Ward's Dream Continues at D-III

Jon Ward, a recent graduate of Parkland (Pa.) High School, could have been a big-time Division I basketball recruit. He found out that D-I is a big business ... a cutthroat business ... one that left a bitter taste in his mouth. In this story from Keith Groller of the Allentown Morning Call, Ward reflects on his D-I recruiting experience, he discovers that Ursinus College, the Centennial Conference, and Division III may be just the place for him to continue following his dream.

Trophy Time

Last weekend, the Centennial Conference crowned three champions in women's lacrosse and men's and women's golf. This weekend, we'll present championship trophies to seven more teams in baseball, softball, tennis, track and field and men's lacrosse. How can you keep up-to-date with all the latest results? The fastest way is to follow us on Twitter, as we'll be posting updates to our feed throughout the weekend. Don't have a Twitter account? It's easy to join and receive updates via web or cell. You can also get live stats from our championship websites.

Baseball Championship website
The biggest challenge facing the four teams in the tournament could be the weather, as rain will be a persistent factor. Top-seed Ursinus opens play at home today against #4 Haverford, while #2 Johns Hopkins plays host to #3 Franklin & Marshall. The losers meet in Collegeville on Saturday at 9 a.m., while the winners square off at 12:30 p.m. The Bears have one of the trump cards in the deck in Conference Pitcher of the Year Zeb Engle. Johns Hopkins counters with the Centennial Player of the Year in Todd Emr.

Men's Lacrosse Championship website
There's something different about this year's tournament ... oh yes, we're not in Gettysburg or Chestertown. For the first time in the tourney's nine-year history, the four teams will meet at Swan Field in Haverford. The top-seeded Fords take on #4 McDaniel in the opening game today at 1:30, while six-time defending champion Gettysburg and Washington tangle in the nightcap. Something has to give today ... neither Haverford nor the Terror has ever won a CC playoff game, while the Bullets and Shoremen are a perfect 8-0 in Centennial semifinal contests. The winners meet Sunday at 1 p.m. in Haverford for the title.

Men's Tennis Championship website
For the third straight season, Johns Hopkins welcomes the CC's top tennis teams to Baltimore for the Conference championship. The two-time defending champion Blue Jays open play this morning at 11 a.m. against #4 Washington in a matchup of the only two teams to win the Centennial title. #2 Swarthmore entertains #3 Haverford at 3 p.m. Hopkins features CC Player of the Year David Maldow at #1 singles.

Track and Field Championship websites - Men / Women
The 16th annual Conference championship gets underway today in Lancaster with the multi-events and the 10,000 meters. Haverford has won 15 consecutive men's crowns and the last three women's titles. For the men, the most competitive event could be the triple jump between Haverford's Chaz Thomas (47-0 1/2) and Ursinus' Travis Youngs (46-9). For the women, we'll be watching the 1,500 as Muhlenberg's Jenn Lynch (4:41.95) will battle Ursinus' Christa Johnson (4:43.41), Hopkins' Laura Paulsen (4:43.96) and Swarthmore's Cait Mullarkey (4:44.02) to the wire.

Women's Tennis Championship website
The best netters in the Conference meet in the Charm City as Hopkins meets Haverford and Washington takes on Muhlenberg beginning Saturday at 11 a.m. The Jays, ranked ninth nationally, will look to the 1-2 combo of Carolyn Warren and Anita Bhamidipati to carry them to their third straight title.

Softball Championship website
The annual double-elimination softball tournament will once again be held at Ursinus beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday morning. Gettysburg, led by Conference Player of the Year Erin Ober, and Muhlenberg get things started, while UC and Haverford plays in the day's second game. The top-seeded Bears will hand the ball over to Centennial Pitcher of the Year Lauren Davis and a 0.75 ERA as UC looks to defend its title.

Championship Weekend - The April Edition

It's time to raise the curtain on spring championship season with visits to Abbottstown, New Tripoli, and Lancaster, Pa., for the men's golf, women's golf and women's lacrosse tournaments. Follow us on Twitter for up-to-the-moment results from all three events. Here is a preview of what you'll see this weekend.

