Andrean Cross Country: My Site News
Monday, August 11DUNCAN KICKS OFF SEASON WITH IMPRESSIVE RUN AT DEMOTTE ROTARY RAMBLE
Junior to be CJ Duncan placed 20th overall and 2nd in his age group at the annual Demotte 5K Rotary Ramble Race on Saturday, August 9. His PR of 17:24 proved that his work ethic this summer paid off as he led a contingent of Niner runners through the streets of DeMotte and paved the way for what appears to be a successful season for the 2008 campaign. Brianna Martinez led a quartet of Lady Niners at the same race placing 188th overall and 7th in her age group with a respectable time of 21:33 for 5000 Meters. Martinez, a sophomore to be, is in her first full season of cross country after qualifying for Regionals in the 800 Meter Run in the 2008 Track season. Other Niner runners competing at the Rotar Ramble are:
Casey Bizik 18:09 (44th OA-12TH Div) Gabby LaMarca 23:28 (270th OA) (9th Div)
Joe Alvarez 18:25 (55th OA) (16th Div) Marina Alvarez 23:45 (295th OA) (22nd Div)
Pat Musgrave 19:37 (101st OA) (5th Div) Brionna Williams 33:57 (564th OA) (16th Div)
Matt Gough 20:58 (154th OA) (42nd Div)
Chris Castor 21:06 (162nd OA) (43rd Div)
Jeff Gough 21:21 (174th OA) (14th Div)
Matt Sertich 22:29 (232nd OA) (52nd Div)
Wednesday, July 30
MWA GARNERS THREE-PEAT AT ANNUAL ANDREAN 24 HOUR RELAY
MWA held off a late fury by the Crazy Aces to claim their third straight 24 Hour Relay victory. The Crazy Aces, made up mostly of Andrean Girls Cross Country runners fell to MWA 159-164 in total miles. Team members of the winning MWA team included Coach Rick Torres, Assistant Coach Jackie Torres, Louie Guillen (Class of 04), David Ochoa (Class of 04), Jeff Barker (former Andrean XC Assistant Coach), Bobby Becker, Melissa Gymrek (Class of 07), Matt Grennes (Class of 06), and Michael Pearson.
Members of the 2nd Place Crazy Aces were Andrean XC Seniors Catherine Kulik, Gabby LaMarca, Megan Villarreal, and Brittany Brown. Junior Alyssa Adelsperger and Sophomores Brianna Martinez and Marina Alvarez. Chloe Smith of Calumet HS and Austin Grimmer also were on the team.
Despite having only 5 runners and 1 walker, the team Walking to State made a valiant surge in the wee hours of the morning but could not overtake the Crazy Aces amassing 146 miles to place 3rd overall. Andrean Seniors Joe Alvarez and Casey Bizik both accumulated 25 miles apiece over the 24 hour period with Alvarez having the best mile average at 6:36 for 25 miles. Other team members included Senior Mark Staehle, Junior CJ Duncan, and Sophomore football player Josh Ryan. Michael Garza rounded out the team.
Girls Run Wild, a team made up mostly of Hammond Morton present and former runners placed 4th, and Small Engines, a team made up of mostly former Griffith Cross Country runners and atletes, took 5th Place.
Friday, June 20
2008 Cross Country Conditioning Begins
Summer Conditioning for the 2008 Cross Country season for the Men's and Women's teams has begun. Refer to the "Calendar" for dates, times, and sites on where we will be running next. It's never too late to jump on board, the more the merrier. Upcoming trip to the Smoky Mountains is scheduled for July 14-19, information is available by contacting Coach Torres at (219) 887-5281 ext. 225. Boot Camp at Tippecanoe State Park will be forthcoming for early August.
Wednesday, September 26
DOUBLE SWEET VICTORY FOR NINER TEAMS AT HOBART INVITATIONAL
The men's and women's teams were double winners as both teams claimed team championships at the Annual Hobart Invitational. Senior Jake Bennett held off a gutsy Kale Leichty from Hobart to claim the Individual Men's Championship in 16:20. Anthony Janiga, Andres Ramirez, Pat Kukla, and Casey Bizik rounded out the scoring and also made the awards stand by placing in the top 20. CJ Duncan and Nick Hlebasko also contributed to the Niners win. Senior Garett Bonk made his debut in the JV race winning the race in a comfortable 18:24. Bonk, a two time State Qualifier has ben sidelined all season with a stress fracture in his foot and his return is anticipated for the post season.
In the girls race, Sophomore Alyssa Adelsperger finished 2nd overall and led her Niner teammates to the team win as well with a time of 21:18. Making the awards stand and placing in the top 20 were Kelleigh McCrea (6th) 21:52, Catherine Kulik (11th) 22:33, Megan Knight (13th) 2:40, Caitlin Puntillo (15th) 2:58, and Brittany Brown (19th) 23:22.
Both teams will now prepare for the NCC Conference Championships to be held on Tuesday, October 2 at Lowell HS. The men's team have won the last two Conference Championships and the Lady Niners have been two time runners-up. Good luck to both teams.
Monday, June 18
THANK YOU GRADUATES
A huge thank you to our former graduates who have given so much to our Cross Country programs over the last 4 years. Melissa Gymrek, Megan Gymrek, and Paula Puntillo were 4 year members and made enormous contributions to the Womens Cross Country program. They leave with 3 Sectional Championships, 1 Conference Championship, 4 Regional Appearances, and 4 Semi-State Appearances. Melissa and Paula earned First Team All-Conference honors, individually qualified for Regional and Semi-State competition, and in her Senior year, Paula qualified for the State Finals placing 69th overall. All 3 were also Academic All-State athletes and Melissa was Valedictorian of her class, Megan Co-Salutatorian, and Paula was in the Top 10 of her class as well. Melissa will continue her academic and running career at MIT in Boston, Megan will continue her academic studies at Marquette University, and Paula will continue her academic and running career at Marquette University as well. Congratulations and thank you for everything you gave to us. Best of luck!
Jonathan Jimenez, Phil Maletta, and Doug Pearson also finish their careers at Andrean leaving with them 2 Conference Championships, 1 Sectional Championship, 2 Regional Championships, and 2 State Finals Appearances. Doug was a 4 year member and was a 2 time Regional and Semi-State Qualifier as well as a 2 time State Finalist. Phil and Jonathan were 3 year members and also were 2 time Regional and Semi-State Qualifiers along with 2 State Finalists to add to their resume. Phil will continue his academic studies at Purdue University, Doug will attend Columbia College in Chicago, and Jonathan will continue his academic and running career at Indiana Tech where he received an Athletic Scholarship. Congratulations and thank you for all you gave us. Best of Luck!
Thursday, August 3
CRUSADERS INVADE FRIENDSHIP RACE, GYMREK TAKES TITLE
Senior to be Melissa Gymrek took control of the race early and never looked back in claiming the individual title for the Overall Women's Title in 19:30 in the Annual 5K Friendship Race. Teammate Paula Puntillo took the 3rd overall place in 20:33 and took her dividion as well. Also claiming division awards were Alyssa Adelsperger and Megan Villarreal for the Women's Team.
Richard Gutierez of Hammond took the Individual Championship, but the Niners took overall places 2-6 to sweep a good portion of division awards. A 5 second gap separated the top 5 for the Niners with Adam Becerra crossing the line first in a time of 17:25. Following him into the chute were Doug Pearson, Jake Bennett, Garett Bonk, and Jonathan Jimenez.
Friday, July 7
LADY NINERS RANKED #46 IN STATE BY HOOSIER AUTHORITY
The Andrean Lady Niners got the #46 position in the first poll of the top 50 high school cross country teams in the State of Indiana. This years team has the potential to be the best Andrean Cross Country ever assembled. Paula Puntillo and Melissa Gymrek will lead the charge with a talented supporting cast of Megan Gymrek, Kelleigh McCrea, Catherine Kulik, and newcomers Alyssa Adelsperger, Missy Bonk, Beth Conley, and Megan Villarreal. Log onto hoosierauthority.com to see Andrean's analysis as well as the other teams.
Tuesday, June 27
Steve's Run
Anyone interested in going to Steve's Run in Dowagiac, Michigan should see Coach Torres for a race application. There will be a 10K and 5K race as well as a 5K Racewalk for any parents that are interested. Cost of the race is $10.00 if you apply with the team, otherwise your cost will be $15.00. Race fee includes a t-shirt (if you finish!) More information to come.
NINERS MAKE HISTORY, QUALIFY FOR INDIANA STATE FINALS
"It was a sign", stated Coach Torres and Coach Manes after the Chicago White Sox won the American League Conference and head for the World Series for the first time since 1959, the same year Andrean opened it's doors. Since then it has been one long season after another trying to earn a berth to the Indiana Cross Country State Finals in a non-class system where the Niners have had to battle big school like Valparaiso, Chesterton, Portage, LaPorte, and several Lafayette schools. It has never been easy but, this year's Niners refused to denied. Led by 3rd place finisher Greg Strabavy, the Niners totaled 136 points to grab the 4th spot and held off Crown Point again to earn the program's first trip downstate ever. Strabavy, an Individual State Qualifier covered the tough New Prairie HS terrain in 15:53, he was followed into the chute by Doug Pearson who ran a time of 16:38 to place 23rd. Phil Maletta went wild in the last 200 meters to break 17:00 and place 41st in a time of 16:54. Garett Bonk once again courageously ignored the pain of a nagging groin injury to place 46th in a gutty time of 17:02. Matt Grennes closed out the scoring placing 60th in a time of 17:15. Also contributing to the Niners State Qualifying team were Jonathan Jimenez 91st in 17:41, and Jake Bennett 96th in a time of 17:44. The Niners were treated to a motivational talk by former Andrean coach Steve Stanek, along with former teammate of Coach Torres, Rich Garza the night before. The talk focused on the mental aspect of running, the Niners sure listened as they took down every opponent in sight the last 400 meters to claim 4th place behind Portage by a mere 4 ponts. Valparaiso ran away with the team championship as they placed all 7 runners in the top 30 to win with 59 points, Chesterton followed with 118 points, then came Portage and Andrean, followed by Crown Point.
More to come . . . . . . . . . . . .
Monday, September 19
MEN'S TEAM GO HEAD TO HEAD WITH STATE'S BEST, PLACE 11TH
The stage was set for the State's biggest invitational, 14 of the Top 20 State Ranked teams set to do battle. 45 teams went to the starting line along with close to 300 runners from across the State of Indiana as well as Michigan. The Niners, ranked #15 in the State bumped up to the Class AAA Division to tangle with the big boys. The result was an 11th place finish, and a 4th place finish among all potential Semi-State teams. Greg Strabavy once again led his troops with a 10th place finish in 16:11. "I'm not real happy with my time" stated a disappointed Strabavy, whose goal was to finish in the top 5 and to break 16 minutes. Nonetheless, his finish helped decrease the point total considerably. Junior Doug Pearson, who has been opening eyes all season followed Strabavy into the chute with a 45th place finish in 16:55, it's the 2nd time Pearson has broken 17 minutes this season. Garett Bonk, nursing a bad groin pull for the last 3 weeks, gutted out an 82nd place finish in 17:25. Shortly after the race, Bonk collapsed and was attended to by paramedics. Bonk had also been fighting a cold and the heat and humidity got the best of him this day. One of the team's most improved runners, Jonathan Jimenez, continues to keep the pack together as he pulled the 4th position for the Niners with a 109th place finish overall and time of 17:39. Phil Maletta, rounded out the scoring with a time of 17:42, good enough for 117th place. Also contributing to the 11th place finish were Jake Bennett 121st in 17:44, and Adam Becerra 156th in 18:02. A 19 second gap separated runners 3 through 6. The Niners also knocked off #10 Ft Wayne Snider, as well as #14 Elkhart Memorial.
In the Freshman-Sophomore Division, DJ Martinez' 50th place finish led the youthful Niners with a time of 18:46. Following Martinez in to the chute were Joe Alvarez (69th in 19:08), Andres Ramirez (84th in 19:25), John Miller (137th in 20:10), Casey Bizik, competing in his first cross country race, placed 181st with a time of 21:32, John Cisneros, placed 211th with a personal best time of 22:27, and Eric Swiatkowski closed out the team scoring with a 225th place in a time of 22:57.
