Harper track teams excel; softball nets doubleheader split
The No. 3-ranked Harper College men's track and field team and the No. 2-ranked women's team both earned Region IV championships last weekend at College of DuPage.
The men totaled 278 points to beat COD (247) and Oakton (88).The women finished at 267, comfortably ahead of COD (195) and Oakton (38).
Renee Zellner, who coaches both Harper teams, referred to it as "a very successfull meet."
Harper's De'Larissa Morris was named the most valuable field athlete for the women's meet. She won javelin and long jump and finished second in three other events during the course of the two-day meet.
The Hawks women won a total of 10 events, including 1-2 finishes in pole vault, the 1,500 meters and the 800 meters. Karoline Banasik won two indivdual races and was part of two winning relays; Robin Bingham won one individual event and was part of two winning relays.
The men also had a productive meet as distance runner Jesus Escareno was named the most valuable track athlete. He won three individual events and posted a personal best in the 800 meters. He was also part of the 3,200 and 1,600 relay teams that finished third.
The Hawks' men won nine events. Sprinter Garrett Dorsey won two the 200 and 400, and was also part of the winning 400 and 1600 relay teams. Travis Pruitt and Dorsey finished first and second in the 100.
The Hawks trio of Dorsey, Pruitt and Zaire Harris swept the podium in the 200.
The NJCAA championship meet will take place May 6-8 at Haward Community College in Columbia, Md.
"Hopefully they all come together at nationals," Zellner said.
For the Hawks to earn a national championship, they'll have to top the No. 3-ranked women's team and the No. 1-ranked men's teams from SUNY-Delhi (N.Y.). Delhi's men's team is loaded in distance runners and has the nation's top 4x8 relay team.
Softball split: In a must-win doubleheader for the Harper softball team Tuseday afternoon against visiting Madision Area Technical College, the Hawks could only muster a split, winning 12-11 in Game 1 while losing 5-0 in Game 2.
Beckey Koene went 7 innings for the Hawks, earning the Game 1 win. She allowed 11 runs (4 earned) with 3 walks and 4 strikeouts while yielding 11 hits. In the sixth inning, MATC tied the game at 6-6. In the seventh, the Wolfpack took the lead when they scored 5 runs. But in the bottom half, the Hawks rallied with 6 runs to claim victory. Allyissa Collins (Prospect) hit a flyball in the gap to score Katie Coffman (Barrington) with the game-winner.
In Game 2, Chelsea Mora suffered the loss. She struck out six and walked one. Collins had 2 singles for the Hawks. Before Tuesday's games, Collins was hitting .388 for the season.
"This gives us some momentum going into the postseason," said first-year Harper coach Brenda James.
Had the Hawks won both games Tuesday, they'd have hosted a regional play-in game on May 4. Since the teams split, however, the host for that game will be decided at the April 29 seeding meeting.