Pelham Daily Sports Digest: Register for Spring Rugby Today

The Top Spot:

Register now for spring flag and tackle rugby in Pelham; open to 2nd through 8th graders

Registration is open for the spring flag and tackle rugby programs run by the Pelham Rugby Club under the auspices of the Pelham Recreation Department. Tackle practices begin next month at Hutchinson School and move to the field at Prospect Hill School in March. Flag practices start in April at Prospect Hill. The program is open to Pelham children in second through eighth grades.

Both programs run through June. Contact the Pelham Rec department to sign up. The fees are $150 for flag and $195 for flag and tackle combined, with check or money order payable to Pelham Recreation.

Practice schedule: Mondays & Fridays

3:30 – 4:30 pm (flag, grades 2nd – 5th)

4:30 – 5:30 pm (flag, grades 6th - 8th)

5:30 -  6:30 pm (tackle, grades 6th - 8th)

Equipment

Flag: Cleats suggested but not required. Balls and flag felts provided.

Tackle: Cleats, white shorts, dark blue socks, mouthpiece, all a must. Jerseys provided.

In addition to practices, all elementary players will be eligible for Sunday scrimmages at Chelsea Waterside Park in New York City. Middle school players will be participating in Saturday morning flag tournaments. Two teams (one from each age group) will be selected to participate in the 4th Annual Mayors Cup Flag Rugby Tournament.

Both programs will be run under the direction of Matthew Persanis (Pelham resident, assistant coach of the NYAC Super league team, METNY coaching coordinator and USA Rugby certified coach). Coaches will be provided through PlayRugby USA, and each coach will be a certified professional coach. Most coaches have played internationally.

Pelham Rec: 738-0153

Club contact:  Matt Persanis – mp@elefantepersanis.com

Yesterday’s Results:

Sport: Boys Basketball

Game: Lincoln vs. Pelham

Score: Pelham Won 54-38

Highlights: Jon Miller picked up 13 points for the Pelicans in the win and Luke Szendiuch added nine. Kevin Asiamah and Greg Bony each had seven points for Lincoln in the loss.

College Sports Notebook:

You can’t win them all

The Manhattan College men’s basketball team, coming off a loss that snapped an eight-game winning streak, hopes to bounce back against Fairfield University tonight.

Tip off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at the Arena at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport, CT. The host Stags are 13-10.

The Jaspers (17-8, 10-3 MAAC) were upended by Iona (19-5, 11-2), 85-73, before a sellout crowd at Draddy Gymnasium in Riverdale that was hoping for a ninth straight win.

There were 11 ties and seven lead changes in the first 16 minutes before the Gaels closed the final four minutes with a 9-0 run to carry a 44-38 advantage into halftime.

The resilient Jaspers answered back and eventually pulled within five points after back-to-back three-pointers from senior guards Kidani Brutus of the Bronx, and Rye High School all time leading scorer Liam McCabe- Moran of New Rochelle.

The Jaspers’ shooting, however, cooled off in the final 20 minutes as Beamon was locked down by the Gaels after his superb first half.

McCabe-Moran, who is averaging 17 minutes per game, played just nine minutes, scoring five points. For the season, he has 20 assists and 16 steals.

Wilson, McSharar battle the tide

The Manhattanville College women’s basketball team is not fully clicking, but veteran juniors Taylor Wilson of Pearl River and Jen McSharar of Garnerville continue to play well in the struggle.

The Valiants, who are at home in Purchase tonight (5 p.m.) against DeSales University of Center Valley, PA, are coming off a 89-74 loss at Wilkes University in which McSharar pulled down a game-high 13 points to go along with eight points. Wilson scored 12 points, with two assists.        

In the previous game, a tough 69-66 loss to FDU-Florham, Taylor led the Valiants with 17 points, and also grabbed eight rebounds.

McSharar added 15 points in the cause, and again led the team in rebounds with nine.

The Valiants’ road doesn’t get any softer as they travel to Wilkes-Barre, PA, on Saturday to visit undefeated Kings College.

The Manhattanville men’s team (10-11) is also home tonight, looking to reach .500 against DeSales (12-9) in a 7 p.m. start.

Rockland rivals meet tonight

Dominican College hosts a big basketball doubleheader tonight against local foe Nyack College at the Hennessy Center in Orangeburg.

The Nyack men’s team is winless at 0-22, but certainly has lived up to its Warriors nickname, playing tough and staying close in many games. To make a point, if any were needed, veteran Dominican coach Joe Clinton of Pearl River might quickly point to a meeting on Jan. 26 when it took everything the Chargers had to thwart the resilient Warriors, 76-73.

Dominican is 13-7 after defeating the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, 70-60, as Cory Quimby of Otisville poured in 12 points and pulled down 12 rebounds.

The Lady Chargers, who are even after 20 games, beat their Nyack counterparts, 62-46, on Jan. 26.

The teams are for the rematch tonight at 6 p.m. as the front end of a doubleheader that concludes with the men’s game at 8 p.m.

The Daily Sports Digest is Patch’s way of increasing reader involvement in sports coverage. We would like to provide you with for you to add your best photos and/or videos to share. If you see anything in our high school scores, standings or schedule that requires updating, please e-mail Mark Rinaldi directly at HVDailySportsDigest@gmail.com or like us on Facebook and post updates on our wall. Marc Maturo covers college athletics across the nation. Please send updates of your local schools or players to marcmaturo@aol.com.