Find out what's happening in Palatinefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Find out what's happening in Palatinefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
UTICA, N.Y. – The Harper College men’s track and field team looks ready for a strong close to its season at the 2015 NJCAA Division III Men’s Outdoor Track & Field Championship. The national meet, hosted by Mohawk Valley Community College, gets started on Thursday morning and reaches its conclusion on Saturday afternoon.
The Hawks bring 18 student-athletes to the meet, led by a tandem of sophomores, distance runner Juan Barajas (Hoffman Estates, Ill./Schaumburg) and sprinter Jalen Griffin (/Larkin). Barajas, the NJCAA Div. individual cross country national champion, comes into the national meet ranked first in the 10k and second in the 5k. Griffin comes into the competition ranked No. 3 in both the 100m and 200m and will also run relays.
Barajas will be joined in the 5k and 10k by teammates Emil Kozakiewicz (Palatine, Ill./Palatine), Adam Brauer (Palatine, lll./Palatine), and Sebastian Ramirez (Lima, Peru/Palatine). Brauer will also compete in the grueling 3k steeplechase. John Majerus (Elk Grove Village, Ill./Elk Grove) and Jordy Arriaga (Wheeling, Ill./Wheeling) will cover the middle distance in both the 800m and 1500m.
Harper also looks to be strong in the jumps. Nick Dorsen (/Palatine) and Lamont Griffin (/Palatine) will both compete in the long jump. Dorsen will also run in the relays while Griffin will take flight in the high jump as well as run the relays.
Eric Theis (/Palatine) will be the lone Hawk to compete in the hurdles as he’ll compete in both the 400-meter and 110-meter hurdles. Theis will also compete in some relays. John Walker (/Huntley) will look for a strong showing in the 200m and run in some relay races as well.
Harper has a trio of athletes for the throwing events. Sophomore Brad Walls (/Palatine) anchors the group, as he will be throwing the shot put, hammer throw, and javelin. Edward Phillips (/Schaumburg) will toss both the shot put and hammer, and Laith Kanan (/Palatine) will compete in the hammer and discus.
Tyler Block (/Conant), Ricardo Ruano (/Palatine), and Junious Matlock (/Springfield) will not run in any individual events but will be crucial members of the relay teams.
The Hawks are currently ranked No. 2 in the latest U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) poll heading into the national meet and are looking to improve upon last year’s sixth place showing at nationals.
