High hopes for Harper's national qualifiers

The Harper College men's and women's track and field teams hope they find enough strength in numbers, as a total of 28 athletes will represent the school in the NJCAA Division III national championships beginning Thursday at Mohawk Valley College in Utica, N.Y.

The women's team has several qualifiers in multiple events. Especially busy will be a trio of freshmen. Leah Kloss (100m, 200m, long jump, javelin, hammer throw, 400m), Shayan Dussard (Hoffman Estates) (100m, high jump, hammer throw) and Joslyn Nicholson (hammer throw, triple jump, long jump). Kloss is ranked first nationally in the and hammer, and second over 200 meters,

The Hawks have a pair of entrants in the 1500, Stephanie Chaires (Christian Liberty)and Itzel Sotelo (Palatine). Chaires will also compete in the 800, while Lori Delfin (Wheeling) will round out the distance events in the 5,000 and 10,000.

Samantha Soriano (Hoffman Estates) will take the blocks in one of the quick-twitch events (200m), and Danielle Reptowski (Schaumburg), Taylor LoCoco, Cynthia Siddiqui (Palatine) and Sylvia Catalan (Palatine) will look to make their contributions in the relays.

The men's group is decidedly strong in the distance events. Four Hawks, including NJCAA Division III cross country national champion Juan Barajas, and Palatine teamates Emil Kozakiewicz and Sebastian Ramirez, Adam Brauer will toe the line in both the 5,000 and 10,000. Barajas, a Schaumburg, alum, is ranked first nationaly in the 10k and second in the 5k.

Brauer another Schaumburg grad. Will also have to climb and jump his way through the water and obstacles of the steeplechase.

Another pair of Hawks, John Majerus (Elk Grove) and Jordy Arriaga (Wheeling), will take part in the 800 and 1,500 meters.

Harper has plenty of sprinting speed, too, as Jalen Griffin (ranked third nationally) and Johnny Walker both look to be the fastest man over 200 meters.

Griffin will be in pursuit of double gold, as he will also compete in the 100 meters (where he is ranked third nationally).

Another sprinter is Eric Theis, the only Hawks competitor in the hurdling events (400m and 110m highs).

The Hawks will also bring a solid stable of jumpers. Nick Dorson and Lamont Griffin will take the runway in the long jump, and Griffin will be looking to leave his mark in the high jump.

With coach Renee Zellner's backgroud as a throws guru, it is no wonder the Hawks look strong in those events with Brad Walls (Palatine; shot put, hammer throw, javelin) and Edward Phillips (Schaumburg; shot put, hammer throw).

Connor Williams, Junious Matlock, Ricky Ruano (Palatine) and Tyler Block (Conant) will play key roles on relays.