Indy Star

 

By Nat Newell

The Fishers and Hamilton Southeastern boys track teams have endured uneven seasons, but their coaches believe the teams are ready to ascend steadily beginning with the Hoosier Crossroads Conference meet at 5 p.m. Friday at Fishers.

"We've been up and down, mainly due to injury," said Hamilton Southeastern coach Joe Golden. "Some of our top guys have been able to compete in just a couple of events, (but) we're almost at full strength, and our training is going real well."

Fishers' Nathan Warnecke added: "I'm real happy with where our team is. We've made improvements in the shot, discus and long jump. Our (400-meter relay) won county and set a new school record. Those first two years we were just a distance (running) school, (and) now we're becoming much more of a well-rounded team."

Fishers' Drew Shields has been cleared medically to return after missing the Hamilton County meet because of illness. Shields has won state championships in cross-country, the 800 and 1,600 but does not have an individual conference title, so Warnecke expects him to be motivated.

Warnecke and assistant Adam Russell attended basketball tryouts and football conditioning and kept their eyes open in the hallways to recruit sprinters, jumpers and throwers.

That effort added Chris Johnson, a member of the 400 relay team and the team's second-best long jumper. Marcus Johnson, the top long jumper and anchor of the 400 relay team, is competing again after a family situation kept him out last season. Austin Gorge has matured as a thrower, and Warnecke is excited about his freshman and sophomore classes.

"We always aim for the month of May," said Warnecke, who is in his first season as head of the track program and has been the team's distance coach since the school opened. "We never put too much emphasis on dual meets (for the distance runners). We've taken a similar approach with our sprinters, working toward county, conference and sectionals then, hopefully, regionals and state."

Hamilton Southeastern is led by hurdler Jeremiah Wright, sprinter Zach Stack, sprinter/long jumper Quintin Lee and sprinter/long jumper William Berry, the team's only returning state meet qualifier. Some freshmen have picked up a key point or two during meets.

"Teamwise, this is the biggest meet of the year, and we'll throw everything we have," Golden said. "Once we get to the tournament, the priority is getting the most guys through, and those two goals aren't always consistent. (The HCC) is going to be competitive, and it's not out of our reach."