GRAND RAPIDS - Rachael Webb, even when she's not 100 percent, is still an elite runner for the Hope College women's track & field team.
The junior from Grand Rapids, Michigan (Grandville HS) won the 800-meter run with a new indoor Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association and school record of 2 minutes, 18.65 seconds on Saturday at Calvin College. She topped her own record from last year.
Webb helped the Flying Dutch finish second with a score of 106 points. Calvin College won with 194.5 points.
"I'm really proud of what they accomplished," head coach Kevin Cole said. "The conference is getting stronger from top to bottom. We had some great performances in the distances and middle distances. We took first, second and sixth in the 3,000 … that's a lot of points."
Webb said running in the distance medley relay earlier in the day didn't help her aching legs. But she still finished first.
"Honestly, I kind of shut down that last lap there. My legs are definitely feeling it. I felt good until the 600 (mark) and then the pain kicked in," Webb said. "Today I was just hoping to … I was in it for the race, not in it for the times. "Because I had run the DMR before. I wasn't paying attention to times. I had plenty of time, but my legs are still feeling it."
Emily Hamilton got a huge win in the 3,000 meter run with a time of 10:25.94. She said she was surprised to be atop the podium.
"I felt really good," said Hamilton, a sophomore from Naperville, Illinois (North). "I wasn't expecting to win. I just went out and tried to do my best. That was my PR by 15 seconds."
Hamilton had company. Teammate Avery Lowe finished second at 10:31.58. Emily Joosse was sixth at 10:40.72.
"It's so fun to race with Avery," Hamilton said of Lowe, the sophomore from North Muskegon, Michigan (North Muskegon). "It's been awhile since I've gotten to because we've been doing different races. But it's always fun to do it with a teammate."
The Flying Dutch had success in the relays, too. They won the distance medley relay in 12:21.51 with a team of Lowe, freshman Chelsea Miskelley of Holland, Michigan (Black River), Webb and senior Erin Herrmann of Wheaton, Illinois (Wheaton-Warrenville South). They also had a second-place finish in the 4x400 meter relay (4:07.20).
Mark Northuis, a Hope distance coach, was happy with the finish.
"It's always nice to see them set personal records," Northuis said. "We ran really well today. We came in expecting to run fast. We've got a great group of mature kids that expect to compete."
Northuis said Hamilton has improved by leaps and bounds since cross country season.
"She was running fifth or sixth for us on our cross country team. She didn't win all-conference, but she came here and won a distance event, so that's really exciting," Northuis said. "She's got the history of running fast, so it's nice to see it coming together for her."
Junior Rachel Satkiewicz of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan (Seaholm) improved her school record in the 400 meters with a runner-up time of 59.56. Trine's Jenna Gales was first at 58.84.
Junior Alexis Guttilla of St. Charles, Illinois (Westminster Christian) set a personal best in the mile, running 5:20.84 to finish in second place.
"I just went out to compete," Guttilla said. "I wasn't sure how it would go. It was exciting and it was a little intimidating, but I was excited with my finish."
Junior Sarah Murphy of Ada, Michigan (Forest Hills Northern) finished third in the pole vault with a leap of 3.10 meters (10 feet, 2 inches).
"I was happy. I wasn't expecting it," Murphy said. "The competition was really close. I cleared at 10-2. I tried (to clear) at 10-4. I felt like I was pretty close. I haven't made (10-4) it this season. But I was pretty happy with how I did."
In the 5,000 meters, Hope had two top-eight finishers: senior Emily Joosse of Chillicothe, Ohio (Zane Trace) in fourth in 18:11.54 and Jessica Gaines fifth at 18:21.32.
In the pole vault, freshman Emma Johnson of Wentzville, Missouri (Timberland) finished fifth at 3.00 (9-10). Junior Hannah Howard of Jacksonville, Illinois (Routt Catholic) tied for seventh at 2.90 (9-6).
— By Lenny Padilla
