CALVIN SPORTS REPORT (PART TWO) FOR OCTOBER 30, 2004
MEN'S AND WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS RECAP
Written by Jeff Febus with reporting by Abby Zylstra ('08) and Annalise VenHuizen ('08)
Saturday's MIAA Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships proved to be a day of historical moments.
*The competition marked the first-ever collegiate races held at Calvin's new course at the Gainey Athletic Facility.
*With its first place finish of 24 points in the women's race, Hope snapped the 16-year championship streak run by Calvin * ending the longest conference championship streak in MIAA women's athletic history. Calvin was second in Saturday's race with 60 points, 17 points ahead of third place Albion. Hope's league title is its first since 1989 and its first outright crown since 1987.
*In sweeping the top eight spots and posting a first place score of 15 points in the men's race, Calvin became the first league school to record perfect scores in back-to-back seasons. The MIAA title by the Calvin men also extended their championship streak to 17 years * marking the second-longest championship streak in MIAA athletic history. The longest championship streak in league history is the incredible 66-year run by the Kalamazoo men's tennis team, dating back to the 1936 season.
Despite early weather forecasts of thunderstorms, Saturday's competition was held under partly sunny skies with temperatures in the low 60's. Strong winds of 30-40 miles per hour were the only weather detriment and perhaps it was appropriate as both first place teams blew away the competition.
In the women's race, Hope took control from the outset and never let go as the Flying Dutch took five of the top eight spots. Hope senior Tina Pike won Saturday's 6K race with a time of 23:31, finishing an impressive 27 seconds ahead of Calvin junior Lindsay Kroonenberg (Denver, CO) who took runner-up honors.
Also placing in the top 10 for Calvin was sophomore Lydia Singer (Wilmington, DE) in ninth (24:42). Rounding out Calvin's top seven were sophomore Laura Holtrop (Derwood, MD) in 15th (25:17), sophomore Melissa VandenBerg (Grand Rapids Christian HS) in 19th place (25:25), freshman Jenny Zylstra (Lombard, IL) in 21st place (25:32), sophomore Bethany Hofman in 26th place (25:39) and freshman Christian Overbeck (Seattle, WA) in 39th place (26:14).
Kroonenberg and Singer both landed spots on the All-MIAA first team while Zylstra, Hofman, Holtrop and VandenBerg landed berths on the All-MIAA second team.
"We gave it everything we had today, it just wasn't enough," said Calvin women's cross country coach Nancy Meyer. "It would have taken a nearly perfect effort to beat Hope. They were that strong today and I congratulate them on their performance."
In the men's race, Calvin was never threatened as the Knights placed a lead pack of at least six runners ahead of the rest of the field from start-to-finish.
Senior Hendrik Kok led the Knights with a first place time of 25:32 on the 8K course with senior teammate Dave Haagsma in second with a time of 25:41. Kok's performance marked his third straight first place finish at the conference championships as he also took first at the 2002 & 2003 MIAA Championships. Rounding out Calvin's top-five was senior Jeff Engbers in third (25:43); senior Andy Yazzie (Rehoboth, NM) in fourth (26:10) and sophomore Tim Finnegan (Los Alamos, NM) in fifth (26:15).
Also running in the top 10 for the Knights were sophomore Bill Reynolds (Newtown Square, PA) in sixth place (26:28); sophomore Ben Hammer (Williamsburg) in seventh place (26:32) and junior Harrison Jorritsma (Beamsville, ON) in eighth place (26:39).
Also turning in strong efforts for Calvin on Saturday were junior Tyler Zwagerman (Holland Christian HS) in 11th place (26:47), senior Aaron Iverson (Radnor, OH) in 15th place (27:00) and freshman Dan MacKay (Whitinsville, MA) in 17th place (27:11).
Haagsma received MIAA MVP honors for the second straight year at the conclusion of the men's race as he edged Kok for first place in the final all-conference points standings.
