76ers escape with victory over Knicks
Christian Kelly has been a solid performer all season long with the Lock Haven men’s basketball team, but the 6-foot4, 210-pound junior guard has stepped it up a notch this month.
Kelly, at Phoenixville High grad, has averaged 20 points and 8.7 rebounds in four games in January. He had 21 and nine rebounds in an 83-65 PSAC East loss to East Stroudsburg last Wednesday in East Stroudsburg and 15 points and nine rebounds in a 78-74 league loss to California last Saturday in Lock Haven. Kelly has scored in doubles figures in all 12 games with a career-high 28 in an 8865 league win over Clarion on Dec. 1 in Lock Haven.
On the season, Kelly leads the Bald Eagles in scoring (18.0) and rebounding (6.5) with 19 assists, eight steals and six blocked shots.
“Christian has done a great job this year so far on and off the court,” coach Mike Nester said. “His numbers really jump out at you in terms of scoring and rebounding. I think he is finally comfortable not just with the style of play but with his situation with school and the team. I really think he is going to continue to improve and I’m excited to watch him grow.”
Lock Haven is 5-7 overall and 4-5 in league play after the losses to East Stroudsburg and California.
NATALIE WOJCIK (21ST CENTURY CYBER CHARTER ACADEMY) >> The freshman from Douglassville was named Big Ten Conference Gymnast of the Week and Freshman of the Week after kicking off her college career with the Michigan women’s gymnastics team with a big effort as the Wolverines opened the season by capturing the title at the Cancun Classic on Jan. 4 in Cancun, Mexico. Wojcik set a school record for a freshman in her debut by winning the all-around title with a score of 39.625. She won three of the four individual events – 9.975 in the vault, 9.900 on uneven bars and 9.925 on balance beam. She also had a 9.800 score on floor exercise. Wojcik followed that up by winning all-around (39.450), vault (9.950) and balance beam (9.875) as the Wolverines finished third in a quad meet last Friday in Tuscaloosa, Ala. behind Denver and host Alabama.
JAKOB CAMPBELL (BOYERTOWN) >> The sophomore scored an 8-3 decision at 125 pounds, but the Bucknell wrestling team dropped a 34-12 decision to Lehigh in an Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association match last Friday in Lewisburg. That lifted his record to 10-4 overall and 4-0 in dual matches with a fall and three major decisions. His twin brother, David, competes at 133 pounds for the Bison and is 2-8 overall and 0-4 in dual matches. Bucknell is 2-5 overall stands 0-2 in EIWA action, having opened the league season with a 26-9 loss to Navy on Jan. 5, also in Lewisburg.
PAYTON MILES (THE HILL SCHOOL) >> The junior from Limerick had another big meet as the Lehigh women’s swim team opened its second semester with a 164.5-133.5 Patriot League victory over Army last Friday in Bethlehem. Miles captured the 100 free in 51.75 and finished second to a teammate in the 50 free in 23.74. She also swam the anchor legs on both the 200 medley relay which finished first in 1:46.77 and the 500 freestyle which touched the wall first in 3:31.06. The Mountain Hawks are 7-1 overall and 4-0 in league meets.
AUTUMN SANDS (OWEN J. ROBERTS) >> The Lafayette freshman opened her track season with the women’s team by finishing first out of 18 runners in the 1,000 meter run at the Spartan Invitational last Friday at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Conference in Staten Island, N.Y. Her time was 3:06.46. Sands had a good season in her first year with the cross country team last fall. She finished 33rd in the Patriot League Championships in October with a 6,000 meter time of 23:04.8 and was 97th in the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional in November with a personal best 6k time of 23:02.8.
FRANKIE KRAUSS (SPRING-FORD) >> The senior is having a great season with the No. 13-ranked York wrestling team and he has been outstanding in the Spartans’ latest two tournaments. Krauss, ranked No. 4 in Division III at 184 pounds, went 5-0 in the Budd Whitehall Duals last Friday and Saturday in Williamsport. He had a fall, a major decision, a technical fall and two decisions, one 3-1 in overtime. At the Multi-National Duals on Jan. 4-5 in Lexington, Ky., Krauss went 4-0 with three decisions, one in overtime, and a forfeit victory. On the season, he’s 22-1 with three falls, three technical falls and three major decisions.
BECCA PAINTER (OWEN J. ROBERTS) >> The 5-foot-7 senior guard had a season-high 16 points with nine rebounds and four assists to lead the Lycoming women’s basketball team to a 77-55 MAC Commonwealth victory over King’s on Jan. 5 in Wilkes-Barre. She had four points, five rebounds and three steals in a 59-47 triumph over Hood last Saturday in Frederick, Md. to lift the Warriors to 13-4 overall and 7-1 in league play. Painter is averaging 7.4 points and 2.8 rebounds with 43 assists. She’s hit 17 of 47 from 3-point range (36.2 percent).
ALEX EPPS-ORTIZ (SPRING-FORD) >> The 6-foot-3 senior forward had a seasonhigh and team-high 19 points to help the 5-10 Rosemont men’s basketball team post an 86-56 Colonial States Athletic Conference victory over Bryn Athyn last Tuesday in Rosemont. He had 10 points in a 94-83 league loss to Keystone last Saturday in La Plume. Epps-Ortiz, who has played in 13 games with 11 starts, is averaging 7.0 points and 3.8 rebounds with 14 assists and 19 steals.
GABRIELLE TROISI (POPE JOHN PAUL II) >> The 5-foot-7 junior point guard helped the West Chester women’s basketball team post a pair of PSAC East road victories – 66-64 over Millersville on Jan. 5 and 62-43 over Mansfield last Wednesday. Troisi had six points, nine rebounds, seven assists and two steals against Millersville and three points, nine rebounds and six assists against Mansfield. She’s second on the team in scoring (11.6) and first in rebounding (8.5), assists (76) and steals (27), Golden Rams 7-10 overall and 3-6 in league play.
MITCH DOWD (OWEN J. ROBERTS) >> The sophomore was the best finisher for the Pitt-Bradford wrestling team at the Waynesburg Invitational which drew 18 squads on Jan. 5 in Waynesburg. Dowd, who finished sixth, posted a 3-1 overtime decision in the first round at 197 pounds, had byes in the next two rounds but was beaten 2-1 to fall into the consolation bracket. He saw his tournament come to an end with a 5-2 loss in the fifth-sixth match. Dowd is 6-8 on the season.
MIKE CIANCIULLI (POPE JOHN PAUL II) >> The 6-foot junior guard had a teamhigh 15 points but it wasn’t enough as the Delaware Valley men’s basketball team dropped a 76-66 decision to Misericordia in a MAC Freedom contest last Wednesday in Dallas. Cianciulli is third on the on the team in scoring with a 12.7 average. He also is averaging 3.5 rebounds with 20 assists and 17 steals. He’s scored 27 points on two occasions this season and has hit 23 of 74 3-point attempts (31.1 percent), the Aggies 6-9 overall and 2-2 in league play.