Area briefs: SU women snap 4-game skid

FROSTBURG, Md. — Shenandoah University snapped its four-game women’s basketball losing streak Tuesday evening with a 59-48 non-conference victory at Frostburg State.

The Hornets (2-6) earned the win on the strength of a 17-3 run to finish the first half against Frostburg State (2-4).

Trailing 19-14 following a pair of Bobcats free throws with 7:55 remaining in the first, SU reeled off a 9-1 run over the next four minutes to take a 23-20 lead.

Shenandoah continued to keep up the pressure in the final 3:55, scoring eight of the final 10 points of the stanza, to take a 31-22 lead into the locker room.

Freshman Sarah Dixon, making just her second career start, led all players with 12 first-half points.

The lead reached a maximum of 11 points early in the second before an 8-2 Frostburg run from the 9:55 to 5:57 marks brought the hosts to within four points.

The Hornets then clinched the contest by scoring the game’s next final nine points, the last five on a 3-pointer and a pair of free throws from junior Sara D’Amico.

FSU was held without a point until Elaina Hummel hit a 3-pointer with 24 seconds remaining.

Hummel’s ‘3’ was the final points of the contest.

Dixon had a season-high 17 along with eight rebounds while D’Amico added 14 points.

SU shot 37 percent from the field.

Boys’ BASKETBALL

Pioneers 64, Cougars 49

SHENANDOAH JUNCTION, W.Va. — Rze Culbreath scored 25 points to lead three Millbrook players in double figures in a non-district win over Jefferson Tuesday night.

The Pioneers (2-1) led 16-8 at the end of the first quarter and held a 30-21 advantage at the half. Millbrook sealed the game by outscoring the Cougars 19-9 during the fourth quarter.

Adrian DeNeal added 17 points, and Eddie Trexler also scored in double figures with 10.

Conquerors 68, Grace 43

STAUNTON — Mountain View Christian Academy rode the hot hands of seniors James Kirksey and Brandon Pressley to a win over Grace Christian on the road Tuesday.

MVCA (5-2) got 29 points and six assists from Kirksey and 22 points and 19 rebounds from Pressley.

Junior Wayne Alsberry added 11 points and eight rebounds in the win for the Conquerors.

Patriots 58, Dragons 45

STAUNTON — Evan Hotek had 19 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists to lead Shenandoah Valley Christian Academy to a VACA win over Stuart Hall Tuesday.

The Patriots (2-0) were also led by Tanner Foster (12 points, 10 rebounds) and Lucas Pufnock (12 points, four rebounds).

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

Patriots 44, Dragons 21

STAUNT0N — Shenandoah Valley Christian Academy recovered from a 12-10 first quarter deficit by outscoring Stuart Hall 12-1 in the second quarter in Tuesday night’s VACA win.

The Patriots (4-0, 2-0 VACA) were led by Shannon Conradi (15 points, eight rebounds), Hannah McGann (15 points, six rebounds, four assists) and Kayla Freemire (10 points, six steals).

Eagles 48, Wildcats 28

FRONT ROYAL — Clarke County jumped out to a 14-3 lead in the first quarter and never looked back on its way to a non-district win over Warren County Tuesday.

The Eagles (3-0) got 13 points and six rebounds from sophomore Sydney Chrane and six rebounds and six steals from senior Becky Smith.

Sophomore Anna Blue Catlett added 11 points in the victory.

RUGBY

LFCC nationally ranked

Middletown — The Lord Fairfax Community College men’s rugby team has been ranked 27th out of 210 university and college teams by the National Small College Rugby Organization (NSCRO).

LFCC is the first community college to be ranked in the top 30 in the history of NSCRO. The LFCC team plays in the organization’s South Conference.

“This is an honor for the team, and recognition of the hard work by the players and coaches,” said LFCC President, Dr. Cheryl Thompson-Stacy. “They represent us well.”

“Our rugby team has been a source of pride for LFCC and a great opportunity for our players to experience college athletics while community college students,” said Coach Aaron Painter. “We look forward to future seasons and introducing more students to this great sport.”

More information on the rankings can be found at the NSCRO website at www.nscro.org.

College Football

SU’s Erdman earns Academic All-America

TOWSON, Md. — Senior Nick Erdman has been named Capital One Academic All-America in selections announced Tuesday by the College Sports Information Directors of America.

Erdman, a first team honoree who is in his first year as Doctoral Candidate in the SU Physical Therapy School, is the 13th student-athlete in school history to be named Academic All-America.

Twelve of the 13 student-athletes who have been named Academic All-America have earned the honor in the past six years. This is the second-highest total in the ODAC behind only Washington and Lee University.

The Richmond native is the eighth SU student-athlete to earn first team honors and the first football player to be named first team Academic All-America.

Erdman graduated in three years of undergraduate work with a 3.74 GPA on a 4.0 scale as a pre-Physical Therapy major with minors in Biology, Kinesiology and Psychology.

To be eligible for Academic All-America honors, student-athletes must have at least a 3.3 GPA on a 4.0 scale and be a starter or important reserve on their team. Nominees are voted on in one of eight national districts by CoSIDA members with first team All-District honorees moving on to the national ballot for Academic All-America consideration.

Erdman, who started all 40 games of his career, finished this season with 20 solo and 30 assisted tackles, including 13.5 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks.

The three-time All-Conference honoree (2010 and 2011 All-USA South, 2012 second team All-ODAC), Erdman had 67 solo and 61 assisted tackles along with a program record 40 tackles for loss in his career.