Ups and downs of a busy weekend in Simpson sports | 2.26-2.28

Ups and downs of a busy weekend in Simpson sports | 2.26-2.28

by Brock Borgeson, Sports Editor

A lot was on the line this weekend in Simpson sports. Some seasons ended, some began and others continued to roll on as the winter sports collided with the onset of the spring season.

Wrestling, track and field, men’s tennis and softball were all in competition. Here’s a quick rundown of the action.

Softball @ Finlandia Dome Tournament – Marquette, Mich.

The Storm opened up the season at the Finlandia Dome Tournament, finishing the weekend on a three-game winning streak as it went 5-2 on the weekend.

Simpson hit eight home runs and were led by a 3-0 weekend from Riley Fisher on the mound. It was the second consecutive season Fisher went 3-0 at the Dome Tournament.

Simpson went 6-0 last time in Marquette, Mich., outscoring opponents 50-6. The Storm posted a 40-24 advantage this season, a notable drop-off.

Results:

Friday, Feb. 26:

W, 11-4 vs. No. 25 UW-Oshkosh

Saturday, Feb. 27:

L, 1-0 vs. Alverno

W, 5-3 vs. Edgewood

L, 8-6 vs. Marian (Wis.)

W, 4-3 vs. Lakeland

Sunday, Feb. 28:

W, 6-5 vs. Concordia (Wis.)

W, 8-0 vs. UW-Superior (5 inn.)

Simpson softball plays 14 games from Mar. 4 to Mar. 11 at the Rebel Spring Games in Kissimmee, Fla.

Men’s Tennis @ Janesville, Wis. & Rockford, Ill.

The Storm tennis team went 2-1 over the weekend to improve its record to 7-4.

Results:

Saturday, Feb. 27 @ Janesville, Wis.

L, 5-4 vs. St. Norbert

W, 9-0 vs. Lakeland

Sunday, Feb. 28 @ Rockford, Ill.

W, 9-0 vs. Aurora

Simpson has now turned three shutouts on the season, taking advantage of two undermanned teams in Lakeland and Aurora this weekend.

Peter Rietgraf, Pierce Carey and Zach Kusick went a combined 9-0 in singles competition, while Kusick and Rietgraf also posted a 3-0 record in doubles.

Men’s tennis has a big break before its next match coming on Mar. 19 in a double-dip against Webster and Wisconsin Lutheran in Galesburg, Ill.

Track & Field @ IIAC Indoor Championships – Lamberti Recreation Center (Buena Vista)

The Simpson track and field program had a lot in the way of hardware and school records to take home this weekend.

Men’s Results: 3rd/8th

Isaac Frazier earned the Indoor Field MVP while head coach Dave Cleveland and the rest of the staff earned the Coaching Staff of the Year award and Emmitt Wheatley won the 200-meter dash (22.58).

The men earned 100 points, 48 off the pace of Central who won with 148.

Frazier’s Indoor Field MVP award is the first in school history. He earned 31 points by winning the heptathlon (4,654), second in the high jump (6-6) and 60-meter hurdles (8.40) and fourth in the triple jump (43-8 ½).

Women’s Results: 7th/8

Senior Sarah Galbraith won the pentathlon thanks to a stellar 800-meter time (2:31.54) and high jump score in day one of the championships. It was her first IIAC title.

On day two Sadie Timms ran a personal-best 10:51.55 in the 3,000 to come in seventh in the race.

Overall Simpson earned 36 points, ahead of just Coe with 26. Wartburg won with 216.

Wrestling @ NCAA Central Regional Championships – Dubuque, Iowa

Simpson missed out on qualifying for the NCAA Championships at the 13 team regional championships in Dubuque on Sunday.

Jason Clark (157) had the highest finish for the Storm, placing fifth while Colby Vlieger earned sixth at 285.

Neither would advance to the NCAA Championships with only the top three from each weight class moving on.

While Simpson’s season has come to a close, Coe College hosts the NCAA Division III Championships on Mar. 11-12.