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BEAR.SPORTS.NEWS SUNDAY EDITION 01.26.2014
Good news about a Bear; Sam McDonough was named a Captain of the Bucknell Lacrosse team. See below for the other Bears who have earned a true measure of merit which reflects the views of teammates who see the dedication on and off the field, the little contributions that do not go into the scorebook and the look on his face during key moments of the game.
Highlights: Jay Sharp III gets his UNLV jersey. Chris Hudnut named the Maine College Hoops Player-of-the-week. Joe McDonald does a post-game interview. Sam Anas’ mid air pass to himself and shot for a goal is recognized as NCAA Hockey’s play-of-the-week.
Middle School Students/Athletes/Community participants
Under the leadership of Meredith Josef, the Communications Office has done a superb job of reporting the good news about Landon. The recent piece about Bears in speed skating and trampoline involved digging up the facts. Here’s another example:
” Middle schoolers teach hoops to Special Olympians
Special-needs kids learn basketball skills in “Landon League”
Almost every Sunday from January through March, something special happens in the gym at the Barton Alumni Athletic Center: A number of Landon middle schoolers join forces with parents, as well as students from other area schools, to help young Special Olympics athletes hone their basketball skills.
Held in two sessions — one for elementary and one for middle schoolers — each Sunday, the so-called “Landon League” provides special-needs athletes with the opportunity to learn the essential basketball abilities of dribbling, passing, shooting, defense and, of course, teamwork. It also gives the kids an organized setting to play timed and scored five-on-five games, with an always eagerly anticipated “round robin” tournament the first weekend in March.
According to Dean Packard, who co-runs the league with Stu Nibley, P ’05 ’07 ’09, and whose daughter Joelle Packard (a Brokewood middle-school student with Down syndrome) is a player, the program has really made strides since it moved to Landon three years ago.
“The way I look at it, typically developing kids have a whistle, a ref, lines, boundaries, a clock and a uniform. Our kids didn’t have any of that stuff,” said Packard. “They’re already a little disoriented, so I thought it would be helpful to have that structure, and it’s turned out to be very fun.”
Nick Pappas ’18, a Landon eighth grader now in his second year as a volunteer, agrees. Although academics and his commitments to the Landon Middle School swim team keep Pappas busy during the winter, it is an easy call to attend Special Olympics basketball sessions.
“When you walk off the court that day, it’s so much fun knowing that you’ve helped someone,” said Pappas. “You see the smile on their face, and they’re so happy. That just makes you feel really good about yourself.”
In addition to bringing out the best in people, the league also helps forge a sense of community. Volunteers, including Pappas and classmate Alex Freed ’18, get assigned to one of four teams, work with that team’s athletes during warm-ups and drills, and then play with them during the games that close out each session.
“I’ve gotten to build a couple of really strong relationships with the kids in the basketball program,” Pappas said, citing his friendship with Joelle Packard. “I see her every weekend and get to talk to her, and she’s really nice. It’s good to know her.”
According to Joelle, the feeling is mutual. “The whole shebang — for me to be on a basketball team with special-needs kids — is really awesome,” said Packard, who’s been active in the program since age 4.
“When I was little, I made a buzzer shot at the end of the game,” she recalled. “It was like the end of a Disney movie.”
Bear Football Trax
Picture of Jay Sharp with his new UNLV jersey
Bear Lax Trax Fax
Here is what we have accumulated as the list of Bears who have been named to lead their college lacrosse teams. The records (memories) are not as perfect as need be; so anyone who sees an omission, please send an email (sandy_murdock@yahoo.com ):
Bears as College Captains TOTAL = 25
Bucknell
Sam McDonough
Cornell
Brian Rodgers
George Boiardi
DUKE
Kevin Cosimano
Jim Mannino
David Evans
JHU
Jake Byrne
Loyola
Mike Day
Maryland
Andy Burman
Danny McCormick
Brendan Healy
Ian Healy
Mike Griswold
Navy
Matt Morrison
Middlebury
Travis Meyer
Notre Dame
Alex Cade
Burke Hayes
Penn
Andy Blechman
Princeton
Brendan Reilly
Jack Strabo
Virginia
Harmar Thompson
Ryan Curtis
Ted Lamade
Matt Ward (2X)
Bear Alumni HOOPS
Joe McDonald’s post-game interview– http://www.gwsports.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/012514aaa.html
Landon’s Chris Hudnut was named the Maine Men’s Basketball Coaches and Writers Association Player of the Week for the second time this season .http://www.colby.edu/athletics_cs/mbchud1-22-14.cfm#sthash.KE2Q8DQ3.dpuf
BEAR | YEAR | POSITION and # | GAME(S) | NOTES | |
Danny Rubin | ‘14 | BC | Guard | L GT 60-68 | |
Darion Atkins | ‘15 | UVa | Forward | W UNC 76-61 | 6 min. |
Joe McDonald | ‘16 | GWU | Guard | W GMU 75-69 | Started |
Chris Hudnut | ‘16 | Colby | Center | W Thomas 79-63 | 25 pts |
Bear Alumni HOCKEY
Sam Anas (Potomac, Md.) scored twice in the #4 ranked Bobcats’ 6-3 loss at Merrimack on Saturday, Jan. 18. His second goal of the game, and Quinnipiac’s third, was recognized by NCAA.com as the Top Play of the Week. http://www.quinnipiacbobcats.com/sports/mice/2013-14/releases/20140121v27ykv
Jake Sofer kissing the Mayor’s Cup after RPI’s win over crosstown rival Union, which was ranked #3 coming into the game.
Track and Field
Malachi Bostic-Wattley, freshman for Bucknell, finished 2nd in the 200 meter dash at 22.58 in the Gulden Invitational.
No results for Jordan Marshall- Davidson, Deion Wellington– Coastal Carolina and Mac Hightower– Claremont McKenna College
Swimming
John Freeman swam the 50 yard freestyle for Williams in upsetting MIT 159-137.
No results for Jordan Gear at USC.
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