LANCASTER, Pa. – First-Year sprinter Franklyn Akabi-During earned Rookie of the Year honors as he was one of eleven members of the Dickinson men’s outdoor track and field team  to be named to All-Centennial Conference Team on Friday as announced by the league office.

First Team

Akabi-During earned his recognition by claiming the top spot at the conference meet for both the 100m (10.62) and 200m (21.55). His 200m time was good enough to set a new conference meet record. Darian Crim nabbed First Team honors for the 400m by clocking in at 48.28. Trevor Richwine posted a new meet record for the 800m by getting to the line in 1:51.01. 

The 4x800m relay team of Owen Buroker, James Masterson, Jeremy Sallade and Richwine posted a winning time of 7:42.14.

Second Team

Oliver Stroka was the only individual to nabbed Second Team honors with a toss of 51.44m during the hammer throw. 

The 4x400m relay unit of Ian Gormley, Akabi-During, Crim and Richwine clocked in at 3:17.32.

Honorable Mention

Nolan Meincke seized his place by hitting the stripe in 3:57.04 during the 1500m. In the 10,000m Luke Knestout put up a time of 31:47.59 for his spot. 

Sportsmanship Team

Amos Liles was chosen as the Devils honoree for the All-Sportsmanship Team.

FOUNTAIN – The second day of the 2025 Boys Volleyball State Championships has concluded, meaning the two state champions – one in 4A and one in 5A – will be crowned tomorrow.
 
Play will start with the two semifinal matches at 10 a.m., followed by the third and fourth-round consolation games at noon and 2 p.m., respectively. The championship matches will be played at 6 p.m., with a parade of champions happening before the start of the contest. Trophies will be presented to teams immediately following the championship matches. 

All game times and matchups will be available on the brackets. 

Saturday Schedule

• Semifinals at 10 a.m.
  

  • 4A: No. 1 Regis Groff vs. No. 3 Pueblo South
  • 5A: No. 1 Littleton Public Schools vs. No. 3 Eaglecrest

• Third Round Consolation at Noon

  • 4A: No. 5 Severance vs. No. 8 Lutheran
  • 5A: No. 4 Legacy vs. No. 5 Grandview

• Fourth Round Consolation at 2 p.m.

  • To Be Determined: Loser of Semifinals vs. Winner of Third Round Consolation
    
     

In the 5A bracket, No. 1 Littleton Public Schools and No. 3 Eaglecrest have gone defeated so far and will meet in the semifinals at 10 a.m. for a chance to play in the state championship match at 6 p.m. No. 4 Legacy and No. 5 Grandview have also advanced through the consolation bracket and will meet in the third-round consolation game at noon. The winner of that match will take on the loser of the semifinal match to determine who will advance to the state title game.
 
Throughout the day, Littleton Public Schools swept No. 4 Legacy (25-23, 25-14, 25-12), while Eaglecrest snuck by No. 2 Mountain Vista in five sets (28-26, 22-25, 19-25, 25-12, 15-12), setting up the semifinal meeting with Littleton Public Schools and Eaglecrest.
 
In the second-round consolation games, No. 5 Grandview upset No. 2 Mountain Vista, 3-1 (26-24, 25-20, 19-25, 25-22), while Legacy rebounded with a 3-1 win over No. 7 Valor Christian (25-12, 25-12, 21-25, 25-18).   
 

In the 4A bracket, No. 1 Regis Groff and No. 3 Pueblo South have advanced to the semifinals, which will be played at 10 a.m. tomorrow, while No. 5 Severance and No. 8 Lutheran have advanced through the consolation bracket. Severance and Lutheran will play in the third-round consolation game at noon with the winner advancing to the fourth-round consolation to face the loser of the semifinal matchup.

Throughout the day Saturday, Regis Groff defeated No. 5 Severance, 3-1 (25-14, 25-15, 21-25, 25-21), while Pueblo South got by No. 2 D’Evelyn in five sets (20-25, 25-22, 27-25, 15-25, 15-9), setting up the semifinal match between Regis Groff and Pueblo South.

 

In the second-round consolation games, No. 5 Severance held on to defeat No. 7 Stargate School in five sets (32-30, 25-19, 20-25, 19-25, 15-8), while Lutheran knocked off No. 2 D’Evelyn, 3-1 (21-25, 25-20, 26-24, 25-22).

By Dickie Anderson

Keep Nassau Beautiful and local graduate student Rhin Jones recently coordinated an event at Main Beach April 26, “The Last Castle on the Beach.” Small crowds gathered to watch international artists Andy Gertler from the Sand Master’s TV show, Sue Beatrice of Sand Sculpt USA, and local sculptor Jenn Cook create a “turtle conservation” themed sand sculpture at the Main Beach volleyball courts. Several groups shared educational materials at the event, including the Island Art Association, Amelia Island Sea Turtle Watch, and the Museum of Science & History (MOSH). The grand finale of the day, after the picture taking, was the crowd “smash down,” taking down the sculpture and adding the sand to the volleyball courts.