Calvin runners that landed spots on the All-MIAA first team included Haagsma, Yazzie, Engbers, Kok, Finnegan, Jorritsma and Hammer.
"I feel very good about our efforts today," said Calvin men's cross country coach Brian Diemer. "Our guys put on a good show for the home fans watching the first race on our new course. I thought our guys did a good job of pack running as well which was very important with the amount of wind today. When you can run in a pack in windy conditions like today, you can shield your teammates from the wind which I felt we did a good job of today."
Both Calvin cross country teams will now prepare for the Great Lakes Regional meets on November 13 with Alma College serving as host.
MEN'S AND WOMEN'S SWIMMING AND DIVING
ALMA * The Calvin men's and women's swimming and diving teams opened their seasons on winning notes as both teams recorded dual meet victories at Alma Saturday afternoon.
In the men's competition, Calvin scored a 177-59 victory while the Calvin women defeated the host Scots 154-45.
In the men's competition, senior Peter Boumgarden (Naperville, IL) picked up a pair of individual victories, winning the 200 freestyle (1:49.85) and 200 IM (2:08.67). Young brother John Boumgarden (Naperville, IL) made his collegiate debut for the Maroon and Gold in winning fashion as he took first place in the 1,000 freestyle (11:26.97) with senior Peter Daining (Grand Rapids Christian HS) second in 11:35.28.
Daining took first place in the 100 butterfly (59.15) with sophomore Matt Herrema (Grand Rapids Christian HS) taking first in the 100 freestyle (51.54) and sophomore Andrew Resseguie (Holland Christian HS) taking first in the 50 freestyle (23.10).
Other individual winners for the Calvin men included freshman Joe Gluvers (Rocklin, CA) winning the 100 backstroke (59.19), sophomore Peter Tuuk (Grand Rapids Christian HS) winning the 500 freestyle (5:13.58) and freshman Lucas Seebeck (Grand Rapids Christian HS) winning the 100 breaststroke (1:11.52).
The Calvin 200 freestyle relay team of Peter Boumgarden, Daining, freshman Jeff DeJong (Glendale, LA) and freshmen Peter Groenewold (Villa Park, IL)
took first place in a time of 1:35.57.
In the women's meet, sophomore Rebekah Weima (Grand Rapids Christian HS) was a double-winner, taking first place in the 100 butterfly (1:01.83), and 100 backstroke (1:04.37) as was freshman Kat Vinson (Kaneohe, Hawaii) who won the 100 freestyle (56.95) and 50 freestyle (25.76). Senior Anna Battoclette (Cincinnati, OH) was also a double-winner, taking first on the one-meter (208.35) and three-meter (209.30) diving boards.
Other individual winners for the Calvin women included sophomore Liz Ingebrigtsen (Bensenville, IL) in the 200 freestyle (2:06.65), junior Abby Johnson (Grand Haven HS) in the 1,000 freestyle (11:05.92), sophomore Alex Wilson (Ellsworth, OH) in the 200 IM (2:21.78), freshman Stephanie Duncan (Long Grove, IL) in the 500 freestyle (5:29.17) and sophomore Barbara Frazier (Placerville, CA) in the 100 breaststroke (1:11.52).
The Calvin 200 medley relay team of Vinson, freshman Sarah Abbott (East Grand Rapids HS), Duncan and freshman Jessica Preston (Richmond, IN) took first place in a time of 1:58.99 while its 200 freestyle relay team of Weima, sophomore Maria Moller-Gunderson (Lake Geneva, WI), freshman Andrea Homan (Ann Arbor) and freshman Emily Nelson (Caledonia HS) took first place in a time of 1:49.65.
Both Calvin teams return to action next Friday when they compete in dual meets at Olivet scheduled to begin at 6:00 p.m.
Jeff Febus
Sports Information Director
Calvin College
(616) 526-6169 Office
(616) 526-8551 Fax
Received on Sun Oct 31 00:19:58 2004
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