In the Reserve Race, Senior Matt Grennes made his comeback after a lengthy illness that took him out of 4 meets to place 49th in a time of 18:48. Matt Mohamed continues to flirt with breakking 19 minutes by running 19:27 to place 85th. Chris Fischer, battling a knee problem, gutted out a time of 20:26 in 155th, and Mike Bley placed 175th in a time of 20:48.
The Niners compete at the Highland Invitational on Saturday, then travel to Robinson Lake on Thursday for the Hobart Invitational. Good Luck Niners.
Monday, September 12
LADY NINERS REBOUND WITH PR'S AT BLACKFORD, PUNTILLO SHINES
Paula Puntillo took control of her own destiny at the Blackford Invitational on Saturday. After running in the shadows of Elena Brandewie and Mary Hollaway last season, Paula has established herself as the team leader and one of the State's best as she toured the hot and muggy high school grounds with a season best sizzling time of 15:23, good enough for 4th place overall among the 97 runners. Senior Renee Lipniskis, who has been on fire the last 2 weeks, did not let up by firing a personal best 16:15, good enough for the awards stand and a 17th place finish. 11 seconds separated the next 3 runners as Melissa Gymrek led the charge with a time of 17:07, 6 seconds behind was Allison Strabavy in 17:13, and rounding out the top 5 was Caitlin Puntillo in 17:18, a personal best. Their places respectively were 28th, 31st, and 35th. The Lady Niners placed 4th overall among 14 teams with 115 points. Also contributing to the top 5 finish team was Catherine Kulik 50th in 17:52, and Betsy Semrau 59th in 18:16.
In the Junior Varsity race, Natalie Jimenez led the Niners to a 6th place finish among 32 teams with a 16th place finish in a time of 18:27, Natalie just missed the awards stand but matched her season best time. Liz Chorich followed with a 32nd place finish in a personal best of 20:12, and Stephanie Ochoa also claimed a season best in 20:34 with a 36th place finish.
Cari Fleming continued the hot streak of personal bests with a time of 21:18, good enough for 46th place, and Bridget Watters came through the chute 4 places behind Cari with a 50th place finish in 21:33. Gabriela LaMarca in only her 2nd race of the season, dropped 6 minutes top place 59th in 22:37, and Katie Beck continues to make strides with an 80th place finish in a personal best of 29:03. Congratulations Ladies!
The Lady Niners travel to New Prairie next Saturday to compete in the New Prairie Invitational. Good Luck Niners!
Wednesday, September 14
NINERS TAKE RUNNER-UP SPOT AT BLACKFORD
On a humid and steamy 96 degree Saturday morning, the Niners laced up their shoes and prepared for battle against the likes of Pendleton Heights, Blackford, and West Noble, all ranked in the top 10 in the State. Coming off an impressive outing at the Lafayette Harrison Invitational, the Niners were ready to tangle once again with the big boys.The result was a 13 point loss to eventual invitational winner Blackford HS to take the runner-up spot.
Greg Strabavy led the charge once again with an impressive 4th place finish crossing the line in 16:02. Greg's State Finals hopes become more realistic with every race. Following Greg into the chute and breaking the 17 minute barrier was Doug Pearson who finished in 12th place in a time of 16:58. 2 seconds separated GarettBonk and Jonathan Jimenez as they crossed the finish line in 22nd place and 26th place in respective times of 17:17 and 17:19. Rounding out the scoring while battling an off day was Jake Bennett who placed 39th in a time of 17:49. Also contributing towards the 2nd place team finish were Adam Becerra 47th in 18:04, and DJ Martinez 74th in a time of 18:42.
In the Junior Varsity race, it was Phil Maletta making a comeback after injuring his hand that led the Junior Niners to an 8th place finish among 32 teams. His time of 18:27 placed him in the team's top 7 as well as 12th place overall. Joe Alvarez also cracked the top 20 with a time of 18:51, a personal best for him, and a 17th place finish. Also contributing to the team scoring were Matt Mohamed 26th in 19:17, Andres Ramirez 42nd in 19:51, and John Miller closed out the scoring with a 49th place finish and a time of 20:03. Others competing were Chris Fischer 81st in 21:13, Eric Swiatkowski 99th in 21:54, and Mike Bley 102nd in 21:58.
The Niners will now travel to New Prairie HS for the long awaited New Prairie Invitational where 105 teams are scheduled to compete.
Monday, August 1
NINERS FARE WELL AT STEVE'S RUN
The Annual Steve's Run Road and Trail Race hosted nearly 1200 runners from throughout the Midwest. Included in that bunch were many of or Running Niners Cross Country members. Leading the squads was Senior to be Greg Strabavy who placed 6th overall and won the 16-18 age group division which fielded nearly 87 athletes in the 10K race. His impressive time of 34:06 was bested only by 5 others who are currently college runners hailing from the University of Notre Dame. When asked what was his secret to his impressive outing, Greg replied " It was Edwardo's pizza last night". Following Strabavy into the chute was Doug Pearson, who has improved greatly since last season. Pearson placed 25th overall and 11th in the 16-18 division with a time of 37:25. Also receiving division awards were Jonathon Jimenez who placed 14th in the 16-18 division with a time of 37:48. Others competing in the 16-18 division were Matt Grennes 18th in 37:52, Garret Bonk 19th in 38:07, Phil Maletta 21st in 38:13, and Mike Bley 66th in 45:11.
In the 14-15 age group, Sophomore to be Jake Bennett was an award winner placing 4th among 21 runners in his division in a time of 39:37.
On the girls side, Caitlin Puntillo placed 7th in the 14-15 age group with a time of 52:43, and Melissa Gymrek ran an impressive time of 44:59 to place 8th among 28 competitors in the 16-18 age group. Also competing in the 16-18 age group were Megan Gymrek 14th in 48:17, Renee Lipniskis 16th in 49:01, Olivia Schwingendorf 19th in 50:36, and Natalie Jimenez 22nd in 52:43. 2004 Andrean Grad Elena Brandewie was an award winner in the 16-18 age group placing 2nd in a time of 41:35. Also, 2003 Andrean Grad Sarah Lipniskis placed 7th in the 19-24 age group with a time of 53:47.
Coach Jeff Manes jumped in the race at the last minute and placed 17th in the 45-49 age group with a time that will not be disclosed. As Coach Manes approached the 300 meter mark at the bridge that leads to the finish, he was heard shouting "Torres, I'll never forgive you for this". Manes did survive, all is well.
In the 5K race, 8th grader to be at St. Mary, Griffith, Missy Bonk, placed 11th in her 14-15 age group with a time of 25:26, and Andrean sophomore to be Catherine Lynn placed 12th in the same group, with a time of 25:28.
Finally, Mr. Paul Lipniskis and Mrs Vicki Lipniskis both participted in the 5K Racewalk.
Tuesday, July 26
YOUTHFUL CRUSADERS CONTINUE TO SHINE
Saturday, July 23 marked the Annual Buckley 5 Mile Road Race held in Lowell. Two members of our Northwest Indiana Crusaders XC/Track Club were award winners as they continue to collect post race honors this summer. In the 9-11 year old age group, it was Portage resident Nick DeMass who toured the tough Buckley terrain in 36:17, good enough for 1st place in his division and 45th place overall. Hammond resident Van Westerhoff, placed 54th overall, and placed 2nd to DeMass in the same division with a time of 37:19. Congratulations runners!
Sunday, July 17
Crusaders Invade Friendship Race
Several members of the Niners squad shined at the Annual Friendship Race held Wednesday, July 13 held at Wicker Park in Highland. Representing the Northwest Indiana Crusaders, the boy's team took team honors with the help of Race Champion Greg Strabavy who won in decisive fashin in a time of 16:03. Also, bringing home hardware were Doug Pearson, 7th overall and 2nd in his division, and Paula Puntillo 4th overall among the women and 2nd in her division. Other results and team members names will be posted as results are collected.
Monday, October 25
LADY NINERS CONCLUDE SEASON WITH SCHOOL'S BEST FINISH
Cross Country is so much like a puzzle, all the pieces have to fit for it to be successful. Often times the piece doesn't fit and you start over again, looking for another way to complete the puzzle. At Saturday's IHSAA Semi-State, the Lady Niners were one piece away from making history as they ran tough and made a run for one of the top 5 spots to advance to next weekend's State Finals. After a 12th place finish last season, the Lady Niners were primed and ready to run the best race of their lives, but it was not to be as they placed 8th out of 20 teams with 243 points. Valparaiso, Chesterton, Portage, Penn, and Culver Girls Academy get to go to the dance, with Lake Central and Lafayette Jeff finishing ahead of the Niners. Mary Hollaway finishes her Andrean Cross Country career with a 26th place finish in a time of 15:51, the top 15 individuals also qualified for the State Finals. Following her closely into the chute was Sophomore sensation Paula Puntillo who placed 29th with a time of 15:55. Senior Elena Brandewie avenged a disappointing 2003 Semi-State with a 37th place finish in a fine time of 16:13, and Sophomore Melissa Gymrek shook off a late season injury and placed an impressive 57th with a time of 16:32. Junior Renee Lipniskis closed out the scoring with a 126th place finish in a time of 18:05. Also contributing to the 8th place team finish were Freshman Allison Strabavy and Senior Anna Barajas who placed 132nd and 138th respectively with times of 18:21 and 18:51. This year's team marked the most successful season ever by an Andrean Women's Cross Country program as they went undefeated through the LAC Round Robin meets, claimed the school's first Conference Championship, won a third consectutive Sectional Championship, and qualified for Semi-State competition for the fourth straight year. They also had runner-up finishes at Gavit, Blackford, Highlands, and Andrean Invitationals, as well as a runner-up finish at the Regional. Over the last four years, the Senior group of Mary Hollaway, Elena Brandewie, and Mayte Fernandez, all four year members, leave a legacy that will be hard to match. Throw in two year members Anna Barajas and Natalie Beck, and you have 5 individuals that have given their hearts to a program that is respected and emulated by opposing teams. Seniors, you will be missed, but your names and feats will long be remembered and talked about to future teams. The most important element to us as your coaches and teammates, is that you will be more remembered for you as people, caring, committed, dedicated, loyal, and being great examples for future teams to look up to. Thank you for everything you've done to put Andrean on the map, you've done agreat job establishing pride and tradition, now it's up to the others that remain to continue the work that you have started.
TEAM RESULTS: 1. Valparaiso 57 2. Portage 123 3. Chesterton 124 4. Penn 143 5. Culver Academy 191 6. Lake Central 194 7. Lafayette Jeff 241 8. Andrean 243 9. West Lafayette 248 10. Rensselaer 250 11. New Prairie 321 12. Michigan City 348 13. Southmont 357 14. Mishawaka 362 15. SB Adams 371 16. Harrison 376 17. Bremen 376 18. Munster 418 19. Hobart 422 20. Crown Point 446
Monday, October 25
SEMI-STATE EXPERIENCE SERVES NINERS WELL
2004 was a great learning experience for the Niners as this year marked the first time since 1992 that Andrean had sent a team to the Semi-State. Although a 12th place finish is not what the team had in mind, the most encouraging part of next year is that Andrean returns 6 of it's top 7 runners only losing Senior Mike Agler. Despite not advancing to the State Finals, there were many things to celebrate this season with Gavit ans Andrean Invitational Titles, a 3rd place finish at Conference, 3rd place finishes at Sectional and Regionals, and many outstanding individual performances. At the Semi-State, Portage claimed team honors with 73 points, also advancing as one of the top 5 teams were Valparaiso, Crown Point, Lafayette Jeff, and Chesterton. Greg Strabavy, as he has all season, fought hard with the leaders positioning himself as one of the top 15 but could not hold on, he led the way for the Niners with a 28th place finish in a time of 17:13. Following him into the chute were teammates Mike Agler 60th who really came in in the last 3 weeks, in 17:48, Doug Pearson 66th in 17:52, Matt Grennes 81st in 18:07, and Jonathon Jimenez closed out the scoring with a time of 18:45, good enough for 114th place. Finishing in 118th and 119th places respectively were Freshman DJ Martinez and Garret Bonk with times of 18:48 and 18:49. 2004 was a season of many firsts, 2005 will also bring the same. The future looks very bright as everyone returns with experience and some hunger to take the program to the next level. We thank Senior Mike Agler for his leadership and great example of hard work ethic, those returning will have a good example to follow.
