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Darius Washington has had a solid season with the Eastern men’s basketball team, but he really stepped it up in back-to-back games for the Eagles last week.
The 6-foot-1 junior guard, a Holy Redeemer grad, scored a career-high 21 points in an 82-72 loss to Misericordia in a MAC Freedom game on Jan. 10 in Dallas and came back with another 21 points in a 91-76 league victory over Wilkes last Saturday in St. Davids. He was 14-for-24 from the field and connected on 10-of-19 3-point baskets in the two games.
Washington averaged 4.2 points in 12 games off the bench as a freshman and went to Misericordia as a sophomore and played in just one game. Back at Eastern this season, he’s third on the team in scoring with an 11.3 average and has hit 40-of-97 from outside the arc (.412).
“Darius has been a great addition to our program,” Eastern coach Eric McNelley said. “He has grown on and off the court and he has committed to improving his all-around game, specifically on the defensive end of the floor. He is a player who isn’t scared of the moment and always wants the ball in his hands when we need a basket.”
The Eagles have a go-to player inside in 6-foot-6 junior forward Victor Pena.
“Our opponents are choosing to double on Victor inside and that helps Darius,” McNelley said. “Our team has the utmost confidence in him and looks for him in those situations.”
The Eagles are 8-7 overall and 3-1 in league play after the victory over Wilkes.
Dizbon does the job late
Senior Adam Dizbon scored nine of his 15 points in the second half to lead the Susquehanna men’s basketball team to an 82-81 overtime victory over Elizabethtown in a Landmark Conference game last Saturday in Elizabethtown. The Lake-Lehman grad started and played 29 minutes in the game. Junior guard Seth Callahan, a GAR grad, chipped in with 14 points as the River Hawks improved their record to 5-9 overall and 2-2 in league play.
A first for Koshinski
The No. 16-ranked West Virginia women’s gymnastics team posted a season-best score but the Mountaineers fell to No. 14 Arizona State 196.475-195.875 last Saturday in Morgantown, W Va. Junior Kirah Koshinski, a Berwick grad, had a big meet for West Virginia. She won the vault with a score of 9.9, her 12th-career score of 9.9 or better in the event. She also finished fourth on the balance beam (9.850) and sixth on floor exercise (9.775).
Jump start for Giambra
Sophomore Olivia Giambra kicked off the season with the Penn State women’s indoor track season by finishing sixth in the triple jump at the Nittany Lion Challenge last Saturday in University Park. The Pittston Area grad recorded a 36 foot, 10 ½ inch effort. She also finished tied for ninth in the long jump, hitting 17 feet, 2 ¾ inches. Both marks are off her personal records — 37 feet, 11 ¾ inches in the triple jump and 17 feet, 11 ¼ inches in the long jump.
Bourdeau, Oremus lead Hawks
The St Joseph’s women’s indoor track team finished third out of four teams at Lehigh’s Angry Bird Challenge last Saturday in Bethlehem but the Hawks got solid performances from juniors Nathaniela Bourdeau and Lindsey Oremus. Bourdeau, a Coughlin grad, finished second in the 60 meter dash (7.79) while Oremus, a Dallas grad, was third in the 3,000 meter run (10:15.91). Senior Adam Myers (Hazleton Area) finished eighth in the mile (4:30.78) for the men.
Nardone leads the way
The Marywood women’s swim team kicked off the second half of the season with a 138-121 Landmark Conference victory over Goucher last Saturday in Scranton and junior Mia Nardone led the Pacers to victory. The Pittston Area grad finished first in the 50 freestyle (26.53), the 100 breaststroke (1:04.82) and the 200 backstroke (2:21.56). She also swam the leadoff leg on the 200 freestyle relay which finished second in 1:53.31.
Dyrli makes the list
Messiah junior Erik Dyrli ranks ninth in the weight throw and 13th in the shot put on the Middle Atlantic Conference performance list after the Falcons opened their indoor track season at Franklin & Marshall’s Diplomat Open on Dec. 1 in Lancaster. He finished eighth in the weight throw with a personal best heave of 41 feet, 4 ¼ inches. The Dallas grad finished 22nd in the shot put with a toss of 36 feet, 9 ½ inches.
Krawetz, Luksic help bears
The Ursinus men’s swim team lifted its dual meet record to 6-2 with two victories to kick off the second half — 126-73 over Cabrini last Friday and 115-89 over Albright last Saturday. Sophomore Jared Krawetz, a Dallas grad, anchored the winning 400 free relay to victory in 3:18.22. He also finished second for the Bears in the 100 free (49.67) and third in the 50 free (23.05). Junior Reed Luksic, also a Dallas grad, finished second in the 200 breaststroke (2:21.21).
Good start for Sitch
Immaculata sophomore Kara Sitch kicked off her indoor track season by finishing eighth in the 3,000 meter run at the Golden Bear Invitational last Friday in Kutztown. Her time was 12:52.11 and she was the first non-Division II runner to cross the line. The MMI Prep grad also anchored the Mighty Macs’ 4×800 relay which finished second to Division II East Stroudsburg with a time of 12:08.95.
Banas tops the list
Sophomore Caroline Banas has competed in just one event thus far for the Scranton women’s indoor track team this winter but it was an impressive debut. The Holy Redeemer grad captured the high jump at Susquehanna’s River Hawks Opener on Dec. 1 in Selinsgrove. She cleared 5 feet, 5 ¾ inches. That mark stands as the top performance in the event on the Landmark Conference performance list. The Royals return to action on Jan. 27 in the John Covert Classic in Bethlehem.
