Baker kicker, runner earn second consecutive player of the week awards
Baker University was seeing double — again — on Monday as football kicker Seth Simpson and cross-country runner Aidan Massey both earned Heart of America Conference player of the week awards for the second straight week.
Simpson, a junior from Lee’s Summit, Missouri, was named Special Teams Player of the Week after the Wildcats’ 67-28 win over William Woods on Saturday. He had a perfect outing, nailing eight extra-point attempts and three field goals, one from 44 yards late in the third quarter.
No. 17 Baker (5-1 overall, 2-1 HAC) will face Central Methodist at 1 p.m. this Saturday in Baldwin City.
Massey, a senior from Olathe, earned Runner of the Week for the third time this year and second time in a row after the Mike Spielman Classic in Baldwin City.
Massey led Baker to victory in the 8,000-meter finals with a first-place time of 25:44.32.
Five Baker runners posted top-10 times, including Anthony Davis (27:06.62, fourth place), Jacob McGlasson (27:24.86, seventh place), Grayson Fink (27:44.29, ninth place) and Cutter Meade (28:05.05, 10th place).
Three Haskell Indian Nations University runners placed in the top 10: Dyami Berridge (26:38.26, third place), Jonathan Fragua (27:21.46, sixth place) and Preston Ironheart (27:36.85, eighth place). Haskell did not place as a team.
Baker women take first at Mike Spielman Classic
Ellie Barnard came in second in the women’s 6,000-meter finals with a time of 24:15.06 to lead the Wildcats to a first-place finish over MidAmerica Nazarene University.
Three other Wildcats were in the top 10, including Kristi Chambers (24:37.46, third place), Peyton Peterson (24:53.52, fifth place) and Natalie Kennedy (25:32.10, 10th place).
Two Haskell runners placed in the top 10: Tiajhae Nez (24:48.44, fourth place) and Nina Bitsilly (25:30.69, ninth place).