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Thursday, February 28, 2013

Bronx News Sports: Sports-Basketball-AA playoffs

Bronx News Sports: Sports-Basketball-AA playoffs: Kennedy Opens Playoffs with Home Win (Photos by Gary Quintal) BRONX, NEW YORK, February 28- Kennedy Campus opened the first r...

Sports-Basketball-AA playoffs



Kennedy Opens Playoffs with Home Win


(Photos by Gary Quintal)

BRONX, NEW YORK, February 28- Kennedy Campus opened the first round of the boys Basketball AA playoffs as the #10 seed hosting Martin Van Buren High School. Van Buren opened quickly with two fast scores, but Kennedy responded just as quickly with 10 unanswered points putting Van Buren in an early 10-4 hole. Kennedy piled on the points thanks to 6 three pointers in the first half. Giving Kennedy 47-34 halftime lead.  A 20-point fourth quarter by Van Buren was not enough as Kennedy advances to face Cardozo Thursday in the second round.  The finals will be played March 16th at Madison Square Garden. 


Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Bronx News Sports: Monroe Runners on Track to Victory

Bronx News Sports: Monroe Runners on Track to Victory: By Gary Axelbank BRONX, NEW YORK, February 27- Three Deep in the heart of Texas this weekend, Monroe's top 22 indoor track and field...

Bronx News Sports: Monroe Runners on Track to Victory

Bronx News Sports: Monroe Runners on Track to Victory: By Gary Axelbank BRONX, NEW YORK, February 27- Three Deep in the heart of Texas this weekend, Monroe's top 22 indoor track and field...

Monroe Runners on Track to Victory

By Gary Axelbank BRONX, NEW YORK, February 27- Three Deep in the heart of Texas this weekend, Monroe's top 22 indoor track and field athletes hope to make their mark at the 2013 NJCAA Men's & Women's Indoor Track & Field National championships. The Mustangs' largest-ever entry in the indoor nationals features several top-ranked performers. As a team, the Monroe athletes will compete in a range of dashes, relays, and jumping and throwing events, testimony to the program's depth and versatility. "Since we began practicing in the fall, this weekend at Texas Tech in Lubbock was circled on our calendars," said Coach Mark Goodman. "We'll be fielding a large team and a strong one. I could single out the athletes who have had some of the nation's best peformances as the ones with the highest expectations, but the fact is, every one of our athletes who will be competing is pumped and primed to make a showing for the royal blue and gold. They all can't wait to get there and do their thing." For Monroe's best jumpers, deuces are wild - they're each ranked second in the nation. Sengalese freshman, Mamadou Gueye is ranked at #2 in both the long jump (7.83m) and triple jump (16.17m) and freshman high jumper Dennisha Frazier, from Washington, DC, is also ranked at #2 (1.68m). Sophomore pole vaulter K'don Samuels is ranked at #2 (4.80m) as well. Mr. World, Columbian sophomore Francisco Escobar, will also be pole vaulting and freshman David Henry from Longview, NY will be in the triple jump. As for the women sprinters, Westchester freshman Jessica Barrera has had a great indoor season, posting a 57.44 in the 400m, good for fifth best in the nation. Sohpomore sensation from the nation's capital Manaiza Kelley will be running in the 55m and 200m in Texas. Also, Monroe will field the #5-ranked 4x400 relay team (3:55:36). On the men's side Florida freshman Khalfani Bernard (12th, 21.67) and Brooklyn freshman Christopher Lewis (29th, 22:07) will run in the 200m and Joel Johnson (8th, 48.59), also a Brooklyn freshman, and freshman Antoine Davis (12th, 49.03) from Newburgh, NY will compete in the 400m. Sophomore Brooklynite Earl Lucas (7th, 1:21:12) is entered in the 600m and Damion Walker (11th, 1:56:24), a freshman from Queens is in the 800m. Monroe's 4x400 relay team will try to best their #7 (3:15:43) standing. Running distance for Monroe at the nationals will be Gambian sophomore Ansu Sowe (10th in the mile, 4:21:91 and 14th in the 3000m, 8:51:52). Monroe's 2012 national champion outdoor discus thrower Lithuanian sophomore Tautvydas Kieras will be turning his talents indoors in the shot put (13th, 15.32m) and weight throw (13th15.50m). "One thing that characterizes our team is its diversity," said Coach Goodman. "Our athletes come from a variety of backgrounds and places. But what they have in common is their love of their sport and their desire to achieve. Taking a talented team of this size to the national meet is the result of a lot of hard work by a lot of people," he said, " and competing in this scenario is the payoff. We expect to not only simply be there, but to make our mark and our stand as Monroe Mustangs."

Monday, February 25, 2013

Bronx Sports-Fordham-Wins-Overtime-Thriller

Fordham Wins Overtime Thriller


(Photo by Gary Quintal)

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, February 25- The final week of the regular season of the women’s division of the Atlantic-10 Conference has begun.

Thus, each contest is crucial in the determination of seeds for teh A-10 tournament. Five teams are battling for the top four positions that will be given a bye in the first round of the tournament. Two of the five, the Fordham Rams (20-7, 10-2) and the St. Joseph’s Hawks (19-7, 10-2) met on Sunday afternoon at the Rose Hill Gym in the Bronx.