TEAM RESULTS: 1. Portage 73 2. Valparaiso 103 3. Crown Point 114 4. Lafayette Jeff 145 5. Chesterton 161 6. West Lafayette 219 7. Lowell 235 8. Penn 257 9. Merrillville 269 10. Harrison 287 11. New Prairie 300 12. Andrean 304 13. LaPorte 306 14. Munster 310 15. Mishawaka 372 16. Culver Academy 398 17. Rochester 406 18. Carroll 438 19. Kankakee Valley 445 20. SB St. Joseph 468
LADY NINERS MAKE FOURTH STRAIGHT TRIP TO SEMI-STATE
The stage was set for Saturday's Regional Championship as Lake Central, the Gavit Sectional Champions, and Andrean, the Crown Point Sectional Champions, were set to square off for the title. Andrean, coming off Conference and Sectional titles appeared to be the inside favorite, Lake Central had other ideas. A 2 point loss to eventual Regional Champion Munster last year was still lingering in the minds of the Lady Niners, but it was not for the Niners this year as Lake Central took control of the race early and claimed the title by 18 points over the Niners. Munster, Crown Point, and Munster rounded out the other qualifying spots for next weekend's Semi-State. Paula Puntillo, who has been having a phenomenal last two weeks, was the frontrunner for the Niners as she placed 5th overall with a time of 15:48, good enough for an individual Semi-State Qualifying spot. Also qualifying as individuals for the Semi-State for the Niners were Mary Hollaway 6th in 15:59, Elena Brandewie 10th in 16:21, and Melissa Gymrek 13th in 16:29. Renee Lipniskis rounded out the scoring placing 23rd in a time of 17:26. Also contributing for the runner-up team Niners were Megan Gymrek 33rd in 18:02, and Allison Strabavy 44th in 18:33. The Niners will be making their 4th straight trip to the Semi-State at New Prairie HS on Saturday. Race time will be 11:00 a.m.
TEAM RESULTS: 1. Lake Central 36 2. Andrean 54 3. Munster 91 4. Crown Point 107 5. Hobart 126 6. Highland 160 7. Lowell 162 8. Merrillville 210 9. Whiting 217 Hammond Clark, Griffith, and Gary Roosevelt had incomplete teams.
MEN'S TEAM HEADS TO SEMI-STATE FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 1992
It's been a long time since the names Ryan Board and Marshall Lowe have come up, probably because back in 1992, Andrean had made it's mark in the State of Indiana with back to back Sectional Championships and Board and Lowe were State Qualifiers. Well, Andrean is at it again. This year's team, although young and inexperienced, battled with some of the State's best all season, and the efforts have paid off as the Niners return to the Semi-State after a 12 year hiatus. Crown Point claimed the Crown Point Regional championship with Lowell taking the runner-up spot. Andrean took 3rd and Merrillville and Hanover Central claimed the remaining two qualifying spots. Qualifying individually for Semi-State competition was Greg Strabavy as he placed 4th behind Crown Point's Mike Trybula who placed 3rd, and what was an exciting finish, Morton's Tim Sirbek outleaned EC Central's Victor DelToro at the line to win in 16:20. Contributing to the Niners 3rd place finish were Mike Agler and Matt Grennes who placed 18th and 19th with respective times of 17:33 and 17:35. Following close behind was Doug Pearson in 21st with a time of 17:38, and rounding out the scoring for the team was Jonathon Jimenez who placed 42nd with a time of 18:19. Freshmen Garret Bonk and DJ Martinez also competed and placed 55th and 60th places respectively with times of 18:52 and 19:09. Race time for next week's Semi-State competition at New Prairie HS will be 11:40 a.m.
TEAM RESULTS: 1. Crown Point 53 2. Lowell 78 3. Andrean 93 4. Munster 99 5. Merrillville 138 6. Highland 139 7. Lake Central 140 8. Hanover Central 156 9. Calumet 241 10. Griffith 284 Morton and EC Central both fielded incomplete teams.
Robles pimps mad style
Laura Robles pimps out all the guys in Purdue, you know that and T-money is awesome! Track also rules, and I was wondering about the possibility of an Alumni Track Meet at Andrean to raise money for the team or the track facility. It could also maybe score up some interest in the sport in the school and get the track some usage. Feel free to let me know what everyone thinks. I talked to some former track alumni and they are wholeheartedly embracing the idea. Feel free to email me at Roadrunner2130@hotmail.com or lguillen@indstate.edu
Wednesday, October 13
SECTIONAL CHAMPIONS, LADY NINERS 3 PEAT
For the 3rd consectutive year the Lady Niners have claimed the Crown Point Sectional, taking it in convincing fashion by placing 4 in the top 6, and outdistancing runner-up Crown Point 32-59. The Niners resembled a horse race as the top 5 came out of the gates and established themselves with good position early and took control of the race. Just before the 3k mark as fans awaited in anticipation of what runners would come out of the woods, the sea of red began to filter out. Mary Hollaway led a string of Niners out into the last kilometer with a 2-3-4-5 placing, but a Lowell runner cut into the pack and took the 5th position. Mary Hollaway once again led the charge by taking the runner-up spot with a time of 15:54 conceding the short lived race lead to eventual champion Mallary Williams of Hobart who finished with a time of 15:32. Placing 3rd was Paula Puntillo in 16:10, 4th was Elena Brandewie in 16:31, and Melissa Gymrek followed with a time of 16:39 for 6th Place. All four athletes earned Regional Qualifying berths, and advanced as individuals. Closing the scoring for the Niners was Renee Lipniskis who missed a top 15 place by placing 17th in a time of 17:34. Also contributing towards the Niners championship was Anna Barajas 21st in 17:57, and Megan Gymrek 33rd in a time of 18:42. The Niners now prepare for Saturday's Regional Chamapionship which eluded them last year as they dropped a 2 point decision to eventual champion Munster. Lake Central, Hobart, Munster, and Crown Point will all be worthy opponents for the Niners. Race time is set for 11:00 a.m.
Great Job Ladies and congrats on your 3 Peat!
TEAM SCORES: 1. Andrean 32 2. Crown Point 59 3. Hobart 61 4. Lowell 114 5. Merrillville 134 6. Hanover Central 161 7. Gary Roosevelt 182 8. West Side 214 Wirt, Lake Station, and Lew Wallace had incomplete teams
Wednesday, October 13
YOUTHFUL NINERS ADVANCE TO REGIONALS
With 6 of the top 7 runners underclassmen, the men's team battled hard and took the 3rd team position advancing to the Crown Point Regional Saturday with 72 points. Crown Point claimed team honors with 33 points and Lowell took the runner-up spot with 66 points. Also advancing were Merrillville and Hanover Central. Greg Strabavy battled with the Crown Point duo of Trybula and Koch for most of the race, but it was the Bulldog duo that wore down Strabavy to claim the top 2 spots outdistancing Strabavy by a mere 6 seconds. Mike Trybula claimed individual honors in 16:43 with teammate Ben Koch close behind in 16:47. Strabavy followed them into the chute in 3rd with a time of 16:47. Also advancing as Individual Regional Qualifiers for the Niners by virtue of a top 15 showing were Mike Agler 9th in 17:13, Doug Pearson 14th in 17:25, and Matt Grennes 15th in a time of 17:27. Closing out the scoring for the Niners was Jonathon Jimenez who placed 31st in 18:23. Also contributing to the cause were DJ Martinez 33rd in 18:28 and Garret Bonk 38th in 18:53. The Niners prepare for the Crown Point Regional on Saturday with a race time of 11:30 a.m. Great job Niners!
TEAM SCORES: 1. Crown Point 33 2. Lowell 66 3. Andrean 72 4. Merrillville 83 5. Hanover Central 94 6. Hobart 143 7. Gary Roosevelt 212 8. West Side 216 9. Lake Station 304 10. Lew Wallace 307 11. Wirt 314
Friday, October 8
ANDREAN WINS SCHOOL'S FIRST EVER CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP
In convincing fashion, the Lady Niners took control of the race early and never looked back in claiming Andrean's first ever Lake Athletic Conference Championship. 5 First Team All-Conference runners and 2 Second Teamers swarmed the Lowell HS course and made it very clear that another second place finish would not happen again. Mary Hollaway was impressive as she toured the flat Lowell HS course in a time of 15:12 to take the runner-up spot to LAC Conference Champion Crystina Aburto-Martinez who won in a time of 14:57. Paula Puntillo went wild in the last 400 meters to pass meet favorite Jill Odom of Highland and narrowly missed catching Mallary Williams of Hobart as she placed 4th overall in a personal best time of 15:16. Elena Brandewie stayed steady as she placed 7th in a time of 15:48, and Melissa Gymrek and Renee Lipniskis completed the 5 man sweep for First team honors as they placed 13th and 16th in respective times of 16:27 and 16:48. Second Team All-Conference runners Megan Gymrek placed 25th in 17:33, and the much improved Anna Barajas completed the scoring in a time of 17:44 for 29th place. The Lady Niners will now prepare for the IHSAA Sectionals where they are two time defending Crown Point Sectional Champions. Great Job Ladies!!!
TEAM SCORES: 1. Andrean 35 2. Munster 66 3. Hobart 77 4. Lowell 126 5. Highland 140 6. Kankakee Valley 172 7. Clark 180 8. Whiting 186 9. Griffith 207 Bishop Noll, Calumet, Gavit, Hammond High, Lake Station, Morton, and Wheeler had incomplete teams.
JV CONFERENCE MEET
Allison Strabavy took control early and never relinquished the lead as she won the JV Conference Meet in a time of 17:32. Also topping the top 10 were Mayte Fernandez in 5th with a time of 18:43, and Natalie Beck 18th in a time of 21:04.
Friday, October 8
CLEAN SWEEP DENIED AT CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS
After watching the Lady Niners meet their goal of winning the LAC, the men's team was set to complete the sweep after a successful regular season where they were undefeated against Conference foes Lowell and Munster. Lowell, running in their backyard, had other plans as they took advantage of it's home course and tradition in winning their 2nd consectutive LAC Conference Championship over Munster 55-63. Andrean took a disappointing 3rd but managed to place 4 runners in the top 16 to earn First Team All-Conference honors. Greg Strabavy, a pre-meet favorite to win the individual title struggled after 2 miles and gutted out a 6th place finish in 16:38. However, Doug Pearsonand Matt Grennes picked Strabavy up as they both put on torrid kicks to pass runners into the chute to place 10th and 12th with respective times of 16:51 and 16:59. Mike Agler claimed the 4th position in 16th place to finish in a time of 17:07, and Freshman DJ Martinez closed the scoring with a 31st place good enough for 17:54. Other team membersa contributing were Garret Bonk 40th in 18:12, and Jonathon Jimenez 42nd in 18:19.
JV Conference places and times were unavailable, they will be forthcoming. The Niners will now travel to Lemon Lake Park in Crown Point for the IHSAA Sectionals on Tuesday, October 12. Good Luck Men!
TEAM SCORES:
1. Lowell 55 2. Munster 63 3. Andrean 69 4. Highland 87 5. Kankakee Valley 127 6. Hobart 151 7. Calumet 192 8. Griffith 256
9. Wheeler 272 10. Whiting 300 11. Gavit 331 12. Hammond High 331
13. Lake Station 391 Bishop Noll, Clark, and Morton had incomplete teams.
Monday, October 4
AGLER AND COMPANY WIN INVITE ON SENIOR DAY
6 Awardwinners led the charge for the Men's Team as the Niners placed 4 in the top 11 to claim the 3rd Annual Andrean Invitational at Hidden Lake Park in Merrillville. Lone Senior Mike Agler enjoyed his day in the spotlight as he placed 6th overall with a time of 17:11. Leading the team again was Greg Strabavy who placed 3rd overall in a heated battle through 2 miles with favorite foes Tim Sirbek of Morton and Victor DelToro of EC Central, Strabavy finished in a time of 16:35. Sirbek claimed individual honors with a time of 16:22, and DelToro followed him into the chute with a time of 16:24. Doug Pearson was hot on Agler's heels as he placed behind him for 7th place in a time of 17:14, and Matt Grennes took the 11th spot in a time of 17:36. Closing the scoring was Jonathon Jimenez who placed 24th in 18:08, and DJ Martinez took the final award winning position by placing right behind Jimenez in 25th place with a time of 18:19. Freshman Garret Bonk continues to progress as he just missed the award's circle with a 28th place showing in a time of 18:27, and Adam Becerra followed closely behind Bonk with a time of 18:36, good enough for 33rd place. Also, contributing to the Niners championship were Matt Mohamed 51st in 19:53, Mike Bley 60th in 20:43, and Chris Fischer 62nd in 20:52. The Niners will now prepare for the LAC Championships which will take place on Thursday, October 7 at Lowell HS.
