DELTA SECTIONAL PREVIEW 2022
ECI Runner takes a look at the upcoming Delta Sectional meet and the teams and individuals to keep track of on Saturday.
GIRLS
What to watch for at this Saturday's Delta Sectional Meet in the Girls Race
SECTIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP FAVORITES
Yorktown: Yorktown is heading into this weekend's Delta Sectional as a narrow favorite ahead of a strong Monroe Central squad and the rest of the field. Yorktown is led by the senior duo of Rachael Stagge and Ali Smith, both of whom were members of the All Delaware County and Hoosier Heritage Conference teams this year. Behind the two seniors, Yorktown will rely on it's underclassman to prove why it is the deepest team at the Delta Sectional for 3-5 spots. Many of these runners are the same runners that provided much needed depth for the Lady Tiger Sectional Championship in 2021. Look for the likes of Aurilla Moulton, Tori Oliver and Abby Goller to have strong races as Yorktown makes a push for back-to-back sectional titles.
Monroe Central: The Randolph County and Mid-Eastern Conference Champions are not only sniffing a "Triple Crown" opportunity this week (winning county, conference and sectional in the same year) but also are seeking their first Girls Cross Country Sectional Championship in school history. The Lady Bears are led by junior, Addison Coe who has ran her best meets of the year as of late, including bagging a Randolph County Individual Title last week. Also emerging for Monroe Central as of late has been freshman Avery Thomas who in recent weeks has proven herself to be a solid #2 runner for her team and a potential difference maker during the tournament. Rounding out Monroe's Central's top quartet are junior Katie Osborne and senior Karly Puckett, both of whom have been vital to the Lady Bears success this year.
POTENTIAL DARK HORSE
Delta: The Delta Eagles check all of the biggest boxes when it comes to being a potential dark horse candidate. 1) They got the lowest stick of them all with two-time defending sectional champion Nicki Southerland in the race. 2) They have a reliable senior number two runner in Olivia Bohanon who is running the best she has all season right now. And 3) they have an emerging freshman in Kylee Robles who could break out and have a huge day on the sectional course at Taylor on Saturday. Delta will still need quality races out of sophomores Christina Thorpe and Addison Shue to take home the hardware but the Lady Eagles coming home with a sectional championship trophy is definitely in play.
REGIONAL HOPEFULS
Daleville: Daleville is led by junior Faith Norris who has won three races this season (Mesiter, Wapahani and Jim Leffler) and also was on the All-Delaware County Team. Norris figures to be one of the top contenders for the individual runner-up spot on Saturday and hopes her low score can get the Lady Broncos to next weekend's Regional.
Wapahani: The Lady Raiders have two All-Delaware County and Mid-Eastern Conference runners in Maddie Felton and Kendyl Thrasher that have plenty of post-season experience coming into this weekend. The two senior runners have been solid all year guiding a young 3-5 nucleus in Bailey Carpenter, Judy Dargo and Kareli Hagaman to regional qualifying contention.
Muncie Burris: Burris is coming off their best meet of the season where they dominated their home invite last week and their lead runner Sydney McFarren was the overall winner of the race with a winning time and PR of 20:35. The Lady Owls will need another big race from McFarren to help secure a top-5 regional qualifying spot.
Muncie Central: The Lady Bearcats are led by the top duo of junior Samantha Fowler and senior Delaney Strange. Strange, who has not missed a regional in her high school career, will be looking to be the low score that the Bearcats will need to live to race another week.
Randolph Southern: Randolph Southern has potentially two top-ten finishers on their roster with freshman Haileigh Allen and junior Allie Black having posted the 4th and 10th fastest times out of the Delta Sectional thus far this season. The Lady Rebels will be relying heavily on their two lead runners to get their team to next week's regional.
Winchester: The Lady Falcons are led by freshman Mariah Manning who has a PR of 22:01 this season. Winchester will need a solid race from Manning as well as a good showing from their 2-5 runners (who have all ran under 25-minutes this season) to help them secure a top-5 spot.
