Junior Annie Lydens was named the SCIAC Female Athlete of the Week for the third time this season while sophomore forward Jake Klewer of the men’s basketball team earned the SCIAC Male Athlete of the Week honor for the first time in his career.

Lydens earned this week’s honor after recording the best finish for a Pomona-Pitzer Cross Country athlete (male or female) in the history of the Division III Championships. Lydens finished third overall at nationals, breaking the previous best of fifth-place set by Crosby Freeman at the 2004 Men’s National Championships and her own high mark of ninth-place on the women’s side, which she set last year.

In addition, Lydens also broke the program record in the 6K, crossing the line with a time of 21.02, which was 25 seconds faster than she ran last year on her way to a ninth-place finish. She easily earned All-America honors with her performance (the top 35 finishers earn All-America distinction) and has now been named an All-American three times, including once in Outdoor Track and Field after finishing second at the nationals in the 5000 meters last spring.

Lydens did not start competing competitively in distance events until her sophomore year, and has responded with three top-10 finishes in her first three seasons. As a freshman, she only competed in one cross country race due to a foot injury, and then competed in the middle-distance (800 meters) during track season.

Lydens, who also carries a 4.0 grade point average at Pomona, plans to compete in both the 1500 and the 5000 meters this spring, and is expected to be in the hunt for national championships in both events.

Klewer, meanwhile, had an exceptional performance in a double-overtime loss to defending national champion St. Thomas (Minn.) on Saturday. He finished with game-highs of 23 points and nine rebounds, while shooting 10-14 from the floor as the Sagehens nearly pulled off the upset, leading by five with 30 seconds to go in regulation. The 23 points established a new career high as well, surpassing the 21 he had last year in a home win over Caltech.

Klewer had 14 of his points in the second half, including eight straight for the Sagehens during one stretch when he helped his team pull rally from a nine-point deficit to pull even at 49-49 with 6:30 to go. He also had a key baseline spin move for a lay-up to put Pomona-Pitzer ahead by three in overtime, before the Tommies tied it on a three-point shot with just over a minute to play.

Senior guard James Lambert was named to the Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-District 8 first team in a vote of the district’s sports information directors.

Lambert, who carries a 3.93 grade point average as an economics major, is now eligible for Academic All-America honors, which will be announced in December.

As one of the team co-captains, Lambert has had a key role in this season in blocking for junior running back Luke Sweeney who leads the nation (Division III) in rushing by over 20 yards with 182.4 yards per game. Lambert and his line-mates have paved the way for Sweeney to set both single-game (265) and single-season (1,277) rushing records in the 119-year history of Sagehen Football.

In fact, over his career, Lambert has blocked for Pomona-Pitzer’s all-time leading passer (Jake Caron) and receiver (R.J. Maki), in addition to Sweeney’s records this season.

Lambert and the Pomona-Pitzer offensive line have been equally effective this season with their pass protection as in opening holes for Sweeney. The Sagehens have allowed only 11 sacks all year in 263 total passing plays.

Lambert and the Sagehens finish their 2011 season when they travel across Sixth Street to take on neighboring rival Claremont-Mudd-Scripps on Saturday at 1 p.m. in the annual Peace Pipe game.
 
 

Junior Annie Lydens was named the SCIAC Female Athlete of the Week (all sports) for the second time this fall, it was announced today by the conference office.

Lydens earned the honor after winning the SCIAC Women’s Cross Country Championship on Saturday at Prado Park in Chino, finishing with a time of 23:11, which was 25 seconds faster than the second-place finisher.

After winning the race, Lydens also received the 2011 SCIAC Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Year honor for the second straight season, as a result of her combined performances in the SCIAC Mutli-Duals on Oct. 15 and the conference championship on Saturday. At the Multi-Duals, Lydens finished nearly 30 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher.

In fact, Lydens competed in three races in the month of October and won all three handily, including a personal-best time of 21:03 at the Pomona-Pitzer Invitational on Oct. 1 (pictured).

An All-American in both cross country and outdoor track last season, Lydens will try to defend her NCAA Division III West Region championship when she returns to action on Nov. 12 in a race that will be held on her home course.

The NCAA Division III nationals will be Nov. 19 in Wisconsin, where she will try to improve on her ninth-place finish last fall. She also finished second in the 5000 meters at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field championships in May.

Former Pomona-Pitzer quarterback Jake Caron has signed with the Utah Flash of the Arena Football League.