This year’s women’s team at Fordham, under the direction of second year coach Stephanie Gaitley, has taken for itself the slogan “Tradition begins NOW!” The new tradition the team has adopted is one of being successful on the court. Since joining the Atlantic-10 in 1995, Fordham has not had a winning record. In a single season, the team has never won more than five conference contests, has not won more than six consecutive contests, and has not been victorious in 10 non-conference games.

This year’s marks have put all those negative records in the past. The Rams defeat of the Hawks on Sunday ended a 13-game losing streak to St. Joseph’s. It earned the Rams its first 20-win season since the 1993-4 season. It may also qualify Fordham to earn its first bye in the A-10 Tourney in mid-March.

The Fordham victory moved it above St. Joe’s for third place in the conference standings. If each of the top four current teams (Dayton, Charlotte, Fordham, St. Joseph’s) win its final two regular season games, the four will finish in the same order they now are in and each will be exempt from playing in the first round of the conference tournament.

The lead changed hands eight times and the game was tied twice during the first 10 minutes of Sunday’s game. Fordham scored 10 unanswered points to take a 24-16 advantage at 7:22. The first half ended with Fordham holding its biggest lead of the half, 33-24.

Fordham reached its largest lead early in the second half as a three by Arielle Collins gave the Rams a 38-26 advantage. The lead lessened later in the half, but Fordham remained in the lead until the score was knotted at 58 with 13.9 seconds left in regulation. A dramatic shot from half-court at the buzzer by Marah Strickland went in and out of the hoop.

The Rams scored the first five points of overtime to ensure the victory. Strickland scored a career-high of 31 points (10 more than her previous high) during the game including seven of Fordham’s 12 during overtime. Freshman Samantha Clark achieved her fourth double-double of her first collegiate season with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Erin Rooney was not far from a triple-double with 14 points, 9 boards and 7 assists. Collins, on 4 of 6 shooting from the field, netted 9 points.

The Fordham win was greeted with joy throughout the gym as the large crowd celebrated.

Prior to the start of the game, Strickland, Collins, Charlotte Stoddard and Ranait Griff were honored in Senior Day ceremonies.

Fordham plays host to St. Bonaventure University on Wednesday evening, February 27, and travels to Philadelphia for its final regular season contest at Temple University on Sunday afternoon, March 3.


Bronx Sports-Manhattan College-Women's -Basketball

Manhattan Tames Leopards in Comeback Win
Jaspers Erase Halftime Deficit for First Victory of Season

BRONX, NEW YORK, February 25- It was a dark and rainy afternoon on Saturday at Gaelic Park, but the Manhattan men’s lacrosse team weathered a first half deficit and came roaring back in the second for an 11-7 win over Lafayette. Not only was it the first win of the year for the Jaspers (1-2) but it marked the first Division I victory in the career of head coach Steve Manitta.

A low scoring first quarter saw Manhattan jump out to an early lead for the second straight game. Mercy transfer Patrick Hodapp registered the first goal of the game for the Jaspers with 9:34 to play in the first quarter. About two minutes later, Max Kerber took a slashing penalty, sending the Leopards (1-2) on the extra-man. They would convert on the EMO with Jake Mann tying things up in the first.

That started a string of five consecutive scores for Lafayette. Sophomore Sonny Round found the back of the net twice in that period which culminated with a John Floyd goal at the 1:50 mark of the second period. Trailing 5-1 in the second quarter, Manhattan earned its own EMO when Mann was called for a technical. Brett Madarasz would quickly find Paul Moreau to the left of the cage for the final tally of the half, sending the Jaspers into the locker room down 5-2.

Out of the break, the Jaspers began their comeback trail. Just 1:27 into the third period, Brian McGrath fed a streaking Tyler Eidel in front of the net, cutting the deficit to two. Freshman Matt Ruquet would win the ensuing faceoff for Manhattan and just 16 seconds later McGrath got his team within one burying one past Lafayette goalie Jake Hyatt. The Jaspers would tie up the game at five apiece when Eidel got his second point of the day, assisting on Marcel Godino’s goal with 10:33 to play in the third. Manhattan would control tempo the rest of the way, holding the Leopards scoreless in the period going into the fourth.

The fourth quarter saw another lightning fast strike for Manhattan with Sean McMahon finding Ryan Payton just 12 seconds in to give the Jaspers their first lead of the game, one they would not relinquish. Manhattan went on to double up Lafayette by a score of 10-5, completing an eight goal run dating back to Moreau’s strike in the first half, with 5:15 remaining in regulation.

The Leopards ended that streak when Brian Bock scored the teams’ first goal of the second half with just 4:51 left to play. Alex Grandal would quickly answer for Manhattan, becoming the eighth different player to score in the game. Lafayette would get one final tally when Round completed his hat trick with 3:33 to go.

Manhattan’s defense was key in the victory causing 18 turnovers, 10 in the second half, and allowing only four shots in the third quarter. Meanwhile, their man-down defense was even more impressive. After giving up the early EMO goal in the first, the Jaspers held Lafayette to 0-5 the rest of the way.

