Warrick runs among the state’s best
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Beaver Local’s Luke Warrick catches his breath after running in the state cross country meet Saturday. Classmates Cole Long and Landon Wheatley (right) were there to cheer him on. (Photo by Ron Firth)
OBETZ -- Beaver Local senior Luke Warrick likes running cross country more and more.
"My freshman and sophomore years I ran cross country to help me for track," he said. "The last two years I started to like cross country."
Warrick finished his cross country career by placing 27th in the Division III state cross country meet Saturday at Fortress Obetz.
"You have to push hard that middle mile," he said. "If you push the middle mile, then you're to have a good time."
Warrick completed the 3.1-mile course in 16 minutes, 5.6 seconds -- his third-best time ever and two seconds off his personal best at regionals the week before.
"I wanted under 16 (minutes), but I did a lot better than last year," he said.
After placing 69th last year, Warrick knew better what to expect from Saturday's Division III field of 214 runners.
"I made up 13 places in the last mile," he said. "That's the 800 speed."
Warrick is already planning for track season after running 1:55 in the 800 meters.
"I'm going to try to get the school record in the mile," he said, pointing to a 4:15 set by 1972 graduate Bob Bentz.
Bentz still holds the Columbiana County Meet record in the 3200 run at 9:07.6.
"That one, I don't think it's going to happen," Warrick said. "That's not my race."
MEET NOTES
• West Branch senior Kyle Ormiston wasn't far behind in 57th place (16:37.9).
• Fairless junior Brice Fuller repeated as the Division III boys state champion in 14:50.7.
• A pair of promising area freshmen raced at the state meet Saturday.
South Range's Ryan Fieldhouse was 29th in the Division IV boys (16:32.3).
West Branch's Tenley Stitle was was 54th in the Division III girls (19:53.5).
• What makes cross country races so tough?
"How long the races are and how long you have to hold your effort," Warrick said.