Five Titles on the Line This Weekend

It's the final championship weekend of the 2007-08 academic year and five titles are on the line - baseball, softball, men's lacrosse and men's and women's track and field.

Baseball
Johns Hopkins (16-2 CC, 30-5) is the prohibitive favorite entering the double-elimination event in Baltimore. The Blue Jays face Muhlenberg (11-7, 20-18) - one of two CC teams to hand JHU a defeat this season - in Friday's opener, while Franklin & Marshall (12-6, 18-15) plays host to Haverford (12-6, 25-12-1). All four schools head to the Charm City for the weekend. Hopkins is in search of its ninth Centennial championship in the 15-year history of the Conference, while the Diplomats look for flag number four. The Jays lead the Conference in team hitting (.394), pitching (3.92 ERA) and fielding (.960). Championship website

Softball
The four top softball teams in the Conference converge on Collegeville for this weekend's double-elimination championship tournament. Ursinus (13-3, 28-9) is the top seed and will meet Swarthmore (10-6, 21-16) in the first round, while Dickinson (12-4, 24-14) and Haverford (12-4, 22-14) tangle in the opener. The Bears have won four CC titles, while Haverford has one championship to its credit. Pitching makes all the difference in tourney play, so keep an eye out on Ursinus' Lauren Davis (23-4, 0.50 ERA, 259 K in 183.1 IP), Dickinson's Allison Jordan (14-6, 1.40, 146 K, 130 IP), Haverford's Becky Garibotto (9-5, 1.86) and Swarthmore's Kathryn Riley (16-7, 1.74, 152 K, 156.2 IP). Championship website

Men's Lacrosse
The best DIII conference in the country holds its final four at Clark Field in Gettysburg with traditional powers and a newcomer to the field. Gettysburg (7-1, 13-2), ranked third in the country, is the top seed and is in search of its 12th Centennial crown in 15 years. The Bullets will take on Muhlenberg (5-3, 10-4) - the hottest team in the Conference - in the first semifinal. The Mules are winners of their last eight and make their debut in the CC tourney. Two other top 10 teams meet in the other semi as #4 Washington (7-1, 12-2) squares off with #9 Haverford (6-2, 11-3). The Shoremen have won three CC titles and have appeared in the Centennial final every season since 2001. The Black Squirrels are looking to break through and reach their first-ever Conference final. Championship website

Track and Field
The best athletes in the Conference gather at the Battlefield in Gettysburg for the 15th annual Centennial championships. The Haverford men are the prohibitive favorite - after all, the Fords have won the previous 14 CC titles. The women's competition should be close, as two-time defending champion Haverford will be challenged by five-time champ Dickinson and four-time winner Gettysburg. Championship website

Championships and More

It's championship weekend No. 1 in the Centennial Conference, while the remaining sports wrap up their regular seasons with playoff berths and positioning on the line.

Washington at Muhlenberg (Baseball)
It may not be the fashionable doubleheader entering the weekend, but it makes all the difference when the Shoremen (3-13 CC, 7-19) travel to meet the Mules (9-7, 18-16). Muhlenberg has the tie-breaker advantage on both Gettysburg (8-8) and Ursinus (8-8) and needs just one win to secure the final playoff berth. A Sho'men sweep opens the door for the Bullets and Bears. Washington swept the Mules in Allentown in 1998 but is 2-6 at 'Berg since then.

Muhlenberg at Ursinus (Men's Lacrosse)
One team will qualify for the Centennial tournament for the first time ever. Will it be the Mules (4-3, 9-4) or the Bears (4-3, 7-8)? Expect a close game as the games in five-game series have been decided by a total of eight goals. We'll be watching the battle between the brothers Farris - Kyle, a senior who plays for Muhlenberg (32-5-37), and Eric, a sophomore who plays for Ursinus (27-4-31).

Muhlenberg at Ursinus (Softball)
The Bears (12-2, 27-8) are one win away from securing the top seed in next weekend's Centennial tournament. Standing in their way are the Mules (2-10, 6-26), who would like nothing more than to ruin the Bruins' season. A 'Berg sweep opens the door for Haverford (11-3, 21-11) to take the No. 1 seed with a sweep of archrival Swarthmore (9-5, 20-14).

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Men's Golf Championship (The Bridges GC, hosted by Gettysburg)
Defending champion Franklin & Marshall is the favorite entering the 54-hole tournament that will decide the Centennial title and the AQ to the NCAA Division III tournament. The Diplomats have a 308.5 average, while McDaniel is second at 313.4. F&M sophomore Joe Fucigna has the lowest stroke average in the CC at 77.18, but Terror freshman Paul Kovalcheck is close behind at 77.24. Don't count out Muhlenberg, who posted a 315.1 stroke average on the year.

