You can almost feel it in the air: Fall sports are nearly upon us.
But before we dive into the world of football, let’s give both the leaves and temperatures a chance to fall as we shift our monthly College Corner coverage to Chambersburg and remember the season that was last spring.
Across the board, ex-Trojans performed exceptionally well at the collegiate level. Karter Reath, a freshman at Geneva, won a national championship in the steeplechase, while at PSU Mont Alto, a group of five former Chambersburg players helped lead their school’s baseball program to the USCAA Small College World Series.
Take also into consideration the breakout season had by Taylor Myers for the Shippensburg softball team, and the hard hits provided by Steve Alcegaire as a defender on the Thiel lacrosse squad, and it’s easy to see last spring was one of the best seasons for Chambersburg college athletes in recent memory.
In the months to come, College Corner will shift to Waynesboro and then Greencastle to cover the fall sports season, before eventually rotating back to Chambersburg. Additions for College Corner can be sent to Andy Sandrik via email at big_andy76@yahoo.com.
Below is a sport-by-sport, athlete-by-athlete look back at all the Chambersburg athletes we could find playing sports last spring:
OUTDOOR TRACK
Karter Reath, Freshman, Geneva
One way to earn respect in your first year of college track is by winning a national championship.
Reath did just that last spring, honing his craft in the 3,000 steeplechase throughout the season before unleashing his best effort of the season at the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Outdoor Track and Field Championships on May 10-12.
Competing on the track at Columbia International University, Reath blasted off to win the national title with a time of 9:51.73, a full five seconds ahead of runner-up Lukas Smithson of Campbellsville. It was quite the season progression for Reath, who dropped more than 30 seconds off his first steeplechase effort in March.
Of course, Reath was more than just a steeplechase competitor for Geneva. He also holds PRs in the 800 (2:19.42), 1,000 (2:51.15), mile (4:43.28), 3,000 (9:24.40), 5,000 (16:56.07), 400 hurdles (1:03.59), and 8K (27:30).
Reath is expected to once again hit the cross country race paths for Geneva, which kicks off its season on Sept. 1 at the Saint Francis Father Bede Invitational.
Ben Colli, Freshman, Duquesne
Colli got to do something a lot of freshmen do not get to do: Partake in a conference championship meet.
Running at the Atlantic 10 Outdoor Track & Field Championships on May 6-7, Colli turned in a PR effort in the 1,500, clocking a 3:59.19 to finish in 25th.
In addition to the PR in the 1,500, Colli concludes his first season of collegiate competition with PRs in the 800 (1:58.34), mile (4:25.83), and 6K (21:44).
Colli will be looking to continue during his sophomore cross country season this fall. Duquesne’s first meet of the season will be held on Sept. 1, at Saint Francis for the Father Bede Invitational.
Allie List, Freshman, St. John Fisher
It was a quality first season in the college ranks for List, who took on six meets, and capped off her season with a pair of Top 10 finishes at the Empire 8 Outdoor Track & Field Championships on May 5-6.
Competing on the track at Utica, List ran to sixth place in the 3,000 steeplechase with a PR time of 12:35.77, while also taking ninth in the 1,500 with a time of 5:24.21.
In addition to the steeplechase, List also owns collegiate PRs in the 800 (2:36.98) and 1,500 (5:22.33).
Kaz Predecki, Freshman, Marywood
Predecki, an Architecture Major, spent his spring building the foundation for a nice career for the Marywood Pacers.
A 5-foot-11 thrower, Predecki competed in a combined seven meets over the indoor and outdoor seasons, and capped off his spring by competing in the AEC Outdoor Championships on May 5-6. At that meet, Predecki finished ninth in the discus (82-5) and 12th in the shot put (26-6.5).
Next season, Predecki will be looking to improve upon his PRs in the shot put (27-10.75), discus (86-10), and hammer throw (53-1).