Men's Golf
The 2009 Centennial Conference championship will be hosted by Gettysburg College at The Bridges Golf Club in Abbottstown, Pa. on April 24-26. McDaniel is the defending champion and is looking for its fourth title in the last five years. The championship chase could be extremely tight over the 54-hole event. Franklin & Marshall has the lowest team stroke average at 309.9, with McDaniel (314.1), Dickinson (314.9) and Muhlenberg (315.1) all within one shot. The Diplomats have three of the five lowest individual stroke averages, led by junior Andrew Woods (Simsbury, CT / Simsbury) at 75.5. Dickinson soph Joey Goldstein (Potomac, MD / Winston Churchill) is second at 75.9.

Women's Golf
The 2009 Centennial Conference championship will be hosted by Muhlenberg College at the Olde Homestead Golf Club in New Tripoli, Pa. on Saturday-Sunday, April 25-26. Gettysburg is the defending champion, defeating McDaniel by the smallest margin in Conference championship history (10 shots). The Bullets and McDaniel appear to be the top contenders for the title. Gettysburg has the Conference's lowest team stroke average (368.2), while the Green Terror is less than two strokes back (370.0). The two teams have gone head-to-head twice this season with each squad winning once. Franklin & Marshall's Grace Gallagher (Scotts Valley, CA / Archbishop Mitty) has the third-best individual average (90.0) and has placed in the top five in seven of her eight events this season. Gallagher and three others – Gettysburg's Leah Tuscano (Aurora, IL / Waubonsie Valley), and McDaniel's Jennie Weiner (Stony Brook, NY / Ward Melville) and Nicole Christy (Towson, MD) – earned first-team All-Centennial honors last season by finishing in the top five at the tournament. McDaniel's Elyse Massa (Wescosville, PA / Emmaus) is the lone golfer with a sub-90 average (89.8).

Women's Lacrosse
One of the premier Division III tournaments in the country began on Wednesday as Dickinson upended McDaniel, 19-11, in the first round to advance to the final four in Lancaster. Waiting for the Red Devils (11-6) is top-seeded and second-ranked Franklin & Marshall (15-1), while fourth-ranked Gettysburg (13-2) squares off with Muhlenberg (10-3) in the nightcap. The two-time defending champion Diplomats and the Bullets have met in the final in each of the last six years. Dickinson and Muhlenberg look to advance to their first-ever final. Eight first-team All-Centennial players will be on display this weekend, headlined by Conference Player of the Year Hollis Stahl from Gettysburg.

There's a Chance

It's the final weekend of regular-season play in the Conference - in addition to being "Championship Weekend" for golf and women's lacrosse. When it comes to baseball, softball, tennis and men's lacrosse ... it's "white-knuckle" time. A time when a win and a timely loss by an opponent can lead to a playoff berth. A time when a defeat leads to sweaty palms and knots in the gut as you wait to find out your playoff future. But one thing is for certain as we enter the final stretch ... "There's A Chance."

Baseball
Ursinus (12-4 CC) can clinch the top seed for next weekend's tournament with a sweep of Gettysburg. A split or a Bullet sweep creates all sorts of possibilities. The Bears take the No. 1 slot in a 13-5 tie with F&M (11-5 CC). Haverford (11-5 CC) is the top seed in a 13-5 deadlock with Ursinus and/or the Diplomats. Johns Hopkins (11-5 CC) gets the #1 spot in a 13-5 tie with Ursinus and F&M or a 12-6 tie with all three teams. Franklin & Marshall's lone hope for the top spot is a sweep of McDaniel, two wins from Gettysburg and a Haverford/Hopkins split. McDaniel can still slip into the tournament with a win vs. Hopkins, a sweep of F&M and a Haverford sweep of JHU ... that is, if the Fords finish ahead of the Bears in the standings.

Softball
The Ursinus-Muhlenberg doubleheader will determine the top seed for next weekend's tourney. The Bears (12-2 CC) need one win to secure homefield advantage, while the Mules (11-3 CC) must sweep UC for the #1 slot. Haverford (10-4 CC) and Gettysburg (9-4-1 CC) have locked up the other spots.

