The start of the state tournament series for girls track teams means that the stakes increase come Tuesday night.

The Warsaw girls track team expects to stake its claim to another sectional title too.

The Tigers, coming off its 10th straight conference meet championship a week ago, will be the team to beat in the Warsaw Sectional.

The hosts have won eight straight sectional titles, including outpointing runner-up Elkhart Memorial 156-82 a year ago.

“Sectionals are very similar in competition to the NLC but have a much greater focus of either advancing another week or ending a season,” said Warsaw girls track coach Scott Erba.  “These next three meets are what we spend our time and effort preparing for and we expect great performances not only from ourselves, but from the competition. We feel we have created the best line up and team for the post-season; the team that can not only advance as many competitors and relays as possible, but also one that can potentially score the most points at regional and beyond.

“Based on past history, if a team does well in the NLC, they will do well in sectionals and we anticipate that happening again.  Line ups for schools will change from the NLC meet as athletes start to put more focus on events they can score points in and advance while dropping other events.  It really becomes a bit of a chess match when trying to set up a line up.

Our sprints are strong along with high jump, pole vault and long jump.  Our distance crew continues to be a steady rock of consistency and they will play a major part in our team success.”

Warsaw will be led in sectional action by the likes of Mariah Harter, Sam Alexander, Audrey Rich, Nicole Eckert and Allison Miller.  Harter is the top seed in the 100 (12.78), while Alexander is the No. 1 seed in the long jump (17-10). Rich has the top time in the 200 (25.83), Eckert the best mark in the 300 hurdles (46.33) and Miller the top performance in the 3,200 (11:27.11). Rich is the defending sectional champion in the 200 and Miller won the 3,200 last year.

The Tigers also have Jazzmine Brown and Alexie Day tied for the top seed in the high jump at 5-3.

Warsaw also hopes to have senior Tennie Worrell back Tuesday night. The senior standout, who is the top seed and the defending sectional champion in the 400, missed the NLC Meet due to a leg injury.

The Tigers also have the top seed in the 4 X 100 relay team with Harter, Alexander, Rich and Abbi Curtis at 49.28. The trio of Harter, Alexander and Rich teamed with Ann Harvuot last year to finish as state runner-up in the event. Warsaw is also the top seed in the 4 X 400 relay race with the team of Eckert, Rich, Brown and Brooke Rhodes at 4:02.97.

Wawasee coach Scott Lancaster just wants to see his young team compete at a high level and earn some spots in the regional.

Whitko will compete at the Rochester Sectional this year. The Wildcats, who placed fifth in the New Haven Sectional in 2014, are led by sophomore Kaitlyn Reed and senior Elaine Warner. Reed was fourth in both the 100 and the 300 hurdles a year ago and Warner was second in the long jump and high jump.