'The Capital Sports Guy' recaps the winter sports season
Bryan DeArdo
Issue date: 2/4/10 Section: Sports
Welcome to the first installment of the "Capital Sports Guy". Lots to discuss this week, starting with the women's and men's basketball team's final regular season pushes, the start of the track & field season, and some pretty impressive records that are being achieved in Capital athletics.
High quality basketball is being played on the campus of Capital University, and I'll do my best to get you caught up just in time for both team's post season runs. Being a polite guy, I'll start with the women's basketball team.
After upending host Otterbein 77-67 this past Saturday, Capital remained in striking distance of OAC leader Baldwin-Wallace. The women have won six of their last eight games to post a 13-6 record thus far, including a 10-2 league mark that trails only Baldwin-Wallace (11-1).
CU stung the Yellow Jackets by handing them their only OAC loss this season in a 74-70 home win back on December 12. The two teams will meet up this Saturday in Berea in a game that will have huge conference championship implications.
The women's run to back-to-back OAC titles has been spearheaded by the senior trio of Kristin Richardson, Abbey Winland, and Caitlin Elsass.
All three were a major cog in Capital's win over Otterbein this past Saturday, with Elsass and Richardson combining to net 42 of Capital's points in the win. Elsass also became the seventh leader scorer in CU history with her gamely effort.
"Caitlin Elsass has been great throughout her career at Capital," Head Coach Dixie Jeffers said recently. "She is playing with an intensity right now that has never been higher."
With just under seven minutes left in the first half, a Winland trey coupled with a Richardson jumper gave CU the lead for good at 27-25.
Despite playing through a nagging injury sustained at the start of the season, Richardson has played up to the preseason praise that saw her receive All-American accolades. The Oxford product paces the league in steals while also ranking fourth in scoring with a 15 points per game average.
"Kristin is a phenomenal player who has an incredible desire to win," Jeffers said. "She's been a great competitor and leader for this team."
Capital salted the game away in the second half with their menacing inside game and near perfect shooting from the free throw line.
Jeffers had been employing her team to execute from the charity stripe, and the squad responded by hitting 19-of-22 shots from the line in the second half and was 28-of-32 for the game (87.5 percent).
While Capital's senior class has pulled their weight throughout the season, the team's younger players have stepped up in critical situations as of late. One Crusader who has continued to improve during the season has been sophomore Shalana Hawkins, who has added tenacity and toughness to the Crusaders on the glass and on the scoring sheet. The Cincinnati native set career highs in points (eight) and rebounds (10) against Otterbein, with six of her rebounds coming in the first half, when Capital was trying to establish their inside game.
"I'm so proud of Shalana and what she has been able to accomplish," Jeffers said. "She just goes out, works hard, and does her job every day. She is the epitome of what a college athletes should be like."
The road weary Crusaders (who played only two home games in January against seven road contests) will be back at the Capital Center for the home stretch, playing three of their last four home games here on campus. I suggest you be there to help the Crusaders tear down the nets after another league championship.
With a win against Marietta on Wednesday, February 3, Capital will have won their 21st consecutive win at home, dating back to when CU upended the Pioneers 70-50 on February 6, 2008. The winning streak is the longest in OAC history and 18th in NCAA Division III history.
After staggering out to a 1-5 start, men's basketball Head Coach Damon Goodwin's squad have won 10 of their last 13 and are making noise in the OAC.
A predominately young team that dresses only one senior, the Crusaders have found their stride as well as a team concept that has to lead to a strong camaraderie within the team.
"We try to get as many people involved as possible during the game," junior Scott Robertson said. "It's nice to have teammates that want you to succeed as well."
What has made the team so effective as of late has been their quickness and versatility on offense. Capital has taken advantage of their superb conditioning by literally running the opposition down in the games final stanzas. The Crusaders exemplified this by outlasting Ohio Northern at home in their 82-71 win back on January 27. Capital made an eight-point first half deficit vanish with a 42-23 run for the remainder of the game.
"We take a lot of pride in our conditioning in the off season, and continue to work hard at running and lifting during the season," Goodwin said. "That work normally pays dividends at this stage of the season."
The ringleader of Capital's fast paced attack was senior Ben McGrath, who quickly drained three treys in less than four minutes to give CU a 56-62 lead (with 10:39 remaining) that they would not diminish.
McGrath has been a force from the beyond all season, draining 46 treys so far this season that included a school-record nine at Kenyon back on January 2.
Joining in on the fun has been juniors Robertson and DJ Frazier. A transfer from Muskingum, Robertson has been Capital's strongest presence in the paint this season, averaging nearly 12 points and six rebounds a contest. The Berea native is second in the conference in field goal percentage and is third in offensive rebounds.
Frazier, a speedy point guard with a lethal drive to the basket, has added an effective outside shot to his offense this year en route to being Capital's leading scorer at just under 13 points per game.
Frazier has also made his presence felt in the paint, averaging a team-high 6.5 rebounds per contest. His defense has continued to be stellar, as the Cincinnati product is second in the league in steals this season.
A teammate of Frazier's at Withrow High School, freshman Anthony Bell has added a zest to the team's offensive with his high-flying ability.