Men's Lacrosse
Did you know that the possibility of a six-way tie exists for fourth place? We did ... and here's how it shakes out. Three teams are 3-4 in the CC - Swarthmore, McDaniel and Muhlenberg. The Garnet is in the playoffs with a win vs. Haverford and a Muhlenberg loss to Ursinus. The Green Terror is in with a win tonight vs. Dickinson and a Swarthmore loss. The Mules get the #4 position with a win over the Bears and a McDaniel loss. If those three teams all win, Swarthmore wins a goal-differential tie-breaker. If they all lose ... and Franklin & Marshall defeats Gettysburg ... there is a six-way tie at 3-5. In that scenario, McDaniel is the #4 seed. If the Bullets defeat the Diplomats and we are left with a five-way deadlock, Ursinus is the #4 seed.

Men's Tennis
Johns Hopkins (8-0 CC) can clinch the #1 seed with a win against Haverford (7-1 CC) on Saturday. A Ford victory and a Swarthmore (7-1 CC) loss to Franklin & Marshall (5-3 CC) gives Haverford the top spot. A Garnet victory would create a three-way tie at 8-1. If Haverford scores at least seven points vs. Hopkins, the Fords are #1. Five or six points gives the Jays the #1 seed. Washington (5-3 CC) secures the #4 seed with a win vs. Dickinson. A Shoremen loss and an F&M win gives the Diplomats the final berth. Losses by WC and F&M creates a three-way tie for fourth place. In that scenario, if Dickinson scores seven or more points, the Red Devils get the final seed.

Women's Tennis
The four playoff teams are set - Johns Hopkins (8-0 CC), Haverford (7-2 CC), Washington (7-2 CC) and Muhlenberg (6-2 CC) - and the tournament will be played in Baltimore next weekend. The Shorewomen are the #2 seed with a win against Dickinson, while a Red Devil victory opens the door for the Mules to take the second spot with wins against Bryn Mawr and Gettysburg. Losses by Washington and Muhlenberg leave the door open for the Fords to take the #2 position with a win against Hopkins.

The Opening Draw

The 2009 Centennial Conference spring championship season gets underway today with the opening draw in Carlisle, Pa., as Dickinson plays host to McDaniel in the first round of the women's lacrosse tournament. The two teams met just seven days ago in Westminster with the Red Devils coming out on top, 8-7, behind three goals from Kelsey Muir. Dickinson and McDaniel have met once before in the Centennial playoffs in the 2005 first round, won by the Green Terror, 10-7, in Carlisle. The Red Devils are 0-4 in CC tournament play, while McDaniel is 3-4 and a perfect 3-0 in first round games.

Tuesday's Top Games

Gettysburg at Franklin & Marshall (Women's Lacrosse)
The Bullets (8-0 CC, 13-1) and the Diplomats (8-0, 14-1) meet for the regular-season crown, along with the top seed and homefield advantage for this weekend's Conference tournament. On top of all that ... this is a rivalry game in a series that began in 1975. What makes a great rivalry? Proximity (60 miles from campus-to-campus). Tradition (Gettysburg and F&M have combined to win the last six Centennial championships). Respect (the teams have met in the CC final in each of the last six years and have been ranked in the final national top 10 in each of the last four seasons). F&M holds a 23-21-1 series advantage, including five straight wins. Gettysburg has not defeated the Diplomats in Lancaster since 2005.

Who to watch for today? Gettysburg features a potent 1-2 combo in Nina Emala (36-31-67) and Hollis Stahl (48-6-54), while F&M counters with Shannon Summers (32-51-83) and Jen Pritchard (46-9-55). But the game may be decided between the pipes with the Bullets' Kristen Krammer (7.33 GAA) and the Dips' Lidia Sanza (6.39 GAA).

Swarthmore at Haverford (Men's Tennis)
Speaking of rivalries ... this one reached new heights last season as the Fords defeated the Garnet for the first time ever. Game On! Haverford (7-0, 12-2) is tied for first place in the Conference with Johns Hopkins, while Swarthmore (6-1, 8-6) is a game behind both. The Fords' Tom Kinrade has won eight straight matches and has a 10-1 mark at No. 2 singles. He joins Alex Buxbaum at the top of the doubles ladder and the dup has a 9-3 mark. Swarthmore's Zak Kelm continues to impress at #3 singles with a nine consecutive wins and a 13-5 overall record. Kelm and Kevin Shaughnessy will take on the Haverford #1 doubles team.

