8 I The Behrend Beacon
Men's tennis: team wins AMCC
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team first. They want to win
for each other and that helps a
lot. All of the guys did well. We
had some illnesses and injuries
and everyone stepped up to fill
the voids left in the lineup."
Sophomore Elliot
Blackstone, who was playing
back in his hometown of
Wexford, led the Behrend
Lions by taking first in number
one singles over Frostburg
State's Greg Shedd. This year
was the second year that
Blackstone has won an AMCC
singles championship as he did
in 2008 for the number two sin-
Steelers: defeat Behrend Community All-Stars
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Dave Niland said. "The
Steelers put on a good show
and the fans were able to get
some autographs."
According to Niland, about
700 fans were in attendance
for the game which was a
fundraiser for the men's bas
ketball program.
"It was a good fundraiser.
similar to years passed,"
Niland said. "It helps us cover
a lot of the costs that we have
in trying to stay on par with
other programs. Fundraising is
a big part of a Division 111 ath
letic program."
Six Steelers players came to
Behrend including quarter
back Dennis Dixon, safety
Ryan Mundy, wide receiver
Brandon Williams, defensive
lineman Jordan Reffett, and
former wide receiver and first
round pick of the 1984 draft,
Louis Lipps.
"This was my first time play
ing here," Reffett said. "It was
cool to see the campus. It is a
very beautiful campus."
The Behrend Community
All-Stars consisted of Behrend
students, staff, and alumni.
"We try putting together the
team with the help of some
other people in the depart
ment," Niland said. "We like to
get students, faculty, staff,
alumni and those who have
supported us during the year
involved."
The audience consisted of
Behrend students along with
people from the community
and outside of the campus like
younger children and their
parents who love the Steelers.
"I thought it was a fun idea
and something different to do,"
freshman Jodie D'Onofrio said.
"And it was nice being able to
watch some of my friends play
in the game for Behrend."
The size difference between
the Steelers and the Behrend
players was a factor in the
game.
"When we were watching
'the Steelers] come out, there
were a few shorter guys so I
wanted to guard them," said
Dr. Ken Miller, Director of
Student Affairs. "But once you
get close to them, you see that
even though they are shorter,
they are all muscle."
From the tip-off, fans could
tell that both teams just wanted
to have fun and enjoy playing
the game.
"Playing is always a lot of
fun and sometimes we get the
chance to play five times a
week," Reffett said.
Behrend put the first points
on the scoreboard. Dixon
responded with the first points
for the Steelers to tie the game
"Last year was more impor
tant to me: the score of the
tournament was a lot closer."
Blackstone said. "I felt really
good, especially since
Frostburg had switched their
one and two singles players so
I had never played the guy
from Frostburg before."
According to Barger,
Blackstone moved from the
number two singles and dou
bles this year and did an out
standing job.
Junior Shane Mosier won
the number three singles and
senior James Getty won the
singles championship as he
The men's tennis team poses with their AMCC champions plaque
Senior basketball player
Torn Newman hit a three, but
the Steelers answered back
with three: consecutive three
pointers, two by Dixon and one
by Williams. This put the
Steelers up 8-18.
At the end of the first quar
ter, the Steelers had a com
manding 10-25 lead
Miller started a spark for
Behrend at the beginning of
the second quarter when he
drained a shot from behind the
arc and then a two point
jumper which brought the
Lions within seven points 20-
27.
With 4:38 remaining in the
half, Dixon soared through the
air and threw down a slam
dunk in his bright, black and
gold basketball shoes.
Behrend cut the 15-point
Steelers advantage to an eight
point game at halftime 28-36.
"[the Steelersi are tremen
dous athletes." Miller said.
"They are all fast and strong."
Miller also said that he felt
the Behrend Community All-
Stars were doing well in the
first half and were having fun.
"We feel small and little out
there," junior Cohn Yaniga
explained at halftime. "[The
Steelers] are bigger than you
expect them to he."
At halftime, fans swarmed
the court to get autographs
from the Steelers. Also during
the half was a 50-50 raffle for
an autographed Steelers foot
ball and Super Bowl program.
