Foreign exchange student Alex Krstic of Pazin, Croatia
Monday, November 10, 2003
Allegany tips off season tonight
Trojans host Rockland, N.Y.; seek 31st straight victory in home opener
Steve Luse
Sports Writer
CUMBERLAND — The Allegany College of Maryland Trojans will be looking to win the school’s home opener for the 31st straight year when they host SUNY Rockland Community College of Suffern, N.Y. tonight. Tipoff is 7 o’clock.
The Trojans are opening their 33rd season under head coach Bob Kirk, who is second on the NJCAA all-time wins list with 896 victories and only 173 losses for a winning percentage of .838.
The last loss in a home opener was in Kirk’s second season when the Trojans lost to Catonsville, 79-71, to start the 1973-74 campaign.
Allegany won the Maryland JUCO Conference regular-season and playoff titles last year before being upset by Garrett College, 55-52 in overtime, in the Region XX championship game to finish with a 27-3 record. The Trojans were ranked No. 8 in the final NJCAA Division I poll.
Despite losing four starters, Allegany continues to draw pre-season recognition based on the reputation of the program. The Trojans are No. 16 in the NJCAA Coaches Poll, and 17th in Street and Smith Magazine.
The only returning starter from last year’s team is 6-foot-3 point guard Sterling Ledbetter of Laurel. The other returning sophomores are Dwayne Shackleford of Washington, D.C.; Winston Robinson of Knoxville, Tenn.; Mike Castro of Brooklyn, N.Y.; and Matthew Dent of Monessen, Pa.
Among the seven freshmen is former Bishop Walsh High Schoolforeign exchange student Alex Krstic of Pazin, Croatia, who was a first-team Times-News All-Area selection last season.
The other newcomers are Tyrone Beale of Silver Spring; Jerome Petticolas of Washington, D.C.; Eric Bigby of Meade; Jeremy Eck of Stafford, Va.; James Russo of Baltimore and Joshua Thomas of Hampton, Va.
The Trojans rolled over Rockland, 83-39, in last season’s opener and has won both meetings with the Hawks. The other win was 99-41 two years ago.
Rockland had a 16-14 record last season under head coach Rob Kurzinsky and finished fifth in the Region XV Tournament.
The Hawks have already played two games, falling to Passaic County, N.J., 81-58; and Monroe College of the Bronx, N.Y., 93-54.
Kenny Amparo, a 6-foot-5 sophomore and the only returning starter, had 18 points and 14 rebounds against Monroe after scoring 13 points in the opener. John Yonaaco added 10 points against Monroe and Ty Della Monica had 12 against Passaic.
It will be Beall High School and AYSO and JCP Soccer Night. Autumn Smith will sing the National Anthem, and the Beall High Belles will perform at halftime.
Anyone affiliated with Beall High School and all youths from the AYSO and JCP league wearing a team shirt will be admitted free with their families.
Allegany College Trojans
Sophomores
No. Pos. Hgt. Wgt. Hometown
35 Mike Castro C/F 6-8 235 Brooklyn, N.Y.
31 Matthew Dent G 6-5 190 Monessen, Pa.
12 Sterling Ledbetter G 6-4 195 Laurel, Md.
33 Winston Robinson F 6-7 195 Knoxville, Tenn.
15 Dwayne Shackleford G 5-10 185 Washington, D.C.
Freshmen
No. Pos. Hgt. Wgt. Hometown
21 Tyronne Beale C/F 6-9 200 Silver Spring, Md.
43 Eric Bigby F 6-6 190 Meade, Md.
45 Jeremy Eck F/C 6-8 220 Stafford, Va.
25 Alex Krstic F 6-7 190 Pazin, Croatia
24 Jerome Petticolas G 6-5 185 Washington, D.C.
11 James Russo G 6-3 185 Baltimore, Md.
41 Josh Thomas F 6-6 188 Hampton, Va.
Copyright © 2003 Cumberland Times-News
Source: http://216.15.229.16/news/full_story.cfm?story_id=18144