Sophomore Michael Wiatrak earned the victory in net, making 10 saves while Hyatt stopped 11 shots in net for the Leopards. Lafayette did win the battle at the faceoff, winning 13 of the games 20. Payton had a game high four points for Manhattan, including a team high three goals.

The Jaspers return to action on Sat. March 2, when they travel to Providence, R.I. to take on the Friars at 1 p.m.

Bronx Sports-Saint Raymond's-Wns-Championsip


Rays Crowned Champs


Photo Ken Carozza

St. Raymond’s won 67-56 against hayes in the chsaa ny aa archdiocesan champ. Now the Ravens go on to the city playoffs.


Friday, February 22, 2013

Jasper's Ready for New Baseball Season



BRONX, NEW YORK, February 22- The Manhattan baseball team's accomplishments over the past seven years have put the Jaspers in elite company when it comes to Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference baseball success. The Jaspers have won three of the last seven MAAC Championships, four of five Regular-Season crowns and this senior class has accumulated a 44-2 home record during their careers. The Jaspers have built what many would consider a dynasty in Riverdale. Now with the 2013 campaign on the horizon, Manhattan has the opportunity accomplish a feat only two other programs have done in league history, win its third straight MAAC title.

The two-time defending conference champions return eight of nine starters from last year's club that won 33 games and was the only team in the nation to go undefeated at home with an unblemished 18-0 record at Van Cortlandt Park. With four All-MAAC First Team honorees from last season returning to a roster that has a plethora of postseason experience under their belts, Manhattan's lofty goals have grown larger than ever before.

"I don't think anyone from our team is going to be content just having another solid season. The consensus with this team is that we need to raise the bar," said second year head coach Jim Duffy. "I want to make sure we don't get too far ahead of ourselves, so our initial expectations are simple, get off to a better start than last year. Our ultimate goals for this year are to win the regular-season, go to the MAAC Tournament and take home the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. That would get us back to a NCAA Regional, where we will need to figure out a way to win it."

The Jaspers will rally behind senior co-captains Nick Camastro, Kyle Murphy, Ramon Ortega, John Soldinger and Matt Troisi, who held the same roles last season leading the team to prominence. The five captains laid the ground work for Manhattan's historic 2012 MAAC Championship run, as the Jaspers became the first team in league history to rally for the title after losing the first game of the double elimination tournament. The Jaspers won four games in three days to engrave their name in the record book.

"They each bring a different type of leadership to the table, but have the same goals and expectations," said Duffy. "They are part of a very special senior class here at Manhattan that deserves to finish their careers on a high note. The most impressive thing about that group is they know how to win and they respect what it takes to win. These captains work really hard and all lead by example."

Manhattan's roster features 23 returnees from last year's championship roster. The Jaspers also welcome a blend talent in its six freshmen who are expected to bolster the lineup.

Infield

Manhattan has one of the premier middle infields in the region in returning 2012 All-MAAC First Team selections Nick Camastro and Yoandry Galan. Kyle Murphy and Joe McClennan are expected to hold down the corners again, while Matt Troisi, Vin Teixeira and newcomer Christian Santisteban are also expected to be in the mix adding power to the lineup.

"In the middle infield I am pretty blessed, so I don't have to give that a lot of thought on game days. We do have some guys who are going to provide depth there," Duffy explained.

Camastro is a two-time All-MAAC selection who has been a mainstay in the Jasper lineup since his arrival in Riverdale. He has started all 163 career appearances and enters his final season with 166 hits. The senior from Lagrangeville, N.Y., is a game-changer who started all 59 games last season and was named to the MAAC All-Tournament Team after batting .476 to help lead Manhattan to the championship. The defensively sound infielder committed only three errors, starting in all 24 conference games last year. Camastro finished in the top-5 of the MAAC last season in hits (66), on-base percentage (.435), doubles (16) and plate appearances (267).

Galan was one of two Jaspers to start all 60 games last season. The 6 foot 1, 180-pound sophomore shortstop from Miami has established himself as an elite defensive shortstops in the Northeast. Galan is coming off his top offensive season hitting .305 during the regular-season, posting 53 hits, 22 RBI, 32 runs and stealing eight bases. Galan committed only five errors in 24 conference starts last year. He brings veteran postseason experience to the club, starting all four NCAA Tournament games for the Jaspers in his first two years with the program.

"We can have a combination of players on the corners, but the situation will be led by Kyle Murphy at first base and Joe McClennan at third. The guys behind them have big bats. I have done it before and will play the hot bat in those situations," said Duffy.

Murphy, a 6 foot 3, 210-pound senior from Waterbury, Conn., also brings a knack for winning to the roster. His clutch single in the top of the 11th inning in the 2012 MAAC Championship Game sent Manhattan off with a 3-2 victory. Murphy is a superb athlete who started 40 of his 58 appearances at first base last season. He finished the year ranked in the top-5 of the team for hits (47), RBI (26), total bases (69) and sacrifice bunts (5). In addition, his 14 doubles were the fifth most in the MAAC last season.

