Harper matmen wrestle to fifth in national meet
The Harper College wrestling team finished fifth in the Division III non-scholarship division at the 2009 NJCAA National Wrestling Championships last weekend in Rochester, Minn.
Schaumburg graduate P.J. Starnes led the way as he went 3-2 and finished sixth at 157 pounds. Nate Stadeker (149 pounds) and Hoffman Estates product Danny Miller (184) each went 2-2.
D.J. Rackley (125), Jordan Bakely (165), Mike Lukowski (197) and Gary Jackson (285) each won a match at nationals.
Harper also took fourth at the Midwest District meet as Starnes won the 157 title and Rackley, Miller and Lukowski finished third.
Chasing a three-peat: The Harper men's track and field team began its quest for a third straight NJCAA Division III national title by competing in a pair of indoor meets.
The Hawks were ninth in a 20-team field at the University of Chicago's Chicagoland Championships. They had seven qualifiers for the NJCAA national meet and Ryan Asta (Barrington) set the school record in the weight throw at 53-1/4.
The men's 1,600-meter relay of Fernando Castillo and Elk Grove products Anthony Bavaro, Pat Souder and Mike Karwowski qualified for nationals at last week's Dick Pond Invitational at Lewis University by running 3:33.9 and finishing fourth.
Cornelius Watkins also qualified for nationals in the shot put (50-21/2). Shareef Chandler-El (Schaumburg) won the triple jump (46-71/2) and Tyler Austin (Wheeling) won the high jump (6-11/2).
Vanessa Mensie has also qualified for nationals for the Harper women in the shot put.
Women's hoops: Harper fell 83-57 to Rock Valley in the NJCAA Division III Region IV championship game Saturday at College of DuPage. Peggie Parhas (Lake Zurich) had 24 points and Emily Vierneisel (Jacobs) scored 22 en route to all-tourney honors.
Harper had to play without standout sophomore guard Katy Spencer (Palatine) because of an injury she suffered in the semifinal upset of top-seeded Joliet. The Hawks finished 10-17 overall and 5-5 in the N4C for first-year coach Mark Smith.
Men's hoops: The Harper men finished 9-20 overall and 3-7 in the N4C after an 80-78 loss to Truman in their NJCAA Division III Region IV tourney opener. Keven Steele (Fremd) scored 22 points, Brandon Bolger (Schaumburg) added 16 and Nick Beaumont (Hersey) scored 11.