Monday, February 25, 2008

Tues. 26 Men's Basketball (H) Malone College/AMC North-South Championship Game 7:30 pm *

Fri. 29 Women's Tennis at University of Charleston 7 pm

Men's Tennis at University of Charleston Tournament

Sat. 1 Men's Tennis at University of Charleston Tournament

Track at Mount Union College Invitational

* Games to be broadcast on AM 900 WCER and on the Internet www.wcer.us

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Cavs (24-4, 12-2 AMC S) Take Care of Business/Meet Malone in AMC Title Game

After closing the regular season with three straight wins, the American Mideast Conference South Division Champion Cavs (24-4, 12-2 AMC S) prepare to meet archrival Malone College in the AMC North/South Championship game at home on Tuesday (7:30 pm). The winner receives an automatic berth at the 17th Annual NAIA Division Two National Tournament in Point Lookout, Missouri (3/12-18). The loser becomes the number one seed for the AMC Tournament, which begins on Thursday. Walsh is assured a berth in the National Tournament due to their high ranking. For the NAIA 6th ranked Cavs, this is their third North/South title game in four years and their third meeting with Malone this season. Walsh won the AMC Tournament Championship last season. Also, with three ranked teams above the Cavs having lost at least one game this past week, Walsh should improve on their number six ranking when the final regular season poll is released on Wednesday. Tickets for Tuesday's championship game with Malone, will be on sale on Monday at the PE Center ticket booth between 1 and 4 pm and on Tuesday from 1 pm until game time. Prices are $5.00 for adults and $3.00 for students. Everyone must have a ticket. The game will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER and on the Internet at www.wcer.us.

Walsh captured the AMC South Division regular season title outright for the third time in the last four years, after routing Urbana University (5-22, 3-10 AMC S) 73-49 on the road Tuesday night. Last season, the Cavs tied for the title with Cedarville University and Mount Vernon Nazarene, after winning it outright the previous two years. The Cavs are the first team in 53 years to win the conference championship four consecutive years. Findlay College, now the University of Findlay, won Mid-Ohio Conference championships in 1951-52, 1952-53, 1953-54 and 1954-55. Walsh held Urbana to .344 (11-32) from the field in the first half and led 35-23 at the break. The Cavs put the game away early in the second half, scoring the first 9 points and holding Urbana scoreless the first 5-plus minutes. Corey Jones (6-3, Sr., Avon Lake, OH/Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary), the NAIA's top three-point shooter, stayed red-hot from behind the arc and led all scorers with 21 points. Jones was 5-7 from three-point and 8-13 from the field. Eder Araujo (7-0, Sr., Sao Paulo, Brazil/Odete de Freitas) added 14 points and 9 rebounds and Kyelce Cescato (6-10, So., Barra Bonita, Brazil/Colmeia Entec) scored 12 points and grabbed nine rebounds.

Corey Jones and Brandon Weems (5-10, Sr., Akron, OH/St. Vincent-St. Mary) won their 106th game as member of the Walsh University Cavaliers, as they rolled over Wilberforce University (8-20, 2-12 AMC S) 95-68 in the regular season home finale on Saturday. Jones and Weems combined for 39 points, 8 rebounds and 10 assists in the win. Walsh shot a blistering .652 (15-23) from the field in the first half, and led 40-26 at the half. Jones scored 12 of his 18 points in the first half, as he continued to shoot the lights out from the behind the arc. He finished 6-8 from 3-point, and is 24-35 from behind the arc in the last four games. Weems took over in the second half, scoring 18 of his game-high 21 points, hitting all 8 of his free throws and handing out 8 assists. Each player grabbed four rebounds. Walsh shot .576 from the field in the second half and out scored the Bulldogs 55-42, and led by as many as 32 points (88-56). The Cavs bench again played well, with Lamar Skeeter (5-10, Fr., Dayton, OH/Fairmont Kettering) and Jeremy Shardo (6-3, Fr., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) each adding 12 points.

Walsh and Malone College meet for the third time this season in the AMC Championship on Tuesday night. Walsh won 70-56 on November 29 at Malone and 81-76 at Walsh on February 7. The Cavs lead the all-time series 57-39. The two teams are no stranger to meeting three times in a single season, having done so 14 times, including four meetings in in 1984-85. This will also be their 14th playoff meeting, with Walsh holding a 10-3 advantage. But this is only their second meeting in a championship game. Walsh won the only other championship game between the cross town rivals, 81-42, in 1997-98 in the then Mid-Ohio Conference. Walsh also won the last playoff battle, 76-64, in 2000-01.

Eder Araujo leads the Cavs in scoring (14.4 ppg) and rebounding (8.8 rpg). Araujo is shooting .503 from the field and .707 from the foul line. Corey Jones is averaging 13.9 points and is shooting an AMC and NAIA leading .583 from three-point range. Jones was 11-15 (.733) from the behind the arc this past week and averaged 18.0 ppg. For the season he is shooting .540 from the field and .870 from the foul line. Brandon Weems is averaging 11.4 points and an AMC leading 6.2 assists. Josh Johnson is averaging 10.5 ppg and 5.1 rebounds. The Cavs head into the post season on three-game win streak and with wins in eight of their last nine games. This is the first time since the 1995-96 season that the Cavs have not lost back-to-back games. The Cavs reached the NAIA Final Four that season under the late Steve Loy. Walsh's 24-4 regular season mark is their finest under Head Coach Jeff Young and best since their 26-6 regular season record in 1995-96. The Cavs have lost only two regular season games at home the last two years (27-2).

