By SCOTT NOVAK

Vigilant/Argus

DOWAGIAC – Mary Ballinger and Craig Padgett ran to back-to-back victories in the 35th annual Steve’s Run Saturday morning.

Ballinger of Chesterton, Ind. and Padgett of Mishawaka, Ind. took advantage of mostly cloudy and cool conditions to best the field.

Ballinger ran a time of 36:58 to finish nearly a full three minutes ahead of Anna Weber, also of Chesterton, who ran a 40:19.

Ballinger knows that she has run in six races, but wasn’t quite sure how many she had won.

“Four or five,” she remarked.

She added that she uses Steve’s Run to gauge where she is at before she heads back to the University of Southern Indiana to compete.

“It helps me indicate where my fitness is in the summer,” Ballinger said. “The atmosphere is really fun … This is something I look forward to every July.”

Terra Norman of Portage, Ind. with a time of 41:55, while Christina Delturco of Portage, Ind. was fourth (42:24) and Valerie Burns of Granger, Ind. was fifth (42:57).

Padgett used a burst toward the end of the 10K course to edge Dustin Emerik of Evansville, Ind. Padgett ran a 32:48 and Emerik a 33:01.

“Just getting to run the race and run on this course with all the hills and stuff,” Padgett answered when asked why he returns every year for Steve’s Run. “It’s a tough course right before the season starts.”

Adam Martin of Chesterton, Ind. was third with a 33:21, David Goodman of Valparaiso, Ind. fourth with a 33:45 and Brandon Campbell, also of Valparaiso was fifth with a 33:45.
Justin Kowalski of Mishawaka, Ind., who is Padgett’s training partner, won the 5K race with a time of 15:56.

Kowalski was second two years ago and missed the race last year due to injury. He really was looking forward to Saturday’s event.

“I wanted to win it last year but I got hurt and the year before that I was second,” Kowalski said. “It’s really been hard to get there.”

Andrew Baryon of Chicago, Ill. was second with a time of 16:24 and Steven Dennig of South Bend, Ind. was third with a time of 16:41.

Rounding out the top five were Joey Zielinski of South Bend (16:41) and Collin Ludwig of St. Joseph (16:52).

Kristina Olsen of Jackson won the women’s 5K crown with a time of 18:39.

A minute behind Olsen was 12-year-old Maddie Woods of Osceola, Ind., who ran a time of 19:40. Megan Pearson of Paw Paw finished third after finishing with a time of 20:25.
Elley Hinkel of Lawton was fourth with a time of 20:30 and Paige Sutcliffe of Paw Paw was fifth with a time of 20:40.

Olsen was making her first trip to Dowagiac and came with her father, who had run the race a few years back.

“I liked the mixed terrain form the road to the grass and I thought it was really neat,” Olsen said. “The music everywhere, just people having fun. That’s what it’s all about.”

She also said that she liked being able to go out with the 10K runners until the course split.

Buchanan’s Torie Eger finished sixth with a time of 20:42.

Benton Harbor’s Nancy Nelson won the women’s 5K walk with a clocking of 34:39.
Julie Koch of St. Joseph was second with a time of 35:56 and Dowagiac’s Cheryl Hess was third with a time of 37:22.

Allyssa Blomgren, 9, was fourth with a time of 37:59, while Sarah Davis of South Bend was fifth with a time of 39:02.
The men’s 5K walk title went to Rich Brychta of New Buffalo with a time of 35:13.

David Phillips of Eau Claire was second (37:13) and Andrew Myers of Oakton, Va. was third (37:18).

Mishawaka’s Matthew Embrory was fourth with a time of 38:38 and Jackson Priess of Kennesaw, Ga. was fifth with a time of 38:50.

Steve’s Run
10K Run
Men’s Top 10
1. Craig Padgett (Mishawaka, Ind.) 32:48; 2. Dustin Emerik (Evansville, Ind.) 33:01; 3. Adam Martin (Chesterton, Ind.) 33:21; 4. David Goodman (Valparaiso, Ind.) 33:45; 5. Brandon Campbell (Valparaiso) 33:45; 6. Rob Hyde (Grand Rapids) 33:53; 7. Adam Dohm (Niles) 34:07; 8. Nathan Jones (Shipshewana, Ind.) 34:19; 9. Nate Bowen (Lindsey, Ohio) 34:33; 10. Matthew Miller (LaPorte, Ind.) 34:49

