Ishay, Grotts earn second national championships

The day started off bright and early with the short track competitions. Rotem Ishay (Fort Lewis College) and Howard Grotts (Colorado School of Mines) both took their second national titles in as many days on Saturday with wins in the Divisions I and II men's short track cross country contests.

Ishay beat out silver and bronze medalists Braden Kappis (University of Colorado) and Brad Perley (Lees-McRae College). Mense de Jong (California Polytechnic)and Jack Hinkens (Fort Lewis College) crossed the line in fourth and fifth.

In the Division II race, the 17-year-old Grotts won the national title ahead of Macky Franklin (Middlebury College) and Tristan Cowie (Brevard College) while Wesley Lamberson (Union College) and Scott Hoffner (Brevard College) grabbed the final two spots on the podium.

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The Division I women's short track race was much like the cross country contest on Friday as it pretty much came down to a two-woman battle between Sage Wilderman (Fort Lewis College) and Erica Zaveta (Lees-McRae College). This time around, however, Wilderman was the victor after making her move in the wooded section with two laps to go. The Fort Lewis rider opened up nearly a 20-second gap on Friday’s champ, kept the pressure on, and took the win by almost 30 seconds. Powering into the finish area for third and fourth places were Wilderman's Fort Lewis teammates Sarah Sturm and Kaila Hart. Jill Behlen (University of Wyoming) rounded out the short track podium in fifth.

In the Division II contest, Caroline Decosimo (Brevard College) beat out silver and bronze medalists Rachel Milsop (Union College) and Emily Brown (US Air Force Academy) for the Stars-and-Stripes jersey while Kiara Rossouw (Mars Hill College) and Esmerelda Martinez Ramos (Mesa State College) were fourth and fifth across the line.