Women's Golf Championship (Olde Homestead GC, hosted by Muhlenberg)
It looks like a two-team race between Gettysburg and McDaniel as the 36-hole championship tees off Saturday in New Tripoli, Pa. The Bullets have the lowest stoke average at 384.4 and the top individual in Merrill Fortier (84.7). The Green Terror is second in team average at 392.0, while Valerie Saucier is third among individuals at 89.3. Keep an eye on the Dickinson duo of Kaitlin Van Wagner (86.0) and Ann Gibala (91.0), while Gettysburg rookie Leah Tuscano (91.8) and F&M soph Grace Gallagher (91.9) could also factor for the individual title.

Men's Tennis Championship (hosted by Johns Hopkins)
The defending champion Blue Jays (9-0, 13-5) welcome Swarthmore, Haverford and Washington College to the Charm City for the 2008 CC tournament. Hopkins has the top player in the CC in David Maldow and only dropped two games combined to the three other teams in the field. The Garnet (7-2, 7-9) makes its first-ever trip to the Centennial semis, while the Fords (7-2, 9-7) look to return to the final where they were defeated by JHU last spring. The Sho'men (7-2, 14-2) have won 12 Centennial championships.

Women's Tennis Championship (hosted by Johns Hopkins)
Johns Hopkins (10-0, 13-3) is the defending champion and entertains Swarthmore (9-1, 11-4), Muhlenberg (8-2, 10-4) and Washington College (7-3, 12-5) this weekend. The Blue Jays have a dynamic duo in Anita Bhamidipati and Brittany Matava at the top of the ladder. The Garnet will look to Rachel Wallwork and Jennie Park, while the Mules turn to Jenn Powell and Caitie Druker and the Sho'women count on Allison Daciek.

Women's Lacrosse Championship (hosted by Franklin & Marshall)
Three of the top 12 Division III teams in the country will be on display this weekend in Lancaster as defending Centennial and Division III champion Franklin & Marshall welcomes #4 Gettysburg, #12 Dickinson and unranked McDaniel for the final four. The Diplomats (9-0, 14-1) have won 30 of their last 31 games, including four straight against the Bullets. Gettysburg looks to Centennial Player of the Year Katie Ceglarski to turn things around, while Dickinson looks reach its first-ever Centennial final. McDaniel reached its second straight semifinal with a 22-16 win against Muhlenberg in the first round on Wednesday.

Super Saturday

It will be a Super Saturday in the Conference with terrific weather and terrific games with playoff implications.

Franklin & Marshall at Johns Hopkins (Baseball)
It's probably the best rivalry in the Conference as the Diplomats (12-2 CC, 17-10) and the Blue Jays (13-1, 25-4) meet in a doubleheader that should decide the top seed for the Conference championship tournament in two weeks. Hopkins leads the all-time series, 44-29-1, and ended F&M's season at the CC tournament last spring. The Diplomats have just one win against JHU in Baltimore (2006) since 1996. Hopkins and F&M are 1-2 in the Conference in hitting (396-333), pitching (3.98-4.99) and fielding (964-955).

Franklin & Marshall at Washington (Men's Lacrosse)
The Diplomats (3-3, 7-4) travel to the Eastern Shore looking to keep their slender playoff hopes alive against the Shoremen (6-1, 11-1). Washington has won 13 straight and 36 of 37 overall in the series. F&M has never won in Chestertown. The Shoremen's Chris Read leads the Conference in scoring (38-21-59).

Franklin & Marshall at Gettysburg (Women's Lacrosse)
Two of the top teams in Division III meet at Clark Field with the regular-season title and the top seed for next week's tournament on the line. The Diplomats (8-0, 13-1) are ranked third nationally, while the Bullets (8-0, 15-1) are ranked fourth. F&M defeated Gettysburg three times last season on its way to a national championship to tie the all-time series at 21-21-1. Two of the nation's top players will be on display in F&M's Sarah Meisenberg (28-21-49) and Gettysburg's Katie Ceglarski (40-38-78).

Johns Hopkins at Swarthmore (Men's Tennis)
A traditional power plays host to a rising power along Crum Creek Sunday as the Garnet (5-1, 5-8) takes on the Blue Jays (7-0, 11-5). Hopkins, the defending Centennial champion, has locked up a playoff spot and looks to secure the top seed for next week's championship tournament with a victory. Swarthmore can qualify for the Centennial tournament in its first year of eligibility with a win.

Washington at Muhlenberg (Women's Tennis)
The Shoremen (5-2, 10-4) take to the road to Allentown to battle the Mules (7-2, 9-4) in a match that both teams need to secure playoff positions. Muhlenberg locks up the No. 3 spot with a victory.

Haverford at Dickinson (Women's Tennis)
The Red Devils (5-3, 10-6) welcome the Fords (5-4, 7-7) to Carlisle in a match that Dickinson needs to keep its playoff hopes alive. The #1 singles match between Haverford's Katharine Wettick (9-4) and Dickinson's Anne McGillicuddy (8-6 could be a difference maker.

