CEDARVILLE, Ohio -- The Grace track and field teams added to their hardware collection as both the men and women produced top four finishes at the NCCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships hosted by Cedarville University. The men claimed the runner-up position, the best finish in school history at the indoor championships after coming in third in both 2019 and 2001. The women finished fourth, just a few points out of third place, which would have matched their finish from 2020.

In addition to the high team finishes, one school record and seven NAIA qualifying marks were recorded during the meet.

The middle distance events and relays provided five of the six event winners for the Lancers. The men scored 29 points in the 800 meters alone, sweeping the top four places. Tanner Sallee won the national title with an NAIA "A" qualifying time of 1:54.77. Teammate Isaac Beatty also hit the "A" mark with a time of 1:55.94 in second place, while Logan Rufenacht posted an NAIA "B" qualifier in 1:56.84. Dimitri Margaritidis finished fourth in 1:57.05. Two Grace runners hit the NAIA standard in the mile, with Bryan Hernandez-Rios taking second in 4:15.30 and Korry Hamlin finishing fourth in a big personal best of 4:18.40. Luke Smith also scored in the mile, placing sixth in 4:24.47.

For the women, Heather Plastow broke her own school record in the mile with a time of 5:05.47, which currently ranks her in the top 10 of the NAIA. Elizabeth Moore placed seventh in 5:33.86. Kylie Sauder and Anna Hulstedt went one-two in the 800. Sauder made the NAIA "A" mark with a time of 2:17.38, while Huldstedt ran a personal best of 2:21.97.

Sauder and Plastow were also part of the victorious 4x400 relay. They were joined by Nordia Campbell and Sara Lopez-Ochoa to post a time of 4:08.94.

Both the men and women claimed titles in the 4x800 relays. The men's group of Maurice Macklin, Derek O'Connor, Alex Darnel and Dakota Ames won in 8:16.26. Hulstedt anchored the women's team to victory in 10:03.22, along with teammates Emma Lingenfelter, Tara Friesen and Caroline Kolb.

The final national champion for the Lancers was Isaac Brown. He captured the high jump title and tied his personal best with a leap of 2.10 meters (6-10 3/4). He is ranked second in the NAIA.

Other athletes earning NCCAA All-American honors with top three finish include: John Green, second in the 200 (22.42); men's 4x400 relay of Beatty, Luke Smith, Sallee and Kyle Smith, second in 3:24.31; women's 4x200 relay of Campbell, Gracious O'Connor, Michaela Buriff and Zoe Huley, second in 1:47.02; and the women's Distance Medley relay of Friesen, Lopez-Ochoa, Moore and Makenzie Adams, third in 13:06.18.

In all, 24 men and 17 women earned top eight finishes to score points for the Lancers.

Cedarville won the men's competition with 191 points, followed by Grace with 111, Greenville (Ill.) with 101.5, and Bethel with 84. The women's meet was also won by Cedarville with 231 points. Next was Bethel with 102, Campbellsville (Ky.) with 88, and Grace with 82.

Grace will now prepare for the Crossroads League Championships, to be hosted by Taylor University on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 18-19.



Lancers Battle To Road Victory

WINONA LAKE - Grace’s men’s basketball team registered a critical road win late in the season on Saturday.

The Lancers downed Taylor 80-74 to remain in a tie for fourth place in the Crossroads League standings.

Grace put five players in double-digit scoring, led by 20 points from Frankie Davidson.

Taylor scored the first five points of the game. The Trojans (9-18, 5-11 CL) continued their hot shooting early, grabbing a 13-5 lead.

Taylor made a trio of 3-pointers in the first six minutes to snag a nine-point edge.

The teams battled fiercely in the first half with the Trojans remaining in front for nearly the whole half.

Grace made a push with six minutes left in the half. Ian Scott scored a pair of close-range shots, and Cade Gibs buried a triple to tie the game at 27-27.

Taylor responded with six unanswered points, but the Lancers (21-7, 10-6 CL) countered with a big run of their own.

Grace began to flex its muscles in the paint, scoring on a variety of drives to the hoops. Grace ended the half on a 13-4 charge, and a layup by Eddie Gill IV in the waning seconds gave the Lancers a 40-37 lead at halftime.

The Lancers finished the half shooting 55 percent from the floor. Taylor cooled off after the fast start to shoot 48 percent. Grace made just 1 of 6 on 3-pointers and 3 of 6 on free throws.

The Lancers had a plus-eight advantage in rebounds, scoring eight second-chance points. Grace overall had a 28-8 edge in points in the paint.