"I enjoy interacting with the
fans and getting out," Reffett
said. "We appreciate the fans
and we want to give back to
our fans."
The Behrend Community
All-Stars came out strong in
the start of the third quarter.
Behrend student R.. 1. Golub's
dish pass in the paint to stu
dent Mike Fairbank resulted in
two points.
Newman then made two
took the number tive singles.
..Our leadership this year
from ,lames Getty, a senior,
also helped," Barger said. "He
did his best to keep the guys
focused."
The Behrend Lions captured
two of the three doubles cham
pionships.
"Our doubles play has been
better the last couple of years,"
Barger said. "It really helps to
get those points."
F3lackstone teamed with
sophomore Jon Henderson in
number one doubles winning
8-3. Junior Kelly Manning and
sophomore John Michalko
won the number three doubles
Members of the Pittsburgh Sleelers sign autographs tor young fans
shots from three point territory
to bring the score to 38-40.
Miller hit another three
pointer which ended the third
quarter with the score 44-51 in
favor of the Steelers.
In the fourth quarter,
Behrend senior basketball
player Drew Seker drained a
three followed by another
three by Newman.
With Behrend only down by
three points, the game became
more serious and defense
tightened up on both sides of
the court.
Yaniga tied the score at 62
apiece. Dixon converted on
another three which secured
the win for the Steelers. The
Steelers won by one point, 68-
Second year Steeler Jordan Reffett looks for an open teammate
SPORTS
against Frostburg State.
Behrend ended the day with
22 points and was followed by
Penn State Altoona and
Frostburg State with 16 points
apiece. Altoona was named
runner up based on tiebreak
criteria.
The criteria was based on
the team with the most team
points in conference matches
in the regular season. Pitt-
Bradford and Pitt-Greensburg
had eight and one team points
respectively.
The Blue and White finished
the year with a perfect unde
feated conference record of 8-0
and 12-7 overall.
Changes in attitude have
really helped everybody on the
team raise their game, accord
ing to Blackstone.
"Our goal is always to try
hard and play hard," Barger
said. "Those things usually
lead to wins. We want to keep
the streak of match wins going.
The guys will work hard in the
summer and in the fall to get
us to that point."
Blackstone has team goals
and personal goals for next
season.
"My goals for the team are
another great season and
another championship,"
Blackstone said. "I'm going to
be focusing more on leader
ship and I'm just going to try to
keep my game fresh and not
get worse over the summer."
(,ONTRtI3I:TED PHOTO
"Naturally, we let them win,"
Newman said. "But it was a
good show for the audience,
and they were all rooting for
the Steelers. It felt like an
away game for the community
all-stars."
Even though the Steelers
were victorious, they proved
that they are better on the foot
ball field when compared to
the basketball court.
"It was a good experience,
playing against professional
athletes, but you could tell they
are not professional in basket
ball," Newman said.
59,11' T•eßerrerdßeaco'
2009 Major
League Baseball
Starting pitcher Paul Maholm of the Pittsburgh Pirates
The names of the 2009 MLB
season are Alex Rodriguez,
Randy Johnson, and Nick
Adenhart.
In local baseball news, the
Pittsburgh Pirates and
Cleveland Indians are looking
to improve upon their 2008
seasons with young stars.
On Feb. 7, Sports Illustrated
revealed Yankees third base
man Rodriguez tested positive
for anabolic steroids in 2003.
Two days later Rodriguez
admitted to taking a substance
called "boli" from 2001 to 2003.
His story included an eccentric
tale of how his cousin, Yuri
Sucart, injected the drug into
one another twice a month for
approximately two and a half
to three years.
According to ESPN.com
Rodriguez said, "We did every
thing to keep it between u5...1
knew we weren't taking tic
tacs."
What's most bothersome
about A-Rod's admission is he
would not come out and just
utter the words "I cheated, I'm
guilty." Instead he sidestepped
the obvious and endlessly
claimed he did not understand
the seriousness of his actions.
The faces of baseball over
the past decade include Mark
McGwire, Barry Bonds, Roger
Clemens, and Rodriguez. It is
sad to say they each cheated
their way to mega stardom.
