The Warsaw Lady Tigers Cross Country team turned in a strong performance at the Larry James Invitational, hosted by Chesterton at Sunset Hill Park. Competing against a deep field, the Tigers placed third overall with 80 points, just one point shy of runner-up Morgan Township (79). Lake Central claimed the team title with 49 points. Senior Sammi Rastrelli led the way for Warsaw, finishing 5th overall in the varsity race with a time of 19:12.7. Her younger sister, Dani Rastrelli, recorded a new personal best of 19:58.8, securing 11th place. Fellow seniors Abi Marsh (13th, 20:08.5) and Eden Metz (16th, 20:22.7) kept the Tigers in contention, while senior Hannah Fisher sealed the scoring with a 35th-place finish in 21:34.2. Right behind Fisher came juniors Savannah Purdy (21:32.2) and Stephanie Malagon (21:33.4), finishing 36th and 37th, respectively. Freshman Eden Gackenheimer posted her second PR in as many weeks, running 21:50.9 for 44th. Katie Robertson rounded out the varsity lineup at 23:32.5. The JV squad also impressed, claiming third place as a team. Sophomore Aubrey Bricker stole the spotlight, racing to a first-place finish in 21:29.8. Senior Malayna Howett added a 17th-place finish (23:17.5), while freshman Estelle Jaumard clocked a new PR at 23:38.8 for 23rd. Junior Neko Ewert (24:03.5) and senior Airyana Bradley (24:03.9) crossed side by side in 31st and 32nd. In total, the Tigers recorded 10 new personal records on the day, showcasing the team’s depth and progress. The boys kicked off their season with an outstanding performance, highlighted by 23 new personal records and 6 additional athletes running their second-fastest times ever. Senior Jackson Gackenheimer set the tone in his season debut, claiming victory in 15:33 while also establishing a new meet record. He was followed by a strong varsity pack that included junior Nolan Stump (20th, 17:47), junior Jaxon Lehman (26th, 18:01), freshman Eli Swinehart (27th, 18:04), junior Jack Boggs (33rd, 18:12), freshman Spiros Christos (36th, 18:24), and junior Owen Meerzo (37th, 18:26). Coach Campbell shared, “It was great to see Jackson open his season with such a strong, composed effort. He’s grown tremendously in his discipline and consistency over the past year. Even without many training partners after graduation, he has embraced the challenge of solo training and hasn’t missed a beat. That resilience will make him even tougher this season, and we’re excited to see where it takes him.” The Junior Varsity boys team also turned in an impressive performance, placing second overall. Senior Alberto Ochoa led the way with a breakthrough effort, running a personal record of 18:47 to place third overall, cutting nearly 50 seconds from his best time. Junior Caleb Poorman ran 19:14 for sixth place, and fellow junior Grayson Waldo followed closely in seventh at 19:18. Freshman Clint Douglas broke the 20-minute barrier with a ninth-place finish of 19:55. Rounding out the top seven were freshman Rushabh Gorhe (17th, 20:27), freshman Johnny Shoue (20th, 20:30), and sophomore Federico Presteguin (26th, 20:38). Coach Campbell noted, “Alberto really impressed us today. He got out strong, ran with confidence, and nearly broke his 3200 PR at the two-mile mark. It was fun to see him hear his split, lock in, and maintain that pace through the finish. A fantastic performance from an awesome dude.” Assistant Coach Scott Erba has stepped in to guide the Rising Varsity and JV groups, implementing adjustments that are already paying off. By breaking up the Monday long run into smaller, more structured segments, he has helped athletes sharpen their form and build confidence. Coach Campbell added, “Coach Erba has done a terrific job helping our athletes break down long runs and focus on form, rhythm, and confidence. The change in their effort and attitude has been noticeable. They’re starting to believe in themselves, and you can see it in how they’re racing. It’s exciting to see that buy-in take hold this early in the season.”