By By SCOTT NOVAK / Dowagiac Daily News
A trio of first-time runners captured the titles at the 29th annual Steve's Run on Saturday.
Tim Avery, who runs for Calvin College in Grand Rapids, and Lauren King, who runs for the University of Notre Dame, captured the 10K championships.
Molly Huddle, King's teammate at Notre Dame, won the women's 5K run, while Paul Barrons captured the men's 5K run.
Barrons was the only winner who had been to Dowagiac before and competed in Steve's run.
All four winners said they enjoyed the race and its atomosphere.
Barrons said that some of the competition that he has lost to in the past did not show up this year.
And what keeps bringing Barrons back? "It's the atmosphere," he said.
King and Huddle agreed that Steve's Run was a perfect race for their summer training.
10K RUN
Men – Top 20 finishers
1. Tim Avery (Grand Rapids) 33:37; 2. Adam Dohm (Cassopolis) 33:48; 3. Jeff Hoover (South Bend) 34:24; 4. Matt Sicilia (Grand Rapids) 35:12; 5. Bruce Faltynski (Osceola) 35:17; 6. Ryan Tracey (Grand Rapids) 35:48; 7. Michael Putzke (New Buffalo) 36:13; 8. Mike Briggs (South Bend) 36:17; 9. Braxton Fritz (Middlebury) 36:18; 10. John Steinberg (St. Joseph) 36:24; 11. Adam Martin (Chesterton) 36:38; 12. Dave Bussard (Elkhart) 36:45; 13. Ian Novick (South Bend) 36:48; 14. Greg Howard (Mishawaka) 36:58; 15. D.J. Hanback (Mishawaka) 37:01; 16. Nate Stewart (Middlebury) 37:10; 17. Matt Mccluskey 37:20; 18. John Farrell (Niles) 37:42; 19. Alex Mcpherson (Granger) 37:45; 20. Jonathon Kay (Three Rivers) 37:52.
Women – Top 20 finishers
1. Lauren King (Toronto) 37:30; 2. Elisa Zumlick (Portage) 40:03; 3. Rachel Kroll (South Bend) 41:20; 4. Susie Creary (South Bend) 41:26; 5. Cassie Peller (Valparaiso) 41:59; 6. Katie Ellgass (South Bend) 42:43; 7. Mary Bellinger (Chesterton) 42:53; 8. Colleen Horan (South Bend) 43:18; 9. Katie White (South Bend) 44:25; 10. Christine Byers (LaPorte) 44:29; 11. Laura Magnuson (South Bend) 44:49; 12. Peggy Zeeb (Colon) 45:16; 13. Elena Brandewie (Valparaiso) 45:34; 14. Doreen Groshan (Janesville) 45:36; 15. Kara Goodrich (Portage) 46:03; 16. Regina Markel (Bangor) 46:23; 17. Cindy Collins (Chesterton) 46:24; 18. Kayla Yoder (Middlebury) 46:54; 19. Deborah Peter (Three Rivers) 47:07; 20. Sarah Carter (St. Joseph) 47:17
5K RUN
Men – Top 20 finishers
1. Paul Barrons (Kalamazoo) 15:43; 2. Justin Gillette (Niles) 16:02; 3. Eric Fleming (Valparaiso) 16:32; 4. Mike Claeys (New Carlisle) 16:43; 5. Michael Douma (Grandville) 16:35; 6. Todd Ptacek (Benton Harbor) 16:45; 7. Matt Thomas (Valparaiso) 16:59; 8. Ronnie Hein (Galien) 17:01; 9. Daniel Orzco (Lawton) 17:13; 10. Chris Baker (Mattawan) 17:17; 11. Jacob Gillette (Niles) 17:24; 12. Jonathon Mccrea (Granger) 17:29; 13. Paul Nottoli (Constantine) 17:32; 14. Mike Mccarthy (Granger) 17:35; 15. Dustin Beck (New Carlisle) 17:49; 16. Mike Jensen (Granger) 17:51; 17. Steve Kuhlman (Battle Creek) 17:52; 18. Jordan Hogan (Fort Wayne) 18:04; 19. James Millar (Granger) 18:06; 20. Brian Ludwig (St. Joseph) 18:14.
Women – Top 20 finishers
1. Molly Huddle (Elmirn) 16:48; 2. Alison Bishel (Valparaiso) 20:40; 3. Bonnie Sexton (Mattawan) 21:16; 4. Meha Jain (South Bend) 21:25; 5. Kathie Smith (Lawrence) 21:28; 6. Danielle Lewis 21:30; 7. Sarah Zebell (St. Joseph) 21:31; 8. Kali Nelson (Mishawaka) 21:33; 9. Laura Carr (Granger) 21:36; 10. Megan Malone (Osceola) 21:39; 11. Amy Roberts (Fort Wayne) 21:47; 12. Nancy Boyd (Sturgis) 21:49; 13. Julie Garcia (Fort Wayne) 21:49; 14. Jenea Bossley (Steresville) 21:52; 15. Anna Burch 21:56; 16. Jocelyn Frey 22:00; 17. Samantha Brawley (Niles) 22:01; 18. Patty Timmons (Portage) 22:06; 19. Dena Cooreman (New Carlisle) 22:19; 20. Vallory Babya (Bangor) 22:19.
Age-group winners
7-9: Andrew Kearney (Chesterton) 26:26; 10-11: Daniel Carmody (Chesterton) 20:17; 12-13: Josh Symes (Portage); 14-15: Steve Kuhlman (Battle Creek); 16-18: Mike Claeys (New Carlisle) 16:34; 19-24: Paul Barrons (Kalamazoo) 15:43; 25-29: Matt Thomas (Valparaiso) 16:59; 30-34: Shawn Pottschmidt (Granger) 18:34; 35-39: John O'Neill (Granger) 18:42; 40-44: Scott Kimlick (New Paris) 18:25; 45-49: Bill Penninger (Niles) 19:11; 50-54: Barry Nash (White Lake) 19:33; 55-59: James Miller (Spencerville) 21:23; 60-64: Dave Wolff (Auburn) 24:26; 65-69: Bob Root (Niles) 27:07; 70-74: Norman Crittenden (Kalamazoo) 24:44; 75-79: William Campbell (St. Joseph) 32:51.
Women
Age-group winners
7-9: Kristina Galat (Mishawaka) 32:49; 10-11: Elizabeth Hein (Galien) 26:15; 12-13: Samantha Brawley (Niles); 14-15: Alison Bishel (Valparaiso) 20:40; 16-18: Molly Huddle (Elmirn) 16:48; 19-24: Jenea Bossley (Steresville) 21:52; 25-29: Holly Mccune (South Bend) 25:29; 30-34: Tosha Symes (Portage) 26:04 ; 35-39: Bonnie Sexton (Mattawan) 21:16; 40-44: Kathie Smith (Lawrence) 21:28; 45-49: Amy Carmody (Chesterton) 23:46; 50-54: Judy Elliott (Constantine) 27:42; 55-59: Lynn Kasper (South Haven) 28:32.