The 2012-13 season marks the sixth straight year that Maranatha has collected the women’s award, while the men last won in ’09-’10, and have won four out of the seven years since the award was introduced in 2006.

Maranatha missed just one season for the women’s side, ’06-’07, and split with Alverno in ’07-’08, taking honors every year since.

Maranatha finished with 10 recipients selected to the All-Sportsmanship Team:

• Andy Timblin, Baseball
• Matthew McGivern, Basketball
• Hallie Sheley, Women’s Basketball
• Robert Truax, Men’s Cross Country
• Cari Cook, Women’s Cross Country
• Robert Kohlhaus, Football
• David Anderson, Men’s Soccer
• Alysha Morris, Women’s Soccer
• Jana Dempsey, Softball
• Erin Jochum, Volleyball

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In his earliest years, Malmanger got involved in coaching while teaching in the small town of Menahga, in Northern Minnesota, where he was issued a challenge by a Christian coach.

As Malmanger recalls it, “In my first year of teaching at the high school level, I was challenged to coach as a way to share Christ with the athletes I interacted with, and I viewed it as an opportunity to work with them outside of the classroom.”

Four years later, Malmanger continued that path with a move to another small town in Minnesota— Owatonna, where he taught mathematics at Pillsbury Baptist Bible College.

While at Pillsbury, Malmanger met Terry Price, who he replaced as men’s dorm supervisor. The two bonded through 10 years of coaching together before both made the move to the campus of Maranatha Baptist Bible College in Watertown, Wisconsin.

Price stated, “Curt has been a good friend, great assistant coach, and helper to me, and a wonderfully faithful husband, dad, colleague, teacher, coach and church member.”

Malmanger and Price embarked on a ministry at Maranatha that included an appearance at the NCCAA Victory Bowl in Canton, Ohio, in 1998; missions trips to France (’95), Ireland (’98), and Israel (’12); and 11 consecutive winning seasons (1988-1998).

Price’s son, Phil, recalls a game against Northwestern College of St. Paul, MN, in 1988 that turned out to be pivotal in kick-starting the consecutive winning-seasons streak:

“Throughout the game, the PA announcer, in response to a Northwestern first down, would yell, ‘and that’s another Northwestern…’ and the crowd responded with, ‘FIRST DOWN!’ Well, at the end of the game, we led 30-27 and converted a crucial first down to run out the clock. Dr. Malmanger turned to a section of Crusader fans and yelled, ‘and that’s another Maranatha…’ with the Maranatha fans responding in like fashion, ‘FIRST DOWN!’ It was the first time we had defeated Northwestern in over 10 years.”

In addition to being the team’s defensive coordinator and line coach, Malmanger developed three distinguishable skill-sets that proved valuable to Price and the team.

One was the ability to keep things tidy. “He was such a great organizer and master packer, especially when it came to transporting all of our road gear on football trips. He demonstrated a servant attitude and heart while issuing, fixing, collecting and storing our football equipment,” pointed out (Terry) Price.

The second was the ability to serve as the team’s motivational speaker. “Doc Mal would often yell, ‘BLOOD, BLOOD, BLOOD makes the grass grow!’ or, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive!’ when he was trying to motivate players to hit harder,” said (Phil) Price.

Perhaps his most valuable attribute, however, and the one that kept surfacing through the years, was his simple faithfulness—faithfulness in helping Clayton Morrison coach softball for eight years, or fixing broken football helmets.

“Doc has always been a behind-the-scenes guy who did things professionally and in an orderly way. I don’t think the athletes who come in get a full picture of what he does. He just serves them,” stated current head coach Andy Peterson.

Malmanger, who will continue to teach at Maranatha in Mathematics Education, plans to spend some of his free time fishing with family and relatives; but he has reserved a spot, this time in the stands, from which to watch Maranatha’s home games throughout the 2013 season.

He also, in simple fashion, summed up his desire to minister to others by staying connected, stating, “It has always been good to maintain friendships with previous players and coaches. I’ve always had an interest in those who are staying true and faithful in serving the Lord.”

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Peotter has made the Second Team since 2010, with her freshman year the only exception.

The senior left fielder had a .333 batting average on 32 hits, four RBI’s and four runs. Peotter also led the NAC in stolen bases (20), and completed her four-year career second all-time in the conference with 105 stolen bases.

In the field, Peotter had only two errors all season, finishing with a .952 fielding percentage.

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CHICAGO, Ill. – For the seniors on the baseball team, Tuesday put the icing on the cake for the past four years, with a single nine-inning game played at U.S. Cellular Field, home of the Major League’s Chicago White Sox. The team lost 6-0 to the Illinois Institute of Technology, but kept it close through a majority of the game.

Maranatha nearly scored in the first inning when three straight batters were walked, loading the bases for sophomore Cody Borland (Oakley, Ca.), who flew out to center field for the last out.

Funkhouser, who pitched 1.1 innings, held IIT to a 1-0 lead after the first, with the lead increasing to 4-0 after the third.

