Sports

ON CAMPUS

Dave Paveletz continues to pick up awards for his great season with the Susquehanna football team.

The senior running back earned two honors last week – one on the field and one off. Paveletz (Hanover Area) was named one of the top 10 finalists for the Gagliardi Trophy, awarded to the NCAA Division III Player of the Year. He also was named to the 2009 ESPN The Magazine Division III Academic All-American second team in a vote of the nation’s college sports information directors. He carries a 3.50 grade point average as a finance major.

Paveletz is also in line for All-American honors after being named the Liberty League Offensive Player of the Year after helping the Crusaders capture the league title and earn a berth in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1991.

The 5-foot-9, 225-pounder holds every rushing record in Susquehanna history and rushed for 1,414 yards with 12 touchdowns this season. For his career, he rushed for 4,731 yards with 47 touchdowns.

Area fans can vote for Paveltez as the Player of the Year at www.d3football.com/favorite until noon Monday.

EACHUS NAMED – Colgate sophomore Nate Eachus (Hazleton Area) was named to the Patriot League first team at running back.

Eachus, the Patriot Rookie of the Year last season, carried the ball 187 yards for 914 yards and scored 16 touchdowns despite missing three games and most of another with injuries. The 5-foot-10, 206-pounder had his biggest game (45 carries for 216 yards and a career-high five touchdowns) in a 56-49 loss to Lafayette. He also rushed for 161 yards against Georgetown, 129 against Cornell and opened the season with 139 yards and three touchdowns in a 35-23 victory over Monmouth.

Last season, he carried the ball 172 times for 932 yards and 10 touchdowns. He had a career game in a victory over Cornell when he rushed for 241 yards despite the fact that he started the game on defense and didn’t play offense until the second quarter when starter Jordan Scott was injured.

Colgate finished 9-2 on the season and just missed earning a berth in the Division I Championship Tournament.

THEY KNEW O’HARA – Freshman Jake O’Hara (Crestwood) is listed at 149 pounds on the Columbia University roster but he’s posted a 5-4 record in the early going at 141 pounds. He recently finished with a 1-2 record at the Northeast Duals in Troy, N.Y.

“Coach (Carl) Fronhofer and I recruited Jake,” coach Brendan Buckley said. “I had the opportunity to watch Jake compete at the state tournament his junior year and was very impressed. I was sitting near his parents and introduced myself and told them we were interested in their son.”

Fronhofer, a former Bloomsburg University standout, knew Jake because he attended Fronhofer’s summer camp and wrestling club when he was in high school.

“Jake has done an exception job since he arrived at Columbia,” Buckley said. “He is a terrific kid with a very strong work ethic and a tremendous amount of wrestling skill. We are looking for big things from him this year and feel he should be competing at the NCAA Tournament in March. We feel that Jake can be an All-American for us but it’s up to him how high he places and how many times he places.”

TRIO HELPED BEARS – Sophomores Nick Giarratano (Crestwood), Travis Evans (Northwest Area) and Joe Kost (Hazleton Area) had solid seasons for the Ursinus football team despite the fact that all three were bothered by injuries during the season.

Giarratano, a 5-foot-10, 175-pound wide receiver, led the Bears with 43 receptions good for 653 yards and eight touchdowns. He averaged 15.2 yards per catch.

“Nick sprained his ankle in our win at Johns Hopkins,” coach Pete Gallagher said. “It slowed him down a bit but he still had a solid year for us and we think his experience will set him up for an all-conference junior year.”

Evans, a 5-foot-9, 191-pounder, rushed for 396 yards on 87 carries and caught five passes for 86 yards. He tallied four touchdowns.

“Travis was back and forth with injuries as well,” Gallagher said. “He made significant contributions at running back and a big off-season in the weight room will help him have a breakout junior season.”

Kost started at defensive back for the Bears and had 32 tackles and three interceptions. All three of his interceptions came against a strong Dickinson team and it earned Kost Centennial Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors.

“Joe battled an early-season knee injury but came back to have a great season,” Gallagher said. “We are looking forward to two more big years out of Joe.”

Sophomores Chris Decker (Wyoming Valley West) and Jason Walton (Coughlin) saw limited action for the team.

“They both got significant playing time and both are great kids that will have increased roles and expectations in their junior year,” Gallagher said.

