ED PATINO'S TOP 15 MOMENTS IN AC SPORTS

Ed actually picked 15 top moments. Here is the entire list. (To see the print version of the top 10, click link at left.)

THE OTHER FIVE (ONLINE ONLY):

Corri Helldobler’s freshman season. The sensation from Toledo emerged as a star, leading the women’s basketball team in scoring (11 points per game). Helldobler, along with a solid nucleus of young players, gives the Bulldogs a bright future.

Schaefer, Novak announce returns. Days before the start of the MIAA basketball playoffs, senior stars Brian Schaefer and Adam Novak declared that they will play one more season at Adrian. With each granted an extra year of eligibility, the Bulldogs have their entire team back for 2005-2005.

Bulldogs beat Olivet in thriller. Adrian survived a scare on Oct. 25, defeating the Comets 49-42 at Maple Stadium. Chris Wilson’s two-yard run with 30 seconds remaining rescued the Bulldogs, who saw a 42-7 lead evaporate in the second half. The 91 combined points made the contest the highest scoring game in Adrian history.

Bulldogs gain revenge on Alma. In another high-scoring affair, Adrian outlasted the Alma Scots 45-42 on Nov. 8. James Spencer’s field goal with 5:37 to go snapped a 42-all tie. The victory avenged the 2002 game at Maple Stadium, when the Scots clinched the MIAA title with a win over AC.

Volleyball player honored for defense. Kacie Ehinger was named MIAA Defensive Player of the year for 2003. She is the first Adrian player to receive the honor. During the season Ehinger led the league in digs (6.85 per game). The sophomore is currently 15th in the nation in digs per game.

THE ORIGINAL TOP 10:

Amanda Haines becomes National Champion. History was made on March 13 in Whitewater, Wis., as sophomore pole-vaulter Amanda Haines cleared 12 feet, 11 inches to win the NCAA Div. III Indoor Pole-vault National Championship. Haines’ title is the first-ever national championship for the Adrian College track & field team.

Bulldogs retain Milk Jug. Perhaps the most emotional game of the men’s basketball season was Jan. 26 at the Merillat Sport & Fitness Center, when the Bulldogs stunned nationally-ranked Siena Heights 77-76. The Saints built an 11-point lead early in the second half, only to see the Bulldogs fight back behind Jeff Nokovich’s 23 points. Siena Heights, number two in the entire NAIA at the time, fell to Adrian for the second year in a row.

Men’s basketball advances to the MIAA finals. The Bulldogs capped a 14-11 season with an amazing run in the conference tournament. After disposing of fifth-seeded Olivet 88-67 at the Merillat Center, Adrian shocked the experts with an 86-82 victory over top-seeded Hope in Holland. The Bulldogs ended their season the next night with a loss to Calvin in the MIAA Championship game.

Danielle Hobbs named First-team All-MIAA, again. Hobbs capped an amazing cross country career by earning First-team All-MIAA honors for the second year in a row. This makes her the first Adrian runner, male or female, to attain the honor in consecutive years.

Half-court shot lifts women’s basketball to victory. Trailing by two in the final seconds, Jodi VanWassehnova buried a 50-foot shot at the buzzer to give the Adrian College women’s basketball team a 70-69 victory over the Kalamazoo Hornets on Valentine’s Day. The victory was part of a three-game winning streak.

The baseball team (24-15 overall) broke the school record of 22 wins. Adrian finished second in the MIAA, one game short of a league title and a berth in the NCAA regional tournament.

Craig Rainey, Bobby Wrozek set school records against Kalamazoo. Adrian baseball coach Craig Rainey recorded his 200th victory and pitcher Bobby Wrozek became the school’s all-time leader in strikeouts (171) and decisions (37), and tied the record for career wins (17). Wrozek and sophomore pitcher Craig Reynolds both won seven games each this season on the hill, tying the school record for most wins in a single season pitching.

Mike Lewis named All-American in football. The sophomore defensive end earned a spot on the Div. III All-America team. During the Bulldogs’ 8-2 season, Lewis had 46 tackles, 14.5 tackles for a loss, 14 sacks, three fumble recoveries, and scored one touchdown. Lewis is the first All-American for Adrian football since 1996 (Todd Alcock).

Volleyball team wins playoff match. The Bulldogs rallied from a one-game deficit to defeat Kalamazoo in five games, 30-26, 20-30, 26-30, 32-30, and 16-14 on Nov. 4, giving Adrian its first-ever victory in the MIAA post-season.

Chris Clay, Jim Lyall set records in Homecoming game. Chris Clay and Jim Lyall entered the history books during the Bulldogs’ 49-14 rout of Tri-State on Oct. 11. Clay set the school record for longest touchdown run (91 yards), while Lyall’s 56th victory made him the school’s all-time wins leader by an AC football coach.

A special thanks to Steve Amorose and Andy Zerkel from WVAC’s “Adrian College Sports Wrap” for their input.