IIT would not score again until the seventh inning, thanks to a Maranatha pitching staff that left two runners on base in both the fifth and sixth innings.

Maranatha also left two runners on twice, in the fourth and fifth, and 11 during the game, combining for six hits compared to IIT’s 11.

“The guys played hard, and it was a fun experience for them. We got hits, but left too many runners on base,” stated Garrison.

Second baseman Galen Balinski (Mountainhome, Pa.) went 2-2 while Shelp and sophomore Caleb Rost (Greenville, S.C.) went 1-2 apiece.

The Crusader pitching staff rotated out six different players, combining for six strikeouts.

Tuesday’s game also marked at least the second time that the baseball team has played at a major league stadium, having played at the Metrodome five years ago.

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WATERTOWN, Wis. – The Crusader baseball team were defeated at the hands of the Wisconsin Lutheran Warriors, 13-0 and 23-0 on Saturday afternoon.

The Warriors were held to just six hits by senior pitcher Derek Funkhouser (Paris, Ill.), who finished with three earned runs while striking out six batters.

But it was several errors that led to a two big innings by the Warriors, who scored five and four runs in the fourth and sixth innings respectively.

Sophomore center fielder Caleb Rost (Greenville, S.C.) finished 1-3 in the game, and in game two, Maranatha improved with five hits.

But it was Wisconsin Lutheran’s 10-run second inning that gave the Warriors an advantage as senior pitcher Garett Ordway (Pensacola, Fla.) took the loss with five earned runs and two strikeouts.

Sophomore Galen Balinski (Mountainhome, Pa.) and freshman Timothy Rogers (Willmar, Minn.) pitched in relief for Ordway, allowing six earned runs combined.

Maranatha’s season will conclude on Tuesday, May 7 at 3:00 p.m. for a single, nine-inning game against Illinois Institute of Technology. The game will be played at U.S. Cellular Field, the home of the Chicago White Sox, in Chicago, Illinois.

Click here for directions to the park.

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MILWAUKEE, Wis. – The Alverno Inferno posted two wins over the Maranatha Crusaders with scores of 9-1 and 5-4 on Tuesday evening in Milwaukee, Wis.

Alverno jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning of game one on three hits but did not score more than one run until the fifth, when the Inferno posted four on six hits.

Maranatha’s Jana Dempsey (Bath, Mich.) reached third in the second inning before being left on base to end the inning, but the Crusaders broke through in the fourth when Dempsey scored on a wild pitch to cut the deficit to 3-1 entering the bottom of the fourth.

Freshman pitcher Hannah Clement (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) pitched 5.1 innings, allowing 11 hits and five earned runs while striking out five.

As a team, Maranatha had seven hits, including a 2-3 performance from Prusak.

Game two started in Maranatha’s favor as the first four batters had hits to key a three-run top of the first.

Outfielders Autumn Peotter (Waupaca, Wis.) and Emily Thompson (Watertown, Wis.) singled, then freshman Emily Boogher (York, Pa.) doubled to left center for two RBI’s. Boogher would later score on a passed ball.

Maranatha held a 3-1 lead through the fourth, when Alverno scored a run to draw within one. They would later put together a two-run inning, for a 4-3 lead then tacked on an insurance run in the sixth inning.

Maranatha came close to tying the game when a single by Prusak advanced pinch-runner, Samatha Swiatek (Walled Lake, Mich.), who later scored on a single by Peotter to cut the deficit to 5-4.

Prusak would advance to third with two outs, but a groundout ended the inning and game.

Peotter and Thompson each went 2-4 from the plate, while Dempsey pitched 5.1 ininings, allowing three earned runs off 12 hits.

Maranatha ends its season with close losses to top-5 ranked teams and looks for continued success for the 2014 campaign.

Peotter, DeLozier, Prusak and shortstop Rosa Lewis (Yates City, Ill.) completed their final game for the Crusaders but head coach Rob Thompson looks to the success of younger players like Boogher and Clement to carry the team in the coming years.

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WATERTOWN, Wis. – The Crusader baseball team stuck with the MSOE Raiders for eight innings in a 12-1 game loss, and succumbed 12-0 in game two on Monday evening, for the team’s last home game of the season.

After a scoreless first, MSOE notched a run in the second and three over the next two innings for a 4-0 lead to open game one.

But the ‘Sader defense, led by senior pitcher Derek Funkhouser (Paris, Ill.), held the Raiders to just three hits and no runs through the eighth inning.

The offense, scored a run in the sixth inning, when seniors Garett Ordway (Pensacola, Fla.) and Tim Shelp (Independence, Mo.) singled, with both advancing a base on a wild pitch.

Funkhouser cut the deficit to 4-1 when his sacrifice RBI scored Ordway, and the inning ended on a fly out to right field.

The Raiders, meanwhile, outlasted Maranatha with eight runs on five hits in the ninth inning to seal the win.

Funkhouser pitched 8.1 innings, allowing 12 hits and 12 earned runs while striking out five.