TEAM SCORES: 1. Andrean 40 2. Hanover Central 69 3. Culver Military 79 4. Kankakee Valley 82 5. Calumet 126 6. Griffith 162 7. Hammond High 194 8. Clark 194 9. Gary Roosevelt 202 10. Whiting 203 11. Lew Wallace 240 12. Lake Station 258 Bishop Noll, Morton, and EC Central incomplete
Monday, October 4
BRANDEWIE, PUNTILLO LEAD NINER CHARGE AT OWN INVITATIONAL
With Mary Hollaway dropping out of the race due to an ankle injury, it was Elena Brandewie and Paula Puntillo who picked up the flag to lead the team to a runner-up finish at the 3rd Annual Andrean Invitational. In a much anticipated matchup between the Niners and visiting Culver Girls Academy, it was the Lady Cadets that took advantage of the shorthanded Niners to claim team honors 26-37. Culvers' Alex Banfish took individual honors shattering the course record with a time of 15:13. Brandewie and Puntillo took the next two spots with Brandewie 2nd in 16:01, and Puntillo 3rd in 16:15. Melissa Gymrek returned from a recent foot injury to place 5th overall in a time of 16:22, and sister Megan took the 15th position with a time of 17:13. Renee Lipniskis closed out the scoring with a time of 17:37, good enough for 17th place. Senior Anna Barajas made the award winner's circle as she placed 20th with a time of 18:05. The top 25 runners in both races took home trophies. Also competing for the Niners were Senior Mayte Fernandez 27th in 18:38, and Senior Natalie Beck 52nd in 23:50. This was the one and only home meet for the Niners as the Seniors were honored. Included in that bunch was Senio Cecilia Arambula, the team's manager.
TEAM SCORES: 1. Culver Girls Academy 26 2. Andrean 37 3. Hanover Central 86 4. Whiting 95 5. Lew Wallace 145 Calumet, Griffith, Gary Roosevelt, Hammond Clark, Kankakee Valley, and Lake Station had incomplete teams.
Monday, September 27
LADY NINERS RECORD PR's, CLOSE IN ON LAFAYETTE JEFF
It was a day and course perfect for personal bests. It was also a day to meet up with Lafayette Jeff, a team Andrean will have to contend with if they are to get to the State Finals. Lafayette Jeff claimed the team title at the 37th Annual Highland Invitational over Andrean 59-73, Almost 3 weeks ago at the Lafayette Harrison Invitational when the two teams met, the Bronchos got the best of the Lady Niners by 27 points. Today the point total closed to 13 points, without the services of #4 runner Melissa Gymrek out with a foot injury. Mary Hollaway once again locked horns with State Qualifiers Jill Odom of Highland and Crystina Aburto-Martinez of Wheeler, finishing in 4th place, matching her season best time of 15:10. Elena stuck close behind recording a season best time of 15:28 to finish 8th, and Paula Puntillo cracked the top ten by placing 10th with a personal best time of 15:35. Closing out the scoring for the Niners were two more runners that also recorded personal bests, Megan Gymrek 24th in 16:39 and Renee Lipniskis 25th in 16:40. Anna Barajas, running well as of late, claimed the final personal best, shaving almost 20 seconds to place 51st in a time of 17:44. Allison Strabavy, battling a knee injury, finished 66th in a time of 18:19.
In the JV Race, Mayte Fernandez recorded a 19:40 to place 13th, and Natalie Beck placed 42nd in a time of 21:30. The Lady Niners travel to Robinson Lake Thursday to compete in the Hobart Invitational, followed by Saturday's Andrean Invitational.
Monday, September 27
NINERS FEND OFF LAC FOES, TAKE RUNNER-UP AT HIGHLAND INVITE
With expectations high on themselves, the Men's team fell short of their goal of winning the Highland Invitational placing 2nd to Champion Lafayette Jeff 49-90. Their other goal of having 5 runners under the 17 minute mark became a little more realistic as 4 broke the 17 minute barrier and the 5th was a mere 25 seconds off. Greg Strabavy was once again the man leading the charge as he placed 2nd overall to Morton phenom Tim Serbik in a time of 15:59. Strabavy battled Serbik, Craig Locker of Lafayette Jeff, and Victor DelToro of EC Central through 2 miles, but it was Serbik who broke the field to win handily. For Strabavy, his time was a personal best for him. Also establishing personal bests were Doug Pearson, just missing the Andrean Sophomore School Record placing 13th in a time 16:44 (the record being 16:40), Matt Grennes also earned a career best time as he also placed in the top 20 with 19th place in a time of 16:56, and Mike Agler was the 4th runner under the 17 minute barrier with a time of 16:58 good enough for 21st place. Jonathon Jimenez closed out the scoring with a 35th place finish in a time of 17:25, a personal best for him as well. DJ Martinez 57th in 18:04, and Adam Becerra 66th in 18:35 contributed to the team's runner-up finish.
In the Junior Varsity race, Freshman Garret Bonk returned after nearly a one month layoff with an injury and turned in an impressive 4th place finish to go along with an impressive time of 18:10. Matt Mohamed recorded a personal best of 19:19 for 26th place, and Mike Bley completed the record day of personal bests with a 37th place finish in 20:36.
The Niners travel next Thursday to the Hobart Invitational, then return to their home course on Saturday for the Andrean Invitational.
Friday, September 20
STRABAVY PASSES BIG TEST AGAINST STATE'S BEST
Junior Greg Strabavy knew what he was in for, a date with destiny. His performance at the New Prairie Invitational would either label him another also ran, or it would establish him firmly among the State's elite. From the starting gun, Strabavy held on for dear life and got him his just due as he placed 12th among the over 200 runners in the Class AAA Division. His time of 16:11 also gave him a PR, and placed him among the top 100 best times ever posted at the tough New Prairie course. He also helped his team place 15th among 33 teams. With names like Lawrence North, Portage, Northridge, Crown Point, Franklin Central, and Carmel to name a few, it makes Strabavy's performance all the more impressive. Following Strabavy into the chute were Mike Agler 80th in a time of 17:17, Matt Grennes 98th in 17:29, Doug Pearson 100th in 17:29, and Jonathon Jimenez closed out the scoring with a 126th place finish in a time of 17:46. Times and places for DJ Martinez, Adam Becerra, Matt Mohamed, Mike Bley, and Jake Bennett, were not available after the meet, their results will be forthcoming.
The Niners compete next at the Highland Invitational on Saturday, September 25. Race times begin at 9:00 a.m.
Monday, September 27
STATE BERTH HOPES ENCOURAGING FOR LADY NINERS
With #3 runner Melissa Gymrek watching from the sidelines, the Lady Niners stepped it up a notch to place 13th among the 34 team field at the Annual New Prairie Invitational. Gymrek is nursing a stress fracture nand is expected back for the Andrean Invitational. Like the Men's team, the Niners were bumped up to the Class AAA Division to tangle with the State's best and they came home encouraged with the results. Mary Hollaway, battling an illness mustered up enough energy to finish 21st and lead the team with a time of 15:37. Her performance establishes her firmly among the Semi-State's top 15 with hopes of an individual state qualifying berth. Teammate Elena Brandewie was close behind placing 30th in a time of 15:51, and Paula Puntillo also cracked the top 100 as she placed 79th among the 236 runners in a time of 16:32. Renee Lipniskis and Megan Gymrek placed 123rd and 134th respectively with times of 17:24 and 17:35. Also aiding the teams placing were Allison Strabavy 149th in 17:54, and Anna Barajas 182nd in 18:27. Times and results for Mayte Fernandez and Natalie Beck were not available after the meet, results will be forthcoming.
The Niners also head to the Highland Invitational next Saturday to compete in the 27 team field.
Monday, September 13
LIPNISKIS PROPELS LADY NINERS AT BLACKFORD INVITATIONAL
With the likes of DeKalb (5th at the State Finals last year), and Huntington North, ranked 18th in the State, the Niners were in for a battle at the Annual Blackford Invitational. From the start of the race, our runners established good position and maintained it throughout the race, picking off runners, and holding them off into the chute. The biggest difference came from Renee Lipniskis, who held off 4 runners into the chute. Lipniskis not only established a PR of 16:59, she helped our Lady Niners hold off DeKalb and Huntington North in the team scoring. Ft. Wayne Carroll claimed team honors, but it was Andrean that took the runner-up spot with a score of 82 points to DeKalb's 84, and Huntington North's 86. Mary Hollaway once again led the team with a 4th place finish overall, establishing a PR as well as school record posting a time of 15:10. Steady Elena Brandewie was right behind Hollaway claiming the 8th position with a time of 15:40 and Melissa Gymrek came up big for the Niners as well with a 16th place finish in a time of 16:16. Paula Puntillo took the 21st spot with a time of 16:27, and Lipniskis rounded out the scoring with a 33rd place. Also aiding in the runner-up finish was Megan Gymrek 37th in 17:10, and Allison Strabavy 39th in 17:12.
In the JV race, Caitlin Puntillo and Anna Barajas were both medal winners as they posted respective times of 18:02 (a PR for Puntillo), and 18:24 for Barajas. Their places were 11th and 13th respectively. Also competing for the Niners were Mayte Fernandez, 18th in 18:35 and Natalie Beck 39th in 20:54.
The Lady Niners return to action Tuesday in their final LAC Round Robin meet at Riverside Park in Hammond, before heading to New Prairie HS for the much anticipated New Prairie Invitational where the Niners will get bumped to the Class AAA Division with powerhouse teams like Valpo, Chesterton, Carmel, Lawrence North, and many others.
Team Scores: 1. Carroll 33 2. Andrean 82 3. Huntington North 84
4. DeKalb 86 5. Delta 157 6. Jay County 166 7. Marion 172
8. Anderson Highland 209 9. New Castle 245 10. Muncie Central 302 11. Yorktown 320
SHORTHANDED NINERS BATTLE AT BLACKFORD INVITE
With #2 runner Phil Maletta sitting out because of a leg injury, the Niners faced a stiff challenge and humidity at the Annual Blackford Invitational. Greg Strabavy did his usual thing leading the Niners with a 10th place finish in a time of 16:41 to lead the team to an 8th place finish among 20 teams. Sophomore Jonathon Jimenez did a great job of picking up Maletta as he placed 41st but more importantly established a PR of 17:35 in being the team's #3 runner for the meet. Mike Agler came thru the chute one place better as he finished in 40th place with a time of 17:35, and Doug Pearson took the 4th team position with a 46th place finish in 17:41. Matt Grennes battled thru an illness to close out the scoring in 51st place with a time of 17:47. Also moving up to the Varsity were Freshmen Adam Becerra and DJ Martinez who placed 77th and 93rd with respective times of 18:33 and 19:14. Pendleton Heights took meet honors with 55 points, Andrean placed 8th with 188 points.
In the JV race, Matt Mohamed placed 30th with a time of 19:54, Jake Bennett placed 38th in 20:16, and Mike Bley placed 67th with a time of 21:32. The Niners take on LAC foes Calumet, Hammond High, Morton, Whiting, Lake Station, and Clark on Tuesday to close out their LAC Round Robin meets. They will then travel to the New Prairie Invitational where they will also be bumped up to the Class AAA Division to take on the 4A and 5A power schools.
Monday, September 6
NINERS PASS BIG TEST AGAINST STATE CONTENDERS
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In the JV race, Mayte Fernandez placed 33rd with a time of 18:34, Anna Barajas 47th in 19:04, Caitlin Puntillo 51st in 19:06, and Natalie Beck 99th in 22:07. The team travels to Highland HS for a LAC Round Robin meet on Tuesday.
