Men's Indoor Track and Field Ties for Second Place at Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame Classic

Two first-place performances and five runner-up efforts powered the Hope College men's indoor track and field team on Friday at the Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame Classic.

Sprinter Liam Danitz delivered the Flying Dutchmen's top all-time 200-meter run for the second consecutive meet.

The junior from West Branch, Michigan (Ogemaw Heights HS) also finished second in the 60-meter run.

Danitz also anchored the victorious 4x400 relay with senior Alex Daniels (Holland, Michigan / Holland), sophomore Dylan Terpstra (Hudsonville, Michigan / Hudsonville) and senior Joshua Ennen (Zeeland, Michigan / Zeeland West).

Hope scored 113 points and finished one point behind first-place Cornerstone University. Host Aquinas College also totaled 113 points. The three teams placed ahead of Davenport University (99), Muskegon Community College (10) and Grace Christian University (5).

In the 200 meters, Danitz recorded a school-record and first-place run of 22.03 seconds, shaving .08 off his previous best.

The Flying Dutchmen went 1-2-3 in the event. Daniels clocked a third-place time of 51.31. Ennen was third at 51.44.

The 4x400 relay posted a winning run of 3:27.67.

In the 60 meters, Danitz crossed the finish line in second at 6.97 seconds. Junior Nolan Sanders (Midland, Michigan / H.H. Dow) took third at 7.25 seconds.

Three more Hope runners recorded second-place efforts: junior Carter Dean (Traverse City, Michigan / Traverse City West), sophomore Shane Pitcher (Saline, Michigan / Saline) and freshman Logan Lipka (Frankenmuth, Michigan / Frankenmuth).

In the 800 meters, Dean finished runner-up at 2:05.69.

In the mile, Pitcher placed second with a run of 4:36.99. Freshman Kenny Evans (Corunna, Michigan / Corunna) took third at 4:39.17.

In the 60 hurdles, Lipka crossed the finish line with a runner-up performance of 8.73.

Hope also took third in the 1,000 meters. Senior Tyler King (Villa Park, Illinois / Willowbrook) went 2:38.10.

The Flying Dutchmen's top field performances came in the long jump, weight throw and long jump.

Senior Derik Smith (Niles, Michigan / Edwardsburg) posted a fifth-place leap of 6.22 meters (20 feet, 5 inches).

Junior Brendyn Mroz (Grand Rapids, Michigan / Grandville) took fifth with a toss of 15.02 meters (49-3 ½).

Junior Caleb Paarlberg (Caledonia, Michigan / Caledonia) finished sixth in the shot put with a heave of 12.21 meters (40-0 ¾).

Hope's next meet is Saturday, Feb. 1, at the Windy City Rumble hosted by the University of Chicago.

Gallery: (1-24-2025) Men's Track & Field GR Sports Hall Fame

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