Harper preps for Sun Bowl test

The Harper College football team isn't fleeing the cold and snow just for fun in the sun this weekend in Arizona.

This will be a business trip for the fourth-ranked Hawks (10-1) in the NJCAA/JCFootball.com poll as they face No. 8 Phoenix College (7-3) in the Valley of the Sun Bowl in Phoenix at 2 p.m. Saturday.

A win would give Harper its third non-scholarship school national title in what has been one of the best seasons in school history. Its only loss was on a last-second field goal to Iowa Central on Sept. 27.

Phoenix College is making its first bowl-game appearance in 22 years and two of its losses are to second-ranked Snow College.

First-year coach Land Jacobsen has tutored NFL quarterbacks Joe Germaine and Tim Rattay and has another good one in Robert Benjamin. The 6-foot-2 sophomore has thrown for 2,126 yards and 22 touchdowns with 5 interceptions and has rushed for 447 yards.

Harper counters with one of the best quarterbacks in its history in sophomore Garrett Barnas. The Division I recruit has passed for 2,139 yards with 22 TDs and 8 interceptions and rushed for 643 yards and 7 TDs.

Sophomore John Baldwin (46 catches, 822 yards, 10 TDs) leads a deep receiving crew and Streamwood sophomore Senica Jackson (428 yards, 8 TDs) was solid late in the season.

Sophomore defensive end and Driscoll product Kyle Jenkins (181/2 sacks) fuels a tough crew and sophomore Troy Jones has returned 2 of his 4 interceptions for scores.

Special teams has also been crucial to Harper's success and includes a pair of Conant products - kicker Ryan Fillingim (10 field goals) and long snapper Robert Lawson.

A-Maize-ing season: Sophomore Nikki Maize (Elk Grove) was named to an NJCAA Division III All-American in women's volleyball after leading Harper to a fourth-place national tournament finish.

Maize set Harper assist records for a single season (1,506) and career (2,612).

Freshman Anie Fitzpatrick (Elk Grove) received All-American honorable mention. Fitzpatrick made the NJCAA Division III all-tournament team and set the single-season school record for kills (570).

"This couldn't happen to two more deserving players," said Harper coach Bob Vilsoet. "Nikki hustles as hard in practice as she does in matches

"And Anie has improved greatly listening and incorporating improvements into her game."

Nine Harper players have received NJCAA All-American recognition in Vilsoet's tenure.

Dynamic duo: Sophomore Emily Vierneisel and freshman Peggy Parhas have been a solid 1-2 combination lately for Harper women's basketball.

They have led the Hawks (2-5) in scoring the last three games. Parhas (Lake Zurich) had 20 and Vierneisel (Jacobs) scored 10 in Tuesday's 58-50 loss to McHenry.

Harper trailed 16-3 after 13 minutes but rallied to within 4 points with 1:16 left.

Parhas had 25 and Vierneisel 11 in a 70-47 loss to Kishwaukee. The Hawks led 27-25 but were hit with a 14-0 run and rallied within 4 points with eight minutes left but were knocked out by a 20-0 run.

Parhas (21 points), Vierneisel (17) and Palatine products Katy Spencer (13) and Kim Deuter (10) led a 67-65 win over the Elmhurst JV.

Harper is at home against Moraine Valley at 5 p.m. today.

Streaking the wrong way: The Harper (4-5) men's basketball team lost its third straight Tuesday 84-77 to McHenry despite 22 points from Josh Toon, 17 from Brandon Bolger and 16 by Tracy Winston.

Toon also had a team-high 17 in an 80-70 loss to Kishwaukee. Harper hosts St. Francis at 7 p.m. today.