Three-peat for Harper men's track; Zellner honored

All Harper College needed to do to win a third straight NJCAA Division III men's track and field title was hold on to the baton in the 1,600-meter relay.

Harper was tied going into Saturday's final event, but Delhi (N.Y.) didn't have a relay team that qualified.

The Hawks' crew of Michal Karwowski, Fernando Castillo, Anthony Bavaro and Chris Brown went out in style as they finished second to complete the three-peat with 142 points to 134 for Delhi at Alfred State College in Alfred, N.Y.

"We did really, really well and it was a great trip," said Harper coach Renee Zellner, who received the prestigious NJCAA coach of the year award as well as coach of the meet honors. "It never gets old. It's really fun.

"All the coaches worked really hard and I couldn't do it without them and the great athletes."

Harper's women also finished fifth and had four national champions. Betsy Bailey won the shot put (38-21/4) and Victoria Mikszta won the high jump (5-3).

Discus and hammer winner Vanessa Mensie (Fremd) was named the most valuable field athlete of the meet.

Ryan Asta (Barrington) earned the same honor from the men's meet. On Saturday, Asta won the shot put in a meet record 55-23/4 and took third in the javelin (159-4).

The 1,600 relay team ran 3:20.8 to just miss the school record. Karwowski was also fourth in the 200 and fifth in the 100 and Castillo took fifth in the 400.

Brown, Karwowski, Travis Pruitt and Blake Heyman took fourth in the 400 relay and Heyman was fourth in the 110 hurdles. Sargon Youssef took fourth in the javelin and Chris Hoffman finished fifth in the 5K.