BASEBALL
Elijah Snyder, Sophomore, PSU Mont Alto
One of five former Chambersburg players on the Mont Alto roster, Snyder was a major part of the Lions’ successful season, which concluded with a trip to the USCAA Small College World Series.
A 6-foot, 180-pound right-handed pitcher, Snyder was a regular starter in the Mont Alto rotation. In 53 innings of work, Snyder posted a 5-1 record to the tune of a 4.42 ERA. He allowed 28 runs, 26 earned, on 60 hits and 28 walks, while striking out 34.
On May 17, Snyder kept his team alive in the World Series by pitching Mont Alto to a 10-2 victory over Mid Atlantic Christian. In that outing, Snyder scattered three hits over five innings, allowing two earned runs while walking three and striking out three. Snyder’s effort on the mound kept Mont Alto’s postseason hopes alive for one more game: The Lions were eliminated from the tournament the next day with a 16-9 loss to Miami Hamilton.
Mont Alto finished its season with a 31-15 record, which includes a 17-3 mark in the PSUAC.
Gavin Kissel, Sophomore, PSU Mont Alto
Listed on the roster as a 5-foot-11, 175-pound utility player, Kissel drove the ball so well last spring that he eventually became a frequent flyer in the Mont Alto batting lineup.
Kissel batted .312 (24 for 77) with four doubles, one triple, 16 runs, 11 RBI, and five stolen bases. He was known to collect hits in bunches and finished with five multi-hit games, including two contests where he rang up three hits.
Kissel also provided a reliable glove in the field, sporting a .941 fielding percentage.
Braden Zeger, Freshman, PSU Mont Alto
Zeger did a little bit of everything for Mont Alto, chipping in for the Lions as both an outfielder and a right-handed pitcher.
Patrolling the wide green spaces in the outfield, the 5-foot-9, 165-pound Zeger was about as close to automatic as you can get, with a .980 fielding percentage. At the plate, Zeger batted .250 (21 for 84) with two doubles, 22 runs, 16 RBI, and two stolen bases.
Zeger saw limited action on the mound, working three innings for a 15.00 ERA, allowing seven runs, five earned, on six hits and zero walks, with one strikeout.
Kyle Nolan, Freshman, PSU Mont Alto
Measuring in at 5-foot-7 and 160 pounds, Nolan got his fair share of playing time in his opening year of college baseball.
Nolan was frequently called upon to pitch, with the right-hander working 15 1/3 innings for a 1-1 record and a 6.46 ERA. He allowed 11 earned runs on 12 hits and 13 walks, while totaling 10 strikeouts.
Nolan also served his team from a utility role, batting .158 (3 for 19) with two doubles, 11 runs, two RBI, and one stolen base.
Blaine Wilson, Sophomore, PSU Mont Alto
Wilson, a 5-foot-10, 160-pound right-handed pitcher, gave Mont Alto 10 2/3 innings of work last spring.
He had an 0-1 record to go along with a 6.75 ERA. Wilson allowed eight earned runs on 15 hits and nine walks, to go along with nine strikeouts.
Greg Cunha, Freshman, Shenandoah
Cunha, a 5-foot-11, 200-pound reserve catcher for Shenandoah, got a front-row seat as the Hornets advanced all the way to the NCAA Division III Super Regional last spring.
A Sport Management Major, Cunha saw action in five games, going 0 for 1, while logging four putouts and maintaining a perfect fielding percentage.
The Hornets finished with a 42-10 record, including an 18-4 mark in the ODAC.
SOFTBALL
Taylor Myers, Junior, Shippensburg
When Shippensburg absolutely needed someone to reach base or get a hit to keep a rally going, there were few batters the Raiders would rather have at the plate than Myers.
The 5-foot-2 outfielder was a hitting machine for Shippensburg, starting all 54 games for the Raiders and collecting hits in 43 of those games, often in bunches. Myers used a team-high 79 hits to fuel a .378 batting average. She clubbed a double, while also totaling 48 runs, nine RBI, and six stolen bases.