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Cavs (13-15, 15, 5-9 AMC S) Close Regular Season with Win/Show Marked Improvement

Even though the Walsh University Women's Basketball Team did not reach their ultimate goal of the post season, they definitely are headed in the right direction. After winning only five games last season, the Cavs improved their win total by eight games (13) and narrowly missed a post season berth. After falling to Urbana University (73-54) in their final road game, the Cavs closed the home season with a 88-66 rout of Wilberforce University at home on Saturday. Second year Head Coach Laurel Wartluft will lose only senior (Damoniq'e Askew) from this year's roster.

Walsh was eliminated from the post season, 73-54, at Urbana University on Tuesday. Turnovers and poor shooting led to the Cavs undoing. Walsh turned the ball over 20 times in the first half and trailed 32-23 at halftime. In the second half, the Cavs shot .389 (14-36) and committed eight more turnovers, and were outscored 41-31. Behind Leah Seaman's (5-8, So., Louisville, OH/HS) four second half three-pointers, Walsh pulled to within ten points twice, but would get no closer. Seaman led the Cavs with 20 points. Dianca Gordon (5-8, So., Akron, OH/Central-Hower) and Katie Berry (5-11, Fr., Cleveland, OH/St. Joseph Academy) each ten points. Gordon led the Cavs with eight rebounds.

Freshman standout Katie Berry (5-11, Cleveland, OH/St. Joseph Academy) scored 13 of her team-high 17 points in the first half in in the Wilberforce win, as the Cavs built a 46-26 halftime lead. Walsh then out scored Wilberforce 42-40 in the second half and led by as many as 28 points. Berry finished 6-10 from the floor, with 3 three-pointers and six assists. Cara Bedard (6-0, Fr, Waterloo, OH/Atwater) added 15 points off the bench, with Leah Seaman scoring 12 points and handing out 7 assists. Dianca Gordon tallied 10 points and Callie Brutcher (6-0, Fr., Amherst, OH/Marion Steele) scored 10 points and grabbed 8 rebounds off the bench.

Katie Berry completed an outstanding freshman season, leading the Cavs in scoring (13.8 ppg), minutes per game (30.5), steals (61) and tying for the team lead in free throw percentage (.811) and blocked shots (22). She also handed out 76 assists. Leah Seaman emerged and led the team in three-point goals (40) and assists (88), while averaging 11.8 points and shooting .806 from the foul line. Freshman Cara Bedard led the team in field goal percentage (.521) and rebounding (6.4), while averaging 11.6 points.

MEN'S TRACK: McKee Qualifies for Indoor Nationals in Mile

Walsh's Brendan McKee (Jr., Akron, OH/St. Vincent-St. Mary) has qualified for the upcoming indoor NAIA Nationals in the mile (4:20.63) at the Kent State University Tune-up today. The 43rd annual championships will be held in Johnson City, TN March 6-8. The Cavs are at Mount Union College on Saturday.

The Cavs took three first places finishes at the Kenyon College Invitational on Friday. They won the 4 x 200m relay in a time of 1.34.07. Kevin Beichler (Fr., Smithville, OH/HS), David Miller (Jr., Canton, OH/GlenOak), Andrew Saris (Jr., Smithville, OH/HS) and Chris Weirtz (Fr., Hudson, OH/Western Reserve) comprised the team. Tyler Pierce (So. Salem, OH/HS) won the high jump (6-01.25) and Chad Rankin (Jr., Newton Falls, OH/HS) the shot (48-07.25). Rankin missed qualifying for nationals by three inches.

WOMEN'S TRACK: Cofojohn Provisional Qualifier, Havens Sets Mark, Richards Performs Well at Kenyon

Danielle Cofojohn (So., Diamond, OH/Southeast) qualified provisionally for indoor nationals in the shot put (41'1"), with her toss at the Kent State Tune-up on Saturday. She place eighth. Kristen Havens (Fr., Wadsworth, OH/HS) finished fourth in the 1000m and set a new Walsh record with a time of 3:09.01. The Cavs distance medley relay team of Havens, Megan Case (Fr., Louisville, OH/HS), Kristen LeFever (So., Alliance, OH/Marlington) and Denise Sahli (So., East Canton, OH/HS) finished third in a time of 13:12.78.

Chantelle Richards (Fr., Akron, OH/East) garnered two 3rd places finishes for the Cavs at the Kenyon College Invitational on Friday. Richards finished third in the long jump (14-09.25) and in the 400m (1:07.08). Hilary Datillo (Jr., Mason, OH/HS) also finished 3rd in the pole vault (7-00).

The Cavs are at Mount Union College on Saturday.