Allison Miller is ready to hit the dusty trail once again for Warsaw this fall. (Photo by Mike Deak)
WARSAW – Allison Miller is ready to leave freshman year as a thing of the past. The Warsaw Community High School sophomore had a rookie year to remember on the cross country circuit, but is ready to move past “being a freshman.”
“It was a really fun season, but I was just as worried about finding my way around the halls and figuring out the homework side of it,” Miller added one day before her sophomore year officially began. “My first thoughts were to worry about school, then cross country. I usually didn’t worry too much about cross country until race day.”
Pretty cool head for what some wanted to pin as the “Next Ashley Erba.” Trying to shake the tagline, really never embracing any of it, Miller just stayed true to herself and ran the way she knew how. While the comparisons were immediately drawn as Miller began winning big races for Warsaw just a year after Erba’s legendary Warsaw career came to a close, Miller just continued about her business. A huge win at the Culver Academy Invite put Miller officially on the map, then solid runs at the Northern Lakes Conference, sectional and regional races had Miller squarely pegged as the No. 1 at Warsaw. Did the pressure build for the slight speedster?
“Honestly, I wasn’t told much about Ashley coming into high school,” Miller stated. “Coach Erba just kept saying be a freshman and just run your race. Enjoy your first year. Ashley seemed sweet when I was around her, but really all we have in common in that regard is we run for Warsaw and we have blonde hair! I’m my own person, and it’s a compliment to be compared to someone like that who won a state title as a freshman.”
So with that out of the way, Miller did embrace being a leader at such a young age. Choosing to focus on team rather than her own numbers, Warsaw’s run to state was Miller’s top highlight from last year, and looks to bolster that feeling again this year with another crack at state. With a team loaded with returning talent, Miller can’t wait to get going.
“I was just trying to figure out the state course last year and take it all in,” Miller said. “We were pretty sure we wouldn’t go down there and win the whole thing. And I surely wasn’t going to run an Anna Rohrer (of Mishawaka High School) time, popping a 16 or anything like that. It was just more encouraging to know that most of my teammates were coming back again this year.”
Miller, who did crack the top 50 at No. 50 at the state finals, cited three objectives for this fall.
“First priority, the glory goes to God for blessing me with the ability he has given me and my team.
“Second, we really want the team to get down to state again.
“Third, we have to build off of last year.”
Miller has tried to keep the summer simple, for the most part. Having only run one timed distance event this summer, the Warsaw Optimist Triathlon, she notes most runners have just three stellar races in them and she wants hers to come later in the fall. And it keeps the injury bugs away. Just don’t expect miracles come opening day Aug. 23 when Warsaw opens at the Huntington North Invite.
“It’s the first meet of the year, and I just don’t like the course,” Miller stated, who did give love to the Bruin Invite as her favorite from freshman year. “The Huntington course is just flat, no trees, and there are Port-A-Potties in one of the corners. It smells something fierce. Just not a pleasant experience.”