By Ed Farrell
Herald Assistant Sports Editor
THIEL COLLEGE heavyweight Kyle Brown annexed his 100th career collegiate win recently by posting a 4-1 mark at the Rochester Institute of Technology Invitational.
Brown (101-27), a 3-year starter and 3-time Dean’s List student, has been selected 3 times as a National Wrestling Coaches’ Association Scholar All-American. A physics major, he carries a 3.3 grade-point-average.
In addition, Brown is the 3-time reigning Presidents’ Athletic Conference kingpin and ended as runner-up at the 2005 Midwest Regional qualifier after winning the NCAA Division III Championships’ 285-pound bracket.
“For someone to come up through our program for four years is a great accomplishment. It takes a lot of commitment to be successful academically as well as athletically,” noted Tomcats’ taskmaster Craig Thurber. “Kyle has displayed that commitment during the past few years. He is a leader on and off the mat. Kyle has set the standard for our wrestling program.
“The one thing that I have noticed more than anything is his confidence,” Thurber, a former Greenville High PIAA champion and NCAA Division II All-American at Pitt-Johnstown. “He knows when he steps on the mat he is going to win. Kyle is extremely athletic for his size, and when he has the confidence and desire to win it makes my job a lot easier.”
Brown is 14-3 this season and already twice has been selected PAC wrestler of the week.
“As far as the wrestling program at Thiel goes, I think it is great,” Brown began. “I feel like I have grown up as a wrestler. The coaching style of coach Thurber goes hand-in-hand with the way I wrestle. I believe in what he teaches and that has been a huge factor in my success. Even more important, I trust him as a coach and as someone I could turn to for anything.
“Of course, I would love to be a national champion and that is the goal I am striving for,” Brown continued. “I am sure that as I work to achieve that, all the rest will fall in place, such as becoming a national qualifier, an All-American and a Scholar All-American. I am looking for this to be a big year, not only for myself, but also for a lot of my teammates and my team. I think if we go work hard and do the things we are capable of, everyone will see big things from Thiel College wrestling.”
Thiel travels to Ada, Ohio for the Ohio Northern invite.
ä Another matman performing well is former Reynolds High standout Mason Stewart, a Washington & Jefferson College freshman 149-pounder. Stewart scored a pair of falls and a 3-2 record at the recent York Spartan Invitational, where the Prexies placed 8th in the 11-team event with 23 points.
ä Former Jamestown High standout Joe Herrmann has returned to form for Thiel’s basketball team. Following a sensational freshman season, Herrmann left the Tomcats midway through his sophomore season last year.
However Herrmann hammered home a 30-point, 15-rebound, 5-assist, 5-blocked shots line in leading the Tomcats’ 77-66 non-conference win over Lancaster Bible. By averaging 18.5 ppg., 8.5 rpg., 3 apg. and 2.5 bpg. last week in 2 games the 6-foot-5 Herrmann was chosen PAC player of the week.
Another junior forward with local ties, Sharron Summerville (Kennedy Catholic High), contributed a 15-point, 7-rebound, 5-assist line to Thiel’s triumph. A third local Thiel cager is Brandon Mirizio (Kennedy Catholic), a sophomore guard who transferred from Juniata College.
Sports
Related Photos
Thiel's Brown notches 100th mat win; Stewart doing well at W&J
Collegiate Notebook
- Sports
-
-
PIAA Track: Hickory's Bell, Lubarski, Regginello grab gold
SHIPPENSBURG — There’s a big difference between being seeded 1st and finishing 1st — Matt Bell can attest to that.
After settling for silver last year, the Hickory High senior put the shot 59 feet, 6 3/4 inches Friday afternoon to garner gold at the annual PIAA Track & Field Championships at Shippensburg University. -
WM to play for D-10 baseball title; GC, Sharon, Sharpsville lose
Four area baseball teams were in action on Friday in the District 10 semifinals as the squads battled to compete for District 10 championships on Monday.
West Middlesex rolled past error-prone Linesville, 8-0, in Class A action at Slippery Rock University’s Jack Critchfield Park.
In Class AA, both Sharon and Sharpsville suffered 2-1 losses. The Tigers fell to Saegertown at Ainsworth Field in Erie while the Blue Devils lost to Titusville at SRU.
In Class AAA, the Grove City Eagles were denied the chance to defend their D-10 crown after suffering a 6-3 loss to Warren at SRU. -
Farrell volleyball falls in D-10 semifinals
The Farrell High boys volleyball team suffered a 2-0 (25-15, 25-12) loss to Saegertown on Thursday night in the District 10 semifinals at Meadville Area High’s “House of Thrills.”
“This was the first year we made it out of the first day (pool play) of the playoffs,” said Steelers’ coach Dan Dragicevic. “I’d like to cite my seniors (Eric Demus, Anthony Perkins, Jaylen Chambers and Lawrence Hughes). -
Locals ready to go for gold at Shippensburg
Now that Mercer County is on the map, it’s incumbent upon the area aggregation to chart a course for the ultimate destination — Seth Grove Stadium’s medals stand — during this weekend’s PIAA Track & Field Championships.
Led by West Middlesex High sprinter Clay Allen, many Mercer Countians are seeded at or near the top of their respective events for the annual 2-day marathon at Shippensburg University, which commences 9 a.m. Friday. It will continue beginning 9 a.m. Saturday. -
D-10 Playoffs: Local teams go 6-for-6
ä Grove City 1, Harbor Creek 0 — At Slippery Rock University’s Jack Critchfield Park, what the Grove City Eagles couldn’t accomplish themselves, the Harbor Creek Huskies unwittingly did for them.
Unable to plate runs themselves, Torin Smith scored the Eagles’ only run when teammate Tyler Devine’s seeming inning-ending pop-up to left field was dropped by Harbor Creek’s Chris Merritt in the bottom of the 7th inning of Tuesday’s tourney opener. -
Great year for WM track; local qualifiers listed
It’s been a big year for the Big Reds.
Though there’s no official documentation, the 2011-12 academic year may be the most successful in West Middlesex High’s athletic annals. -
SPORTVIEW: Local names Kroko, Lutz, Kareklas in news elsewhere
IT’S ALWAYS GOOD to hear of former area people who have gone on to athletic success in other areas, or the family of former area residents. Following are a few of those stories:
ä Bob and Betty Kroko of Sharon are avid followers of professional baseball. No, not necessarily the Pittsburgh Pirates or Cleveland Indians like many local fans.
The Krokos keep a close eye on the Austria Major League! -
Petty an all-around great athlete in track and gymnastics
When Mercer County’s contingent convenes at the annual PIAA Track & Field Championships this weekend, it will be well represented
Clay Allen, Matt Bell, John Yohman, Johnathan Jacoway, Jeremy Jansco, Nico Zahniser, DeShawn Coleman, Dan Jaskowak, et all, should haul home some hardware. But with all due respect, the aforementioned young men may or may not be best athletes in the area’s aggregation that will assemble this weekend at Shippensburg University. -
Lubarski, Richards, Petty, Allen shine at D-10 Track Championships; Hickory girls, WM boys team champs
Hickory High’s high-jump state champion Lauren Lubarski suffered a severe blow to open her competion at the annual District 10 Class AA Track & Field Championships Saturday at Hickory HIgh Stadium.
She failed to qualify for state in the event she had won the previous year. -
Baseball, softball D-10 playoff pairings
The District 10 pairings for the baseball and softball playoffs have been released. Five area baseball teams and four (possibly 5) softball squads have qualified.
- More Sports Headlines
-
