Harper gears up for championship efforts
Coach Jim Macnider only has one goal when it comes to his Harper College men's and women's cross country teams as they prepare for this weekend's national championships:
"To come home winning both," he said.
The NJCAA Division III cross country national championships are Saturday, in Westfield, Mass. The start gun for the men's race will fire at 9 a.m. (central time), with the women starting one hour later.
The Harper men's team is chasing a fifth straight national title.
Unlike past championship meets, when Macnider was concerned about the landscape of the course, this year's layout should seem familiar to the Hawks. Macnider called it the "least hilly" national course he's seen in his time at Harper.
That leaves only the weather as a variant to watch. But the Hawks proved over the weekend in regional action that they could run well in rainy, sloppy conditions.
Harper brings an experienced team, with five sophomores and two freshmen getting the chance to help the program extend its national dynasty.
Will Troman was the top overall finisher at the regional, leading Adam Brauer, T.J. Paton, Eddie Lamas, Kurtis Monahan, Travis Rauch and Omar Alhayek.
For the women's program, being in the running for a title is a relatively recent development. Better participation numbers in the program have made a drastic difference, and the future looks bright.
Ali Gutt (Schaumburg) won the regional last week, leading a group including Leslie Rosiles, Dianne Barajas, Silvia Catalan Katie Thevara, Veronick Brooks and Cynthia Siddiqui. Regardless of how the Hawks fare this weekend, they could return as many as five sophomores to the team next year.
Macnider considers Gutt to be the individual favorite this weekend for Harper's women, who are ranked second nationally behind only Suffolk County Community College.
The men's team is ranked No. 1 - as it has been all season. They'll be joined in the hunt for a title by Joliet Junior College along with Howard (Md.) and Mohawk Valley.
Last Saturday, the Hawks captured the overall women's regional championship on their home course, and the men were the top-finishing Division III team.