JACKSON GIRLS RUN INTO SECTIONAL MEET

JACKSON -- She can't drive a car, but she has no trouble navigating a cross country layout.

And if in a few months Julie Wunderlich drives as fast as she runs, the good people of Jackson might need to seek cover.

Wunderlich, a sophomore at Jackson High and still over five months shy of her 16th birthday, placed second in the Class 4A district meet at Jackson City Park on Saturday.

Wunderlich, who finished 34th in the state meet as a freshman, covered the 3.1-mile course in 19:22. Oakville's Melissa Sapa won the race in 19:13.

"I was happy with the way I ran; it's one of my best times," said Wunderlich.

"(Sapa) is really good; I think she got like fifth at state last year. I felt good during this race. I guess it was kind of better since we were on our own course."

Jackson's girls team was the only area squad that finished in the top four and will advance to the sectional meet.

De Soto won the 12-team girls race with 35 points. Jackson was second (45), Oakville third (98) and Hillsboro fourth (115). Cape Central just missed the cut, placing fifth (125).

"We knew it was going to be a real tight race between us and De Soto," said Jackson coach Jim Stoverink. "We're as tough as they are, but they're just a little bit better on that fifth spot."

Three Jackson girls earned all-district honors by placing in the top 10. Six Lady Indians, all sophomores and juniors, finished in the top 30. The top 30 individuals qualify for the sectional meet; Jackson will send seven girls because it placed in the top four as a team.

Behind Wunderlich, sophomore Sarah Schlick placed sixth (20:26) and junior Jennifer Brown was eighth (20:36). Sarah Stiegemeyer was 12th (21:01), Lisa Sappington 17th (21:15) and Christy Thoma 24th (21:43).

One Central girl earned all-district distinction and four will advance to the sectional meet.

Senior Tobie Bittle, who in all likelihood will become Central's first four-time state qualifier, placed fourth with a personal best time of 19:35. Myka Bohnsack was 18th (21:24), Leanne Lee 29th (22:05) and Elizabeth Meyr 30th (22:06). Bethany Caplan missed the cut, finishing 44th in 23:12.

"I knew I would be in the top five, but I didn't know where I would stack up," Bittle said. "I was hoping to be No. 2, but it just didn't happen today. I thought I ran a good race."

Said Central coach Mark Hahn: "We're used to sending both teams (to the sectional meet). We always come over here with the goal of getting both teams through, we thought that was a realistic goal today, and that just didn't happen."

"But we have nothing to hang our heads about; we came out here and ran some good times and had some good efforts."

In the boys meet, neither Jackson nor Central placed in the top four. Jackson was fifth with 129 points and Central sixth with 131.

Farmington won with 48 points. De Soto was second (53), Fox third (98) and Northwest fourth (110).

Central's Rory Kipper was the only area boy to make the all-district list. Kipper placed fifth in 17:10.

"I thought I ran pretty well. There were a couple of things that bothered me, but nothing major," Kipper said. "I was trying to finish in the top five. I knew who I was racing against and what they were like."

De Soto's David Owens won the race in 16:35, 19 seconds better than the next finisher.

Four Jackson boys and two Central boys will run in the sectional meet.

Jackson's Mark Sanders placed 11th (17:26), Jon Shearon 25th (18:07), Blake Popp 26th (18:07) and Steven Adams 28th (18:10).

For Central, Kipper and Mark Stone, who finished 21st in 17:57, will advance.

Central's Jeff Haycraft (34th, 18:24), Matt Hawkins (35th, 18:25) and David Stahr (36th, 18:31) missed the cut, as did Jackson freshman Zach Friedrich (37th, 18:39).