Monday, August 30
STRABAVY, NINERS TAKE GAVIT INVITATIONAL TITLES
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The Niners training regimen has paid off as their top 6 runners placed in the top 19 with a 37 second gap between runners 2-6. Strabavy, claimed his first major invitational victory, topping State Qualifiers DelToro from EC Central, Sirbek of Morton, and Steve Smith of Lowell.
Team Scores: 1.Andrean 61 2.Lake Central 87 3.Highland 98
4. Merrillville 110 5. Lowell 126 6. Munster 136
7. Roosevelt 395
The Niners return to action Tuesday at Lowell for an 8 way LAC meet starting at 4:30 p.m.
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| GREG STRABAVY - INDIVIDUAL CHAMPION |
Monday, August 30
LADY NINERS BATTLE PORTAGE THROUGH MUDDY WATERS
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The Niners return to action Tuesaday, August 31 as they travel to Lowell HS to compete in an 8 way LAC team meet.
Team Scores: 1. Portage 59 2. Andrean 68 3. Lake Central 100
4. Hobart 135 5. Munster 136 6. Lowell 201 7. Highland 253
8. Merrillville 275 9. Roosevelt 371
STEVE'S RUN
A large contingent of athletes from Andrean made the trek to Michigan for the Annual Steve's Run 10k and 5k races on July 31. After returning from a successful team camp in the Smoky Mountains, the Running Niners faced a strong and competitive racing field, but still managed to claim some age group honors.
10K Race
Leading the way for the Running Niners was Junior to be Greg Strabavy who posted an impressive time of 35:29, good enough for 13th place overall among the 521 entrants, and 3rd in his age group. Following closely on Strabavy's heels was Coach Jeff Barker who placed 16th overall with a time of 35:40. Phil Maletta claimed 3rd place division honors in the 14-15 age group and 28th place overall with a time of 37:12. Holding the pack together was the trio of Matt Grennes, Doug Pearson, and Jonathon Jimenez who toured the 6.2 mile course in a time of 41:29, with Freshman to be Garret Bonk following closely in a time of 42:42.
Mary Hollaway led the way in the women's division posting a time of 45:14 good enough for 19th place overall among women and 6th in her age group. Placing 26th among the women and 8th in her division was Sophomore to be Paula Puntillo.
Other competitors and their times include:
Chris Fischer 45:29, Adam Becerra 47:36, Mike Bley 48:08, Melissa Gymrek 48:34, Mayte Fernandez 48:58, Renee Lipniskis 49:57, Megan Gymrek 50:31, Sarah Lipniskis (03') 51:23, Jake Bennett 51:43, Allison Strabavy 52:28, Nicole Fischer (04') 53:51, Natalie Derezinski (04') 56:44, Caitlin Puntillo 57:27, and Natalie Beck 1:07.52.
5K Race
St. Mary of Griffith 7th Grader to be Alyssa Adelsperger, part of the Runnin Rebel Running Club, claimed division honors by posting a time of 24:42, a personal best for her as well as 1st place in her 11-12 age group.
5K Racewalk
It wasn't only the athletes that competed at Steve's Run, some of our Andrean parents also took part by lacing up the shoes and making the 3.1 trek. Competitors included Paul and Vicki Lipniskis, Mrs. Diane Strabavy, and Mrs. Ana Fernandez.
SMOKY MOUNTAINS TEAM CAMP
It was a long way to go, but worth every effort to get there. The 2004 Men's and Women's Cross Country programs took a step closer towards making their respective teams complete, with a very challenging and productive week that included many great experiences as well as memorable events. The week of July 18-23 included:
DAY 1
Arrived at a busy, funfilled town of Gatlinburg in the late evening. After scoping out the hotel and all it's amenities that included an indoor and outdoor pool, whirlpool, quick access into the mountains, and a beautiful rapid running creek behind the hotel, it was lights out with a feeling of excitement for the next day.
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DAY 2
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DAY 3
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DAY 4
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DAY 5
It's here! The climb to Grotto Falls. As the teams assemble in the parking lot for stretches they are versed on the biggest challenge of their running careers. A 6.5 mile run uphill to Grotto Falls, site of one of the Smokies best waterfalls. To get there the team must first run 4.8 miles to a parking lot. After everyone gets there, they begin another 1.7 steep scale through rough terrain to get to their destination. After approximately 90 minutes, the teams begin to appear one by one. After some congratulations, they are then asked to sign a book, ring the victory bell, and then submerse themselves in the ice cold waterfall where they turn the old runners into new ones filled with confidence and a renewed spirit. Some runners choose to run downhill and it's lunch. After lunch, Mr. Doug Pearson leads the team into another team building activity, and Coach Torres closes the camp with a team talk. Dinner, and more shopping downtown including a Tigger suit by Doug Pearson that draws the women young and old alike. Late night with lots of talk about the week, end of Day 5.
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DAY 6
Optional run, but most of the runners get up for a final run through the mountains. With the camp complete, it's fair to say by the pictures and comments by athletes and parents alike, that it was a huge success. Many thanks go to the parents that accompanied the teams on this trip. They are M/M Bob Strabavy, M/M Doug Pearson, M/M Gary Bonk, M/M Craig Adelsperger, M/M Ken Gymrek, Mrs. Maria Barajas, Mrs. Ana Fernandez, Mr. Vernon Beck, Mrs. Christine Torres, Coach Jeff Barker, and Coach Rick Torres. A huge thanks to Betsy Semrau for providing the pictures from the Smoky Mountain Team Camp.
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A huge thanks goes to Mr. Doug Pearson, camp staffer and camp chef that provided many of the team building activities and great insight. Also, Mr. Jerry Mohamed, Mr. David Brandewie, and Mrs. Donna Pearson for helping out throughout the three days.
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Monday, November 3
End Of The Season Awards Banquet Enjoyed By All
Sherwood Country Club was the site of this year's Andrean Men's and Women's Cross Country Awards Banquet on Sunday, November 2. Brunch was served and awards distributed shortly afterwards. The following athletes received awards in the following categories:
WOMENS TEAM
Most Valuable - Mary Hollaway and Elena Brandewie
Most Improved - Mayte Fernandez
Most Competitive - Paula Puntillo
Andrean Cross Country Leadership Award - Andrea Fernandez and Amanda Little
500 Mile Club Award Winners
Amanda Little Andrea Fernandez Elena Brandewie Megan Gymrek
Mary Hollaway Melissa Gymrek Mayte Fernandez
Senior Recognition Awards
Amanda Little Andrea Fernandez Nicole Fischer
Special Recognition Awards
Mr. Bob Strabavy Mr. Carlos Robles Mrs. Martha Little
MENS TEAM
Most Valuable - Joe Novoa
Most Improved - Doug Pearson
59 'er Award - Greg Strabavy
Senior Recognition Awards
Joe Novoa David Ochoa Andy Horvath Louie Guillen Raul Barajas
Special 4 Year Recognition Awards
Joe Novoa David Ochoa Louie Guillen Andy Horvath
Special thanks to all of the coaches involved in both programs, your dedication was greatly appreciated.
Coach Mark Horvath Coach Jeff Barker Coach Danielle Ramirez
Coach Rick Torres
Saturday, October 25
Lady Niners Close Out Successful Season At Semi-State
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It was a great season that featured a 14-0 undefeated season, gavit Invitational Champions, Andean Invitational Champions, Sectional Champions, Regional Runner-ups, and a 3rd straight trip to the Semi-State. A huge thank you goes to Seniors Amanda Little and Andrea Fernandez, both 4 year members, thank you for your commitment and dedication to the program and for your leadership to the athletes you leave behind. A huge thanks to the parents, families, friends, and alumni, for your undying support and contributions to the program as well.
Saturday, October 25
Novoa Goes For It, Falls Short At Semi-State
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Saturday, October 18
Season Concludes At Regionals, Novoa and Strabavy Advance
The injuries and setbacks proved to be too monumental to overcome as the Niners hopes of qualifying for Semi-State competition ended on the tough terrain of Lemon Lake Park. Juniors Michael Agler and Michael Swiatkowski were key components to the Niners chances of qualifying, but a knee injury to Agler kept him out of action, and a nagging illness stopped Swiatkowski at about the 2 mile mark and he was unable to finish the race. Despite bringing closure to the season, the Niners do advance 2 individuals to Semi-State competition. The top 15 individuals and top 5 teams advance to the New Prairie Semi-State. Senior Joe Novoa makes a return trip by virtue of placing 11th overall with a time of 17:18. Sophomore Greg Strabavy took a gutsy early race lead and hung on to claim 10th place in a time of 17:14, marking his first trip to the Semi-State. The team placed 7th among the 10 teams with 153 points, but return a nucleus of talent that will challenge for a Semi-State berth next season. A huge thank you goes out to Seniors Louie Guillen, Andy Horvath, Raul Barajas, and David Ochoa, for their undying commitment of keeping the program alive.
Team Scores: 1. Crown Point 34 2. Lake Central 81 3. Lowell 97
4. Merrillville 133 5. Munster 135 6. Hanover Central 138
7. Andrean 153 8. Highland 179 9. Hammond Morton 187
10. EC Central 260
Top 15 Individuals:
1. Dave Santelik CP 16:39
2. Steve Smith Low 16:46
3. Tim Sirbek Mor 16:50
4. Eddie Rico Cal 16:54
5. Ben Koch CP 16:57
6. Kyle Spicer Low 16:59
7. Mike Trybula CP 17:03
8. Victor DelToro ECC 17:03
9. Kevin Devine CP 17:05
10. Greg Strabavy And 17:14
11. Joe Novoa And 17:18
12. Val Ploetz HC 17:20
13. Andrew Cleveland Low 17:24
14. Ryan Michaels LC 17:29
15. Greg Harvey LC 17:31
Sunday, October 19
So Close, So Very Close - Lady Niners Advance To Semi-State
The stage was set for Saturday's Crown Point Regional at Lemon Lake. Andrean, winner of 5 of the 6 meetings between them and Munster during the regular season was coming off of their second straight Sectional Championship. Munster, on the other hand, defended the Lake Athletic Conference Title, and also was coming off of their second straight Sectional Championship. 6 points or less is what has separated both teams all season in their head to head battles. Munster, returning their entire squad from a year ago, was considered the favorite coming into the meet, whereas Andrean had lost 5 of their top 7 runners and were running athletes with very little varsity experience.
Through the entire 4000 meter course, the score was unknown, even after the last runner had come through the chute, newspaper correspondents were busily going from team to team trying to figure out the winner. The result, a 73-75 Munster victory. "One place here, one place there, could have changed everything. It was a great battle", stated Coach Rick Torres. Despite the 2 point win by Munster, the Lady Niners will advance to the New Prairie Semi-State next Saturday as will the next 3 teams that include Hobart, Lake Central, and Lowell. Individually, Jill Odom of Highland was the race winner, touring the hilly course in 15:45. The top 15 individuals and top 5 teams advance to the New Prairie Semi-State.
For Andrean, Mary Hollaway led the way for the runner-up Niners placing 10th in a time of 16:51. Elena Brandewie, was 7 seconds behind Mary in 16:58, good enough for 11th place. Paula Puntillo claimed the final Semi-State qualifying position placing 15th in a time of 17:08. Amanda Little was impressive once again just missing a qualifying spot placing 16th in a time of 17:22, and Mayte Fernandez closed out the scoring by placing 23rd in a time of 17:37. Melissa Gymrek and Nicole Fischer also contributed to the team by placing 35th and 41st respectively in times of 17:58 and 18:09. Their Semi-State appearance will be their 3rd consectutive since 2001, and the school's 8th overall.
