by Dena Meiste

The Hope College women's track and field team won its second meet of the outdoor season, taking the victory at Davenport University's Panther Classic. The Flying Dutch won four events on the day, led by Addyson Gerig, Amanda Lines and Hayley Scollard, pictured left to right.

Hope scored 216 points to pace the field. The hosting Panthers finished runner-up with 174 points, while Ferris State University claimed the final spot on the podium with 108. 

Lines (Naples, Fla./First Baptist Academy) chalked the first individual victory of the day, earning top honors in the 100 meters behind a career-best time of 12.72. Helen Dodge (Grosse Pointe Park, Mich./Grosse Pointe South) and Kimmie Drake (Katy, Tex./Seven Lakes) also ran career-best times, 12.80 and 13.09 respectively, to join Lines in the top-three.

Earning the second win of the day was Scollard (Traverse City, Mich./Traverse City Central), who crossed the line first in the 400-meter hurdles behind a time of 1:07.65.

Gerig (Holland, Mich.West Ottawa) turned in another impressive triple jump performance, clearing a distance of 10.33 meters to lead the field. Taylor Novotny (Batavia, Illinois / Batavia) found herself in third place behind a final mark of 9.72 meters. 

The Flying Dutch went two-three in the 200 meters, 400 meters and 1,500 meters. Lines followed up her win in the 100 with a runner-up effort in the 200 meters (25.76). Grace Behrens (Mishawaka, Ind./Trinity School At Greenlawn) crossed the line at the 26.09 mark to place third.

Behrens improved upon her finish in the 400 meters, clocking a 59.58 and falling a mere four-tenths of a second shy of the victory. Julie Timperman (Lafayette, Ind./Faith Christian) snagged the final podium position with her time of 1:02.64.

In the 1,500 meters, Heleyna Tucker (Midland, Mich./Herbert Henry Dow) and Jessie Schamanek (Rochester, Mich./Stoney Creek) placed second and third, respectively. Tucker turned in a career-best time of 4:57.14, while Schmanek came in at 4:58.73. 

Hope had lots of success in the field events as well. In her season debut, senior Emily Tyner launched a throw of 35.65 meters to extend her career-best distance in the javelin. Not only was it the Ann Arbor (Ann Arbor Skyline) native's season debut, it was the first time the senior has seen competition since her last appearance in February 2020. 

Gerig added another podium performance in the high jump after clearing a height of 1.56 meters, while Amelia Bont (Chesterfield, Mich./Ancho Bay) took third in the shot put (1.56m).

Dodge, Lines, Drake and Behrens accounted for another Hope win in the 4x100 relay with a time of 49.0 flat.

Hope returns to action on Saturday, May 1 with the Olivet Tune-Up.