McClennan earned the everyday role at third base last season after the rookie displayed his defensive consistency and ability at the plate. The 6 foot 2 product of Highland Mills, N.Y. did not have an error in the last 23 games of the season, and made only five all year, helping Manhattan mount its title run. Offensively, he finished with 41 hits, including six doubles, and drove in 16 runs.

Troisi and Teixeira are expected to contribute either in the infield or in designated hitter role. Troisi is a 6 foot 5, 235-pound lefty from Brooklyn who hit .311 during the regular-season in 2012, finishing with two home runs and 15 RBI while starting 31 of 40 appearances.

Teixeira brings a big bat from the right side as he is also expected to drive in runs for the Jaspers. The 6 foot 4, 220-pound native of Hamden, Conn. started 22 of 28 appearances in 2012. He was named MAAC Rookie of the Week after putting his offensive skills on display in his Jasper debut going 4-for-4 from the plate with three RBI and a home run to lead Manhattan past Florida Atlantic.

Santisteban comes from perennial national high school baseball power Gulliver Prep in Miami. He adds a solid lefty bat to the lineup, going along with good baseball fundamentals. Santisteban was a three-time All Miami-Dade County honoree who hit over .400 in his final two years at Gulliver Prep.

Outfield

The Jaspers outfield will feature veterans Chris Kalousdian and Joe Rock, one of whom will take over the role in center field in the absence of 2012 First Team All-MAAC honoree Anthony Vega, who was selected in the 30th Round of the Major League Baseball Draft by the Baltimore Orioles. Andrew Gorecki and Aidan John O'Leary will also be competing for a starting job this season.

"The outfield is the toughest position, because we have some guys out there competing for starting spots, which is a good thing," said Duffy. "The most important thing is these guys have good experience and can bring leadership to the outfield.

Kalousdian offers flexibility to the Manhattan lineup with his versatility to play any position on the field. The junior from Kings Park, N.Y. emerged as one of the top defensive outfielders in the MAAC last year. He started 38 of 50 appearances, including all five games in the MAAC Tournament and in the NCAA Tournament against South Carolina. Kalousidan finished with 13 RBI and scored 17 runs last season.

Rock, a senior from Carmel, N.Y., is coming off his top season since his arrival in Riverdale. He started 31 of 42 appearances, hitting nearly .300 with 15 RBI and scoring 13 runs. Rock proved his ability to step up in the clutch with his season-saving solo home run in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Jaspers were down to their final two outs in the MAAC Championship. He hit .341 in MAAC contests.

Gorecki will be in the mix in the outfield as he offers a good lefty bat with power to the lineup. The 6 foot 2, 205-pound junior from Smithtown, N.Y., started 39 of 45 appearances last season, driving in 17 runs and posting six doubles.

The Jaspers can call on O'Leary for a dynamic athletic talent in the lineup. The sophomore from New Hampshire is one of the quickest players in the conference who covers a lot of ground in the outfield. He started 25 of 36 appearances last season, showing off his speed with two triples.

Catchers

Manhattan has plenty of depth behind the plate returning two-time All-MAAC selection in senior Ramon Ortega who garnered First Team honors last year. Junior Brendan Slattery, sophomore Mikey Miranda and freshman Chris Reynolds will all compete to contribute in 2013.

"Behind the plate we have four quality catchers," said Duffy. "They will be led by Ramon Ortega, because he has been there and done it for us before."

Ortega, a six foot, 200-pound native of Miami, led the MAAC with 51 RBIs last season to go along with seven home runs that were the third most in the conference. With Ortega's solid defensive skills he is arguably one of the top catchers in the Northeast. He blocks the ball well and has a strong arm that threw out 23 runners caught stealing in 2012. Ortega brings veteran leadership and postseason experience to the diamond. He was instrumental in guiding Manhattan to the MAAC championship last year after posting six RBI in five starts in the MAAC Championship to earn All-Tournament Team honors. Ortega has started 147 of 160 appearances at Manhattan, posting 158 hits and 103 RBI.

Slattery returned to the lineup midway through the 2012 season after recovering from an injury. He started 12 of 16 appearances and was a key contributor during Manhattan's postseason run. Slattery hit .391, posted a .565 slugging percentage and .440 on base percentage last season. He put his ability to hit in the clutch on display in the MAAC Championship round with the game winning RBI single to send the tournament to a decisive game seven. He adds power to the line up from the right side.

Miranda brings a lot of energy behind the plate with solid defensive skills. He receives the ball well and possesses above-average arm strength. The Miami native appeared in two games last year before suffering a season ending injury. Miranda is healthy entering the 2013 campaign and has been pushing the group swinging the bat as good as anyone on the roster in the preseason. Reynolds is a very athletic player from Wall, N.J. who comes to Manhattan after a successful career at St. Rose High School. He was a Shore Conference All-Division First Team selection and All-Monmouth County honoree. Reynolds' versatility will allow him to contribute on multiple positions on the field.

Pitchers

Manhattan's staff features a blend of experienced pitchers and talented newcomers who will compete for innings on the hill. Senior right-hander John Soldinger returns as the Jaspers' ace, and there will be a competition to fill in behind him for the next two weekend starter positions. Upperclassmen Matt Jordan and Scott McClennan bring experience to the mound, while sophomores Nick Girardi and Michael Scarinci are also expected to be in the mix. Junior Jacob Marchus will return to his role as Manhattan's closer in 2013.