Now moving on, 45-year-old
San Francisco Giants' pitcher
Randy Johnson is one healthy
season and 192 strike outs
away from becoming only the
second player in baseball his
tory to record 5,000 strike outs.
The other is Hall of Famer
Nolan Ryan who struck out
5,714 batters. Johnson has
some catching up to do.
Another ball player entered
this season looking to make
history: New York Mets out
fielder Gary Sheffield. He
already made his on April 17
when he hit home run number
500 to become the twenty-fifth
player in history to reach the
500 club.
In local baseball news, the
Pirates and Indians have start
ed the season in contrasting
and surprising ways. Through
April 22 the Indians are a dis
appointing 6-10 and the Pirates
have jumped out to a 9-6
record.
The Pittsburgh Pirates are
finally giving its fans some
thing to hope for. The Pirates
have shown to be a scrappy
bunch of veterans and young
sters hungry for competition.
Leading the Pirates pitching
staff is an up and coming ace
by the name of Paul Maholm.
Since June 2008 Maholm has
given up more than three runs
in just six out of 24 starts. So
far the Pirates pitching staff
has thrown an impressive four
shutouts.
The Pirates will hope that
center fielder Nate McLouth
can continue anchoring a less
than formidable line-up in
2008. Catcher Ryan Doumit's
wrist injury, which will likely
keep him out of play for over
two months, won't make
McLouth's job any easier.
Before the season is over
Pirates fans should have a
taste of what is to come with
Friday, April 24, 2009
Update
By Shawn Annarelli
contributing writer
smaslB9(u psu.edu
several of their young
prospects. In the minors the
Pirates have two top prospects:
an infielder Neil Walker and
outfielder Andrew McCutchen.
They should be called up
before the season's end.
The Indians entered the sea
son with redundant questions
surrounding their pitching
staff. If the first three weeks of
the season are any indication it
is that the questions are
mounting as the potential
answers dissipate. 2008 AL Cy
Young Award winner Cliff Lee
is supposed to be the ace, but
he has gotten off to a slow
start. Aside from Lee the only
pitcher likely to stick in the
five man starting rotation is
Fausto Carmona. The Indians
are in deep trouble if they can
only run out two legitimate
starters every five days.
Cleveland will sport a formi
dable line up. Catcher Victor
Martinez, right fielder Shin-
Soo Choo and center fielder
Grady Sizemore will anchor
the line up. Sizemore has
gradually improved each year
in the majors to quietly
become one of the best all
around players in the game.
One player in the Indians
organization to look out for
this year and those to come is
left fielder Matt LaPorta.
LaPorta was acquired in trade
last year that sent C.C.
Sabathia to the Milwaukee
Brewers. He is one of base
ball's top prospects.
On April 9 Los Angeles
Angels starting pitcher Nick
Adenhart passed away along
with two close friends in a car
accident on a night that fore
shadowed a bright career for
an even better young man.
Adenhart pitched six scoreless
innings in his 2009 debut,
which was attended by his
father and three close friends.
He will not be remembered so
much for his performance that
night as he will be for promise
he had as a person.
Hours after the game ended
Adenhart, 22 years old, asked
his father if it was okay if he
went out to celebrate the night
with the same three friends.
His father obliged, and out into
the night he went.
As the four young people,
one of which was Adenhart's
girlfriend, traveled though an
intersection another motorist
fatally hit them. Only one of
his friends survived the crash.
Adenhart's life ended too
shortly, though memories of
him will live on forever.
Despite certain fame
Adenhart was always humble
and giddy to be living out his
dream in the majors. At a
young age he aspired to be like
Cal Ripken Jr., but his knack
was for pitching. His friends
and family described the joy
and aura that surrounded
Adenhart wherever he went.
His mother wrote in a letter
to her deceased son, "When
you called me after the game,
the accomplished tone in your
voice and the satisfaction in
your words is something I had
longed to hear from you," the
letter stated. "The joy you
brought to us on and off the
field will be in our hearts forev
er."
CONTPIBUTFP PHOTO