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Varsity 541 NEWS NOW Tuesday fire damages Shady Cove home ... Second SOU candidate embraces liberal arts ... Portland parents criticize officials over lead at 2 schools ... Tuesday fire damages Shady Cove home ... Second SOU candidate embraces liberal arts ... Portland parents criticize officials over lead at 2 schools ... PREPS Double duty Eagle Point's Van Dyke succeeding in cross country, soccer Comment By Dan Jones Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Dan Jones Mail Tribune Posted Oct. 11, 2015 at 7:10 PM Updated Oct 11, 2015 at 7:21 PM By Dan Jones Mail Tribune Posted Oct. 11, 2015 at 7:10 PM Updated Oct 11, 2015 at 7:21 PM » Social News EAGLE POINT — Kevin Van Dyke owns three pairs of running shoes and a set of soccer cleats, and they are wearing down fast. The Eagle Point senior participates in both soccer and cross country, just like his older brother Tyler did. The younger Van Dyke’s life involves running 5-10 miles each weekday before scrambling to soccer practice. Some weekends he competes in cross country meets in the morning and in soccer matches later in the day. Every so often, he has to choose between the two. On the pitch Van Dyke is a midfielder and captain. In cross country, he holds the 48th best time at the Class 5A level (16 minutes, 46.2 seconds) and 14th best mark among runners in the Midwestern League. The 17-year-old Van Dyke has played soccer and done track throughout his high school career, but took up cross country last year after some prompting from track and field assistant and cross country head coach Britt Humphrey. “I told him, ‘You’ve got to do cross country,’” the third-year coach says. The idea of juggling sports was nothing new to Van Dyke, who watched Tyler do the same. The older brother went on to run at Southern Oregon University before transferring to Grand Canyon University in 2014. Last Saturday, Van Dyke chose to participate in the Midwestern League soccer match against Marist at noon on Saturday (a 2-1 Eagle Point win) over the George Fox Cross Country Classic. On weekends where there are no competitions, Van Dyke goes outside and takes long runs. He stretches often to ensure his body holds up through the constant beating and he enjoys a diet rich with vitamins and minerals. Van Dyke says he has generated some interest from the Portland State and George Fox cross country programs. He ran the 3,000 meters at state track as a sophomore and in the 1,500 last spring. Van Dyke is aiming for his first state cross country appearance this fall. His leadership is valuable in soccer, Eagles head coach Matt Soper says. Eagle Point is 6-3 overall. “He just knows when to turn it on,” Soper says. “He has that knack for turning it on when it’s game time. When he crosses that line, it’s game on.” In cross country, Van Dyke won the Hosanna Classic on Sept. 17 with a time of 17:51. He was 18th out of 105 at the elite Nike Portland 5,000 on Sept. 26 (16:59.60). His motor is impressive, Humphrey says. “He really pushes himself,” she says. “If he is having a good run, he won’t be able to function at the end. He goes where a lot of other runners don’t go physically. When it matters he is clutch in those situations.” Van Dyke’s teammates are supportive, he says. “They always ask me how my race went or game went or if I scored a goal,” he says. Tyler inspired Kevin to push himself in both sports, he said. The older brother is currently an ultramarathon runner who won the Siskiyou Outback 50K in July. “He’s always been a great factor in my life, striving to be great,” he says. Kevin’s twin sister Krystal Van Dyke plays soccer and, like Kevin, is a captain. One distant date of interest to Van Dyke is Oct. 31, when the state cross country championships are held at Lane Community College in Eugene. The Eagles could potentially play in a state play-in match that day, if they don’t finish in the top two in conference action. “I am not exactly sure which one I would choose,” he said. Such a conflict worries Van Dyke, but he knows there is plenty of work to be done before then. He’ll need a monster effort at districts in Central Point on Oct. 21 to finish in the top seven individually, going up against speedy groups from Crater and Marist. In soccer, the Eagles will need to finish in the top six in the MWL — they are tied for third with a 1-1 mark now. Even then, play-in matches can take place before Oct. 31. Winners advance to the 16-team state bracket. The top two teams in the MWL advance to state in cross country, as well as the top seven individuals if they are not on a qualifying team. Whatever the future holds for him, Van Dyke says he has thoroughly enjoyed the experience. His positive attitude has not gone unnoticed either. “He’s a great kid,” Soper says. Reach reporter Dan Jones at 541-776-4499, or email [email protected]. Find him online at twitter.com/danjonesmt By Dan Jones Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Dan Jones Mail Tribune Posted Oct. 11, 2015 at 7:10 PM Updated Oct 11, 2015 at 7:21 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction Schedules & Events --> Recent Scores --> Prep Notebook Kris Henry Challengers make it back on top in softball Winning the Southern Cascade League title seemed like a pretty bold goal this spring considering the recent history of the Cascade Christian... 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