"Soldinger is going to be pitching game one every weekend. That is what he wants and he has the accolades in the past to do that," said Duffy. "I also like the potential of our left-handed pitching, we don't have a lot of it, but the ability is there."

Soldinger, a 6 foot 3, 225-pound product from Bay Shore, N.Y., is a three-time All-MAAC selection who has earned MAAC Pitcher of the Year (2011) and MAAC Relief Pitcher of the Year (2010) honors during his career. Soldinger is a tremendous competitor who worked hard in the offseason to make his final campaign in Riverdale a memorable one. He finished last season as the MAAC leader and 10th nationally with six complete games. Soldinger was second in the league with six wins, five of which were in MAAC games. He has appeared in 53 games over his career maintaining a 3.35 ERA, and with 21 career wins, he is in striking distance of setting the program record.

Jordan is the most experienced of five lefties on the Jaspers' roster. He enters his final season at Manhattan healthier than ever before as he has fully comeback from an injury-plagued career. The 6 foot 3, 220-pounder from Kingston, N.Y., has split his time on the mound over his career as a starter or reliever. Jordan has a sneaky fastball with good command.

The Jaspers could also turn to McClennan, a six foot right-hander from Highland Mills, N.Y., who locates the ball well and has pitched big innings for Manhattan in his first two years. McClennan started 12 of 16 appearances in 2012, working 75 2/3 innings with 28 strikeouts. McClennan has postseason experience starting Manhattan's win over Canisius in the MAAC Championship round, and then he earned the start in the NCAA Tournament against Coastal Carolina.

Girardi and Scarinci earned good experience in their rookie campaigns. Girardi is a 5 foot 11 lefty who throws with good velocity and movement. He made 14 appearances last season, starting three times. The Syosset, N.Y. native who attended St. Dominic's High School registered 14 strikeouts in 17 1/3 innings.

Scarinci was one of the most valuable pitchers for the Jaspers last season as he split meaningful innings coming out of the bullpen or in a starting role. The right-hander from Nanuet, N.Y., led Manhattan and was third in the MAAC with 24 appearances. His six wins were the second most in the conference as he logged 28 strikeouts and gave up only 15 walks in 59 innings. Scarinci stepped up to the challenge against MAAC opponents, posting a 3-1 record and 3.68 ERA. He was named to the Primetime Performer Honor Roll by CollegeBaseball360.com after carrying a perfect game into the final inning in a regular-season win at Canisius, finishing with a two-hit shutout. Scarinci pitched 7 2/3 scoreless innings over two appearances at the MAAC Tournament, and then made his NCAA Tournament debut out of the bullpen against Coastal Carolina.

Manhattan has enjoyed consistent success when turning to Marchus to finish off games. The junior right hander from Miami maintained a team best 1.27 ERA in 21 appearances out of the bullpen in 2012. He struck out 14 batters and yielded only five walks in 21 1/3 innings of action, and did not give up an earned run in 10 MAAC appearances. Marchus is a fierce competitor on the mound who thrives on an excellent fastball. He finished the year second in the MAAC with eight saves.

Michael Martin, Casey Meyers and Yony Fernandez are the Jaspers other left-handed pitching options. Martin, a sophomore from Massapequa, N.Y., can either come out of the bullpen or hold a starting role. He enjoyed a successful summer ball season with the New York Atlantics of the Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League (ABCL) where he was named to the All-Star Team. He finished the campaign with a 2.83 ERA and a team-high 49 strikeouts pitching 35 innings in nine appearances.

Meyers comes from Brookside, N.J. where he was a First Team All New Jersey Athletic Conference selection at Mendham High School. He is a 6 foot 2, 190-pound freshman who is a tough competitor with great athleticism. Fernandez is a local product from All Hallows High School in the Bronx. A deceptive lefty with a funky delivery, Fernandez was a member of the 2011 All Hallows team that advanced to the Catholic High School Athletic Association (CHSAA) "AA" Championship game.

Kevin Bonanni and Jared Hirschberg are sophomore right-handers who are coming off injury plagued 2012 campaigns. Bonanni is a hard-throwing competitor on the mound who can be used as a starter or in relief. In his last full season (2011), he posted a 2-1 record with 3.65 ERA, striking out 17 batters in 24.2 innings of work. Hirschberg last pitched meaningful innings for the Jaspers in 2011, starting five of 14 appearances. The 6'3", 230-pounder from Katonah, N.Y., had 25 strikeouts in 35.0 innings.

Sean Abbate, a six foot right-handed pitcher from Levittown, N.Y., adds depth to the pitching staff out of the bullpen. He worked 16 innings over seven appearances last season as a freshman, posting six strikeouts. Right-handed newcomers Chris Liquori and Tyler Mulvaney will also compete for innings in relief. Liquori offers a good fastball and slider with command on the mound. The Wyckoff, N.J. native lettered at Ramapo High School where he was a two-time All-County honoree. Mulvaney is a third generation Jasper who lettered at Santa Monica High School in California. Mulvaney is a 6'3", 180-pound athlete who is expected to develop with the program.