Attendees were reminded that sandcastles, holes, moats, and beach equipment like chairs and umbrellas can create dangerous obstacles for sea turtles searching for nesting spots. Once eggs hatch these obstacles can create traps for the small hatchlings trying to reach the water.

Jones organized the project as part of her master’s degree in biology through Miami University’s Project Dragonfly. Among the program requirements is completion of a Community Leadership Challenge. Her goal was to plan an event using art to focus on a conservation issue. A brainstorming session came up with the “Last Sand Castle on the Beach” and sand artists Sue Beatrice and Andy Gerter agreed to come and sculpt.

The project reflects Keep Nassau Beautiful’s dedication to conservation, sustainability, and beautification efforts in Nassau County, Florida.

BLOOMINGTON & TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The No. 19 Washington University in St. Louis men’s outdoor track and field team took to the road this weekend, taking part in three different meets on Friday.

Results from the Billy Hayes Invite (Indiana) and Sycamore Open (Indiana State) have been posted while the results from the USF Fighting Chance Meet will not be available until very late and will be recapped on Saturday.

Top Results from Billy Hayes Invite:

• 800m

  • Sophomore William Frohling finished runner-up with a time of 1:51.08
  • It was a season-best and the new 23^rd best time in Div. III this spring

 
Top Results from Sycamore Open:

• Javelin
  
• Pole Vault

  • The Bears finished second through fourth in the event
  • Graduate Tommaso Maiocco took second place with a height of 5.18m

    • He tied his personal best and set a the new #2 in Div. III this spring

  • Junior George Bourdier was third with a height of 5.08m
  • Sophomore Peter Lichtenberger was fourth with a season best height of 5.08m, setting a new fifth best in Div. III this spring

WashU will compete one more time before selections are made for the 2025 NCAA Div. III Outdoor Championships when they travel to Rock Island, Ill. for the Augustana Twilight Final Qualifier on May 14 and 15.
 

SAINT PAUL, Minn. – After day one of the MIAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Macalester, the Gustavus women are in third place while the men are in fifth. The Gustie women have accumulated 49.5 points, while the men have totaled 36 points.

Megan Geraets added to her impressive resume by setting the MIAC meet record in the 400-meter prelims with a time of 55.26. McKenzie Luetmer qualified for finals as well with an eighth place finish in 58.79. Geraets also set the meet record in the long jump, winning the event with a mark of 18-9.75. Lily Guy earned All-Conference honorable mention by taking fifth with a clearance of 17-6.75.

Geraets’ third event of the day was the 200-meter prelims where she took first place with a time of 24.42. Kate Carlson also qualified for finals with a time of 24.69, which placed third. Carlson, the defending 100-meter champion, took third in the prelims with a finals qualifying time of 12.24. 

Molly Liston garnered All-Conference in the 10k, taking second place in 39:08.61. Kelley Brennan also captured All-MIAC honors, finishing runner up in the shot put with a mark of 42-6.75. Bella Sutch earned honorable mention, finishing sixth with a heave of 39-10.75. 

The Gusties qualified three in for finals in the 100-hurdles as Emily Podulke took fifth in 15.50, Laura Thauvin placed seventh in 15.87, and Chelsea Stahl took eighth in 15.94. Lauren Rocheford qualified for finals in the 400-hurdles, taking sixth in 1:06.05. Aubrey Mair was another finals qualifier in the 800-meter, taking eighth in 2:19.07. 

Kailyn Walukas scored in the 1500-meter, finishing seventh 4:49.50. Anna Lacy earned honorable mention in the javelin, taking sixth with a throw of 111-04. Alli Graff also earned honorable mention honors, taking fourth in the pole vault with a clearance of 10-9.0. Camille Finney also scored, taking seventh with the same height. 

For the men, Brendan Carlson and Cole Matetich earned All-Conference in the high jump. Carlson took second with a height of 6-7.0 and Matetich finished third with a clearance of 6-3.5. Turner Thompson and Kyler Flunker also scored, taking fifth and seventh, respectively, with heights of 6-1.5. 

Connor McCormick qualified for finals in the 110-hurdles, taking fifth in 15.55. Sam Schulze qualified for finals in the 400-hurdles, finishing seventh in 56.10. 

Wyatt Hudspith earned honorable mention in the discus with a mark of 152-05. And Isaiah Subah also captured honorable mention, taking sixth in the long jump with a leap of 22-3.75. 

The MIAC Championships conclude tomorrow with finals. 

It’s been another solid season for the Hollister boys volleyball team. This year’s squad fought through injuries and ups and downs to put together a strong campaign. 

The Balers have ended the regular season at 18-16 overall, and 4-6 in the Pacific Coast Athletic League’s Gabilan Division. Hollister was again competitive in the highest PCAL division and in non-league matches.