Team Scores: 1. Munster 73 2. Andrean 75 3. Hobart 101
4. Lake Central 105 5. Lowell 118 6. Highland 133 7. Crown Point 152 8. Hanover Central 207 9. Hammond Gavit 223
10. Whiting 265
Top 15 Individuals:
1. Jill Odom High 15:45
2. Susan Allegetti LC 15:58
3. Jessica Gower LC 16:07
4. Melissa Plesac Hob 16:22
5. Kristina Heinecke Hob 16:30
6. Mallary Williams Hob 16:31
7. Jennie Jamicich Mun 16:33
8. Natalie Goolik High 16:33
9. Heather Griffis CP 16:47
10. Mary Hollaway And 16:51
11. Elena Brandewie And 16:58
12. Jordan Jancosek Mun 17:00
13. Toni Clapp Low 17:01
14. Suzanne Quasney Mun 17:08
15. Paula Puntillo And 17:08
Wednesday, October 15
Lady Niners Defend Sectional Title
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Team Scores: Andrean 41 2. Hobart 70 3. Crown Point 77
4. Lowell 83 5. Hanover Central 121 6. Gary Roosevelt 154
7. Merrillville 164 8. Gary West Side 270 9. Gary Horace Mann 273
10. Gary Wirt 281
Top 15 Individuals:
1. Heather Griffis CP 15:55
2. Melissa Plesac HOB 16:21
3. Mallary Williams HOB 16:22
4. Elena Brandewie AND 16:25
5. Mary Hollaway AND 16:29
6. Sarah Heaton CP 16:45
7. Kristina Heinecke HOB 16:56
8. Fallon Mirich HC 16:58
9. Paula Puntillo AND 16:59
10. Amanda Little AND 17:17
11. Toni Clapp LOW 17:20
12. Shawanna Hazelette ROOS 17:23
13. Mayte Fernandez AND 17:23
14. Jacqui Mohr CP 17:30
15. Amber Schmidt LOW 17:38
Wednesday, October 15
Mens Team Makes Return Trip To Regionals
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Team Scores: 1. Crown Point 36 2. Lowell 65 3. Merrillville 77
4. Hanover Central 92 5. Andrean 111 6. Hobart 116
7. Gary Roosevelt 229 8. Gary West Side 229 9. Lake Station 274
10. Gary Horace Mann 306 11. Gary Wirt 327
Top 15 Individuals:
1. Dave Santelik CP 16:46
2. Ben Koch CP 16:57
3. Kyle Spicer LOW 17:05
4. Joel Koch CP 17:16
5. Justin Floyd MERR 17:20
6. Steve Smith LOW 17:21
7. Joe Novoa AND 17:24
8. Joe Elizondo HOB 17:26
9. Andrew Cleveland LOW 17:27
10. Val Ploetz HC 17:28
11. Greg Strabavy AND 17:29
12. Kevin Devine CP 17:29
13. Andrew Caruana MERR 17:44
14. Chris Urena HC 17:47
15. Matt Abner HOB 17:56
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Friday, October 10
Munster Edges Andrean For Conference Crown
Winning their 3rd consecutive Conference Championship in a row, Munster used their pack strength to edge out the Lady Niners by a score of 64-71. Jill Odom of Highland repeated as the individual champion with a time of 14:53. Mary Hollaway led the Niners with a 6th place finish in 15:50 which earned her 1st Team All-Conference honors. Following closely behind her was Elena Brandewie in 8th place in a time of 15:53, also earning 1st Team All-Conference honors. Freshman Paula Puntillo claimed the final 1st Team All-Conference honor by placing 16th in a time of 16:34. Munster went 12-13-14-15-18 to Andrean's 6-8-16-25-26 to claim team honors. Earning 2nd Team All-Conference honors by virtue of their top 32 placing were Mayte Fernandez 25th in 17:07, Nicole Fischer 26th in 17:14, and Amanda Little 27th in 17:15. Melissa Gymrek closed out the scoring placing 40th in 17:58.
In the Junior Varsity race, Renee Lipniskis ran with the leaders for most of the race and placed a respectable 3rd in a time of 17:51. Following closely behind her was a strong pack of red led by Betsy Semrau in 7th place in a time of 18:42, Anna Barajas 8th in a time of 18:43, Andrea Fernandez 9th in a time of 19:09, Megan Gymrek 11th in a time of 19:18, and Alexandra Ruiz 12th in a time of 19:39. Natalie Beck, competing in only her second race of the season due to injury, placed 22nd in a season best time of 21:55.
Team Scores: 1. Munster 64 2. Andrean 71 3. Hobart 89
4. Kankakee Valley 103 5. Lowell 119 6. Highland 119
7. Whiting 220 8. Hammond Gavit 220 9. Calumet 247
10. Hammond Clark 249 11. Griffith 257 Bishop Noll, Wheeler,
Lake Station, Hammond High, and Hammond Morton had incomplete teams.
The team returns to action Tuesday, October 14 as they set out to defend their Sectional Championship at Lemon Lake Park in Crown Point.
Thursday, October 16
Niners Place 7th At Lake Athletic Conference Meet
Lowell repeated as Conference Champions Thursday evening as they outdistanced Munster 62-76 for the crown. Individually, Lowell's Steve Smith took top honors with a time of 16:18. The Red Devils used a 1-3-8-15-20 effort to claim their second consecutive championship. Andrean's Joe Novoa placed 6th with a time of 16:46 to lead the Niners, while teammate Greg Strabavy took the 12th spot in a time of 17:12. Both runners earned 1st Team All-Conference honors by placing in the top 16. No other individual results were available.
Team Scores: 1. Lowell 62 2. Munster 76 3. Kankakee Valley 93
4. Hobart 123 5. Highland 125 6. Hammond Morton 128
7. Andrean 131 8. Wheeler 220 9. Calumet 228 10. Griffith 260
11. Lake Station 307 12. Hammond Clark 321 13. Hammond Gavit 346
Hammond High, Bishop Noll, and Whiting had incomplete teams.
The team returns to action Tuesday, October 14 at Lemon Lke Park in Crown Point for the IHSAA Sectionals. The top 5 teams will advance to the Regional.
Monday, October 6
Clean Sweep At Andrean Invitational
Mary Hollaway led a 1-2 finish at the 3rd Annual Andrean Invitational Saturday to lead the Lady Niners to their 3rd consecutive title. Hollaway toured the 4000 meter challenging course in a meet record 16:13. Elena Brandewie took runner-up honors with a time of 16:24. The course featured many turns, ditches and logs to jump over, and an incline beach area that slowed some of the runners with sand. Also aiding the victorious Niners were Nicole Fischer who placed 6th in 17:11 and Mayte Fernandez who was right on Fischer's heels to place 7th in a time of 17:14. Amanda Little rounded out the scoring with a 9th place finish in 17:22. Also contributing to the win were Melissa Gymrek 13th in 17:59, and Renee Lipniskis 24th in 18:52. All of these athletes made the awards stand as the top 25 runners received recycled trophies. Others competing were Betsy Semrau 28th in 19:13, Megan Gymrek 29th in 19:16, Andrea Fernandez 32nd in 19:33, Alexandra Ruiz 41st in 20:25, and Natalie Beck 63rd in 24:36. Taking the team runner up spot behind the Niners 25 points were Conference foe Kankakee Valley with 55 points. The Niners return to action Thursday, in a much anticipated battle for the Conference Championship at Lowell HS with the Varsity race starting at 5:00 p.m.
Team Scores: Andrean 25 Kankakee Valley 55 Culver Academy 85
Gary Roosevelt 111 Whiting 128 Hammond Clark 134 Calumet 161
Griffith 209
Monday, September 22
Inspired Fischer Helps Lead Lady Niners to 6th Place Finish
With Paula Puntillo unable to finish the race due to a nasty fall in the woods, Senior Nicole Fischer ran inspired to help lift the Niners to a 6th place finish among 22 teams at the prestigious New Prairie Invitational. Fischer, who bettered her personal best by 10 seconds, finished 4th on the team and 57th overall with a personal best time of 17:32. "The course was awesome" said Fischer who is out for cross country for the first time after playing volleyball for three years. With Puntillo unable to finish the race, and Amanda Little feeling under the weather, the Lady Niners were still able to contend for top 5 team honors missing the awards stand by 30 points. Leading the Niners as she has all season was Mary Hollaway who placed 7th in a time of 15:54. Elena Brandewie was close on Mary's heels as she joined her on the awards stand by placing 9th overall in a time of 16:00. Taking the 3rd position on the team and placing 49th overall was Mayte Fernandez in a time of 17:16, and rounding out the scoring despite feeling under the weather was Amanda Little in 61st with a respectable time of 17:36. Melissa Gymrek contributed by placing 71st in a time of 17:59.
In the Reserve Race, Renee Lipniskis was the team's top finisher with a 70th place finish in a time of 18:16. Also competing in this race were Andrea Fernandez 89th in 18:48, Betsy Semrau 101st in 19:03, and Megan Gymrek 142nd in 19:42. Alexandra Ruiz and Natalie Beck did not compete due to injuries. The Lady Niners return to action on Saturday, September 27 at the Highland Invitational.
Wednesday, September 17
Lady Niners Conclude Regular Season at 14-0
With the last LAC Round Robin meet being held at Riverside Park in Hammond, the Lady Niners closed out the regular season dual meets with an unblemished 14-0 undefeated record. Lisa Scott of Calumet was the individual winner at the meet, but it was the sea of red that followed her into the chute as the Niners took the next 7 places. Leading the charge into the chute was Elena Brandewie who placed 2nd in 17:23, Mary Hollaway 3rd in 17:38, Amanda Little 4th in 17:40, Nicole Fischer who established a personal best, placed 5th in 17:42, Paula Puntillo 6th in 17:47, Mayte Fernandez 7th in 17:47, and Melissa Gymrek placed 8th in 17:51. After a Gavit runner broke up the pack, Renee Lipniskis took the 10th place in a time of 18:12. Anna Barajas placed 14th with a time of 18:56, and Andrea Fernandez, Betsy Semrau, and Megan Gymrek closed out the scoring for the Niners with respective places of 17th, 18th, and 21st with times of 19:19, 19:30, and 19:47. Congrats Ladies! The Lady Niners return to action Saturday at the prestigious New Prairie Invitational. Good Luck!
Team Scores: Andrean 20 Whiting 65 Hammond Clark 71 Calumet 93
Monday, September 15
Little Comes Up Big For Andrean
After spending all of her time running at the junior varsity level for the past 3 seasons, Senior Amanda Little came up big at the Rensselaer Invitational recording a personal best of 17:01 and placing 17th overall in the Junior-Senior Division to help the Lady Niners claim 3rd place in Division II behind State ranked West Lafayette and New Prairie. Little shaved 16 seconds off of her personal best earlier this year to almost break the 17 minute barrier. Also contributing to the 3rd place team finish was the 1-2 punch of Mary Hollaway and Elena Brandewie who placed 8th and 9th respectively with one second separating them as they crossed the line in 16:30 and 16:31. Nicole Fischer took the team's 4th position to place 36th overall in a time of 17:57, and Mayte Fernandez, battling allergies, rounded out the scoring by racing to a courageous 41st place overall and 18:06 time. Also contributing to the award winning Niners was Andrea Fernandez who placed 60th in a time of 19:10.
In the Frosh-Soph Division, Freshman Paula Puntillo continues to collect the hardware as she placed 10th overall with a time of 16:46, she also places 3rd among the overall team position. Melissa Gymrek placed 34th overall with a time of 17:50, sister Megan Gymrek followed her into the chute with a time of 19:36 and 77th place overall. Rounding out the scoring for the youthful 59'ers who placed 6th as a team with 208 points were Betsy Semrau 89th in 20:12, and Alexandra Ruiz 95th in 20:39. The Lady Niners return to action on Tuesady at Riverside Park in Hammond for the 3rd LAC Round Robin meet.