Caron, 21, finished his eligibility after the 2010 season. This season he has been serving as a quarterbacks coach for the Sagehens, coached by father Roger.

As a player Caron set school records for career total yardage (9,225), passing yardage (8,408) and completions (651). As a senior, he earned the Daley Award which recognizes outstanding athletic achievement. He ended his career as the number 10 ranked passer in NCAA Division III football.

Caron, a Claremont resident, said the NFL lockout made it difficult to pursue professional opportunities. He had planned on playing with the Hartford entry of the United Football League but that team folded a week before he was to leave.

“I’m excited about the opportunity. I’m in great shape so I am ready top go,” he said. “Obviously it is different, being a shorter field in a confined space, things happen a lot quicker.”

Caron will leave for training camp in February with the season starting a month later.

Former Pomona-Pitzer baseball standout David Colvin is in his first year as a professional and is now pitching for the Seattle Mariners Rookie-League affiliate in Pulaski, Va.

Colvin, a 6-foot-3, 215-pound right-hander, is coming out of the bullpen for the team which is 19-22 overall. He has appeared in nine games, eight of those as a reliever. In 18 innings he has given up 16 hits, two earned runs and five walks with 17 strikeouts.

Colvin was drafted in the 27th round by the Seattle Mariners. He finished his career as the Pomona-Pitzer leader in wins with 35, strikeouts with 302, innings pitched with 369 and highest winning percentage at .833.

He also holds the single season record for strikeouts with 107 and shares the single season win record with 10 in 2010. He was named Second Team All-SCIAC in 2008 and First Team All-SCIAC in 2009, 2010 and 2011. He was named First Team All-West Region in 2010 and Second Team All-West Region in 2009 and 2011 and named Second Team All-American in 2010.

The University of Redlands seized control of the SCIAC baseball race with a 7-6 win over the University of La Verne. The Bulldogs (25-8, 19-5) now have a two-game lead over La Verne (22-13, 17-7) and a three-game over Cal Lutheran (22-14, 16-8) and they won head-to-head series against both in the case of a tie,

The University of Redlands chalked up a 21-10 win over East Texas Baptist this morning in its season debut. It was a good win for the Bulldogs over an opponent that picked up a quality win last week.

The Bulldogs got an efficient performance from senior quarterback Dan Sewlay who went 18 of 24 for 146 yards and two touchdowns. Coach Mike Maynard has said he will use other quarterbacks this season because he has to prepare for life after Selway. Well that came earlier than he even planned as Selway was sidelined with cramps early in the third quarter in the stifling humidity.

Sophomore Chad Hurst came in and directed a drive that put the Bulldogs a 21-3 lead.

Evan Reuter and David Metcalf proved to be the top targets.

On defense Redlands faced a tough task in trying to stop ETBU’s scrambling quarterback Sed Harris. The Bulldogs gave up some big plays but did an admirable job. Maynard credit Andrew Carreon, Spencer Minshew, Alex Ouji and Brad Hutter.

Punter Wes Norris averaged 51.4 yards on five kicks and Mike Nicolini had a big interception in the first half.

Meanwhile Pomona-Pitzer lost to Whitworth (Wash.) 35-7 at home. The Sagehens gave up 21 quick points in the last three minutes and was not in striking distance again. The defense is looking suspect, having given up 562 yards. That will be a big problem!

The SCIAC champion Pomona-Pitzer baseball team is the lone college team left standing. The Sagehens will leave Tuesday morning for the NCAA Division III West Regional to be hosted by Linfield (Ore.) starting on Wednesday.

The Sagehens (29-9) are seeded third in the six-team field and will open up against fourth-seeded University of Texas-Tyler at 7 p.m.

The field looks extremely tough with all six teams ranked nationally.Chapman is the top seed and is ranked the highest at No. 6. Then it’s Trinity (Tex.) at No. 9, Pomona-Pitzer at No. 11, Mississippi College at No. 15 and Texas-Tyler at No. 18.

Tyler is the top team out of the tough American Southwest Conference. Both Tyler and Pitzer were regional qualifiers last year, although they didn’t play each other.

The biggest challenge for the Sagehens will be rust. They haven’t played in three weeks. No matter how much you practice or how many intrasquad games you play, it isn’t the same as seeing live pitching and being in game situations.

Junior David Colvin gets the start. With him on the mound the Sagehens typically don’t need a lot of runs.