Top 20 times of 2022 heading into the Delta Sectional:
1. 17:15 Nicki Southerland (Delta)
2. 20:08 Kendyl Thrasher (Wapahani)
3. 20:08 Faith Norris (Daleville)
4. 20:34 Haileigh Allen (Randolph Southern)
5. 20:35 Sydney McFarren (Burris)
6. 20:41 Addison Coe (Monroe Central)
7. 20:50 Olivia Bohanon (Delta)
8. 21:03 Rachael Stagge (Yorktown)
9. 21:07 Allison Smith (Yorktown)
10. 21:14 Allie Black (Randolph Southern)
11. 21:15 Lilly Pierce (Union)
12. 21:19 Brynn Wright (Cowan)
13. 21:22 Kylee Robles (Delta)
14. 21:23 Avery Thomas (Monroe Central)
15. 21:23 Aurilla Moulton (Yorktown)
16. 21:29 Tori Oliver (Yorktown)
17. 21:29 Katie Osborne (Monroe Central)
18. 21:44 Madeline Felton (Wapahani)
19. 21:50 Karly Puckett (Monroe Central)
20. 21:53 Samantha Fowler (Muncie Central)
Boys
What to watch for at this Saturday's Delta Sectional Meet in the Boys Race
SECTIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP FAVORITE
Wapahani: The Raiders go into this weekend's Delta Sectional as winners of the Delaware County Meet and Mid-Eastern Conference Meet this season and will be looking for back-to-back Triple Crowns (winning county, conference and sectional in the same season) at the Taylor course on Saturday. Up front for Wapahani is junior, Nick Cook who has been absolutely dominating across ECI this year. Cook has won five individual invitationals this year, including the aforementioned Delaware County and MEC Meets and his PR of 16:08 is nearly a full-minute faster than the next fastest time from ECI. Following Cook this season has been a solid group in seniors Payton Baker, Colton Boggs and Jon Shrock as well as freshman Mason Tomboni; all of whom earned All-Delaware County and All-MEC honors this season.
POTENTIAL DARK HORSES
Muncie Central: One paper, the Bearcats are coming off their best meet of the season with a solid showing at the North Central Conference meet where five of their top seven runners ran their best times of the year. Leading the way for Muncie Central last week was sophomore Hayden Bradford who ran a season best time 17:32. Bradford, who finished 3rd at the Delta Sectional as an individual last year, will definitely need another big meet to lead the rest of the Bearcats' very solid top five of Daelin Green, Gabe Reynolds, Brandon Musick and Chet Clark to a sectional crown.
Yorktown: Junior Jonathon Loney leads the Tiger charge for this year's Yorktown squad. Loney, who has All-Delaware County and All-Hoosier Heritage Conference runs under his belt this year, will look to get Yorktown that low stick that they will need to compete well as a team up front. Following Loney, the Yorktown has a deep pack of runners including Aidan O'Donnell, Gannon Crosser, Nate-Schaal-Derech, Dray Caldwell and Owen Fouts that will all be very important in keeping the Tigers in the team chase this Saturday as well as a possible semi-state berth next weekend.
REGIONAL HOPEFULS
Delta: Delta's season has swung in a huge upward direction the last couple of weeks with the emergence of ECI track-star Tyler Dillon running (and running well) for the Eagles in recent meets. Dillon gives Delta a very formidable top three with senior teammates Clay Batio (whose PR of 17:07 is the second best time across ECI this season) and Caden Clark (an All-Delaware County and All-HHC runner) looking to push Delta into next weeks regional.
Monroe Central: The Bears team has qualified for regional 13 years in a row and will be looking for number 14 this weekend. Leading the way for Monroe Central are Eli Chamberlain and Caden Landis, both of which were All-Randolph County and All-MEC runners for the Bears this season with Landis being the individual Randolph County champion. A big run from Monroe Central's third runner, Lane Dance will also go a long way for the Bears' cause to run as a team for another week.
Cowan: Cowan, which has not earned a team spot to regional since 2016, will be looking to change that this weekend at the Delta Sectional. Cowan is led by freshman Jackson Bradley who was been a solid low score for the Blackhawks all season long. Aside from Jackson, junior Gavin Ashby has also been a key contributor for Cowan with All-Delaware County and All-MEC performances to his credit.
Muncie Burris: To reach next weekend's regional, Burris will count heavily on their top two runners Henry Cooper and Ryne Wagner. Cooper and Wagner have led the way for Muncie Burris all season long and will need to post low scores on Saturday to help the Owls' pursuit of a top five regional qualifying spot.