Ordway, Shelp and sophomore outfielder Cody Borland (Oakley, Ca.) each went 2-4 in the game.

In game two, Maranatha could not capitalize on several scoring opportunities, including a fifth inning in which freshman shortstop Timothy Rogers (Willmar, Minn.) reached third before a strikeout to Borland ended the inning.

Rogers finished the game 2-3 while sophomore pitcher Caleb Rost (Greenville, S.C.) also went 2-3, and the team finished with six hits.

Rost also pitched six innings, allowing eight hits, eight runs, six unearned and striking out two.

Maranatha waits until Saturday, May 4 to face Wisconsin Lutheran in Milwaukee, Wis. at 12:00 p.m.

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RIVER FOREST, Ill. – Maranatha’s softball team, playing in its second doubleheader on Saturday, and third in the past two days, gave the #3 team in the conference, Dominican University, a challenge with a 5-2 loss in game one and 9-1 in game two.

Maranatha jumped out to an early 2-0 lead when sophomore outfielder Emily Thompson (Watertown, Wis.) reached on a bunt single, then Kaitlyn Rygh (Grayson, Ga.), on a 3-0 count, send the next pitch over the fence for her first collegiate home run.

Dominican was held scoreless through two innings but broke loose in the third with four runs on five hits, and added another in the fourth for the 5-2 lead.

Freshman pitcher Hannah Clement (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) pitched seven effective innings against the Stars, allowing just six hits and four earned runs.

Thompson finished a perfect 2-2 at the plate.

Maranatha contained the Stars for three innings in game two, and cut the Stars’ 3-0 lead to 3-1 when Thompson singled to right center in the third to score senior third baseman Susie Prusak (Leesburg, Va.).

Dominican finally broke free though, in the fourth inning, scoring five runs on five hits to seal the win.

Sophomore pitcher Jana Dempsey (Bath, Mich.) pitched five innings in the loss and Thompson finished a solid day, and weekend, going 2-3 from the plate with an RBI.

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RIVER FOREST, Ill. – The softball team continued its recent success with narrow losses to the #5 Concordia Chicago Cougars on Saturday afternoon.

Against Concordia Chicago, the Crusaders and Cougars exchanged blows in the first game as the teams carried a 2-2 tie after the top of the third inning.

Maranatha, down 2-1, scored on an error by Concordia to tie the game, but neither team would score until the top of the fifth when sophomore outfielder Emily Thompson (Watertown, Wis.) had a groundout RBI to score senior third baseman Susie Prusak (Leesburg, Va.), and a 3-2 lead.

Prusak went 2-3 while freshman pitcher Hannah Clement (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) had a strong start, holding the Cougars scoreless in their next two at-bats. She finished the game with four earned runs and nine hits allowed in 7.1 innings.

Concordia broke through though with a run in the seventh to even it at 3-3, and after a scoreless eighth inning by Maranatha, the Cougars took the final strike with a single RBI to win the game.

Game two, similar to game one, saw Maranatha carrying a 1-0 lead through two and a half innings, before the Cougars scored twice in the bottom of the third to take a slim 2-1 lead.

Maranatha threatened to tie the game in the sixth inning when Thompson, who reached on a single to right field, advanced to third before the inning ended on a groundout.

Thompson finished with two out of the team’s four hits in the game while Dempsey pitched six innings, allowing four hits, and two runs, one unearned with a strikeout.

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WATERTOWN, Wis. – The baseball team stuck with the Aurora Spartans for six innings in game one, losing 16-5 while taking a 28-0 loss in game two on Saturday evening.

Aurora struck first with four runs on five hits, but Maranatha put together a nice inning of their own in the bottom of the first with three runs on three hits.

Freshman Timothy Rogers (Willmar, Minn.) singled and stole second while senior third baseman Garett Ordway (Pensacola, Fla.) walked.

Shelp followed up Ordway with a double RBI down the right field line that scored Rogers then was brought home by sophomore outfielder Cody Borland’s (Oakley, Ca.) RBI single.

Borland held the Spartans to just one run over the next two innings before Aurora posted two more runs in the fourth for a 7-3 lead, but Maranatha came back with a run in the bottom of the sixth.

Borland once again came through with a big hit, this time a double, to score sophomore catcher Ethan Hokanson (Abilene, Kans.).

The Crusaders scored once more in the bottom of the seventh when a single RBI by Shelp scored Rogers, but could not recover from a five-run seventh inning by the Spartans.

The team finished with seven hits against the #3 team in the conference as Rogers and Shelp each went 2-4 and Borland finished 2-3 with two RBI’s.

Borland pitched seven innings in the loss, striking out two while allowing 12 earned runs.

The Spartans controlled game two from start to finish with 23 hits in seven innings while holding the Crusaders to one hit.

Sophomore pitcher Caleb Rost (Greenville, S.C.) pitched less than one inning for the loss while four pitchers filled in for relief.

Maranatha looks for its first conference win against MSOE on Monday at 3:00 p.m. in Watertown at Washington Park.

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