams 

 

The Favorite

The Valparaiso Vikings

This team from Northwest Indiana never fails to put on a show at the end of a cross country season.  Although the Lade Vikings started out slower than past years, they know how to crank the heat when they need to.  With past successes including two State Championships, two State Runner Up Championships, and six Top 10 finishes in the last six years, these girls will soar though Semi-State and be right back in that Top 10 mix for the 2009 State Championship meet.  

 

Contenders

The Crown Point Bulldogs

The Bulldogs were nothing short than incredibly impressive throughout the 2009 season.  These girls have seven great runners who have mixed the order of their Top Seven all season long, resulting in notable pack running, always optimal in distance running, which could win the race for them.  They are the DAC Champions for this fall, with only 9 points separating the Bulldogs, Valparaiso, Portage, and Lake Central, but had a weaker Sectional meet.  However, they bounced back at the Regional, finishing one point behind Lake Central, and these ladies will be on the hunt for that first place team finish on the 24th. 

 

The Lake Central Indians

The Lady Indians are Northern Indiana’s top returning team from the past two years, after their consecutive second place finishes.  With Payonk leading the way, the squad will be ready to fly on Saturday.  They are in desperate need for a fifth runner.  However, ‘tis the season for inspiring races. If the Indians can get a fifth runner to pull in closer to their middle pack, these girls could give the Vikings a run for their money. 

 

The Portage Indians

These Indians have also had an impressive season.  They have hung with region power houses Lake Central and Valparaiso throughout the season, and have the opportunity to be one of the top finishing teams at the New Prairie Semi-State, granted all top seven runners are ready to perform.  

 

Looking to Advance

The Harrison West Lafayette Raiders

The Royal Blue Raiders have been getting stronger and stronger all season, finally overtaking rival West Lafayette by a substantial amount last weekend at the Harrison Regional.  With Laura Bess as one of the Semi-State’s best, the LaVern Gibson course is right on the horizon for these girls.  

 

The West Lafayette Red Devils

The West Lafayette septet has had a great reign since the beginning of September.  The Red Devils back pack is lagging a bit behind Kaisa Goodman and the top group, but with their state experience and solid season, these ladies have Southern Indiana in their expectations.  

 

Looking for a Miracle

The Chesterton Trojans

This younger group of girls, consisting of only a few seniors in the top seven, has some work to do on Saturday if Terre Haute is in their future.  However, the Lady Trojans ran a pretty exceptional Sectional, with PR’s almost across the board.  They have a tendency of being inconsistent, but with a little belief, self confidence, and fantastic races for all seven, they have the opportunity to finish this season one week longer than expected. 

 

The Tri-County Cavaliers

The Lady Cavaliers are having an incredible post-season. For being a rather small school, these girls know how to race with the big dogs, finishing only one point behind the Red Devils of West Lafayette at the Regional.  With Melissa Manning getting quicker and quicker, the rest of the squad has the chance to follow her lead all the way down to Terre Haute. 

 

Looking for Top 10

Culver Academies

With Neer paving the path for these girls, and having Smith continually close or under the 20 minute mark, the Top 10 is a likely occurrence for the Culver ladies on Saturday.  

The Michigan City Wolves

Coming from a very tight knit DAC, these Wolves definitely know what a tough race is.  With Kristina Parrish leading the rest of the pack, the ladies have the chance to go out in the upper half of the New Prairie Semi-State. 

 

The Lafayette Jefferson Broncos

Often overlooked by the Red Devils and Raiders, these Broncos have had a very consistent season that has locked them another year at the Semi-State. 

 

The Munster Mustangs

The Munster girls have been slightly inconsistent all season, looking pretty hot mid-season, but falling short during the post-season.  However, the New Prairie Semi-State is a new day, a new race.  These ladies can shoot for that final sixth spot, but will have to over take the Lady Trojans, Cavaliers, and a West Lafayette school to do it, a long shot at the very least.   

 

Happy to be Here

Eastern (Greentown)

The Comets secured the third place finish at the Culver Regional, led by freshmen twins (heck yes!) Bethany and Brittany Neeley will pave the path for the girls on Saturday. 

 

Frankfort

Along with the MEMIA (Most Entertaining Mascot in Indiana Award), and Kelby Jenkins running an impressive race on Saturday, this team was fifth at the Harrison Regional.  

 

Griffith

The Panthers had two All-Regional Runners last week, but these girls will be accompanied by the rest of the pack at New Prairie. 

 

Lowell

These Red Devils luckily grabbed that fifth spot at the Crown Point Regional by three points over Andrean attributed to their great pack running. 

 

Manchester

The Lady Squires captured the second place finish at the Culver Regional, scraping by the Comets by three points.  

