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Cross Country teams bring home MIAA Titles Ten consecutive MIAA championships now stand behind the women’s cross country team, as the men have achieved eleven consecutive titles after last Saturday’s finals.
The women’s toughest competition was Hope whose team came out hard to try to upset Calvin. Hope succeeded in taking 3 of the top 4 places, but the first place finish by Calvin sophomore Lisa Timmer and the depth of the Calvin team gave them their 15 point victory over Hope.
Lisa Timmer was named MIAA Most Valuable Runner for the women. Calvin showed its depth when their eighth runner beat Hope’s fourth runner.
Junior Kent Frens led Calvin’s men with a first place finish. Calvin also took third, fourth, sixth, and seventh for points to lead them to a 27 point victory over second place Kalamazoo. Frens was named MIAA Most Valuable Runner for men.
Assistant coach Rob Bouws praised the effort of the entire team: “The thing that sets this team apart is its heart. We weren’t supposed to be good this year, but these guys worked hard.”
Frens, Lee Doherty, Rob Bouws, and Jon Aukeman all made All-MIAA first team for the men while Timmer, Andrea Clark, and Rashel Bayes made in for the women. Both teams also had several members make All-MIAA second team.
“It was kind of a bittersweet race,” said junior Rachel Schoenfuhs, “because for part of the team this is the end, but part of the team will continue to regionals and nationals.” Each team can take seven runners to the two final meets.
Due to the depth of both teams, deciding on which seven would continue was not easy. Women’s coach Nancy Meyers said they have eight solid runners right now. The men had five people battling for the seventh position, according to Bouws.
The women’s team is currently rated third in the nation in Division III, and those who are continuing with the team have been training with nationals as their goal rather than MIAA finals. Many of those who ended the season on Saturday ended with personal best times.
The men’s team is rated ninth in the nation in Division III. If they can run as well as they did last Saturday according to Bouws, “there’s no reason they can’t get second at regionals and in the top five at nationals.”