Top 20 times of 2022 heading into the Delta Sectional:
1. 16:08 Nick Cook (Wapahani)
2. 17:07 Clay Batio (Delta)
3. 17:11 Colton Boggs (Wapahani)
4. 17:14 Payton Baker (Wapahani)
5. 17:16 Jon Shrock (Wapahani)
6. 17:18 Eli Chamberlain (Monroe Central)
7. 17:26 Jackson Bradley (Cowan)
8. 17:26 Jonathon Loney (Yorktown)
9. 17:27 Caden Landis (Monroe Central)
10. 17:28 Caden Clark (Delta)
11. 17:28 Conner Walser (Union City)
12. 17:28 Tyler Dillon (Delta)
13. 17:29 Aidan Moystner (Winchester)
14. 17:32 Hayden Bradford (Muncie Central)
15. 17:34 Mason Tomboni (Wapahani)
16. 17:37 Daelin Green (Muncie Central)
17. 17:37 Gabe Reynolds (Muncie Central)
18. 17:43 Henry Cooper (Muncie Burris)
19. 17:59 Aidan O'Donnell (Yorktown)
20. 18:00 Brandon Musick (Muncie Central)
What to watch for at this Saturday's Delta Sectional Meet in the Boys Race
SECTIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP FAVORITE
Wapahani: The Raiders go into this weekend's Delta Sectional as winners of the Delaware County Meet and Mid-Eastern Conference Meet this season and will be looking for back-to-back Triple Crowns (winning county, conference and sectional in the same season) at the Taylor course on Saturday. Up front for Wapahani is junior, Nick Cook who has been absolutely dominating across ECI this year. Cook has won five individual invitationals this year, including the aforementioned Delaware County and MEC Meets and his PR of 16:08 is nearly a full-minute faster than the next fastest time from ECI. Following Cook this season has been a solid group in seniors Payton Baker, Colton Boggs and Jon Shrock as well as freshman Mason Tomboni; all of whom earned All-Delaware County and All-MEC honors this season.
POTENTIAL DARK HORSES
Muncie Central: One paper, the Bearcats are coming off their best meet of the season with a solid showing at the North Central Conference meet where five of their top seven runners ran their best times of the year. Leading the way for Muncie Central last week was sophomore Hayden Bradford who ran a season best time 17:32. Bradford, who finished 3rd at the Delta Sectional as an individual last year, will definitely need another big meet to lead the rest of the Bearcats' very solid top five of Daelin Green, Gabe Reynolds, Brandon Musick and Chet Clark to a sectional crown.
Yorktown: Junior Jonathon Loney leads the Tiger charge for this year's Yorktown squad. Loney, who has All-Delaware County and All-Hoosier Heritage Conference runs under his belt this year, will look to get Yorktown that low stick that they will need to compete well as a team up front. Following Loney, the Yorktown has a deep pack of runners including Aidan O'Donnell, Gannon Crosser, Nate-Schaal-Derech, Dray Caldwell and Owen Fouts that will all be very important in keeping the Tigers in the team chase this Saturday as well as a possible semi-state berth next weekend.
REGIONAL HOPEFULS
Delta: Delta's season has swung in a huge upward direction the last couple of weeks with the emergence of ECI track-star Tyler Dillon running (and running well) for the Eagles in recent meets. Dillon gives Delta a very formidable top three with senior teammates Clay Batio (whose PR of 17:07 is the second best time across ECI this season) and Caden Clark (an All-Delaware County and All-HHC runner) looking to push Delta into next weeks regional.
Monroe Central: The Bears team has qualified for regional 13 years in a row and will be looking for number 14 this weekend. Leading the way for Monroe Central are Eli Chamberlain and Caden Landis, both of which were All-Randolph County and All-MEC runners for the Bears this season with Landis being the individual Randolph County champion. A big run from Monroe Central's third runner, Lane Dance will also go a long way for the Bears' cause to run as a team for another week.
Cowan: Cowan, which has not earned a team spot to regional since 2016, will be looking to change that this weekend at the Delta Sectional. Cowan is led by freshman Jackson Bradley who was been a solid low score for the Blackhawks all season long. Aside from Jackson, junior Gavin Ashby has also been a key contributor for Cowan with All-Delaware County and All-MEC performances to his credit.
Muncie Burris: To reach next weekend's regional, Burris will count heavily on their top two runners Henry Cooper and Ryne Wagner. Cooper and Wagner have led the way for Muncie Burris all season long and will need to post low scores on Saturday to help the Owls' pursuit of a top five regional qualifying spot.
Top 20 times of 2022 heading into the Delta Sectional:
1. 16:08 Nick Cook (Wapahani)
2. 17:07 Clay Batio (Delta)
3. 17:11 Colton Boggs (Wapahani)
4. 17:14 Payton Baker (Wapahani)
5. 17:16 Jon Shrock (Wapahani)
6. 17:18 Eli Chamberlain (Monroe Central)
7. 17:26 Jackson Bradley (Cowan)
8. 17:26 Jonathon Loney (Yorktown)
9. 17:27 Caden Landis (Monroe Central)
10. 17:28 Caden Clark (Delta)
11. 17:28 Conner Walser (Union City)
12. 17:28 Tyler Dillon (Delta)
13. 17:29 Aidan Moystner (Winchester)
14. 17:32 Hayden Bradford (Muncie Central)
15. 17:34 Mason Tomboni (Wapahani)
16. 17:37 Daelin Green (Muncie Central)
17. 17:37 Gabe Reynolds (Muncie Central)
18. 17:43 Henry Cooper (Muncie Burris)
19. 17:59 Aidan O'Donnell (Yorktown)
20. 18:00 Brandon Musick (Muncie Central)
