2008 Woodie Awards
Red Hawk track teams come in third at Carthage Invite
Jim Cardinal, Sports Editor
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Indoor track and field athletes are looking to improve on last year's results, when the women finished third and the men finished fifth in the indoor conference meet.
Sophomore long distance runner Jim Hein expects the team to do well this year despite a few nagging injuries of some team members. "It's just mainly annoyances," says Hein, "nothing too serious."
Hein thinks one of the strongest aspects of this year's team is its versatility.
"We have more depth this year in places where we would have had only one person competing last year," he says.
It may be this depth that will help the men to finish higher than fifth this year.
The Ripon College indoor track and field team started their season at the Carthage Invite at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wis., Saturday.
Both the Red Hawks men and women's teams brought home third place finishes.
Coach Robert Duley is pleased with the efforts of his athletes.
"We are very young and experienced but we're talented," he says. "As we gain experience with each meet we'll become stronger as a team."
Several athletes made noteworthy finishes in the season's first meet.
Senior distance runner Dave Billings came first in the 5,000 meter run, followed by Hein in fourth, junior Nathan Miyasaki in seventh and junior Michael Treder in tenth. Sophomore Harrison Smith also finished seventh in the 3,000 meter run and senior Peter Nielsen earned a seventh place finish in the mile run.
Sophomore Rebecca Duley and first year Erin Beggs came in third and fourth in the 5,000 meter run, respectively.
Sophomore Nic Veasley came in eighth in the high jump.
The men finished fourth in the 4x200 meter relay and seventh in the 4x400 meter relay.
On the women's side, junior Latasha Carter came in fifth in the 55 meter hurdles and also finished seventh in the 200-meter dash.
Senior Jen Millen came in tenth in the 200-meter dash. Millen also finished fourth in the 55 meter hurdles and sixth in the long jump, while sophomore Stephanie Sommer placed third in the high jump.
Sophomore throwers Shannon Henderson and Jenny Marcell tossed third and fourth in the shot put. Marcell also came in seventh in the weight throw, while teammate junior Sally Corey placed third.
"We lost some sprinters and throwers from last year, but we gained some great athletes too," says Hein.
One newcomer, first year hurdler Bob Wood finished fourth in the 55 meter hurdles and second in the high jump.
Another new face on the track team, first year Demba Camara, came in third in the triple jump and fifth in the long jump.
In addition to the new faces on the Red Hawks team, there are also some additions to the coaching staff. Heidi Foster now directs the hurdlers and jumpers, while Donovan Welch works with the pole vaulters and Jim Kloes, also coach of the women's soccer team, is working with the throwers.
Corey says, "Coach Kloes has a different way of doing things, but he seems to be doing an alright job."
Sophomore and first-time thrower Mitch Winn says, "Coach Kloes knows what he's talking about, and my technique has improved."
Duley has high hopes for the remainder of the season. "Our goal is to be highly competitive and to be one of the stronger teams in the conference," he says.
The Red Hawks will compete again Jan. 27 at UW-Oshkosh.