Cross country, volleyball lead the fall charge at Harper
It has been a busy first month of the school year for the Harper athletic programs.
Among the most active have been the men's cross country program, which holds the top spot in this week's NJCAA Division III national poll, and the women's volleyball team, which has improved from its No. 10 preseason ranking to No. 9 in the most recent poll.
Both cross country teams have taken part in three meets this season. After winning their first meet of the season, the Hawks/Chiefs Invitational, the Harper men's team traveled to the Aurora Invite and finished second, the top placement for any of the junior colleges competing. The Hawks then finished fourth at the Illinois Intercollegiate Cross Country Championships last week.
Coach Jim Macnider's team placed a different runner among the top four individuals at each meet: John Majerus (Elk Grove), Juan Barajas (Schaumburg) and Brennan Albuck (Hoffman Estates). Next up for the Hawks is a run to the College of DuPage Invite on Sept. 26.
• The women's cross country team is looking to make its own mark on the junior college cross country landscape.
The Hawks moved in the right direction at the Hawks/Chiefs Invitational, where they finished second. They followed that performance with a ninth-place finish at the Aurora Invite before finishing just out of the top 10 in the Illinois Intercollegiate Cross Country Championships (11th, still the second-best placement among the junior college teams competing.)
Lori Delfin has been the Hawks' highest-placed finisher at each meet; Marisa Andreuccetti and Stephanie Chaires have yet to be cleared medically to compete. The women's team will join the men at the College of DuPage Invite Sept. 26.
• Having started the season 11-5 overall and 3-1 in North Central Community College Conference play, the big story so far for the women's volleyball team has been the play of Lauren Sokolowski (Rolling Meadows). Last week the freshman took home NJCAA Div. III National Player of Week honors.
The team's only conference loss came against Madison Area Technical College, the top-ranked team in the nation.
Last weekend the Hawks traveled to Oglesby, Ill., and played a tri match at Illinois Valley Community College. Harper lost to Elgin Community College, then beat the host Eagles.
The Hawks traveled to Rock Valley Community College for a Thursday matchup before turning their attention to hosting the Harper College Invitational this weekend, in which Black Hawk (Moline), John A. Logan College and South Suburban College will compete.
The marquee game of the tournament for the Hawks is a 10 a.m. Saturday matchup with No. 3-ranked Rochester Community and Technical College. The Hawks are 1-3 so far against teams ranked in the national poll this season.
• After five weeks of play under first-year men's soccer coach Dan Klaus, the results are mixed. The Hawks are 2-3 overall and 1-3 in the N4C. Harper's wins came 1-0 over College of DuPage and 8-2 over Milwaukee Area Technical College.
Elliot Lara and Alex Freeman (St. Viator) are leading the Hawks' attack; both have 8 goals and 1 assist.
The Hawks are coming off a difficult week in which they saw a 1-1 tie to Joliet Junior College become a forfeit loss after it turns out the team unknowingly used a player not eligible to compete. Two days later Harper suffered a 2-0 loss to Triton College.
• Despite only playing two games this season, the Harper women's soccer team is off to a solid start. The Hawks improved to 2-1, both overall and in the N4C, after Wednesday's 1-0 victory over Joliet Junior College.
The Hawks also defeated Triton 1-0 but suffered a 3-1 loss to College of DuPage in their season opener Sept. 9.
Harper is scheduled to host Rock Valley Community College in a 4 p.m. Friday contest before a game against Rochester Community and Technical College at noon Saturday.