PLNC Track Program Is Closing on Azusa

The Point Loma Nazarene track program has slowly but successfully been playing catch-up with national power Azusa Pacific.

Last year, the PLNC women’s team won the National Assn. of Intercollegiate Athletics District 3 title, ending seven years of dominance by Azusa Pacific.

The Crusader men’s team made its presence known last week when it beat Azusa Pacific, the seven-time defending NAIA national champion, 96-66, at Azusa. It was Azusa’s first men’s track loss to a district team in the ‘80s.

“We had a lot of people who were scrambling; there were five races decided by less than a tenth of a second,” PLNC Coach Jim Crakes said. “Our kids just fought harder and outleaned them.”

Crakes knows things could be different when the schools compete at the Golden State Athletic Conference championships Saturday at Azusa. The GSAC meet is held early because Crakes said conference coaches didn’t want it at the end of the season, the week before the district meet that includes the same teams.

“They will probably show us a comeuppance,” Crakes said. “We’re getting closer. Another year or two, and we’ll be right there.”

Crakes doesn’t expect the Crusaders, or any NAIA team, to challenge Azusa Pacific for the district or national titles. Azusa has traditionally had an exceptionally strong track program, producing such athletes as Christian Okoye, a Kansas City Chiefs running back who came to Azusa from Nigeria on a track scholarship.

“Winning is good fortune as much as good performances,” Crakes said.

He should know. The Crusaders have had their share of misfortune this season.

Krister Anderson, a two-time NAIA All-American in the 400 hurdles, has yet to compete in his specialty since a mishap while pushing his car--his foot slipped, and the tire ran over his ankle and twisted his knee. The ankle healed, but Anderson had to have surgery on his knee. He has been competing in the 1,500 and 800.

The women’s team has also had problems. Shawndel Reddic, who won the district high jump championship last season, was driving on the way to catch the team bus and suffered a hip injury in an auto accident. She is just now able to jog.

But PLNC still has some quality athletes, and the Crusaders will be trying to surprise Azusa again when they play host to the district meet May 12-13.

Dan Raatjes, who high jumped 6-feet-10 last season, already has reached 7-0 this year. Freshman Christian Andreasson of from Sweden triple-jumped 49-11 in his first meet of the season. Connie Navarro, an All-American in volleyball, has a chance to earn a similar honor in the heptathlon.

The UC San Diego women’s swimming team surprised the field and its coach by finishing second in the NCAA Division III national championships at Notre Dame this past weekend.

The Tritons, who finished second in 1986 and 1988 and third in 1987, were seeded seventh.

“We didn’t have the horses we had in the past, but we had the best meet we’ve ever had,” Coach Bill Morgan said. “I was surprised because we didn’t really put together a good meet all season. It was just one of those meets where everybody swam well.”

The Tritons finished second despite not winning a single event. The highest finishes by UCSD swimmers were third by Jenny Wieder in the 100 butterfly in 59.06 and fourth by Joan Macaulay in the 100 backstroke in 59.82.

Kenyon College won the national title with 631 points. UCSD was second at 298 1/2, and St. Olaf was third with 240.

Southwestern Community College forfeited a game and MiraCosta suspended four players, including one for the remainder of the season, after a brawl erupted during a baseball game two weeks ago at MiraCosta.

The game was tied, 5-5, in the top of the eighth inning when the ball rolled to the Southwestern dugout. The MiraCosta catcher shoved a Southwestern player to get to the ball, and a bench-clearing fight halted the game. It will be replayed from the start of the fight, according to Bill Kinney, Southwestern athletic director.

The schools independently decided on penalties.

“Our president (Joseph Conte), who feels very strongly about not condoning that kind of action, decided (forfeiting) an extra game was warranted,” Kinney said.

Southwestern forfeited its next game, which was against Pacific Coast Conference leader Grossmont.

MiraCosta chose to suspend the players who were most active in the fight. One, who reportedly struck Southwestern Coach Jerry Bartow, was suspended for the remainder of the season. Tom Shields, MiraCosta athletic director, said it is the policy of of department not to release the names of suspended athletes.