 

New Prairie

These hosts finished fifth at their own Regional, and will be representing the Cougars at their home course again on Saturday. 

 

Northwestern

Grabbing the fourth place finish in front of Oak Hill at the Culver Regional, the Tigers have a younger group, only graduating two seniors. 

 

Oak Hill

The Golden Eagles only had five runners this post-season, and will also only be graduating one next year.  
 

Predictions

  1. Valparaiso

  2. Portage

  3. Crown Point

  4. Lake Central

  5. Harrison West Lafayette

  6. West Lafayette

 

  1. Chesterton

  2. Tri-County

  3. Munster

  4.   Culver

  5.   Michigan City

  6.   Lafayette Jefferson

  7.   New Prairie

  8.   Frankfort

  9.   Manchester

  10.   Eastern (Greenwood)

  11.   Griffith

  12.   Lowell

  13.   Northwestern

  14.   Oak Hill

 
 

Individuals 

 

The Favorite

Dana Payonk, Lake Central

Payonk has been one of the state’s top runners all season.  She has consistently been the Indians top runner, and led the squad to their second place team finish last year, with a fourth place finish at the State Meet.  With her second place finish at Culver, her first place finish in the girls Class AAA race at New Prairie, and her first place finishes at the Duneland Athletic Conference, Chesterton Sectional, and Crown Point Regional, she will finish her High School Cross Country career securing the top finish at the New Prairie Semi-State, and battling for that top spot in Terre Haute.   

 

Contenders

Jordan Chester, Boone Grove

Representing Boone Grove individually, Chester is one of the State’s top returning runners from last season.  She finished 8th in Terre Haute, and is still one of the fastest girls from the Northwest.  Her Sectional and Regional finishes were slightly slower than expected, compared to previous times, but with her experience, she is perfectly capable to run with the State’s elite, and will have two more weeks to do so.   

 

Katelyn DeVries, Valparaiso

This sophomore has led the Lady Vikings all season long.  She has been running more and more impressively throughout September and October, setting herself up perfectly for the end of the season.  Although on different courses, she was within 10 seconds of Payonk’s Regional time last weekend.  Just missing All-State last year with her 31st place finish in Terre Haute, she will be one of Northwest Indiana and the State’s fastest runners at the end of the month. 

 

Laura Bess, Harrison West Lafayette

Bess has been the top runner for the Raiders all season.  She has been under 19 on numerous occasions, with times comparable to DeVries and Chester.  With an

   

Waverly Neer, Culver Academies

Neer is also a returning All-State runner from Northwest Indiana.  She has posted one of the fastest times in the state this season, second only to Payonk.  Her second half of the season has not been as impressive as expected, but she will be racing competition she has yet to face on Saturday, and will be challenged more than she has been all season, more than likely looking for an individual win.   

 

Dark Horses

Melissa Manning, Tri-County

There wasn’t much talk of Manning back at the end of August and into September.  However, this Lady Cavalier has continued to improve and improve throughout the fall.  She did not run post-season for Tri-County last year, but with huge time drops this season, has earned her well deserved spot at New Prairie this Saturday.  At the New Prairie Invite, Manning ran a

 

And Don’t Forget…

Megan Plenus, Lake Central

Although this senior isn’t listed below, she is a strong contender in the New Prairie Semi that will help the Indians place well as a team.  Plenus’s post-season has started out sub-par, but it is only halfway done for this Lady Indian. She has consistently been one of Lake Central’s top runners, and her past state experience will only help her for her last two races in high school cross.  In 2007, she actually edged out teammate Payonk for the final All-State spot in 25th.   

 

Abigal Zeitler, Wheeler

Zeitler will be representing the Bearcats individually on Saturday.  She has been sub 20 for most of the season, and this sophomore will be right on the edge of qualifying individually for the State Finals.  There will be a show down at the finish line at New Prairie for that 15th spot, and Zeitler, along with lone Wolf Kristina Parrish of Michigan City, will be ready to fight.  
 

Predictions

  1. Dana Payonk  (12) – Lake Central

  2. Katelyn DeVries (10) – Valparaiso

  3. Laura Bess (10) – Harrison West Lafayette

  4. Waverly Neer (11) – Culver

  5. Laicee Pierce (11) – Crown Point

  6. Kaisa Goodman ( 11) – West Lafayette

  7. Jordan Chester (11) – Boone Grove

  8. Terra Norman (10) – Portage

  9. Taylor Jones (11) – West Lafayette

  10. Courtney Bennett (12) – Kouts

  11. Julie Jeszensky (12) – New Prairie

  12. Christina Delturco (11) – Portage

  13. Anna Kacius (11) – Lake Central

  14. Melissa Manning (12) – Tri-County

  15.   Kristina Parrish (10) – Michigan City