Aidan Kyle Records Rare Javelin Three-Peat; Men's Track and Field Runner-up at MIAA Outdoor Championships

Pictured, junior Aidan Kyle

Hope College's Aidan Kyle unleashed his longest javelin throw on his final attempt at the MIAA Outdoor Championships on Friday and joined an exclusive club.

The junior from Weston, Connecticut (Weston HS) became just the fifth MIAA men's javelin thrower since 1913 to win the event at least three consecutive times and the first since 1976.

Kyle's PR toss of 55.37 meters (181 feet, 8 inches) also made him the first from Hope to accomplish the feat. He follows Gregg Afman from then-Calvin College (1973-76), Andy Kincannon of former MIAA member Hillsdale College (1955-57), Benjamin Green of Kalamazoo College (1934-36) and Lee Bartlett of Albion College (1926-29).

The MIAA title was one of three on the day for the Flying Dutchmen and four for the two-day meet hosted by Calvin University at the Gainey Athletic Complex.

Hope challenged for the team championship through the final event despite losing several potential point scorers to injury and settling for second in one race that was a photo finish.

The Flying Dutchmen finished runner-up out of seven teams with 178 points. Trine University edged Hope for the top spot.

"We definitely had a shot and a lot of things did not go our way. That's a hard way to lose it when you know you have a team that could have won," head coach Kevin Cole said. "My heart goes out to the people who got injured and weren't able to do the things they hoped to do. I think they're already thinking about coming back next year stronger."

Kyle led a 1-2-3-4 Hope finish in the javelin.

Freshman Matthew Bir (Wenatchee, Washington / River Academy) finished runner-up with a PR throw of 49.45 meters (162-3). Sophomore Wil Pinkerton (Ann Arbor, Michigan / Pioneer) placed third with a PR toss of 49.04 meters (161-10). Junior Alex Daniels (Holland, Michigan / Holland) took fourth at 44.30 meters (145-4).

Senior Eli Meder (Williamston, Michigan / Lansing Catholic) and junior Connor Vachon (Jenison, Michigan / Jenison) traded 1-2 finishes for the Flying Dutchmen in the 800 and 1,500 meters.

First, Vachon clocked a winning 1,500-meter run of 3:57.45 for his first MIAA title in the event. Meder. took second with a season-best time of 3:57.90.

Junior Tyler King (Villa Park, Illinois / Willowbrook) posted a fourth-place run of 4:02.52. Senior Dan Campbell (Brighton, Michigan / Brighton) was eighth at 4:07.69.

In the 800 meters, Meder won for the third season in a row with a time of 1:54.62. Vachon was runner-up with a season-best 1:54.72.

Hope placed second in the 4x100 relay in a photo finish.

Sophomore Nolan Sanders (Midland, Michigan / H.H. Dow), senior Nathan Woolum (Mattawan, Michigan / Mattawan), junior Alex Daniels (Holland, Michigan / Holland) and sophomore Liam Danitz (West Branch, Michigan / Ogemaw Heights) clocked a time of 41.35 seconds that was just three 3 milliseconds slower than Albion.

Three Hope runners scored in the 5,000 meters: sophomore Ian Petruska (Fort Collins, Colorado / Fort Collins) in second at 16:06.86, sophomore Carston Cole (Holland, Michigan / West Ottawa) in third with a PR 15:07.98, and sophomore Jonas Fraley-Burgett (Kalamazoo, Michigan / Kalamazoo Central) in seventh with a PR 15:24.96.

In the 110 hurdles, senior Jackson Player (San Antonio, Texas / Winston Churchill) recorded a fourth-place time of 15:55 seconds.

In the 400-meter run, Woolum took fourth at 49.91 seconds. Junior Joshua Ennen (Zeeland, Michigan / Zeeland West) was sixth at 50.19.

In the triple jump, Woolum recorded a fifth-place of 13.08 meters (42-11).

In the 100 meters, Daniels finished sixth at 11.02 meters.

In the 4x400 relay, Hope placed seventh after an injury during the final slowed the Flying Dutchmen. Daniels, Meder, Ennen and Woolum went 3:30.09. Trine took third to clinch the MIAA title.

In the high jump, freshman Ethan Grevengoed (Spring Lake, Michigan / Spring Lake) took eighth after clearing 1.75 meters (5-8 ¾).

Hope finished with 48 more points than third-place Albion College. The Britons were followed by Calvin (101), The University of Olivet (85), Adrian College (78) and Alma College (18).

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