Schedule

Manhattan is slated for a challenging 53-game 2013 campaign, which features season opening series at southern powers Florida International and Florida Gulf Coast. The Jaspers will also take on members of the Big East in 2013, in addition to a matchup with 2012 College World Series participant Stony Brook.

The Jaspers open the season at Florida International (Feb. 22-24), the first of six opponents Manhattan will face that won more than 30 games in 2012. Manhattan will play a three-game series with the Golden Panthers in Miami. Manhattan returns to the Sunshine State the following week for a four-game set in Fort Myers at Florida Gulf Coast (March 1-3).

Manhattan travels to the Steel City from March 8-10 to participate in the Panther Classic hosted by Pittsburgh. The Jaspers play Youngstown State (March 8-9) twice before taking on Pittsburgh (March 9-10) in the final two games of the weekend.

The Jaspers return to the metropolitan area for the next 10 road games, beginning on March 13 when they visit NYIT in Old Westbury, N.Y. Manhattan makes the short trip to South Orange, N.J., for four games as part of the Strikeout Cancer Tournament hosted by Seton Hall. They will play the Pirates and UMass twice each.

The MAAC schedule opens for Manhattan at Iona (March 23-24). The Jaspers then have a midweek doubleheader at Columbia before packing their bags for a longest conference road trip of the year to Western New York, where they visit Niagara (March 29-30).

Manhattan finishes out its 25-game season-opening road stretch at Hofstra (April 2). The Jaspers return to Van Cortlandt Park for the first time on April 3 to defend the nation's longest active home win streak (19) taking on Fordham. Manhattan was the only team in NCAA Division I to post an undefeated mark at home (18-0) last season.

The Jaspers enjoy eight of their next nine games in Riverdale, hosting Marist (April 6-7) for their first league home series. Manhattan's only road game during the two week stretch is at Stony Brook (April 10), the defending America East champions who won 52-games and advanced to the College World Series in 2012.

Manhattan continues league play with Rider (April 13-14) at home, and then hosts Hofstra (April 16). The Jaspers return to the road for a meeting with 2012 NCAA Tournament participant Army (April 17).

A rematch of the 2012 MAAC Baseball Championship will take place on April 20-21 when the league's runner-up Canisius visits Manhattan. NYIT (April 23) and Albany (April 24) round out the five-game homestand.

The Jaspers stay local when they travel to Saint Peter's (April 27-28) and Fordham (April 30). Manhattan then has a home-and-home series with Lafayette. The Leopards come to Van Cortlandt Park for a doubleheader on May 4. The next day Manhattan travels to Lafayette (May 5) for the third game of the series.

Manhattan takes on Fairfield (May 11-12) for its final home weekend of the year. The Jaspers wrap up the regular-season at Siena (May 16-17).

The 2013 MAAC Championships are scheduled May 23-26 at Waterfront Park in Trenton, N.J. The top four teams in the league qualify for the tournament.

Sunday, February 17, 2013

Bulldogs Nip Rams


(Photos Gary Quintal)

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, February 17-There was great basketball excitement on the Rose Hill campus of Fordham on Saturday. The Butler Bulldogs (21-5, 8-3), in its first season in the Atlantic-10 Conference, was making its initial visit to Fordham (6-20, 2-9) . The two schools had played once previously, on March 12, 1959, in the first round of the NIT. On Saturday, Butler, ranked #11 in the nation, was a prohibitive favorite, yet the game was the first sell-out of the season at the Rose Hill Gym and was nationally televised on the CBS Sports Network.

After the game concluded, both coaches were critical of those who believed they knew the final result before the game began. Fordham’s Tom Pecora heatedly commented, “We don’t want anyone to come here thinking they know the outcome.” Brad Stevens, head coach of Butler remarked, “It’s easy to say one team is going to win, but it’s hard to win.”

The Butler Bulldogs flourished during the early minutes of the game, scoring the first seven points. The lead did not continue as star senior Chris Gaston returned to action after missing the last seven games with injury. To the delight of the capacity crowd, he stepped on the floor in the third minute of the contest. The lead shrunk as Gaston scored the next five points and evaporated as freshman Ryan Rhoomes followed with two lay-ups to give the Rams a 9-7 advantage at 12:38.

At 7:32, a lay-up by Gaston led Fordham to its largest lead, 20-14. The visitors showed the reason for their high national ranking by ending the first half with a 16-6 scoring run and a 30-26 advantage. Butler guard Rotnei Clarke led the Bulldogs with 14 points and five rebounds during the first stanza.

The Rams, in front of a full-house of enthusiastic rooters, played with maximum effort. They scored the first nine points of the second half to move ahead, 35-30, at 16:13. Thirteen unanswered points by the Bulldogs followed to give Butler a 43-35 advantage at 14:05. The final Butler lead in the contest could not be overturned regardless of the efforts of the Fordham players or the wishes of the fans inside the gym.

The Fordham defense prevented the Bulldogs from sinking a field goal during the final four minutes of the game. The Rams were within one possession of tying the score with 18 seconds remaining, but four Butler free throws in those final seconds ensured the exciting victory for the visitors.

