Harper cross country teams stepping it up

Harper College's five-time defending NJCAA champion men's cross country team delivered a pair of top-ten team finishes in its first two meets.

The Hawks won the eight-team Harper Invite in late August, as freshman Ryan Ziolkowski (Barrington) was Harper's top finisher in fourth place.

A week later at the Spartan Classic hosted by Aurora University, the Hawks placed 17th overall but had the highest placement among the junior colleges competing. Again, Ziolkowski led the way for Harper and placed 30th.

This weekend the Hawks make their annual journey to run in the Bradley Invite to run against Division I competition.

• Sophomore Ali Gutt (Schaumburg) has been leading the way for the Harper women's cross country team, which placed second in the nation last fall. Gutt was a winner in the Harper Invite and helped the team to a fourth-place finish, and the Hawks finished second among junior colleges at the Spartan Classic.

• Despite a 2-1 loss to perennial Region IV men's soccer power Triton College, a young Harper team with just six sophomores is off to a 4-2 start.

Forward Ricky Choi (Hoffman Estates) has 5 goals and his 10 points this season leads the team. Sophomore midfielder Tafara Musiwa, who had 3 goals and 3 assists, is just 1 point behind Choi.

The Hawks host rival College of Dupage at 4 p.m. Friday before Triton makes an apperance in Palatine on Wednesday.

• Forward Julia Morales has scored 3 goals with 1 assist for the the 1-1 Harper College women's soccer team. The Hawks travel for a contest against Madison Area Technical College on Friday.