Yardley runner cuts three hours in Boston

Justin Veisz, 26, of Yardley, posted an astoundingly quick time earlier today in the Boston Marathon, completing the 26.2-mile course in a little over two hours and 45 minutes.

Justin’s official time of 2:46:38 placed him 327th overall. He was just the 310th male runner to cross the finish line. Veisz’s time at the halfway point of the famous Bean Town race was 1:20:45.

Deriba Merga, 28, of Ethopia, won the 105th running of the race in 2:08:42.

Merga won this year’s Houston Marathon and finished fourth in the event in last summer’s Olympics but failed to finish the Boston race just three years ago.
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- Steve Sherman, Sports Editor

Cummins among top college keepers in US

Washington & Jefferson College men’s lacrosse team starters rank among the top of several key statistical categories in the NCAA.

The group includes senior attack wing Zach Devilbiss, senior midfielder Dan Rosenberg and freshman goalie Brian Cummins, a Notre Dame High School alum from Yardley.

Devilbiss is currently the leading goal scorer in NCAA Division III, averaging 4.33 goals per contest. With 39 goals and seven assists this season, Devilbiss is now the all-time leading goal scorer at W&J with 102 career goals.

Rosenberg, who has played and started in all nine games this season, is 89-of-135 (.659) in faceoffs this season, which is the sixth best mark in the country. He also ranks 19th in the nation in ground balls as he has scooped up 55 ground balls, averaging 5.56 per contest. He has also scored 12 goals and dished out four assists.

And Cummins ranks among the nation’s best statistical players as he has a goals against average of 9.63 and a save percentage of .539. His GAA is the 32nd best mark in the country, while his save percentage is 37th best in the nation.

For the season, he has collected 90 saves in just under 480 minutes of action (479:51). The freshman has started eight of the Presidents’ nine games and has received the decision in every contest, holding an overall record of 5-4.

W&J has not lost a home contest this season and currently holds an overall record of 5-4.

As a team, the Presidents hold the seventh-best man-down defense in the nation, allowing 0.81 goals in penalty situations. W&J also carries the 11th-best team faceoff percentage in the nation at 61 percent (116-of-191).

W&J looks to keep its undefeated home record intact when it hosts Penn State-Abington at 1 p.m. this Saturday.

PENNINGTON SCHOOL TRACK: Wood excited to get there

Pennington runner looking forward to move to Texas

By Steve Sherman
Sports Editor

Pennington School junior Philip Wood began his high school career at LaSalle College High School. For those of you not familiar with the school, it’s a private Catholic School located on the edge of North Philadelphia.

Wood didn’t like the commute so he transferred to Pennington deciding instead to board at the New Jersey school before the start of his junior year.

But when Wood set down to select a college campus, he didn’t let distance stand in his way. The cross country and track standout for the Red Raiders selected the University of Texas. He’ll also compete in both sports for the Longhorns.

Though Wood will be a couple thousand miles away from his hometown in Yardley, he won’t feel like he’s so far away. That’s because Wood has grandparents and some family friends who live on the outskirts of Austin, home town of the Longhorns.

“This is huge,” stated Wood. “Ever since I was a little kid, it’s always been my dream to run at a D-I school - especially Texas.

“Even though I’m going far away, it’s almost like a second home to me.”

In the past two years since transferring to Raiders Coach Rick Ritter’s squad, Wood has become a seasoned distance runner, excelling in anything distancing a mile or more.

Late last year, Wood finished in fifth place in the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships (FLCC) Northeast Regional held Nov. 29 at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx.

Wood's time of 15:42 was only 21 seconds behind winner Solomon Haile, of Silver Spring, Md.

Earlier that month, Phil took second place in the N.J. Independent Schools Prep B cross country championship meet run at Blair Academy. Wood’s longtime nemesis Doug Smith of Gill/St. Bernard’s won the race in 15:29.55, two seconds in front of Wood’s 15:31.7.

And on Oct. 31, Wood also placed second in the Mercer County Meet, finishing just behind Joe Rosa of West Windsor North.

Last May as a high school junior, Wood came on in the final 200 meters to win the 3,200 at the Mercer County Track & Field Championships held that time at Steinert.

Wood posted a record time of 9:18.76 in the distance event, erasing a 23-year old meet mark of 9:22.9 that Trenton's Keith Williams ran in 1985.

Wood became Pennington's first Mercer Meet champ since Peter Rulon-Miller won the 1,600 in 2002 at 4:27.7.

A month ago at the Armory, Wood recorded a 4:16.96 in the mile at the annual Hispanic Games.
After his good showing in the Northeast Regionals, however, Wood fell ill after the race and wasn’t able to train the way he would have liked.

At Nationals held in December in San Diego, the Southern California weather turned chilly - about 55 degrees - by race time.

Wood wound up finishing 30th in a field of 40 runners.

Still, in some ways just getting there was enough, he said.

“Nationals was a great experience but I didn’t run as well as I would have liked,” said Phil. “While I wasn’t really happy with the results, I was thrilled that I made it.”

And Wood is more than elated to be a future member of the Texas Longhorns.

“It’s been a great ride,” said Wood. “Right now, I’m just trying to get through the winter season. And, I’m really excited to go to Texas."

NOTRE DAME LAX:ND keeper commits to Cornell

Notre Dame High School senior goalkeeper Courtney Gallagher, of Yardley, has recently committed to play lacrosse at Cornell University. Pictured here in the first row, from left: Courtney’s mother, Lisa Gallagher; Courtney; Courtney’s father, Paul Gallagher; (standing) Notre Dame girls lacrosse coach Laura Trzasko, Courtney’s sisters, Morgan (ND Class of 2012) and Brooke; and ND Principal Mary Liz Ivins.

PENNSBURY SOCCER:Schoenle commits to WVU

Pennsbury senior and YMS Xplosion center-backfielder Eric Schoenle signed a National Letter of Intent Feb. 4 to play soccer at the University of West Virginia. Eric joins classmate Dalton Pepper who accepted a full scholarship to play basketball for the Mountaineers.