Myers was also a reliable glove in the outfield with a .940 fielding percentage.
With Myers serving as a mainstay in the lineup, Shippensburg posted a record of 34-20, including a 19-13 mark in the PSAC. The Raiders had a deep run through the postseason, finally getting ousted in the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regionals.
Katelin Secrist, Freshman, WVU-Potomac State
The season didn’t end for WVU-Potomac State until the NCAA Division II World Series, and the Catamounts partially have Secrist to thank for that.
Playing primarily in the outfield, where she sported a .922 fielding percentage, the 5-foot-7 Secrist was a regular in the Potomac State lineup. Seeing action in 41 games, Secrist batted .286 (20 for 70) with a double, two home runs, 19 runs, 11 RBI, and four stolen bases.
The southpaw also made four appearances on the mound for the Catamounts, working five innings for a 1-1 record and a 5.60 ERA. She allowed 11 runs, just four earned, on 12 hits and four walks, while striking out three.
With Secrist leading the way, Potomac State roared to a record of 43-5 and refused for its season to end until the opening rounds of the World Series.
Haiden Brookens, Junior, Wilson
Brookens, an infielder, was one of just two players on the Wilson roster to play in all 38 games for the Phoenix last spring.
Starting in 37 of those games, Brookens batted .282 (33 for 117) with six doubles, 23 runs, 17 RBI, and five stolen bases. Defensively she had an .878 fielding percentage.
Wilson finished its season with a 14-24 record, including a 6-10 mark in the CSAC.
Haley Privett, Junior, Wilson
Privett saw action for Wilson in 37 games, including 32 starts, from her positions as an infielder and a catcher.
Privett ranked second on the team in batting average with a .318 clip (28 for 88). She added four doubles, one home run, 11 runs, and 20 RBI.
Privett proved to have a strong glove as well, with a .946 fielding percentage.
LACROSSE
Dom Marangoni, Freshman, Eastern
Marangoni got the most out of his first season in the college ranks, with the 6-foot, 175-pound midfielder playing in all 18 Eastern’s games last spring.
Marangoni managed a goal and assist in his first year, while scooping up 44 groundballs and piling up 16 caused turnovers. His first collegiate goal came on April 12 in a 21-11 win over Lebanon Valley.
Eastern played to a record of 9-9, including a 6-2 mark in the MAC Commonwealth.
Klein Burkholder, Junior, Trine
Burkholder, a midfielder, was one of the first men off the bench and one of the most effective.
Burkholder was called into action in all 14 games for the Thunder, totaling seven goals and three assists, to go along with 15 groundballs and two caused turnovers. Burkholder’s biggest game of the season came on March 1 in a 13-3 win over Heidelberg when he posted two goals and an assist.
Trine played to a 9-5 record last spring, including a 1-5 mark in the MIAA.
Steve Alecegaire, Junior, Thiel
Thiel didn’t won a ton of games, but there’s no doubt about it, opponents wanted no part of Alcegaire, the Tomcats season-long starter at defender.
The 6-foot, 210-pound Alcegaire packed quite a punch and his numbers reflect that, as he logged a team-best 26 caused turnovers this spring, to go along with 37 groundballs.
Thiel posted a 4-9 record, including a 2-5 record in the PAC.
Odessa Kalathas, Senior, Wilson
Kalathas, a 5-foot-4 defender, led her team to a strong record in her final season in the college lacrosse arena.
Kalathas started in all 17 games for the Phoenix, managing one goal while scooping up 21 groundballs and logging 10 caused turnovers.
With Kalathas leading the way, Wilson played to a 12-5 record, including a 4-1 mark in the CSAC.
Kenna Shearer, Junior, Wilson
Joining high school teammate Odessa Kalathas on the back line, Shearer was an everyday starter for the Phoenix last spring.
Shearer, a 5-foot-6 defender, started in all 17 games for Wilson, totaling one goal, 11 groundballs, and eight caused turnovers.
