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News and Notes -- April 25, 2005
A wealth of informational tidbits concerning local athletes are floating around, so let's begin the process of sorting through all of it.
The big story, of course, is that Sharon High grad and University of Michigan All-American Marlin Jackson was selected in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft Saturday afternoon by AFC South champion Indianapolis. Jackson, a four-year starter at defensive back for the Maize and Blue, was the 29th selection in the draft.
He will be counted on immediately to help out one of the NFL's most porous defenses. A two-time All-American, Jackson started 39 games during his four seasons and recorded nine interceptions. In his final collegiate game, the 2005 Rose Bowl, Jackson recorded nine total tackles.
> Grove City High graduate Rob Gargasz is a junior outfielder for the Penn State Behrend baseball team. Gargasz is hitting .395 (15 of 38) this season in 18 total appearances this year. He has one homer and has knocked in 16 runs. In a return to his hometown April 20, Gargasz went 3-for-4 with two doubles and four runs batted in as Behrend earned a 10-5 win over Grove City College.
The Lions are currently 21-12 overall and 10-4 in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference.
> Darren Holmes, a Grove City High product, is a freshman hurdler at Washington and Jefferson College. Holmes is the Presidents' top entry in both the 110 high hurdles and the 400 hurdles. In addition, Holmes leads off on Washington and Jefferson's 4x100 relay team.
> Four Mercer Countians are members of the Grove City College softball team. Grove City High grad Steph Briggs, The Professor's younger sister, leads the Wolverines in batting average (.405), slugging percentage (.524) and on-base percentage (.457). She is Grove City's starting right fielder.
Another GCHS grad, freshman Kristen Hughes, is third on the team with a .271 batting average. Hughes has primarily played third base but has also appeared at shortstop and in right field. Mercer High grad Abby Moose, a senior, is playing collegiate softball for the first time this year and is hitting .274.
Moose is the Wolverines' starting second baseman. She leads the team with 14 runs scored, six walks and nine stolen bases. Moose is also fielding .968. West Middlesex graduate Alicia Stefanak is a junior first baseman for the Wolverines. She has started 11 games and is hitting .259.
> Commodore Perry graduate Carrie McConnell is a freshman shortstop/catcher at Penn State Behrend. She has appeared in 24 of 26 possible games, including 22 starts. McConnell is hitting .224 with one double and five runs batted in.
> Penn State Behrend's men's track and field team features a trio of West Middlesex graduates. Sophomore Brad Ruffo owns Behrend's school record in the 10,000-meter run, turning a time of 33:22.80 April 16 at the Slippery Rock University Invitational. Freshman Rick Holzworth and Chad Bauer are also members of Behrend's men's track and field team.
> Wilmington graduate Boomer Whiting is continuing his fine junior season as a member of the University of Louisville baseball team. Whiting is hitting a team-best .346 for the Cardinals (19-16, 8-8 Conference USA). He leads Louisville in hits (46), runs (40), on-base percentage (.426) and stolen bases (19).
> Former Mercer High standout Ashlee Highfield is a member of the Edinboro University women's track and field team. Highfield took fifth in the javelin at the Slippery Rock Open April 16 with a toss of 121 feet, 2 inches.
> Reynolds graduate Jon Spencer is a senior infielder on the Thiel College baseball team. Spencer has started all 29 games for the Tomcats (14-15, 4-5 PAC) and is hitting .314. Spencer leads the team with 10 stolen bases and is second on the squad with 10 doubles. Spencer is a team tri-captain.
West Middlesex grads Robbie Long and Josh Koncar are also on Thiel squad this spring. Long has appeared in four games this year, striking out six in 7 1/3 innings. Koncar has appeared in five games in relief, striking out seven in 6 2/3 innings. Neither has a decision this year to date.
> Congratulations to the Grove City College men's tennis team on capturing its 15th consecutive Presidents' Athletic Conference title last weekend at the Pennbriar Fitness and Racquet Club in Erie. The Wolverines crowned seven of a possible nine champions, including PAC Player of the Year Brent Moon, a junior.
> Three Countians are members of the Thiel men's track and field squad. Jeremy "J-Deuce" Jewell (Sharon) is a junior thrower while Greenville grad Ben Wheeler is a distance specialist. West Middlesex grad Matt Taylor is a freshman thrower for the Tomcats, who are the defending PAC champions.
> Grove City will try and reclaim the PAC men's track and field title from the Tomcats this Saturday, April 30 at Washington and Jefferson's Cameron Stadium. Sophomore distance specialist Andrew Leuenberger (West Middlesex HS) is a member of that Grove City squad that is looking for its sixth PAC title in seven years.
Four area athletes are members of Grove City's women's track and field team. Wilmington product Kylie Mackaness is a middle distance runner for the Wolverines, as is Mercer grad Samantha Gathers. Both are freshmen. Grove City native Shelly Mohr is a sophomore distance runner and freshman Bethany Daugherty (Mercer resident) is a freshman sprinter. Grove City has won six consecutive PAC titles and will try to extend that streak to seven this Saturday at Washington and Jefferson.
> West Middlesex graduate Katie Porter is a senior outfielder for the Westminster College softball team. Porter leads the Lady Titans (22-6, 3-3 PAC) with six stolen bases and is hitting .222 in 25 starts. She has also put down eight sacrifice bunts and has played errorless defense this year.