The Sagehens have five seniors, two of whom are starters. They have been to the regional three times in the last four years.

Former Pomona-Pitzer baseball standout Drew Hedman is playing for the Salem (Va.) Red Sox, Boston’s High A affiliate in the Carolina League.

 It’s early but his second professional season is off to a better start than the first.He is hitting .340 (16-for-47) in 14 games with eight RBI and eight runs scored. He played first base in college but is now seeing time in right field.

Hedman, who broke several school records his senior season, hit .265 last year in 45 games for the Lowell Spinners of the New York-Penn League. He was a 50th round draft pick by the Red Sox in 2009.

By Michelle Gardner

Staff Writer

Pomona-Pitzer senior Drew Hedman sprints to third base, where Frank Pericolosi is watching from the third-base coach’s box. The Sagehens are about to score another run and they’re already comfortably ahead.

“When you’re done, there’s a scout here to see you,” the coach says to the player, then turns his attention back to the matter at hand.

It might not have been the best time to mention such a thing, but Pericolosi knows that his player can handle it. He’s been doing so all season and it hasn’t provided the least bit of distraction.

The Sagehens (31-3, 15-0), winners of 12 straight games, are nearing their second SCIAC title in three years but face a formidable challenge today against Cal Lutheran (27-7, 13-2).

The Sagehens are ranked No. 1 in one national poll and No. 3 in another. The contribution of Hedman has been a huge factor. The Redding native is hitting a whopping .533, but his other numbers are equally impressive.

He leads the SCIAC in runs scored (53), hits (72), home runs (21), RBIs (70) and total bases (152). His slugging percentage is a robust 1.126 and his on-base percentage is .605. He has more than twice as many walks (23) as strikeouts (9). The 21 home runs are a school single-season record.

Hedman knows he is being watched, but he doesn’t let that get in his head.

“It’s always been a dream of mine to get drafted, but it doesn’t change how I approach the game,” he said during a break in a recent practice. “I don’t even think about that when I’m on the field.”

Hedman’s numbers warrant the attention, but getting drafted isn’t a given when you play for a Division III school.

Pericolosi, in his seventh year, has had two players drafted during his tenure — catcher Jose Cortes by the Phillies in 2003 and Jase Turner, Hedman’s predecessor at first base, by the Cubs in 2005.

The University of Redlands and University of La Verne have been among the top of the heap in the SCIAC in recent years, but they haven’t had much luck in the draft department.

Redlands hasn’t had a player drafted in coach Scott Laverty’s 10 years, and the last player drafted out of La Verne was pitcher Scott Lindeen, the SCIAC Player of the Year in 2005. He played just one year in the minor leagues and never made it out of rookie ball.

The most prominent player to come out of the SCIAC in the last decade is pitcher Jason Hirsh, who was drafted out of Cal Lutheran in the second round by the Houston Astros in 2003 and made his major- league debut in August of 2006.

Pericolosi certainly thinks his top player is worthy.

“I have to think someone will give him the chance,” he said. “His hitting numbers speak for themselves, but his fielding is outstanding and his foot speed is above average for a first baseman. He has all the tools.”

Pericolosi added that the Diamondbacks have shown the most interest, although that is hardly an indication of what might happen on draft day.

Other teams have turned out too, and they say the evaluation process isn’t different than it is for a Division I player.

“You’re looking at a lot of things,” said one scout who took in the Sagehens against Chapman last weekend.  “Bat speed, mechanics, how frequently the batter is making solid contact — those things don’t change.
“About the only thing that is different is that these guys aren’t facing as good a pitching game-in, game-out.”

Hedman set the stage for his senior season by competing for the Green Bay entry of the prestigious Northwoods League, a summer wood-bat college league that starts in early May and runs through August.

That gave him the chance to play with the top players throughout the country in all divisions and show that he can play without the aid of the aluminum bat. He responded by hitting a respectable .305 in 59 games.

“That was a great opportunity,” Hedman said.  “I was happy with how I played there, and it gave me a lot of confidence to hold my own against those guys.”

While the draft is a definite goal, Hedman’s priority right now is helping the Sagehens to the postseason. Pitzer won the SCIAC and advanced to the West Region in 2007, his sophomore year, but they went just 1-2 in that tournament. They’re a more seasoned team this time around, though.

“Most of us have been there before and we know what it takes,” he said.
“We’re more experienced and we have more depth. Hopefully that will pay off.”

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