The return of Chris Gaston brought added strength and confidence to the Rams. Despite being absent for 13 games with a serious knee injury, Gaston looked in great form; he scored 21 on 9 for 17 from the field and grabbed six boards. The senior explained his feelings of being back on the court, “I was trying to get in rhythm. They weren’t trying to double-team me. I felt real comfortable. “Gaston’s career stats continued to rise; his 1,617 points rank 8th in Fordham scoring and his 1,014 rebounds are 3rd in Fordham career totals.

Although Fordham was unable to gain the victory, Pecora was quite pleased with performance of his team, “We’re getting better as a team. We played to the wire with the 11th ranked team in the country. We’re knocking on the door. We have to kick it in.” Of the remaining games to play this season, Pecora said, “With the performance we had today, why can’t we win the next five games?”

Fordham will return home for Senior Day on Saturday afternoon, February 23 to face Richmond.



Maritime Ends Season With Loss To Yeshiva




BRONX , NEW YORK, February 17- The Maritime basketball team lost its season-finale Saturday night at home to Skyline opponent Yeshiva University, 76-68, at the Riesenberg Hall Gymnasium. The Privateers end the year with a 4-19 overall record (3-15 Skyline), doubling their win total from the 2011-12 season, while the Maccabees improve to 11-14 (7-11 Skyline) and clinch the last seed in the Skyline Conference Tournament.

Senior Ron Bethea (Harlem, N.Y./Humanities Prep.) recorded his team-leading 10th 20-plus-point game of the season with 22 points, while sophomore Sean Corley (Harlem, N.Y./Thurgood Marshall) contributed 14 points and nine rebounds, just one board short of a double-double, to go along with six steals and five assists. Sophomore T-Vaughn Gibson (Freeport, Bahamas/Sunland Baptist) rounded out Maritime’s double-digit scorers with 18 points.

The game was a tale of two halves, as Yeshiva took a big lead in the latter part of the first half and went into the break with a 47-28 advantage. The Privateers charged back in the second half to cut the 19-point deficit to as little as five points, 62-57, at 7:09. The action was pretty even from there, but despite Maritime outscoring the Maccabees 40-29 in the second half, the Macs held on for the victory.

For Yeshiva, senior Gil Bash had a game-high 28 points and junior Shlomo Weissberg recorded a double-double with 18 points and 16 rebounds. Freshman Yosef Rosenthal added 10 points for the Macs. YU shot a season-high 70.7-percent from the field (29-for-41), which ranked as the sixth highest shooting percentage in a DIII game this season.

Friday, February 15, 2013

Maritime Suffers Tough Loss at Home

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BRONX, NEW YORK, February 15- The Maritime basketball team lost its home Skyline Conference game to SUNY Purchase Thursday night at the Riesenberg Hall Gymnasium, 71-41. The Privateers fall to 4-18 (3-14 Skyline) on the season, while the Panthers improve to 19-5 (13-4 Skyline) with the victory.
 
"Tonight was a tough loss to a very good team,” said head coach Jake Scott. “We'll look to rebound by having a good practice tomorrow and be ready for Saturday."
 
Senior Ron Bethea (Harlem, N.Y./Humanities Prep.) was two rebounds short of a double-double, as he registered a team-high 14 points and eight boards. SophomoreT-Vaughn Gibson (Freeport, Bahamas) recorded 10 points for the Privateers and classmateSean Corley (Harlem, N.Y./Thurgood Marshall) added eight points and three assists.
 
Purchase brought down 53 rebounds on the night compared to the Privateers’ 25 and also dominated the play down low, outscoring Maritime 24-12 in the paint. The Privateers also had an off night shooting from the field, connecting on a season-low 26.3-percent of their shots in the game.
 
The Panthers were led by senior Amar Reynolds, who scored a game-high 15 points, while sophomore Joel Neri added 14. Junior David Haughton contributed eight points and led all players with nine rebounds.
 
Maritime returns to action on Saturday night, when the team will be closing out the 2012-13 season with a home game against Yeshiva University at 8:30 p.m. at the Riesenberg Hall Gym. Prior to tipoff, the Privateers will be paying tribute to their three senior players, Bethea,Thomas Davis (Westbury, N.Y./Westbury) andJeremy Garcia (Suffern, N.Y./Suffern) with a special Senior Night Ceremony.

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Bronx News Sports: Maritime Drops To Mount St. Mary

Bronx News Sports: Maritime Drops To Mount St. Mary: --> BRONX, NEW YORK, February 13- The Maritime men’s basketball team lost to visiting Mount St. Mary College Tuesday night at the Ri...