Spring, The Way It Should Be

Now this is what I'm talking about ... beautiful clear, sunny skies ... highs in the 70s ... and lots of important games around the Conference. It's promises to be a great weekend weather-wise, and a great weekend for the victors.

Franklin & Marshall at Haverford (Friday, Baseball)
The Fords (10-3 CC, 16-10-1) are fresh off a 10-2 win at F&M yesterday and look to move two games in front of the Diplomats (8-3, 15-10-1) with four remaining in their quest for a regular-season Centennial title. Can F&M pitching silence the big bats of Haverford's Dean Laganosky (.352), Charlie Carluccio (.351, 6 HR 38 RBI) and Jeff Butera (.361)?

McDaniel at Ursinus (Saturday, Baseball)
Two teams chasing Haverford and F&M for the top spot in the Conference meet in a key twinbill in Collegeville. The Bears (8-3, 17-8-1) may throw one of the CC's top pitchers in Zeb Engle (6-0, 1.75 ERA, 57 K, 56.2 IP), while the Terror (6-4, 13-8) counters with Tyler Persun (4-2, 4.96, 43 K in 45.1 IP).

Haverford at McDaniel (Men's Lacrosse)
The Fords (6-0, 10-2) look to make history on Saturday in Westminster against the Green Terror (3-3, 9-4). A victory gives Haverford at least a share of the regular-season Centennial title for the first time and secures homefield advantage for the Conference tournament on May 1-3. McDaniel is one of three teams tied for third place with three losses and could catapult itself right into the playoff field win a win.

Gettysburg at Swarthmore (Men's Lacrosse)
The Bullets (5-1, 9-3) have righted the ship after a 1-3 start and face the Garnet (3-3, 6-5) in a match that has playoff implications for both sides. Gettysburg needs a win to keep their hopes of hosting the Centennial tournament alive. Swarthmore, along with Washington and McDaniel, has three CC losses and is tied for third place in a Conference that puts four teams in its tournament. The Garnet looks to end Gettysburg's 15-game series win streak and beat the Bullets for the first time since 1985.

Women's Lacrosse - Four Games
Where do we begin? Four of the day's five games have a bearing on the five-team tournament field with only Franklin & Marshall (7-0, 12-1) and Gettysburg (7-0, 12-1) secured of a spot entering the day. Muhlenberg (5-3, 9-3) can lock down the No. 3 seed with a win at home against Washington. Dickinson (5-3, 9-6) gets back to the tournament with a win against visiting Swarthmore and can get a first-round bye with a victory and a Mule stumble. Of the three teams tied for fifth place - Haverford (4-4, 10-5), McDaniel (4-4, 8-7) and Ursinus (4-4, 5-10) - the Green Terror may have the advantage on the season's final day at home against Bryn Mawr. The Fords travel to #3 F&M while the Bears visit fifth-ranked Gettysburg. The Terror holds the tie-breaker edge on the other two with head-to-head wins, while Haverford has the advantage on Ursinus.

Gettysburg at Ursinus (Softball)
Two teams fighting for a Conference playoff berth meet in Collegeville. The defending champion Bears (7-2, 22-6) split a doubleheader with Haverford on Thursday to fall a half-game off the front-running pace of Muhlenberg. The Bullets (4-3-1, 19-8-1) currently sit in fourth position in the standings. Ursinus will throw standout pitcher Lauren Davis (20-6, 0.74 ERA) who has fanned 233 batters in 170 innings. Gettysburg will counter with the 1-2 combo of Kristy Rubino (9-5, 1.84) and Beth McCullough (9-3, 2.02) who have combined for 193 K's in 181.2 innings.

Dickinson at Swarthmore (Men's Tennis)
The Garnet (5-1, 7-6) welcome the Red Devils (3-2, 10-5) to Crum Creek looking to keep pace with first-place Johns Hopkins in the standings. Swarthmore #3 singles Zak Kelm is 9-1 in his last 10 matches and 12-5 overall. Dickinson #1 Ross Anstaett is 12-4 overall.