Bell and Frazier have brought Capital Center fans to their feet on several occasions this season with their alley-oop setups and fast break dunks.
"It's fun to get everyone involved and to make impact plays with your teammates," Frazier said. "Any one of us can go off on any given night," Frazier said. "If you're feeling good one night, take the open shot. That's great for us as a team, and we make playing against us hard because of our scoring depth."
The squad's depth has also helped the team pull away late in contests, as junior Adam Johns, sophomore Kelly Winter, and freshmen Spencer Niekamp, Colin Geany, and Michael Sommer have played quality minutes for the Crusaders.
Among Capital's marquee wins this season was a 78-73 road win at No.15 Wilmington back on January 13. Using a 20-5 advantage on second chance points, the men reeled off a 29-12 second half run to rattle the Quakers. Frazier's 14-second half points and Robertson's 15 points and eight rebounds led Capital to the win.
Goodwin, who was enshrined into the University of Dayton Athletic Hall of Fame back on January 9, leads the Crusaders as they close out the regular season with home dates against Wilmington (on Wednesday, February 17) and Mount Union (on February 20).
While it may be wintertime, there has been no hibernation for the Head Coach Fred Barends and the indoor track & field team, who has had a hot start to their season with impressive showings through three meets.
Junior Emily Goerig has been one of the standouts for CU thus far, as the Leetonia product has won all three shot puts in all three meets thus far this season. Goerig's last win came at the OAC Relays, where the junior three an impressive mark of 41'-11.50''.
An all American in both indoor and outdoor track a season ago, senior Jessica Starks has streaked past the opposition thus far this year, winning both the 55 and 200-meter dash with times of 7.34 and 26.23 seconds respectively at the Ohio Wesleyan Triangular meet back on January 22.
Classmate Homa Moheimani has also had a strong start to her season, winning the weight throw with a distance of 43'-03.25'' at the OWU meet.
High jumpers Sam Roberts and Brad Pickens have make their mark this year, taking the top two spots respectively at the OAC Relays as both jumped a height of 6'-2''.
Freshman Michael Jewell II has been a gem on the sprint team thus far, setting the school record in the 60-meter hurdles with his time of 9.05 seconds at the Mike Hout Invitational.
"I've had a lot of fun working with my coaches and teammates her so far," Jewell said. "I just hope to continue to adjust to college athletics and to get better throughout this season."
The men's and women's 800-meter races have been led by senior Joel Eversole and sophomore Sarah Trick. The pair were also key contributors to the cross country squad over the past two years.
The track & field team continue their season by hosting the Greater Columbus Championships this Saturday at 12:00p.m.
By Bryan DeArdo
Sports Information Department
bdeardo@capital.edu
High quality basketball is being played on the campus of Capital University, and I'll do my best to get you caught up just in time for both team's post season runs. Being a polite guy, I'll start with the women's basketball team.
After upending host Otterbein 77-67 this past Saturday, Capital remained in striking distance of OAC leader Baldwin-Wallace. The women have won six of their last eight games to post a 13-6 record thus far, including a 10-2 league mark that trails only Baldwin-Wallace (11-1).
CU stung the Yellow Jackets by handing them their only OAC loss this season in a 74-70 home win back on December 12. The two teams will meet up this Saturday in Berea in a game that will have huge conference championship implications.
The women's run to back-to-back OAC titles has been spearheaded by the senior trio of Kristin Richardson, Abbey Winland, and Caitlin Elsass.
All three were a major cog in Capital's win over Otterbein this past Saturday, with Elsass and Richardson combining to net 42 of Capital's points in the win. Elsass also became the seventh leader scorer in CU history with her gamely effort.
"Caitlin Elsass has been great throughout her career at Capital," Head Coach Dixie Jeffers said recently. "She is playing with an intensity right now that has never been higher."
With just under seven minutes left in the first half, a Winland trey coupled with a Richardson jumper gave CU the lead for good at 27-25.
Despite playing through a nagging injury sustained at the start of the season, Richardson has played up to the preseason praise that saw her receive All-American accolades. The Oxford product paces the league in steals while also ranking fourth in scoring with a 15 points per game average.
"Kristin is a phenomenal player who has an incredible desire to win," Jeffers said. "She's been a great competitor and leader for this team."
Capital salted the game away in the second half with their menacing inside game and near perfect shooting from the free throw line.
Jeffers had been employing her team to execute from the charity stripe, and the squad responded by hitting 19-of-22 shots from the line in the second half and was 28-of-32 for the game (87.5 percent).
While Capital's senior class has pulled their weight throughout the season, the team's younger players have stepped up in critical situations as of late. One Crusader who has continued to improve during the season has been sophomore Shalana Hawkins, who has added tenacity and toughness to the Crusaders on the glass and on the scoring sheet. The Cincinnati native set career highs in points (eight) and rebounds (10) against Otterbein, with six of her rebounds coming in the first half, when Capital was trying to establish their inside game.
"I'm so proud of Shalana and what she has been able to accomplish," Jeffers said. "She just goes out, works hard, and does her job every day. She is the epitome of what a college athletes should be like."