Grace picked up right where it left off to begin the second half. Jake Wadding scored the first five points of the second half, and Davidson and Eddie Gill IV followed up with scores to push the Lancers’ lead to 49-37.

The Trojans battled back, pulling to within six at 64-58 with 8:30 on the clock. Brycen Graber responded with a high-arching floater to stop Taylor’s mini-run.

Taylor again cut Grace’s lead down to six with 4:35 remaining. Another hoop trimmed Grace’s margin to four with less than four minutes to play.

With 2:20 left, Scott converted a putback layup to give Grace breathing room. After a strong defensive stop, Grace raced down the floor, and Davidson made a clever pass to Scott for an emphatic dunk which pushed Grace’s lead to seven.

Taylor made Grace sweat, scoring four points in the final minute to pull within three. But Grace made two defensive stops down the stretch and added three free throws to ice the win.

Grace scored 52 points in the paint compared to 20 for Taylor; the Lancers also grabbed 17 more rebounds than the Trojans (42-25).

Grace finished the game shooting 52 percent from the floor, 20 percent on 3-pointers (2 of 10) and 63 percent on free throws (12 of 19). Taylor shot 42 percent (field goals), 42 percent (3s) and 100 percent (free throws) in comparison.

Davidson shot 10 of 15 for his 20 points, adding 6 rebounds, 4 assists and just 1 turnover. Wadding had 11 points, 6 boards and 2 assists, and Cade Gibbs added 10 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists.

Scott produced 10 points, 5 rebounds and 3 blocked shots, and Eddie Gill IV had 10 points, 5 assists and 2 steals.

Brycen Graber finished with four assists and four points, and Elijah Malone added seven points and eight boards.

The Lancers will end the regular season next week. Grace travels to Spring Arbor on Tuesday at 7 p.m., ending the week at home against Huntington on Saturday at 3 p.m.

Lady Lancers Falter In Second Half

WINONA LAKE, Ind. - Grace’s women’s basketball team fell 76-55 to Taylor on Saturday afternoon.

Grace (17-11, 7-9 Crossroads League) led through the entire first half, but a poor shooting performance in the second half doomed the Lady Lancers.

Grace was playing the game without injured guard Maddie Ryman, who leads the league in scoring.

Karlee Feldman became Grace’s all-time single season rebounding leader (323) after a nine-rebound performance.

Feldman scored the first four points of the game as the Lady Lancers were energized from the opening tip.

Kiersten Poor and Kenzie McMahon scored from in close, and a 3-point shot from Kaylee Patton forced a timeout from the reeling Trojans (14-10, 7-4 CL).

McMahon converted a layup to extend Grace’s lead to 13-0 before Taylor finally got on the board.

The Trojans’ first two baskets were from 3-point land, but the Lady Lancers kept up the pressure, and maintained their lead.

The Trojans ended the quarter on an 8-0 run, but Grace still led 20-14 entering the second.

Patton, McMahon and Feldman all scored six points in the quarter.

The Trojans opened the scoring in the second to cut the Lady Lancers’ lead down to four. McMahon responded with a basket on Grace’s next possession.

Kensie Ryman hit from beyond the arc, and Peyton Murphy scored to push the Lady Lancers’ lead back to double digits.

Taylor again got within five of Grace, but the Lady Lancers once again had an answer. Murphy and Patton hit back-to-back triples to push Grace ahead 33-22.

After the pair of trifectas, Grace went the final 4:48 scoreless, which allowed Taylor to close the gap. Grace led at the half 33-29.

Patton led Grace with nine points and eight rebounds in the first half while shooting a perfect 3 of 3 from behind the arc. McMahon added eight points and seven rebounds.

Grace shot 41 percent from the field and 50 percent from 3-point range. Taylor shot 30 percent and 25 percent respectively.

Grace had 12 turnovers compared to four from Taylor.

Poor scored first in the second half for Grace, but a trio of 3-point plays from Taylor gave the Trojans their first lead of the game. Taylor extended their lead to six.

Grace responded well to their first deficit, and reclaimed the lead after Poor converted a 3-point play at the charity stripe.

The teams traded baskets, and Grace led 46-45 with two minutes left in the third. The Trojans scored 10 points in the final two minutes and took a 55-46 lead into the final frame.

Taylor opened the fourth with a 3-point barrage. By the midpoint of the quarter, the Trojans led 72-49.

Grace went just 3 of 15 in the quarter as Taylor closed out the game for a 76-55 victory.