Wednesday, September 10
Weary Legs Strong Enough For Win
Despite feeling the effects of repeat miles from the day before, the Lady Niners took advantage of a fast Highland course to stay undefeated through LAC Round Robin play. The victories raised their record to 11-0 overall for the season, and 10-0 in LAC league action. Leading the Lady Niners once again was Mary Hollaway who set another personal best with a 15:52 time to place a close 2nd behind meet winner Jill Odom of Highland who was victorious in 15:45. Steady Elena Brandewie took the 3rd spot in season best time of 16:06, and Paula Puntillo cracked the top 10 with an amazing kick to finish 5th with a time of 16:22, also a personal best for the season. Mayte Fernandez and Amanda Little placed 14th and 15th respectively to close out the scoring with times of 17:11 and 17:20. Melissa Gymrek and Nicole Fischer followed with 17th and 19th places with respective times of 17:35 and 17:53, 1 second off of their personal bests. Renee Lipniskis placed 20th and recorded a season best of 18:03, and Anna Barajas shaved an amazing minute off of her best to place 27th with a time of 18:30. Betsy Semrau also was impressive taking a full minute off her best to place 29th in a time of 18:33, and Andrea Fernandez contributed with a 36th place in 19:23. Rounding out the team were Megan Gymrek 40th in 19:30, and Alexandra Ruiz 45th in 20:11, also a season best for her. Congrats ladies on another win! The Lady Niners return to action on Saturday at the Rensselaer Invitational.
Team Scores: Andrean 39 Munster 42 Lowell 84 Highland 103
Hammond Clark 193
Monday, September 8
Frosh-Soph Lady Niners Take Runner-Up, Varsity Places 5th
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| 2003 TF South Invite Award Winners - Women |
In the Varsity Division, the Lady Niners placed 5th out of 21 teams and were led by top 10 finisher Mary Hollaway who placed 10th in an impressive time of 20:13. Elena Brandewie followed Hollaway into the chute with a 14th place finish in a time of 20:35, the top 30 individuals received trophies. Just missing out on awards were Mayte Fernandez who placed 33rd in 21:53 and Amanda Little who placed 35th in a time of 22:05. Nicole Fischer was the team's #5 runner and closed out the scoring with a 52nd place finish in 22:56, and Andrea Fernandez contributed to the 5th place team finish with a 75th place finish in 24:35. The team travels to Highland HS on Tuesday for the second Round Robin LAC meet.
Hollaway Sparks Team To Victory
Junior Mary Hollaway continued her tear of cross country courses as she toured the Lowell HS course in a personal best time of 15:57 to place 2nd behind race winner Melissa Plesac of Hobart. The team, running in their 4th race in 8 days, came out ready to battle Conference foes Munster, Hobart, Kankakee Valley, and Lowell, and they didn't disappoint as they edged Hobart 48-53, and beat Munster 48-56. Following closely behind Hollaway was Elena Brandewie who placed 3rd in a time of 16:22, and Paula Puntillo, who also has been impressive in her last 3 outings, placed 10th with a time of 16:50, also a season best. Mayte Fernandez and Amanda Little placed 16th and 17th respectively with times of 17:21 and 17:24 to close out the scoring and seal the vitory for the Lady Niners. Melissa Gymrek and Nicole Fischer placed 24th and 25th respectively with times of 18:07 and 18:11 to round out the top 7. Also contributing to the victory were Renee Lipniskis 29th in 18:20, Andrea Fernandez 35th in 18:56, Megan Gymrek 38th in 19:34, and Alexandra Ruiz 49th in 21:02. The vitory puts the Lady Niners at a record of 7-0 for the season. The team travels to Lansing, IL for the TF South Invitational on Saturday which will be held at North Creek Meadow Forest Preserves with the first race starting at 9:00 a.m. Keep up the great work ladies!
Team Scores: Andrean 48 Hobart 53 Munster 56 Lowell 109
Kankakee Valley 120 Gavit 233 Calumet 267
Thursday, September 4
Niners Battle Conference Foes To a 4th Place Finish
Awaiting team and individual results
Wednesday, September 3
Lady Niners Take Gavit Invitational Title
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| 2003 Gavit Invitational Champions | |
Team Scores:
Andrean 51 Munster 59 Hobart 67 Lake Central 81
Lowell 114 Highland 153 Merrillville 204
Wednesday, August 27
Lady Niners Outdistance Field at LaPorte Classic
Claiming 5 of the top 9 places, the Lady Niners took the Jack Bransford Classic with a team total 28 points outdistancing runner-up Chesterton JV who totaled 61. The team was led by Mary Hollaway who battled South Bend Adams Caity Lauer through the entire race for meet honors only to fall in the last 200 meters to place 2nd. Hollaway's time of 16:02 was a personal best for her, Lauer won in a time of 15:56. Finishing 2nd for the Lady Niners was Elena Brandewie who was clocked in 16:31, Mayte Fernandez shaved almost 90 seconds off her personal best to claim 6th in a time of 16:59, Amanda Little also ran a personal best to place 8th with a time of 17:17, and freshman Melissa Gymrek rounded out the scoring by placing 9th with a time of 17:32. Completing the team were Renee Lipniskis who placed 12th in a time of 18:09, and Andrea Fernandez who placed 20th with a time of 19:07. The Lady Niners return to action on Thursday, August 28 to face Merrillville, Griffith, and Lowell, at Merrillville at 4:30 p.m. Great job Niners!
Team Scores:
Andrean 28
Chesterton JV 61
LaPorte 72
Lowell 94
South Bend Adams Inc
South Central Inc
Wednesday, August 27
Men's Team Kick Off Opener at LaPorte Classic
Greg Strabavy battled hard with the leaders throughout the race, but it was South Bend Adam's Jeff Hoover that claimed meet honors with a time of 16:39. Strabavy was the Niners top finisher with a time of 17:41 which placed him 9th among the 40 plus runners. In the team competition, Chesterton nipped host LaPorte by a 55 to 59 score to unofficially win the meet. Andrean scored 125 points to place 5th. Also scoring for the Niners were Dave Ochoa who placed 21st in a time of 18:53, Michael Agler 23rd with a time of 19:20, Louie Guillen 34th with a time of 20:34, and Raul Barajas rounded out the scoring for the Niners in the Junior-Senior Division with a time of 20:59 to place 38th.
In the Frosh-Soph race, Matt Mohamed paced the young Niners with a 13th place to go along with a time of 20:40. Also completing the scoring in the Frosh-Soph Division were Doug Pearson 18th with a time of 21:28, Matt Grennes 22nd with a time of 21:56, Daniel Amador 34th with a time of 24:20, and Mike Bley rounded out the scoring by placing 42nd with a time of 28:34. The men's team returns to action on Saturday, August 30 at the Gavit Invitational to be run at Riverside Park in Hammond.
Friday, August 29
Rookies, Puntillo, Push Past Merrillville
Rookies freeze up, right? After an impressive win at the LaPorte Classic on Tuesday, the rookie Lady Niners showed they could contribute as well by teaming up to a win over host Merrillville. Freshman Paula Puntillo and Nicole Fischer broke away from the field early, but it was Puntillo who crossed the line in victory with a time of 17:42. Fischer took the runner-up spot in 19:00, and Anna Barajas and Megan Gymrek muscled in a 6th and 7th place respectively with times of 20:37 and 21:01. Alexandra Ruiz closed out the scoring with a 10th place finish in 23:33 to help the Lady Niners win their second meet in two outings. All five runners were competing in their first ever high school cross country race. Great job ladies!
The Lady Niners return to action Saturday, August 30 at the Gavit Invitational to be held at Riverside Park in Hammond. First race is scheduled for 9:00 am.
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| Runnin Niners at Steve's Run |
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| Awardwinners Greg and Elena |
10K RACE
Greg Strabavy 54th 40:29
Coach Rick Torres 107th 44:15
Mike Agler 117th 44:45
Elena Brandewie 136th 45:34
David Ochoa 157th 46:45
Maggie McGuan (03') 181st 48:07
Mary Hollaway 185th 48:37
Mayte Fernandez 215th 50:22
Renee Lipniskis 236th 51:42
Paula Puntillo 251st 52:38
Sarah Lipniskis (03') 273rd 53:59
Nicole Fischer 276th 54:11
Natalie Derezinski (03') 279th 54:20
Amanda Little 280th 54:21
Christine Torres 312th 57:19
Megan Gymrek 315th 57:25
Laura Robles (03') 340th 59:05
Andrea Fernandez 348th 59:53
Joe Novoa N/A N/A
Louie Guillen N/A N/A
5K RACE
Allison Strabavy 208th 25:16
Anna Barajas 276th 27:32
Many thanks to M/M Bob Strabavy, M/M Paul Lipniskis, Mrs. Dolly Gymrek, and Mrs. CT, for acting as chaperones for the trip, we couldn't have gone without you.
Lady Niners Complete Successful Running Camp in Wisconsin
The Lady Niners felt the wrath of the Wisconsin hills during their running camp, but at the same time enjoyed the fun offered at the Wisconsin Dells. By collecting as many as 220 miles to qualify for the trip, the Niners were prepared for the challenges that Devil's Lake had waiting for them. Thirteen athletes made the trip which proved to be a huge success for their training, but more importantly, team bonding was also developed in the process. Some of the highlights included an hour and a half run through the trails and hills at Devil's Lake, the eating frenzy at Paul Bunyan's Restaurant, the 1920's team photograph, the bunge chair, pool running, and the trip to Noah's Ark. A huge thanks to M/M Vernon Beck, M/M David Little, Mrs. Becky Semrau, and Mrs. CT, for providing supervision during the trip as chaperones, we couldn't have gone without you!
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| Lady Niners at Team Camp |
2003 MEN'S & WOMEN'S SEASON READY TO KICK OFF!
Same faces but new leadership is in store for the 59'er cross country programs. Coach Mark Horvath will continue as Men's Cross Country coach, while Coach Rick Torres will take over the Women's Cross Country program. The men's team returns it's entire squad from last season's Regional Qualifiers that includes Individual Semi-State Qualifier Joe Novoa. The women's team will look to defend their Sectional Championship, but will have their hands full as they graduated 5 of their top 7 runners.
Cross Country Banquet Wraps Up Season
The Patio Restaurant was the site of this year's cross country banquet for both men's and women's teams. The following awards were presented;
Men's MVP - Joe Novoa
Women's MVP - Sarah Lipniskis
Men's Most Improved - Greg Strabavy
Women's Most Improved - Amanda Little
Also, the five women seniors were presented special gifts and were recognized for their contributions over the years which included leading this year's team to the school's first ever Sectional Championship. They are Natalie Derezinski, Sarah Lipniskis, Laura Robles, Maggie McGuan, and Jessica Moutaw. Special thanks went to team parent representatives Carlos Robles and Martha Little, as well as Paul Lipniskis for providing the photographs that helped make this website a huge success.
Men's Team Conlcludes Season, Novoa Advances To Semi-State
A 7th place tie marked the end of the 2002 cross country season for the men's team at the IHSAA Crown Point Regional. The future however, looks to be promising, with the entire team returning as it loses no seniors. The Niners tied Munster with 181 points and were 20 points behind Merrillville for 6th. Junior Joe Novoa placed 11th with a time of 17:29, and will advance to the New Prarie Semi-State as an individual. The top 15 individuals and top 5 teams will advance to the Indiana State Finals next week at Indiana University. Also scoring for the Niners were David Ochoa who placed 36th in a time of 18:15, Greg Strabavy who placed 42nd in 18:25, Mike Swiatkowski who placed 53rd in 18:56, and Raul Barajas claimed the team's 5th spot by placing 64th in 20:20. Also contributing to the teams finish was Louie Guillen , and Andy Horvath , in respective times of and . Some of the team's highlights this season included the Andrean Invite Championship, a 5th place finish at the LAC Conference Meet, a frosh division championship at the Ressalear Invite, and a Regional Qualifying berth at the Sectional Meet. Great job Coach Mark Horvath and the 2002 Andrean Men's Cross Country team!
Sectional Championship Highlights Season
After placing 19th at Saturday's New Prairie Semi-State, the Lady Niners may feel disappointed at not reaching their ultimate goal of qualifying for the State Finals, but they can be proud of their season's accomplishments which included a first ever school Sectional Championship. It also included championships at the Andrean and Hobart Invitationals, runner-up finishes at the Gavit Invitational and the Lake Athletic Conference Championship, top 3 finishes at the TF South, Rensselaer, New Prairie, and Highland Invitationals, and a 5th Place finish at the IHSAA Regionals. A heartfelt thanks goes out to seniors Sarah Lipniskis, Jessica Moutaw, Natalie Derezinski, Maggie McGuan, and Laura Robles, for their unending commitment and dedication over the last 4 seasons of building a program that gained respect and built a tradition of excellence for other teams to carry on. The team will have a good foundation to work with next season as they return top 5 runners Mary Hollaway and Elena Brandewie, as well as much improved Amanda Little, sisters Mayte and Andrea Fernandez, and freshman Renee Lipniskis. Great season Lady Niners!
