Friday, March 13, 2015

Week 6: Team 4 Gets Past Undermanned Team 6


                         F
Team 6             66
Team 4             74    6-0

Going up against a solid squad captained by Steve Carter and Jeff Huang, we knew we’d be in for a battle. With some solid shooters and strong big men, including 7-footer Jonathan Pratscher, we would be in for a challenge. However, Pratscher missed the game with a back injury, and our opponents only had five players for this 7:30 AM tilt, our first of the season.

The last two years, we’ve been accustomed to playing shorthanded, but today we had seven guys. We came out hot, knocking down shots and building up a big lead early.

However, as has become a bit of a pattern this season, we let our opponents creep back into the game. Their point guard Fidel probably played his best game of the season. Not only was he knocking down 3’s, but he was also completing some crazy finishes at the hoop. After a huge lead early, the game was about even at halftime. 

In the second half, we played better and eventually pulled away for the victory. Our opponents were forced to play with four players for the last three minutes after Steve Carter out (which we weren’t sure if he really had five fouls). Even though they only had four, they kept it interesting and even cut the deficit to five in the final minute. But it wasn’t enough as we hung on for a 74-66 win. 

We had a good devotional titled “Why Does God Want Our Worship?”, a great reminder that there are many ways to worship the Lord. It’s also amazing how God doesn’t need our worship, but he takes delight in our worship of him. We also talked about why it’s important to intentionally prepare for worship and to be worshiping the Lord at times other than in church.

The allure of the smell of bacon was too much for Billy, Brian, and Vince as they decided to hit up the Men’s Breakfast in the Cornerstone CafĂ©. It was a good time of excellent food (eggs, bacon, sausage, doughnuts, etc-THE WORKS!), worship, and a panel discussion about issues facing men today.

Thursday, March 12, 2015

Hawks Post 3-3 Record at N4C Softball Dome Jamboree

N4C Softball Dome Jamboree Results

ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Harper College softball team started its season over the weekend at the N4C Softball Dome Jamboree in Rosemont. The Hawks posted a 3-3 record and 3-2 record in conference play in the games played at The Dome at the Ballpark.

Softball: Sam Cummings 2014
The Hawks posted a 3-3 record at the N4C Softball Dome Jamboree. (Jim Cummins)
Game 1 (Friday, 12 PM)-Waubonsee Commmunity College 13, Harper College 4

In the season opener, the Hawks led 4-1 after two innings but could not hold the lead. The Chiefs scored twice in the fourth and once in the sixth inning to tie the game at 4-4. In the seventh inning, the Waubonsee offense exploded for nine runs to pull out a 13-4 victory.

Sara Markelonis (Cary, Ill./Cary-Grove) and Raegan Fingerman (Fox River Grove, Ill./Barrington) each had two hits and an RBI for the Hawks.

Game 2 (Friday, 7:30 PM)-Harper College 6, Triton College 3

Freshman pitcher Olivia Hamilton (Homewood, Ill./Homewood-Flossmoor) turned in an excellent performance inside the circle to lead the Hawks to their first victory of the year. Hamilton scattered six hits, allowed zero earned runs, and struck out three in a complete game.  She also went 2-for-4 with a run scored.  Harper took advantage of five Triton errors and took the lead for good with a three-run fifth inning.

Game 3 (Saturday, 9 AM)-Madison College 10, Harper College 2 

After a promising start to the game against Madison on Saturday morning, the Hawks struggled to contain the WolfPack offense. Harper led 2-0 after 1 ½ innings, but Madison put up three runs in the second, four in the third, and three in the sixth to get the victory.

Markelonis, Hamilton, and Sam Cummings (Roselle, Ill./Lake Park) each had two hits in the loss.

Game 4 (Saturday, 11:30 AM)-Harper College 12, Joliet Junior College 0

A combination of great hitting and great pitching lifted the Hawks to an easy victory over the Wolves. Hamilton tossed a five-inning no-hitter for the Hawks, and it was almost a perfect game if not for one Harper error.

The Harper bats pounded out 13 hits in the win. Leading 4-0 after three innings, the Hawks scored five runs in the fourth and three in the fifth.  Beth Petrunich (McHenry, Ill./McHenry East) led the attack, going 2-for-3 with a double, triple, and three RBIs. Markelonis was 2-for-4 with four RBIs, and Cummings was 3-for-4 with an RBI. Hamilton and Lane Winkler (Arlington Heights, Ill./Rolling Meadows) also had multi-hit performances.

Game 5 (Saturday, 4:30 PM)-Harper College 14, College of DuPage 4

To cap off Saturday's tripleheader, the Hawks took on the Chapparals. Nursing a 3-2 lead after three innings, Harper exploded for three runs in the fourth, three in the fifth, and five in the sixth to secure a victory.

The Hawks tallied a season-high 14 hits in the contest. Cummings was 3-for-4 with a double, triple, and three RBIs. Petrunich was 3-for-3 with three runs scored and two RBIs, and Fingerman went 2-for-5 with two RBIs.