“We beat ourselves today. I thought we came out with great energy, especially playing without Maddie. But our mistakes caught up to us in the second half,” said Grace head coach Dan Davis. “They found momentum to end the third quarter, and we never responded. You can’t give up 31 points off turnovers and expect to win. Our mistakes were the difference in the game.”

The Lady Lancers turned the ball over 22 times, 10 more than the Trojans. Grace finished the game 36 percent from the field compared to 46 percent from Taylor.

Grace outrebounded the Trojans 38-31.

McMahon double-doubled with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Patton led Grace with 16 points.

The Lady Lancers will travel to Spring Arbor on Wednesday for a 7 p.m. showdown before returning home on Saturday for the regular season finale against Huntington at 1 p.m.



Grace Takes Two Against Aquinas

Grace takes two against Aquinas

HOOVER, Ala. - Grace’s baseball team won the final two games of a four-game series against Aquinas over the weekend.

The series ended Grace’s weeklong stay in Alabama, kicking off the season with a 5-3 record. Grace lost Friday’s twin bill 9-6 and 13-3 before picking up a pair of wins on Saturday in very differing fashions (17-0, 8-6).

During Friday’s opener, Grace let an early lead slip away. The Saints struck late to grab the opening win 9-6.

Grace earned an early advantage by scoring five runs in the first two innings.

Jeff Pawlik and Sam Newkirk doubled to score a run. Alex Rich and Cal Curiel followed that up with consecutive RBIs as Grace led 3-0 after one inning.

In the second inning, Grace had three straight doubles from Patrick Danforth, Pawlik and Austin Carr, putting the Lancers ahead 5-0.

Grace’s lead held until the fourth inning. The Saints used two singles and a Grace error to plate twice. In the fifth, Aquinas scored seven more runs off the back of a few more errors by the Lancers.

Grace loaded the bases with nobody out to begin the bottom of the fifth. But a double play limited Grace to one run in the frame. The Lancers were unable to score again, falling 9-6.

Evan Etchison made the start from the mound, tossing five innings and striking out five with two earned runs allowed.

Caleb Farney was the most effective relief pitcher, striking out two of the three batters he faced. Pawlik hit 3 for 4 with two runs and a run driven in.

Aquinas jumped ahead in the second game, plating three runs in the top of the first.

Grace scored twice in the third to battle back. Danforth had an RBI triple, and he later came home to score on a ground ball.

The Lancers tied the score with a run in the fourth, but Aquinas ripped off a four-run sixth to seize a 7-3 lead.

The Saints had plenty of offense remaining, however. Aquinas poured in six more runs across the seventh and eighth innings. Grace was unable to counter and fell 13-3.

Aquinas only needed 12 hits to score 13 runs; Grace had eight hits for its three runs. Danforth and Newkirk were each 2 for 4.

Jake Decker made the start, striking out six in five innings with four runs allowed.

In Saturday’s opener, Kameron Koch was sensational from the mound during Grace’s 17-0 win. Koch went the distance, pitching a seven-inning, complete game shutout. He allowed four scattered hits with two walks and struck out eight.

At the plate, Grace racked up 16 hits, including five extra-base hits. Danforth was a perfect 4 for 4 with four runs and a stolen base from the leadoff position.

Chris Griffin erupted with 3 hits, 3 runs and 6 RBIs; he had a three-run triple and a two-run home run.

Pawlik had a 3 for 5 day with four runs scored and a double, Carr added 2 hits, 2 runs and 2 RBIs, and Curiel hit 3 for 4. Rich also drove in three runs, and Jake Cox plated twice.

The series ended on a high note for Grace. Aquinas led 6-4 after seven innings, but the Lancers had a rally ready.

The Lancers cut the deficit in half thanks to an RBI single by Cox in the eighth.

Trailing by one run in the ninth, Pawlik led off the inning with a walk. The next two batters were retired, however, putting Grace’s rally in jeopardy.

But Griffin kept Grace’s hopes alive with a double, and Rich produced a two-out, two-run triple to put the Lancers on top.

Curiel followed that up with another triple to hand Grace an 8-6 lead.

Kyle Aten took care of the rest in the bottom of the ninth. The pitcher shut down the Saints in the final at-bats to record the win. Aten pitched the final 4.2 innings, racking up eight strikeouts and allowing two hits and one run.

Curiel hit 3 for 5 with three runs scored, and Cox was 3 for 3 with a pair of runs driven in. Danforth recorded a hit, a walk and a hit by pitch, and Newkirk plated twice.

The Lancers’ next series will be Feb. 18-19 in White Pine, Tenn., against St. Xavier.