Brandewie, Lady Niners Make Return Trip To Semi-State
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| Semi State Qualifier Elena Brandewie (center) | |
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| 2002 IHSAA CROWN POINT REGIONAL QUALIFIERS |
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Raul Barajas did not find himself in an unfamiliar situation at the Crown Point Cross Country Sectional Tuesday. For most of the season, Barajas, Andy Horvath, and Louie Guillen, have shared the 5th spot on the Andrean cross country team and have made the difference in the scoring at many meets. Barajas with 400 meters to go, held off two opponents into the chute to make the difference in the scoring and helping the team hold off Hobart 103-104 to claim the final Regional qualifying spot. Joe Novoa earned an individual qualifying spot by placing 6th with a time of 17:17. Joe battled with the leaders early on and made a run at the individual championship, but the strategy took a little steam out of him as he hung on and made the cut for next week. David Ochoa, running in the top 15 for most of the race, fell a little short of an individual qualifying spot by placing 17th in a time of 17:59. Mike Swiatkowski also missed the top 15 by virtue of a 19th place finish in 18:05, but his aggresive running from start to finish made a huge difference in the scoring as he ran one of his better races of the year. Freshman Greg Strabavy, a steady consistent performer all year, took the team's 4th position by placing 23rd in 18:14, and Barajas rounded out the scoring by placing 42nd in 19:54. Also contributing to the Regional qualifying team was Andy Horvath with a time of 20:01 and Louie Guillen with a time of 20:03. Crown Point claimed team honors, followed by Lowell, Hanover Central, and Merrillville. The Regional Championship and advancement to the New Prairie Semi-State will take place at Lemon Lake in Crown Point on Saturday.
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| 2002 IHSAA CROWN POINT SECTIONAL CHAMPIONS |
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It was supposed to be a battle between Lowell and Hanover Central for the Crown Point Cross Country Sectional. Too bad for the doubting media who had to redirect their stories towards the Andrean Cross Country camp, the Lady Niners had just made history by claiming the school's first ever Cross Country Sectional Championship. With 4 runners in the top 15, the Niners edged out Lowell 55-63 to win the crown. Hobart, Hanover Central, and Crown Point also advance to Saturday's Regional which will also be run at Lemon Lake in Crown Point. Elena Brandewie, as she has done all season led the team with a 4th place finish in 16:26, Jessica Moutaw, in 14th place with 600 meters to go, used her outstanding kick to overtake 6 runners into the chute and place 7th with a time of 16:45. A renewed Mary Hollaway took the team's third position by placing 13th with a time of 16:59, and Sarah Lipniskis, battling a head cold, grabbed the final qualifying spot by placing 15th with a time of 17:02. All four athletes earned individual Regional qualifier status by virtue of placing in the top 15. Natalie Derezinski just missed the cut by placing 16th with a time of 17:06, but she rounded out the scoring and helped the team keep their gap time under a minute with a time of :40. Also contributing to the championship was Maggie McGuan, who has battled an ankle injury for the last two weeks, she placed 24th in a time of 17:37, and Laura Robles who has steadily improved over the last three weeks, she placed 30th with a time of 18:06. The team now prepares for Regional competition where the field will include Munster, last week's LAC Champs and Gavit Sectional champions, Lake Central, runner-up at the Gavit Sectional, and the always tough Lowell and much improved Hobart squad. Great job Andrean Lady Niners!
5 PR's Not Enough To Overcome Mustangs
With the Lake Athletic Conference Championship at stake, the Lady Niners were up for the challenge, but despite personal best times by Elena Brandewie, Sarah Lipniskis, Mary Hollaway, and Laura Robles, it wasn't enough to overcome the Munster Lady Mustangs as they claimed their 2nd championship in three years. Brandewie led the Niners by earning 1st Team All-Conference honors with a 6th place finish and personal best time of 15:50. Mary Hollaway also claimed 1st Team All-Conference honors with a 16th place and personal best time of 16:22. Earning 2nd Team All-Conference honors were Sarah Lipniskis 17th in a personal best of 16:28, Jessie Moutaw 18th in a time of 16:31, Natalie Derezinski 19th in a time of 16:35, and Laura Robles 30th place with a personal best time of 16:59. Maggie McGuan rounded out the scoring with a 36th place in a time of 17:33. The team used a :45 gap to challenge Munster, but it wasn't enough to overtake Munster who ran their best race of the year. Lowell finished 3 points behind the Niners and will challenge them for team honors at the upcoming IHSAA Sectional meet which will take place at Lemon Lake in Crown Point on Tuesday, October 15. Starting time is 4:30 p.m.
Reserve Race
Amanda Little continued to drop her time by placing 7th in the Reserve Race with a personal best time of 17:35. She was followed into the chute by Renee Lipniskis in a time of 18:09, Andrea Fernandez in 18:48, and Mayte Fernandez in 18:49
Friday, October 4
Obstacles Can't Deny Niners, Brandewie Titles
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| 2002 Hobart Invitational Champions | |
Lady Niners Lead Area Teams At Highland Invite
Led by 8 personal best times and 3 top 20 finishes, the Lady Niners placed 3rd among 23 teams at Saturday's Highland Invitational. Indianapolis teams Cathedral and Perry Meridian finshed 1st and 2nd, while Andrean held off LAC rival Munster 118-125. The slim margin sets up an exciting LAC Championship that will be decided next Thursday at Lowell HS. Elena Brandewie led the Niners with a 14th place finish and broke 16 minutes with a time of 15:57. Placing in the top 20 and earning medalist honors were Natalie Derezinski and Jessica Moutaw with respective places of 19th and 20th and times of 16:17 and 16:18. Rounding out the scoring with personal best times of 16:35 and 16:37, were Mary Hollaway and Sarah Lipniskis with respective places of 32nd and 33rd. Also contributing to the award winning team were Maggie McGuan 48th with a PR time of 17:04, and Laura Robles 51st with a PR time of 17:10. In the Reserve race, Amanda Little shaved almost 20 seconds off her best time to record a PR of 17:44 and place 7th. Renee Lipniskis, Andrea Fernandez, and Mayte Fernandez, followed with respective times of 18:16, 19:08, and 19:40. The team returns to action on Thursday at the Hobart Invitational to be held at Robinson Lake in Hobart.
Lady Niners Swarm Over Field For Championship
Like a swarm of bees at a family picnic, the Running 59'ers buzzed right through the field at Tuesday's Andrean Invitational, taking 7 of the top 10 spots to claim the team trophy with 18 points. The team used a 1-2-4-5-6 placing with a 7-10 placing for good measure to seal the victory. Jessica Moutaw used a tenacious kick to overcome teammate Elena Brandewie in the last 70 meters to claim individual honors with a time of 16:51. Elena took the runner-up spot with a time of 16:56. After Calumet's Lisa Scott took 3rd, our Niners took the next four spots led by Sarah Lipniskis 4th in 17:19, Natalie Derezinski 5th in 17:33, Mary Hollaway 6th in 17:43, and Laura Robles 6th in 17:55. Trophies were given to the top 17 places, picking up some well deserved hardware were Maggie McGuan 10th in 18:07, Amanda Little 14th in 18:26, and Renee Lipniskis 16th in 19:06. Finishing out the team scoring was Andrea Fernandez 21st in 19:56 and Mayte Fernandez 24th in 19:58. The team returns to action Saturday at the Highland Invitational where they will face a strong field which includes Munster, a much awaited matchup to decide the LAC crown next month.
Sunday, September 15
Quick Start Helps Derezinski To Top 5 Finish
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| Natalie Derezinski races to 3rd Place finish in Division II of Rensselaer Invite | |
FROSH-SOPH DIVISION
Medalist winners Elena Brandewie and Mary Holloway led the way for a 4th Place team finish in Division II of the Rensselaer Invitational. Elena placed 8th overall and 7th in her division with a time of 16:42, to lead the Niners. Mary cracked the top 20 overall and placed 14th in her division with a time of 17:17 to aid the ribbon winning team. Also contributing was Renee Lipniskis who placed 38th overall (27th Div.) with a time of 18:20, Andrea Fernandez 67th (43rd Div.) in 19:32, and Mayte Fernandez in 68th (44th Div.) with a time of 19:33.
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| TF South Invite - 3rd Place of 17 Teams |
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In her first race of the season, Jessie Moutaw helped lead the Lady Fifty Niners to an impressive 3rd place finish at an always tough TF South Invitational last Saturday. Moutaw placed 21st with a time of 17:21 and was 2nd on the team to #1 runner Elena Brandewie who once again led the team with a 20th place finish and 17:15 time. Close behind was Natalie Derezinski who once again had a good race and placed 26th with a time of 17:37, and Sarah Lipniskis who battled courageously through a calf muscle pull and was our 4th runner in 27th place with a time of 17:39. Rounding out the scoring was Mary Holloway who received the final individual trophy by placing 30th with a time of 17:45. Laura Robles and Maggie McGuan completed the varsity team by placing 47th and 53rd repectively, with times of 18:39 and 19:02. The team placed 3rd behind cross country powers Lockport and Valparaiso, but held off some pretty good teams with the likes of Downers Grove North, Munster, and Andrew HS. They placed 3rd out of 17 teams, but more importantly, closed their 1-5 team gap from 61 seconds to :30.
Frosh-Soph Division
Freshman Renee Lipniskis battled with the leaders early on in the race and it helped her earn a top ten finish. By placing 6th overall with a time of 18:40, Renee received an individual trophy. Also competing in this division were Andrea Fernandez and Mayte Fernandez who placed 34th and 35th respectively with times of 20:09 and 20:12.
Friday, August 30
Lady Niners Impressive in Opener
The Running Lady Niners opened their 2002 Cross Country campaign with an impressive victory over 2001 Regional Champion Lowell, Merrillville, and host Grifith. The team was led by Sophomore Elena Brandewie who placed 2nd overall with a time of 16:18. Following Elena into the chute was a 2-3-4 finish that included Mary Holloway and Natalie Derezinski with respective times of 16:37 and 16:50. Rounding out the top 5 scoring were the sister tandem of Sarah Lipniskis who finished 6th with a time of 17:25, and Renee who finished 8th with a time of 17:39. Following closely and rounding out the team finish was Laura Robles 9th in 17:45, Amanda Little 10th in 18:02, and Maggie McGuan 13th in 18:15. The team returns to action Saturday, August 31 at the Gavit Invitational which will take place at Riverside Park in Hammond, IN. beginning at 10:00 a.m.
Final Scores: Andrean 23 Lowell 36
Merrillville 92 Griffith 110
Humidity Takes It's Toll On Harriers
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| Joe Novoa - 5th Place Medalist | |
Remaining team results are as follows; Matt Mohamed 59th in 19:58, Louie Guillen 75th in 20:38, Jim Harig 88th in 21:17, Marty Blane 89th in 21:30, Joe Pellar 99th in 22:17, and Rich Holloway 115th in 26:10. The team returns to action Saturday, Sept. 7 at the TF South Invitational at North Creek Meadow Forest Preserves in Lansing, IL.
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| Gavit Invite - Division AA Runners-Up |
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Runner-Up Finish Sparks Niners
At Saturday's Gavit Invitational our Lady Fifty Niners used a 61 second 1-5 team gap to pack together a runner-up finish in the AA Division. Elena Brandewie, for the second straight meet, led the Lay Niners with a 6th place finish in 16:30. Following closely with a 7th place finish and 16:39 time was Natalie Derezinski. Mary Holloway and Sarah Lipniskis earned medalist honors by placing in the top 15 with 10th and 15th place finishes and times of 16:56 and 17:17. Rounding out the top 5 scoring for the Niners was Laura Robles who shaved 15 seconds off her time to place 19th with a time of 17:31. The remaining 3 team places belonged to Maggie McGuan who also dropped nearly 40 seconds to place 20th with a time off 17:37, Renee Lipniskis 26th in 17:55, and Amanda Little 38th in 18:27.
The team finished 2nd to Conference foe Munster, but finished ahead of strong opponents with the likes of Lake Central, Highland, and Lowell.