“It’s been a good season,” coach Adrian Masoni said. “We’ve been battling injuries this year. We have a great group of seniors. One of our standouts has of course been Henry (Schwarzwaelder). Our setter Abraham (Corona) has been our rock on offense. We’ve been lucky to have him. On defense, Nico (Haro) has really been a revelation. He gets to everything. What he’s doing as a junior is remarkable.”

Corona sets a fierce group of hitters in Schwarzwaelder, Rony Salas Ramirez and opposite Diego Martinez Ruiz. 

Co-captain Schwarzwaelder has totaled an amazing 1,086 kills over three years, with an impressive attack percentage of .339. He has added 95 blocks and 142 aces. On the court, he contributes offensively and defensively and his broad repertoire includes blasts, roll shots, tips and placement. 

Martinez Ruiz has been a major contributor for two years and has totaled 313 kills and 30 blocks, while serving 39 aces. Salas Ramirez racked up 211 kills this year as a junior.

Co-captain Corona has run the offense superbly, delivering 889 assists and serving 73 aces. Gabe Arredondo and Marcos Matus also contributed at server this season. 

Other major contributions came from Gio Stotler, Calvin Ong and Gianni Mortela in the middle, Blake Maddox and Angel Soto all over the court and Kevin De La Cruz at opposite.

This year’s record is nearly identical to the marks put up the last two years, resulting in a cumulative ledger of 61-43 overall, 19-15 in league play. Over that span, Monterey has taken the league crown twice and finished second once, with Carmel grabbing the title in 2023 and claiming second the other two seasons. 

After that pair, Hollister and Salinas have had the third-best seasons, with everyone else further back.

The Balers started off the 2024-25 campaign strong with victories over North Salinas twice, Everett Alvarez twice, Christopher, Salinas, Anzar, Scotts Valley three times, Pacific Collegiate, York and Palma. A rough patch coincided with injuries and the overall record suffered. More recently, Hollister picked up league wins against Carmel, Salinas and Seaside.

The Carmel victory on April 1 was likely the highlight of the year. Beating the powerful Padres was even more impressive when one notes that Schwarzwaelder was out with an injury. The Balers prevailed 19-25, 25-18, 25-27, 28-26, 15-13. Salas Ramirez ripped 16 kills and Martinez Ruiz added 11. Corona set 21 assists, Marcos Matus served four aces and Haro had 11 digs.

“The playoffs are off the table,” Masoni said. “It’s a really stacked league. It’s cut-throat.”

The April 30 contest at Christopher illustrated both the Balers’ struggles and their fortitude, resilience and strength. The match, postponed from earlier in the season due to gym availability, began with the Blossom Valley Athletic League, Santa Teresa Division league-leading Cougars on a roll. Christopher is 21-9 this year and headed to the Central Coast Section playoffs. 

The Balers were missing Martinez Ruiz and Ong, but De La Cruz and Maddux stepped up.

Behind powerful hitter Diego Rodriguez, setter Sam Bravo, libero Nolan Smith and a deep group that was strong in front and back, Christopher built early leads in the first two sets and won comfortably via the score of 25-16 both times.

“The first two sets, everything was not there,” Hollister’s Corona said. “After that, everyone played more scrappy and we were better on defense. That allowed us to run more offense. We were able to play fun and with energy.”

The third set was knotted at 22 when Salas Ramirez smashed a winner through the block and followed with a score via a tip. De La Cruz ripped a cross for the final point and a 25-23 win.

“We were not going to go down without a fight,” Corona said. “We always try to play our best.”

Hollister showed even more mettle in the fourth set. They trailed by a few points most of the set but rallied back late to stun the Cougars. At 22-22, Salas Ramirez scored with a shot down the line, Schwarzwaelder crushed a ball through the seam and then closed the set 25-23 with a ball that tipped the net and went over, handcuffing the Cougars.

“We fought back and as a coach, you can be proud of that,” Masoni said. “Some things can’t be measured. I think the main thing is that we took a more aggressive approach. We put pressure on Christopher. We got more touches on the block and played better defense. It says something about our team character.”

In the fifth set, the Cougars regained their mojo. They improved their defense and avoided hitting errors. Christopher scored the first five points and fended off Baler rallies that could not dent the deficit. Schwarzwaelder ripped three kills but the Cougars prevailed 15-10.

“It was a tough one,” Christopher coach Lee Guerrero said. “They (Hollister) hustled. They never gave up. We want to be that kind of team. In the fifth set, our passing got better. Because of that, we were able to run our offense better.”

In the season finale a week later on May 6, the Balers smacked Seaside in four sets. Schwarzwaelder ripped 22 kills and served four aces. Martinez Ruiz belted 21 kills and had 14 digs.

“The season overall was really nice,” Corona said. “We lost a couple but we were having fun playing together.”