Maritime Drops To Mount St. Mary

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BRONX, NEW YORK, February 13- The Maritime men’s basketball team lost to visiting Mount St. Mary College Tuesday night at the Riesenberg Hall Gymnasium by the score of 69-60. The Privateers fall to 4-17 (3-13 Skyline) on the season, while the Knights improve to 17-7 (13-4 Skyline).
"We worked very hard tonight and committed to our game plan,” said head coach Jake Scott. “Unfortunately, they hit some big shots in the second half. I am very proud of our players."
Senior Ron Bethea (Harlem, N.Y./Humanities Prep.) led all players with 26 points. Sophomore-transfer Sean Corley (Harlem, N.Y./Thurgood Marshall) recorded a double-double with 14 points and a team-high 14 rebounds, while also adding five assists and sophomore T-Vaughn Gibson (Freeport, Bahamas/Sunland Baptist) contributed eight points on the night.
The Privateers fell behind by as many as five points within the first eight minutes of the game, but took their first lead of the night, 15-12, at 10:24 on a three-pointer by Bethea. They held the lead for the remainder of the first half, going into the locker room at halftime up by one point, 29-28.
Mount St. Mary came out very strong to start the second half, spinning off a 21-3 run over the opening eight minutes to take a commanding 51-34 lead. Maritime fought back to within seven, 60-53, after a 19-9 run, but that was the closest the squad would come the rest of the night, as some clutch free-throw shooting down the line for the Knights kept the game out of reach.
Senior Ryan Straub and junior Joe Henain both had 17 points to lead Mount St. Mary and the 6-8 Henain recorded a game-high 19 rebounds. Junior Donte Howell rounded out the game’s double-digit scorers with 11 points.
The Privateers are back in action on Thursday night, Feb. 14, when they will play host to Purchase College. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. at the Riesenberg Hall Gymnasium.

Monday, February 11, 2013

Bronx News Sports: Spellman Coach Reaches 300 Wins

Bronx News Sports: Spellman Coach Reaches 300 Wins: --> BRONX, NEW YORK, February 11- The Cardinal Spellman Boys' Varsity Basketball team defeated Blessed Sacrament-St. Gabriel of ...

Spellman Coach Reaches 300 Wins

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BRONX, NEW YORK, February 11- The Cardinal Spellman Boys' Varsity Basketball team defeated Blessed Sacrament-St. Gabriel of New Rochelle 60-33, giving Coach Fred Opper his 300th win at Spellman. 
Coach Opper has led the Spellman Basketball team for 27 years, previously coaching at Mt. St. Michael and St. Agnes High School. In 1989, he was appointed to the position of Dean of Students at Spellman, and in 2005 became Boys' Athletic Director. A graduate of Mt. St. Michael and Fordham University, he is also a member of Fordham's Baseball Hall of Fame.

Bronx News Sports: Once a Mustang, now a pro!

Bronx News Sports: Once a Mustang, now a pro!: --> Janneh signs with VSI Tampa in the USL PRO By Gary Axelbank BRONX, NEW YORK, February 11- He made his mark at Monroe as...

Once a Mustang, now a pro!

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Janneh signs with VSI Tampa in the USL PRO
By Gary Axelbank
BRONX, NEW YORK, February 11- He made his mark at Monroe as a prolific scorer, a great teammate, and above all, a winner, and now Karamba Janneh of the Bronx, is a professional soccer player.  
Janneh has just signed a contract to play pro ball for VSI Tampa Bay in the USL PRO.
"This is what it's all about," said Coach Marcus Dibernardo.  "Karamba found a home at Monroe and became a wonderful player for us. He starred in the national tournament, completed his studies, and now he is making a living as a professional soccer player. The lesson is clear: become a Mustang, work hard and then the sky is your limit."
Janneh had 11 goals and five assists in 13 games with the 2011 Monroe team that won Region and District championships and played into the national finals.

Snow Delay Can't Save Rams

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18th Ranked University of Dayton Stops Fordham, 68-57



By Howard Goldin


BRONX, NEW YORK, February 11- A
heavy snowstorm in the northeast nearly postponed but did delay the start of the highly anticipated Atlantic-10 women’s basketball contest between the Fordham Rams (16-7, 6-2) and the 18th nationally ranked Flyers of the University of Dayton (21-1) by five hours. The Sunday evening game began at 7 pm in the Rose Hill Gym on Fordham’s Bronx campus.
The Rams, recording team statistics never achieved since joining the A-10 Conference nearly 20 years ago, were looking forward to a victory over a nationally ranked team to be taken seriously throughout the country.


The first half of the game saw the lead see-saw repeatedly and the score tied on 10 occasions. The largest advantage of the half was not achieved until the final minute of play when the Flyers took a 33-27 lead. The lead was cut to three as Marah Strickland sunk a three with five seconds on the clock.
Dayton made half-time adjustments, which allowed them to start the second half with a 14-5 scoring run that gave the Flyers its largest lead of the game, 47-35, at 14:28. Fordham immediately followed with a 14-7 run to cut the deficit to five, 54-49, with 7:45 remaining in the contest.


Most team statistics were close, but the disparity in several categories gave the win to the visitors. The Flyers scored 46 points in the paint contrasted with 16 for the Rams. Dayton took advantage to Fordham’s turnovers, scoring 18 from Fordham’s errors contrasted to only seven by the Rams. Dayton’s bench strength added 34 points, one-half of the team’s points. All of Fordham’s points were scored by its starting five.


Strickland led all scorers with 21points, which tied her career high. Erin Rooney scored 18. Arielle Collins netted 11, but was very active on defense as she tied her career high with six steals.
The next game for the Rams will take place at noon on Wednesday, February 13, at home against George Washington University. The mid-week matinee is a yearly event in which Bronx schools are invited to bring their students.