From: Jeff Febus (jfebus@calvin.edu)
Date: Fri May 02 2003 - 22:33:27 EDT
CALVIN SPORTS REPORT PART TWO FOR MAY 2, 2003
MIAA TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS (DAY ONE) AT ALMA COLLEGE
ALMA * A record setting day of field event performances propelled the Calvin women's track and field team into a commanding first place lead on the first day of the MIAA Championships at Alma College. Buoyed by record setting performances by junior Katie Corner of Grand Rapids Catholic Central High School in the discus and freshman Missy Smith of Grand Rapids Christian High School in the pole vault, the defending MIAA
Champion Calvin Knights built a first day total of 85 points, 53 points ahead of second place Hope.
Corner captured the discus title for the second straight year with a league record and NCAA III provisional qualifying throw of 152-2, surpassing the previous record of 151-9 set by Hope's Emily Sowers in 2000. Corner was part of a 1-2 Calvin finish in the event as senior teammate Mandy VanDenBosch (Grand Rapids Christian High School) took second with a throw of 124-6. Senior teammate Liz Frens (Grand Rapids Christian High School) took sixth in the discus with a throw of 110-1 ½.
"It was a great day for our throwers, particularly Katie Corner," said Calvin throwing coach Norm Zylstra. "She deserves every accolade she receives. She is one of the hardest workers and one of the most determined athletes I have ever coached."
In the pole vault, Smith broke the MIAA record established by her own coach -- Rachel Veltkamp-Dykstra * with an NCAA III provisional qualifying height of 11-9 ½. Now Calvin's pole vault coach, Veltkamp-Dykstra had captured the 2002 MIAA pole vault title with a league record height of 11-7.
"I couldn't be any happier for her," said Veltkamp-Dykstra who like Smith, is a graduate of Grand Rapids Christian High School. "To see the record stay in the Calvin family and from someone that you're working with is very exciting."
The pole vault title by Smith was one of four individual crowns captured by the Calvin women on Friday as freshman Kim Vanderzee (Shoreline, WA) won the high jump with a jump of 5-2 while senior Jodi VerMeulen (Holland Christian High School) won the 10,000 meters with an NCAA III provisional qualifying and career-best time of 37:36.31.
"Jodi VerMeulen ran the race of her life tonight," said Calvin distance coach Brian Diemer. "She is peaking at exactly the right time of the season. She still has a few races left in her so the best may be yet to come."
VerMeulen was part of a 1-3-4-6 Calvin performance in the 10K as senior Rachel Baber (Brandon, WI) took third (38:01.11), senior Katie VanBeek (Grand Rapids Christian High School) took fourth (39:19.37) and freshman Rachel Reed (Oak Park, IL) took sixth (41:19.99).
Calvin also received big points in the long jump as the Knights went 3-4-5-6 in the event with junior Marielle Zylstra (Mendon, MA) taking third (16-8), junior Sarah Weeda (Manhattan, MT) taking fourth (16-7 ½), freshman Christine Hendricks (Cincinnati, OH) taking fifth (16-4 ¾) and freshman Kara Zuidema (Escondido, CA) taking sixth (16-4 ¼).
The Calvin women also received an MIAA record-setting performance from senior Annie VanderLaan of Grand Rapids Christian High School in the prelims of the 100 meter hurdles as she clocked in with a time of 14.87, surpassing her own record of 14.96 established at the 2002 MIAA Championships.
VanderLaan also took second in the high jump with a jump of 5-0 while freshman teammate Christine Hendricks (Cincinnati, OH) took fourth at 4-10.
In the men's competition, Calvin also had a strong first day as it compiled a first place total of 64 points, 12 points ahead of second place Albion. The Knights were led by sophomore Nate Meckes (Westland Lutheran HS) who shattered the record of his own coach in repeating as MIAA champion in the shot put with an NCAA III automatic qualifying throw of 55-2. The throw by Meckes was nearly a foot better than the previous record of 54-3 established by Calvin's Steve Michmerhuizen in 1998. Michmerhuizen now serves as a volunteer throwing coach for Calvin. The throw by Meckes was part of a 1-2 Calvin finish in the shot put as senior teammate Nick VanderPlas (McBain Christian HS) took second with a career-best and NCAA III provisional qualifying throw of 52-2.
In addition, Meckes took fourth in the javelin with a career-best throw of 174-6 Friday afternoon.
"Nate put on quite a performance this afternoon," said Michmerhuizen. "Records are made to be broken and to see one of your own athletes break your record is a real thrill. The sky is the limit with Nate. He is a very talented and gifted young man.'
"I was very pleased with our throwers," added Michmerhuize. "Nick VanderPlas also had an outstanding day. To have two throwers like that on your team is definitely a blessing."
Meckes was one of two MIAA champions for the Calvin men on Friday as senior Joel Klooster (Chatham, ON) captured his first league title in the 10,000 meters, clocking in with an NCAA III automatic qualifying time of 30:22.20.
Klooster was part of a 1-4-5-6 Calvin finish in the 10K as senior Josh VanderWiele (Midland Park, NJ) was fourth with a career-best time of 32:17.58, senior Brian Paff (National City, CA) fifth with a career-best time of 32:25.77 and sophomore Aaron Iverson (Radnor, OH) sixth with a time of 32:48.17.
Calvin also received points in the pole vault and long jump. In the pole vault, Calvin went 3-4-5 with freshman Brian DeKorne (Grand Rapids Christian High School) taking third (13-6), freshman Jason Koning (South Christian HS) taking fourth (13-6, more attempts) and freshman Jeff DeMaagd taking fifth (13-6, career-best). In the long jump, senior Francis Ikwueme (Jos, Nigeria) took fourth with a jump of 21-2 1/2 while senior teammate Ben Talsma (Western Michigan Christian High School) took sixth with a career-best jump of 20-3 ¼.
Talsma also had a big day in the javelin, taking second with a career-best throw of 183-9. Albion junior Chris Stefanes won the javelin with an MIAA record toss of 216-2.
The bulk of the running finals will take place Saturday afternoon. Field event finals scheduled for Saturday are the men's triple jump, discus and high jump and the women's triple jump, shot put and javelin.
WOMEN'S TEAM SCORES AFTER DAY ONE
Calvin 85
Hope 32
Adrian 30
Alma 6
Olivet 2
MEN'S TEAM SCORES AFTER DAY ONE
Calvin 64
Albion 52
Alma 26
Adrian 8
Hope 3
Olivet 2
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