Softball Showdown in Swarthmore

Ursinus at Swarthmore (Softball)
It's a second consecutive critical doubleheader for the Bears (8-2 CC, 21-8), as they come off a split against Haverford to take on the high-flying Garnet (8-2, 19-9). Swarthmore leads the Conference in hitting (.301), while Ursinus tops the Centennial in earned run average (0.97). The Garnet's Kathryn Riley is a dual threat, hitting .393 at the plate with four homers and 26 RBI in addition to crafting a 15-4 mark on the mound with a 1.35 ERA. The Bears' Kaitlyn Sutherland is among the top hitters at .373, while Lauren Davis leads the league in wins (17), ERA (0.62) and strikeouts (193).

Tax Forms, Big Games On Tap for Tuesday

Haverford at Ursinus (Softball)
The two teams with the best records in the Conference meet in Collegeville with first place at stake. The Bears (7-1, 20-7) are one up in the loss column on the Fords (8-2, 15-9) and Swarthmore (6-2, 17-9) in the chase for the top seed. Haverford will have to find a way to put runs on the board against UC's Lauren Davis, who is 16-4 on the season with 181 strikeouts and an 0.65 ERA.

Johns Hopkins at Haverford (Men's Tennis)
Somebody's undefeated Conference record will have a blemish on it after today's match between the Blue Jays (6-0, 10-5) and the Fords (6-0, 8-5). Keep an eye on the No. 1 doubles match for an early indicator - Hopkins' Casey Blythe and Joe Vasoontara (13-5) take on Haverford's Tom Kinrade and Evan Steigel (6-3).

Muhlenberg at Ursinus (Baseball)
Although the Mules (7-5 CC, 16-13) and the Bears (5-7, 13-10) are 3 1/2 and 5 1/2 games back in the CC race, respectively, this two-game set that begins today could determine a playoff spot. 'Berg holds a one-game lead over Gettysburg and a two-game advantage on UC and McDaniel for the fourth and final berth. Ursinus holds a 39-29-2 all-time lead and has won the last four games in Collegeville.

Dickinson at McDaniel (Women's Lacrosse)
The Red Devils (5-2, 9-4) and the Green Terror (4-3, 8-5) renew their long-standing rivalry with playoff position ... and hopes ... on the line. Third-place Dickinson is one game up in the loss column over Muhlenberg, McDaniel and Ursinus and needs a victory to sew up the No. 3 seed in next week's playoffs. The Terror locks up a spot with wins against the Red Devils and Muhlenberg on Saturday. McDaniel holds a 25-7-1 all-time lead in the series and has not lost to Dickinson in Westminster since 1991 (8-6). Two of the top goal scorers in the CC will be on display in the Terror's Brittany Baer (49) and the Devils' Alysa Crellin (38).

Five-Star Matchups

Washington at Johns Hopkins (Men's Tennis)
The eyes of the Centennial net world will be focused on Baltimore today as the #22 ranked Blue Jays (4-0 CC, 7-5) take on the undefeated Shoremen (4-0, 11-0). One of the best matches of the day will be at #1 singles between Hopkins' David Maldow (17-3) and Washington's Adam Cranford (16-1). Those two will also be in the forefront of a crucial #2 doubles match along with their partners - JHU's Andrew Wang (10-4) and the Sho'men's Brian Danver (10-1).

Dickinson at Muhlenberg (Men's Lacrosse)
It's essentially a playoff game tonight at Scotty Wood Stadium as the Red Devils (1-3, 6-4) meet the Mules (2-3, 4-4). Dickinson is looking to return to the final four for the fifth straight campaign, while Muhlenberg is looking for its first-ever Centennial playoff berth. The Red Devils are 5-0 against 'Berg since the Mules reinstituted lax and 14-6 overall. Muhlenberg's last victory against Dickinson was a 10-8 triumph in 1980.

Backyard Brawls Highlight Tuesday Slate

Dickinson at Franklin & Marshall (Women's Lacrosse)
There are a number of story lines that go along with the #14 Red Devils' (4-1 CC, 8-3) matchup against the #3 Diplomats (5-0, 9-1) - a battle between two nationally-ranked teams; Dickinson head coach Kasey Ryan '99 going up against her alma mater; and F&M's 30-game winning streak against the Red and White. Suffice it to say, it could be a playoff preview between two of the nation's top teams. Keep an eye on the high-scoring tandems of Alysa Crellin (33 goals) and Amy Jennings (25) for the Red Devils and Jen Pritchard (33) and Ashley Bevington (25) for the Diplomats.

Johns Hopkins at Washington (Women's Tennis)
It's a showdown for first place in the Conference as the Blue Jays (6-0, 9-1) visit Chestertown to take on the Shorewomen (5-1, 10-2). Hopkins has a potent 1-2 at the top of the singles ladder in Brittany Matava (16-6) and Anita Bhadmidipati (14-2), while Washington counters with Allison Daciek (12-4) and Lydia Bull (12-5).

Dickinson at Gettysburg (Softball)
The Red Devils (3-1, 15-9) take to Route 34 for the short jaunt to take on the Bullets (2-2, 10-7) for a weekday doubleheader. Two of the CC's top pitchers take the mound in Dickinson's Allison Jordan (10-3, 1.74 ERA) and Gettysburg's Kristy Rubino (6-3, 2.23).