Age Group Winners
10-11: Nicholas Solis (Portage, Ind.) 48:25. 12-13: Jack Carpenter (Park Ridge, Ill.) 42:14. 14-15: Mitch Hubner (LaPorte) 36:30. 16-18: Matthew Miller (LaPorte) 34:49. 19-24: Craig Padgett (Mishawaka) 32:48. 25-29: Adam Dohm (Niles) 34:07. 30-34: Rob Hyde (Grand Rapids) 33:53. 35-39: Daniel Baird (Elkhart, Ind.) 38:53. 40-44: Eric Green (Pontiac) 35:15. 45-49: Glen Kellam (Kalamazoo) 42:09. 50-54: Charlie Fox (Plymouth, Ind.) 34:56. 55-59: Jose Santos (Holland) 43:52. 60-64: Bruce Watson (Grand Rapids) 43:42. 65-69: Chuck Gibson (Scotts) 1:03:15. 70-74: Freeman Hershberger (Goshen, Ind.) 1:00:22. 75-79: Hal Higdon (Long Beach) 1:38:02

Women’s Top 10
1. Mary Ballinger (Chesterton) 36:58; 2. Anna Weber (Chesterton) 40:19; 3. Terra Norman (Portage) 41:55; 4. Christina Delturco (Portage) 42:24; 5. Valerie Burns (Granger, Ind.) 42:57; 6. Ellen Erhardt (Springfield, Ill.) 43:05; 7. Katie Opdycke (Kalamazoo) 43:24; 8. Melissa Bergeron (Norton Shores) 43:36; 9. Sarah Baysden (Valparaiso) 43:41; 10. Madeline Goheen (Fort Wayne), Ind. 44:09

Age Group Winners
12-13: Kara Andersen (Granger) 56:05. 14-15: Terra Norman (Portage) 41:55. 16-18: Christina Delturco (Portage) 42:24. 19-24: Mary Ballinger (Chesterton) 36:58. 25-29: Katie Opdycke (Kalamazoo) 43:24. 30-34: Renee Stratton (Three Rivers) 47:42. 35-39: Ellen Erhardt (Springfield, Ill.) 43:05. 40-44: Melissa Bergeron (Norton Shores) 43:36. 45-49: Laura Method (Granger) 51:33. 50-54: Melody Mustafa (Tuscon, Ariz.) 48:42. 55-59: Cindy Rose (Berrien Center) 53:54. 60-64: Barbie Scrogham (Fort Wayne) 1:02:53. 65-69: Jan Fehland (Dowagiac) 1:00:41

5K Run
Men’s Top 10
1. Justin Kowalski (Mishawaka) 15:56; 2. Andrew Baryon (Chicago) 16:24; 3. Steven Dennig (South Bend) 16:41; 4. Joey Zielinski (South Bend) 16:51; 5. Collin Ludwig (St. Joseph) 16:52; 6. Cameron Magro (Bridgman) 16:55; 7. Chris Lafree (South Bend) 17:03; 8. Matt Jones (Lagrange) 17:08; 9. Brian Olsen (Jackson) 17:16; 10. Mike McCarthy (Mishawaka) 17:17

Age Group Winners
7-9: Ryan Varner (Mishawaka) 24:14. 10-11: Brad Wurzel (Berrien Center) 21:41. 12-13: Charles Felton (St. Joseph) 19:24. 14-15: Joey Zielinski (South Bend) 16:51. 16-18: Steven Dennig (South Bend) 16:41. 19-24: Justin Kowalski (Mishawaka) 15:56. 25-29: Mike McCarthy (Mishawaka) 17:17. 30-34: Jeremy Franks (Dowagiac) 21:04. 35-39: Matt Jones (Lagrange) 17:08. 40-44: Vic Moon (Portage) 21:23. 45-49: Brian Olsen (Jackson)17:16. 50-54: Marlin Howe (Niles) 20:24. 55-59: Bob Schuiteboer (Scotts) 22:19. 60-64: Winford Jones (Lagrange) 20:28. 65-69: Ray Wittorp (Hampstead, N.C.) 27:07. 70-74: Dick Judd (Dowagiac) 31:11. 75-79: Ralph Hines (Berrien Springs) 43:18

Women Top 10
1. Kristina Olsen (Jackson) 18:39; 2. Maddie Woods (Osceola) 19:40; 3. Megan Pearson (Paw Paw) 20:25; 4. Elley Hinkel (Lawton) 20:30; 5. Paige Sutcliffe (Paw Paw) 20:40; 6. Torrie Eger (Buchanan) 20:42; 7. Andrea Korzan (Granger) 20:43; 8. Amanda Weidner (East Leroy) 20:56; 9. Kaylee McClanahan (Huntertown) 21:01; 10. Kara Kiessling (Battle Creek) 21:02