The road weary Crusaders (who played only two home games in January against seven road contests) will be back at the Capital Center for the home stretch, playing three of their last four home games here on campus. I suggest you be there to help the Crusaders tear down the nets after another league championship.
With a win against Marietta on Wednesday, February 3, Capital will have won their 21st consecutive win at home, dating back to when CU upended the Pioneers 70-50 on February 6, 2008. The winning streak is the longest in OAC history and 18th in NCAA Division III history.
After staggering out to a 1-5 start, men's basketball Head Coach Damon Goodwin's squad have won 10 of their last 13 and are making noise in the OAC.
A predominately young team that dresses only one senior, the Crusaders have found their stride as well as a team concept that has to lead to a strong camaraderie within the team.
"We try to get as many people involved as possible during the game," junior Scott Robertson said. "It's nice to have teammates that want you to succeed as well."
What has made the team so effective as of late has been their quickness and versatility on offense. Capital has taken advantage of their superb conditioning by literally running the opposition down in the games final stanzas. The Crusaders exemplified this by outlasting Ohio Northern at home in their 82-71 win back on January 27. Capital made an eight-point first half deficit vanish with a 42-23 run for the remainder of the game.
"We take a lot of pride in our conditioning in the off season, and continue to work hard at running and lifting during the season," Goodwin said. "That work normally pays dividends at this stage of the season."
The ringleader of Capital's fast paced attack was senior Ben McGrath, who quickly drained three treys in less than four minutes to give CU a 56-62 lead (with 10:39 remaining) that they would not diminish.
McGrath has been a force from the beyond all season, draining 46 treys so far this season that included a school-record nine at Kenyon back on January 2.
Joining in on the fun has been juniors Robertson and DJ Frazier. A transfer from Muskingum, Robertson has been Capital's strongest presence in the paint this season, averaging nearly 12 points and six rebounds a contest. The Berea native is second in the conference in field goal percentage and is third in offensive rebounds.
Frazier, a speedy point guard with a lethal drive to the basket, has added an effective outside shot to his offense this year en route to being Capital's leading scorer at just under 13 points per game.
Frazier has also made his presence felt in the paint, averaging a team-high 6.5 rebounds per contest. His defense has continued to be stellar, as the Cincinnati product is second in the league in steals this season.
A teammate of Frazier's at Withrow High School, freshman Anthony Bell has added a zest to the team's offensive with his high-flying ability.
Bell and Frazier have brought Capital Center fans to their feet on several occasions this season with their alley-oop setups and fast break dunks.
"It's fun to get everyone involved and to make impact plays with your teammates," Frazier said. "Any one of us can go off on any given night," Frazier said. "If you're feeling good one night, take the open shot. That's great for us as a team, and we make playing against us hard because of our scoring depth."
The squad's depth has also helped the team pull away late in contests, as junior Adam Johns, sophomore Kelly Winter, and freshmen Spencer Niekamp, Colin Geany, and Michael Sommer have played quality minutes for the Crusaders.
Among Capital's marquee wins this season was a 78-73 road win at No.15 Wilmington back on January 13. Using a 20-5 advantage on second chance points, the men reeled off a 29-12 second half run to rattle the Quakers. Frazier's 14-second half points and Robertson's 15 points and eight rebounds led Capital to the win.
Goodwin, who was enshrined into the University of Dayton Athletic Hall of Fame back on January 9, leads the Crusaders as they close out the regular season with home dates against Wilmington (on Wednesday, February 17) and Mount Union (on February 20).
While it may be wintertime, there has been no hibernation for the Head Coach Fred Barends and the indoor track & field team, who has had a hot start to their season with impressive showings through three meets.
Junior Emily Goerig has been one of the standouts for CU thus far, as the Leetonia product has won all three shot puts in all three meets thus far this season. Goerig's last win came at the OAC Relays, where the junior three an impressive mark of 41'-11.50''.
An all American in both indoor and outdoor track a season ago, senior Jessica Starks has streaked past the opposition thus far this year, winning both the 55 and 200-meter dash with times of 7.34 and 26.23 seconds respectively at the Ohio Wesleyan Triangular meet back on January 22.
Classmate Homa Moheimani has also had a strong start to her season, winning the weight throw with a distance of 43'-03.25'' at the OWU meet.
High jumpers Sam Roberts and Brad Pickens have make their mark this year, taking the top two spots respectively at the OAC Relays as both jumped a height of 6'-2''.
Freshman Michael Jewell II has been a gem on the sprint team thus far, setting the school record in the 60-meter hurdles with his time of 9.05 seconds at the Mike Hout Invitational.
"I've had a lot of fun working with my coaches and teammates her so far," Jewell said. "I just hope to continue to adjust to college athletics and to get better throughout this season."
The men's and women's 800-meter races have been led by senior Joel Eversole and sophomore Sarah Trick. The pair were also key contributors to the cross country squad over the past two years.
The track & field team continue their season by hosting the Greater Columbus Championships this Saturday at 12:00p.m.
By Bryan DeArdo
Sports Information Department
bdeardo@capital.edu
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