Olivia Hamilton (Homewood, Ill./Homewood-Flossmoor) (3-1) earned her third victory by allowing four earned runs and eight hits over six innings.

Game 6 (Sunday, 9:30 AM)-Rock Valley College 13, Harper College 0 

The Hawks squared off with the Golden Eagles, the top-ranked team and defending national champion at the NJCAA Div. III level, on Sunday morning in N4C play.

The Rock Valley offense scored nine runs in the third inning on its victory to a victory. For Harper, Emily Butler (Prospect Heights, Ill./Hersey) was 2-for-2 at plate. The Hawks managed just three hits.

Up Next

The Hawks are scheduled to play a nonconference doubleheader on Thursday, March 18 at Kishwaukee College. First pitch for game one is set for 3 PM.  Harper will also play a doubleheader the following day, Friday, March 19, at College of Lake County beginning at 3:30 PM.

Nationals Roundup: Three Harper Wrestlers Earn All-American Status



DES MOINES, Iowa. – Three Harper College wrestlers earned All-American honors at the 2015 NJCAA Wrestling National Championship over the weekend. Donte Winfield (/Perry Meridian ), Jacob Belllis, and Chance Shea (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest) each finished as All-Americans for a Harper squad that scored 50.5 points and took 13th place out of 40 teams. The Hawks were the second-best team in the nation among non-scholarship schools.

Iowa Central Community College won the national meet with 158.5 points, followed by Clackamas Community College (131.5 points) and North Iowa Area Community College (113 points).

Results/details provided with assistance from TrackWrestling.com. Click here for Harper results.

Donte Winfield (/Perry Meridian )-All-American, Fourth Place at 285 Pounds

After a first round bye, Winfield lost a tough 2-1 decision to Highline Community College's Ben Tynan to send him to the consolation bracket.

Winfield won his next match in a sudden death victory over Northeast Oklahoma's John Davison. The freshman then went on to win by fall and won another sudden death to improve to 3-1 on the tournament.

Winfield won his next match decisively, 12-2, over Donovan Lozada of Springfield Tech Community College to reach a consolation semifinals rematch again Ben Tynan, who he lost to earlier in the tournament. This time, Winfield got the better of Tynan with a 5-3 victory to reach the third place match.

In the third place match, Chris Ballard of Iowa Central CC topped Winfield, 3-1. Winfield finished the national championship with a 5-2 record and 14.50 points for the Hawks.

Jacob Bellis (/Bloomington)-All-American, Seventh Place at 125 Pounds

For a second straight year, Bellis finished seventh in the nation at 125 pounds. He received a bye and lost his first match, but the sophomore went on to win his next three matches handily.

Bellis lost to North Idaho College's Michael Nguyen, sending him to the seventh place match. In that match, he made quick work of Colby Community College's Hunter Price, winning by fall in 1:17.
He finished the national championship with a 4-2 record and 12.00 points for Harper.

Chance Shea (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest)-All-American, Eighth Place at 184 Pounds

Shea's first round match was a narrow 12-9 victory over Wouvel Chevelon of Iowa Lakes Community College. He dropped a second round match to Labette Community College to send him to the consolation bracket.

Shea reeled off three straight wins, all by fall, in the consolation bracket to set up a match with LaVonte Perdue of Muskegon College. Perdue topped Shea 14-6, sending him to the seventh place match.

He lost a 9-4 decision to Iowa Western Community College's Jhalen Flanders, but the eighth place finish netted All-American accolades.

Shea finished the tournament with a 4-3 record and earned the Hawks 11.50 points.

Other Notables-Blake Tisza (/Thornton Fractional South), Dusan Bogicevic (/Larkin), Sean Dulom (/Sarasota), Greg Jacquez (/West Aurora), Kerin Ramirez (/Addison Trail) Earn Points

Despite battling illness, Blake Tisza (/Thornton Fractional South) managed to post a 2-2 record and score the team 4.00 points at 157 pounds. Tisza two wins came decisively (17-1 and 14-4).

Dusan Bogicevic (/Larkin) posted a 1-2 record at 133 pounds and scored 3.00 team points. He won his first match of the tournament by fall over Pratt Community College's Zachary Schridde.

Sean Dulom (/Sarasota) won his first match by fall in 4:01 over John Peeden of Colby Community College but dropped his next two matches to finish with a 1-2 record and 3.00 team points at 149 pounds.

Greg Jacquez (/West Aurora) won a pair of 4-2 decisions before losing his final two matches to finish with a 2-2 record and 2.00 points at 165 pounds.

Kerin Ramirez (/Addison Trail) went 1-2 at 141 pounds and scored 0.50 team points. His win was an 11-4 victory over Northland College's Austin Hjelle.
Wrestling: All-Americans 2015
Winfield, Bellis, and Shea (from left to right) each earned All-American status at the 2015 NJCAA Wrestling National Championship. (Jim Cummins)