Age Group Winners
7-9: Molly Campbell (Middlebury) 24:25. 10-11: Kyleigh Spearing (Frankfort, Ill.) 23:10. 12-13: Maddie Woods (Osceola) 19:40. 14-15: Paige Sutcliffe (Paw Paw) 20:40. 16-18: Megan Pearson (Paw Paw) 20:25. 19-24: Kristina Olsen (Jackson) 18:39. 25-29: Jessica Silber (Paw Paw) 22:26. 30-34: Margaret Schulte (Dexter) 24:27. 35-39: Melissa Blankenbaker (Granger) 23:23. 40-44: Lynda Wurzel (Berrien Center) 22:15. 45-49: Tracy Utter (Marcellus) 25:57. 50-54: Terry Feldbaum (South Bend) 28:42. 55-59: April Kelly (Three Rivers) 27:31. 60-64: Renata Meyer (Union) 37:57. 65-69: Cora Hill 29:52. 75-79: Betty Tomczak (Dowagiac) 59:49. 80-plus: Suzanne Burke (Dowagiac) 1:00:39

Steve’s Run
Women’s 5K Walk
Top 10
1. Nancy Nelson (Benton Harbor) 34:39; 2. Julie Koch (St. Joseph) 35:56; 3. Cheryl Hess (Dowagiac) 37:22; 4. Allyssa Blomgren (Dowagiac) 37:59; 5. Sarah Davis (South Bend) 39:02; 6. Melisa Johnson (Edwardsburg) 39:03; 7. Valerie Warner (Dowagiac) 39:17; 8. Lisa Neumann (Dowagiac) 39:18; 9. Debra Rohdy (Dowagiac) 39:47; 10. Patricia Killoren (South Bend) 40:03

Age Group Winners
7-9: Allyssa Blomgren (Dowagiac) 27:59. 10-1: Jeelianna Robison (Dowagiac) 49:39. 12-13: Kristyn Turner (Dowagiac) 49:26. 14-15: Rachel Best (Kalamazoo (47:15). 16-18: Erin Corey (Dowagic) 43:01. 19-24: Rose Middleton (Dowagiac) 46-22. 25-29: Morgan Bobik (Dowagiac) 42:51. 30-34: Sarah Davis (South Bend) 39:02. 35-39: Melisa Johnson (Edwardsburg) 39:03. 40-44: Valerie Warner (Dowagiac) 39:17. 45-59: Julie Koch (St. Joseph) 35:56. 50-54: Debra Rohdy (Dowagiac) 39:47. 55-59: Nancy Nelson (Benton Harbor) 34:39. 60-64: Joyce Scherer (Dowagiac) 40:34. 65-69: Maxine McNary (Cassopolis) 50:11. 70-74: Marie Schinske (Eau Claire) 43:51. 80-plus: Janet Gwilt (Dowagiac) 47:00

Men’s 5K Walk
Top 10
1. Rich Brychta (New Buffalo) 35:13; 2. David Phillips (Eau Claire) 37:13; 3. Andrew Myers (Oakton, Va.) 37:18; 4. Matthew Embrory (Mishawaka, Ind.) 38:38; 5. Jackson Priess (Kennesaw, Ga.) 38:50l 6. Seth Johnson (Edwardsburg) 39:02; 7. Michael Shields (Dowagiac) 39:07; 8. Jeremiah Guernsey (Dowagiac) 40:01; 9. Richard Guernsey (Dowagiac) 40:02; 10. Philip Allen (Dowagiac) 40:25

Age Group Winners
7-9: Jacob Devarona (Granger, Ind.) 52:49. 10-11: Seth Johnson (Edwardsburg) 39:02. 12-13: Andrew Myers (Oakton, Va.) 37:18. 16-18: Cameron Collier (Berrien Springs) 46:05. 19-24: Jaron Mosier (Dowagiac) 46:57. 25-29: Matthew Embrory (Mishawaka, Ind.) 38:38. 30-34: Randy Robison (Dowagiac) 42:47. 40-44: David Majewski (Osceola, Ind.) 45:29. 45-49: David Phillips (Eau Claire) 37:13. 50-54: Stephen Myers (Oakton, Va.) 49:25. 55-59: Jackson Priess (Kennesaw, Ga.) 38:50. 60-64: Russ Snyder (Saginaw) 41:47. 65-69: Rich Brychta (New Buffalo) 35:13. 70-74: Dudley Howe (St. Sugustine, Fla. (52:35). 75-79: Ron Ganger (Dowagiac) 52:50. 80-plus: Gordon Gwilt (Dowagiac) 49:04