A "pretty amazing finish" propelled the Hope College men's outdoor track and field team to a runner-up finish at the MIAA Championships on Friday at Olivet College.
The Flying Dutchmen started the day in sixth place out of seven teams but won three events and finished with a second-place total of 159.66 points. Only Trine University topped them with 219 points.
"It looked a little scary for a little bit. We were falling back a little bit," head coach Kevin Cole said. "We just kept chipping away. We were strong across the board and had some performances I wasn't even expecting. It was a pretty amazing finish."
Led by league champions Lucas Guidone, Aidan Kyle and Eli Meder, Hope rallied to place second at the two-day meet for the third consecutive season.Â
Kyle (Weston, Connecticut / Weston HS) went back-to-back as javelin champion by hurling a winning toss of 53.05 meters (174 feet even) on his final attempts.
The sophomore joined Andrew Denninger (2007-08) and Bill Mauren (1981-82) as Hope's repeat champions in the event.Â
"That was one of the most fun javelin competitions I've ever watched," Cole said. "It came down to Aidan's last throw. He had lots of people cheering."
Two more scored for the Flying Dutchmen in the javelin: sophomore Alex Daniels (Holland, Michigan / Holland) in third at 48.72 meters (159-10) and freshman
Wil Pinkerton (Ann Arbor, Michigan / Pioneer) in seventh at 44.27m (145-3).
In the 1,500 meters, Meder (Williamston, Michigan / Lansing Catholic) raced to a first-place time of 3 minutes, 58.94 seconds.Â
The Flying Dutchmen went 1-2 in the event as sophomore Connor Vachon (Jenison, Michigan / Jenison) was runner-up at 3:59.21.
In the 800 meters, Guidone (Chicago, Illinois / Taft) ran away from the field for a winning time of 1:55.73. The sophomore led a 1-2 Hope finish as Meder, a junior, was runner-up at 1:56.74. Vachon placed fifth at 1:57.79. Freshman Erickson Kunzler (Marne, Michigan / Catholic Central) was eighth at 2:00.77.
"I knew middle distance was the strength of our team. I figured those guys would come through," Cole said. "They had to do it, and they did. They rose to the occasion."
Hope finished runner-up in four more events.
In the 400-meter hurdles, senior Nathan Woolum (Mattawan, Michigan / Mattawan) placed second with a time of 54.05 seconds. Senior Jackson Player (San Antonio, Texas / Winston Churchill) finished third at 57.22. Sophomore Joshua Ennen (Zeeland, Michigan / Zeeland West) was fourth at 57.29.
In the 200 meters, Danitz took second with a sprint of 22.09. Sophomore David McNiff (Norton Shores, Michigan / Mona Shores) was sixth at 22.75.
In the 4x100 relay, Hope crossed the finish line just two one-hundredths out of first place. Daniels, freshman Nolan Sanders (Midland, Michigan / H.H. Dow), McNiff and freshman Liam Danitz (West Branch, Michigan / Ogemaw Heights) took second with a season-best time of 41.88 seconds.
In the 4x400 relay, the Flying Dutchmen recorded a second-place run as freshman Wyatt Marsh (Grand Blanc, Michigan / Lake Fenton), Meder, Guidone and Woolum went a season-best 3:18.58.
Hope scored in seven more events.
In the 100 meters, Danitz finished third with a time of 10.95 seconds.
In the 3,000-meter steeplechase, junior Dan Campbell (Brighton, Michigan / Brighton) placed third by clocking a season-best time of 9 minutes, 30.17 seconds.
In the 400 meters, Marsh posted a season-best time of 49.54 seconds for fourth place.
In the triple jump, Woolum recorded a fifth-place leap of 12.91 meters (42-4 1/4). Player was seventh at 12.76 meters (41-10 1/2).
In the high jump, four Flying Dutchmen scored: Campbell in fifth at 1.83 meters (6-), Player in seventh at 1.75 meters (5-8 ¾), and junior Nathan Colbrunn (Zeeland, Michigan / Zeeland East) and freshman Darion Nundley (Newport, Michigan / Woodhaven) tied for eighth at 1.70 meters (5-7).
In the 5,000 meters, freshman Carston Cole (Holland, Michigan / West Ottawa) took sixth at 15:32.36. Senior Gabe DeYoung (Saegertown, Pennsylvania / Saegertown) was seventh at 15:35.53.
In the discus, freshman John Wenderski (Livonia, Michigan / Detroit Jesuit) posted a seventh-place throw of 39.27 meters (128-10).Â
Hope finished 7.66 points ahead of third-place Albion College. Following Albion were Calvin University in fourth place with 116 points, Olivet in fifth with 56.33 points, Adrian College in sixth with 50 points and Alma College with 22 points.
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