Harper Men's Cross Country Honored for Three-Peat

At last week's Harper College Fall Sports Banquet, the Harper College men's cross country team was recognized for winning third straight national championship in dominating fashion on Nov. 9 in Northfield, Mass. The Hawks had four runners place in the top 10 at nationals to earn All-American honors.

Brennan Albuck (/Hoffman Estates) placed as Harper's top runner at nationals, taking fourth place overall for All-American honors. Zach Stella (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) placed fifth while Juan Barajas (Hoffman Estates, Ill./Schaumburg) and Jhoan Lino (León, Guanajuato/Streamwood) placed eighth and tenth overall to earn All-American status. Sebastian Ramirez (Lima, Peru/Palatine) also scored points for the Hawks with a 21st place finish.

"They ran like how we practiced. They gradually kept moving up, moving up, moving up," said Harper head coach Jim Macnider. "They listened to what I taught them and executed it."

Nick Modlin (Wheeling, Ill./Wheeling) and Andrew Guibord (Crystal Lake, Ill./Prairie Ridge) also ran in the national meet, placing 30th and 42nd. Macnider also recognized other members of his deepest team to date, including Vince Greco (Elk Grove Village, Ill./Elk Grove), John Majerus (Elk Grove Village, Ill./Elk Grove), Connor Williams (/Wauconda), Livan Turyamusiima (/Modern Secondary School), Nick Kellerhals (/Hersey), Jordy Arriaga (Wheeling, Ill./Wheeling) and Daniel Lim (Schaumburg, Ill./Streamwood).

The Hawks also captured top team honors at the Region IV meet, besting several Div. I schools on their way to a victory.

"It was a good group of mature adults who handled themselves really well throughout the year."