Moravec, Fife named top runners at Seymour

Christina Moravec and Nolan Fife ran No. 1 for their respective Seymour cross country teams for most of the season, and they received the most valuable runner awards at the teams' awards program Thursday night in the school cafeteria.

Coach Spencer Sunbury said Moravec ran No. 1 for the Lady Owls in all except one meet and was a hard worker throughout the season.

Sunbury named Katherine Moravec as the most improved runner, Paiton Chastain as recipient of the 110 percent award; Amanda McIntosh as winner of the mental attitude award; Leah Benefiel as the top newcomer; and Lizzy Schooler, Kirsten Davidson and Jordan Pearson as winners of the coaches award.
Sunbury said something clicked with Katherine Moravec in the

middle of the season and she made big improvements in her time, and she has the potential to drop her times even more.

The coach said Chastain gave a good effort throughout the season, and over the last half of the season she showed a whole other side of her ability.

Chastain and McIntosh are freshmen. Sunbury said McIntosh "was always smiling, listening and trying to improve. She had her ups and downs."

Sunbury said Benefiel took advantage of her opportunity and performed well in the sectional and regional.
He said Schooler, Davidson and Pearson contributed to the team in different ways and were deserving of the coaches award.

Sunbury said both teams changed their schedule this year to almost all Saturday meets, and he liked that, mentioning that he could send the team through strong workouts all week leading up to a meet on the weekend.

He also said he changed his approach to training, hoping to reduce the number of injuries from a year ago, but four girls still suffered injuries.

"Injuries are of it, but the team was able to bounce back.  The regional was a tough day for us because I knew we had enough (to get to the semistate)." The Lady Owls  were seventh in the conference, third in the sectional and sixth in the regional to miss qualifying for the semistate.

Coach Randy Fife said his son, Nolan, "was a leader in meets and a leader in practice. He is into running and is able to push himself in practice. He wants to be one of the top runners in the state."
Tyler Pottschmidt received the mental attitude award, Mark Fisher the coaches award,  David Schulz was named the outstanding  senior, and Luke Tormoehlen received the newcomer award.

Coach Fife said Pottschmidt "knew what he had to do (to drop time). He got down to the mid 17s."
Fife said Schulz suffered an injury at the end of track season, and didn't get to train during the summer like he had hoped, but he came on strong. "He had a very positive influence on everybody."

"Fisher was a quiet leader. He does a good job of keeping the kids together. I'm very proud of what the seniors accomplished. They had four good years."

Fife said Tormoehlen, a freshman, had a big impact on the remainder of the team, and was conscious of his running and was concerned about his splits.

Steven Tanner made Hoosier Hills all-conference first team.

Fife finished first and Tanner second in the sectional to lead the Owls to a repeat of the sectional title, and Fife was second and Tanner fifth to help the Owls win the regional and advance to the semistate.
Schulz and Pottschmidt were named to the academic all-state team.

"It was a tough season because we came into it with high expectations. It became a real challenge because last season we didn't have any injuries," coach Fife said. He said at one time or another four of the runners missed meets because of injuries.

Fife said he has followed Seymour cross country closely the past 11 years, and the five firsts the Owls had this season is the most they have had during that time as they won the Seymour, Bedford and Batesville Invitationals,  and the sectional and regional.

Varsity awards

Girls:  Jordan Pearson, Lizzy Schooler, Kirston Davidson, Katrina Samons, Christian Moravec, Patricia Moravec, Katherin Moravec, Leah Moravec,  Sarah McMurphy, Leah Benefiel, Paiton Chastain, Amanda McIntosh.

Boys: David Schulz, Tyler Pottschmidt, Mark Fisher, Brett Jones, David Yazell, Nolan Fife, Kyle McCauley, Zach Toppe, Steve Tanner, Luke Tormoehlen, Mitch Kilgas, David Montgomery, Mitch Ruetter, Eric Evans.