New York is final hurdle for Hawks

One of the freshmen on the Harper College men's track and field team was looking at the possibilities of repeating as NJCAA Division III national champions this weekend in Delhi, N.Y.

He looked at some of the times and distances and figured Harper might be in line for a top-five finish.

Then defending national high jump champion and sophomore Nick Herron (Fremd) interjected quicker than a stud sprinter out of the starting blocks.

"We don't settle for top five," Herron told the freshman. "We are in it to win it. We want our championship back and we want it bad."

And this weekend has been the driving force for the men's team after winning the program's first national title.

It's why sophomore Steve Damhauser (Hoffman Estates) returned from a back injury that threatened to derail his season. Not only did he qualify in the pole vault at 14-0, but he's also decided to compete in the decathlon after finishing third last year.

"I'd definitely like this team to feel what we did last year," Damhauser said. "I'd like to feel it again, too. The experience was so awesome. To be able to do it twice would be awesome."

Sprinter Billy Buehring (Schaumburg), part of a school-record 400-meter relay with Jamal Roper (Hoffman), Ray Richardson and Calvin Gant, thinks the Hawks have the ingredients for a repeat.

"I think in some parts the freshmen are better than some of the people last year," Buehring said. "The chemistry may be better than it was last year."

Roosevelt Dardon and Darius Voss look solid in the long and triple jumps. freshman Ryan Asta (Barrington) has been impressive for a deep crew of throwers that includes Markus Papa and Matt Royer.

But what led Harper to its title last year was depth.

"It is just about the team," Herron said.

"With this team they've really gotten to be very close and developed a good, strong bond about winning," Zellner said. "If they just perform to what they've already done … with that kind of attitude they can do better."

The women's team doesn't have the big numbers. But Zellner is excited about the possibilities for Tabitha Thomas in the 5K, Brianna Mueller in the 800 and Vanessa Mensie in the throws.