Freshmen Alex Grilli (Coughlin) and Tyler Wall (Holy Redeemer) were also on the roster, Grilli a lineman and Wall a wide receiver.

“Both of them have the potential to be good college football players,” Gallagher said.

The Bears finished 6-5 after losing 35-14 to Kutztown in the ECAC Southeast game.

FLEMINGS WITH WILDCATS – The University of New Hampshire will meet No. 2 seed Villanova in the second round of the NCAA Division I Tournament Saturday in Philadelphia and sophomore Kyle Flemings (Bishop Hoban) sees action at defensive back for the 10-2 Wildcats, who are ranked 10th.

Flemings, a 5-foot-11, 185-pounder, has played in eight games and has two interceptions and a pass breakup. He also has six tackles.

“Kyle has done an outstanding job for us,” coach Sean McDonnell said. “He has been a backup at the corner spot and he is playing behind a senior and an all-conference player. He has played in our nickel package and done very well when he’s been in there.”

Flemings also sees action on every special team.

“He has done very well as our gunner on our punt cover team,” McDonnell said. “He’s a very special kid and the players and coaches really respect him because of his great work ethic. We look forward to him getting a great chance to start with us the next two years.”

VAN MAANEN EARNS BERTH – Junior Marie Van Maanen (Bishop Hoban) had a solid fall season with the Seton Hill women’s equestrian team and her efforts earned her a berth in the regionals in the spring.

Van Maanen recently finished first in flat in the Novice Equitation at the West Virginia Horse Show and that helped her qualify for the regionals in the Novice Flat Division.

“Marie is an asset to the equestrian team,” coach Abbe Wagenblast said. “I’m very confident that she will qualify for the Zone Show and then hopefully go on to the Nationals.”

DUO HELPS PACERS – Freshmen Alyssa Hartranft (Crestwood) and Jessica Lynne Swida (Holy Redeemer) saw plenty of action with the Marywood women’s volleyball team, which finished 10-16 overall and 7-4 in the Colonial State Athletic Conference.

Hartranft, a setter, finished with 366 assists which was second to senior co-captain Riona Corr (403). She also had 129 digs and 11 blocks.

“Right out of the gate, Alyssa had what was seemingly instant chemistry with the team,” coach John Bedell said. “From the moment she stepped on the floor she made a strong statement. I didn’t see her play at Crestwood but did see her in a community tournament and I saw the potential. She was the setter I was looking for to challenge our senior setter and also the setter to help me lead Marywood into a time period where new traditions would begin.”

Swida, a libero, finished with 116 digs, 11 service aces and nine kills.

“Jessica had a bit of a rougher start to her college career,” Bedell said. “Like Alyssa, she came in and challenged the upperclassmen but an injury slowed her. I gave her the opportunity to play in the King’s Tournament and she played with such fervor that it caught most of us off guard. That day, she became the positive catalyst that I was looking for. I anticipate that she will bring that same intensity and inspiration into the coming seasons and be a leader in her own right.”

TUDGAY IN THE SWIM – It didn’t take freshman Ashley Tudgay long to fit into the women’s swim program at Lycoming College. Tudgay (Wyoming Valley West) recently finished first in the 50 and 100 freestyle and the 100 butterfly to help the Warriors defeat Elizabethtown 162-95. And, in a 142-120 loss to Misericordia, Tudgay won the 200 IM, finished second in the 50 free and third in the 100 free.

“Ashley came out of a great program under coach Frank Tribendis and was District two swimmer of the year twice,” coach Jerry Hammaker said. “Unfortunately, she was sick for a little while so we are just getting her back into the swing of things. I think you’ll notice some very positive swims from her as the season goes forward and into the league tournament.”

BRESLIN GOT HIS KICKS – Senior Thomas Breslin (Bishop Hafey) wrapped up his career kicking for the Catholic University football team.

The 6-foot-2, 182-pounder averaged 35.6 on 38 punts with eight kicks inside the 20. His longest punt was 55 yards. He also averaged 54.6 yards on 34 kickoffs with three touchbacks. And, he made four tackles on special teams.

Breslin also got a chance at placekicking for the Cardinals, who finished 1-9 on the season. He hit one field goal and one of two extra points in backup duty.