Stephanie Cotter has trod a circuitous path over the last three years but one place she seems to return to is the finish line at the NCAA Division 2 Women’s Cross Country Championship race. Before anyone else, that is.
The Adams State junior from Cork won the race for the second time on Friday in University Place, Wash. She ran a winning time of 19:45.2 for 6,000 meters, which was 42 seconds in front of the runner-up.
Cotter won the race in Adams State’s colors as a freshman in 2019. She then transferred to Northern Arizona, a Division 1 school, only to face inactivity due to injuries and the pandemic. She was then greeted with open arms upon her return to Adams State in Colorado. She became the ninth two-time winner of this race. Adams State also won the team title for the 20th time.
WOMEN’S SOCCER
Someone who won’t be a two-time national champion is Florida State’s Heather Payne. The Seminoles were eliminated from the Division 1 College Cup in Cary, N.C. by North Carolina, 3-2, on Friday. Payne, a senior from Ballinasloe, Co. Galway, headed in the final goal for the Seminoles in the 76th minute. The goal was her fourth of the season; she ends her career with six total. Florida State finished the season 17-3-3. North Carolina went on to win the national title on Sunday over UCLA.
FOOTBALL
Ben Kiernan of North Carolina got off three punts on Saturday in the Tar Heels’ 39-10 loss to Clemson in the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship game. The Dublin senior averaged 48.7 yards on his footwork, with a long boot of 56 yards. He delivered two of his punts inside the 20-yard line. The Tar Heels (9-4) will look to snap their three-game losing streak against Oregon on Dec. 28 in the Holiday Bowl in San Diego.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Rapolas Buivydas scorched the net for a career- and team-high 16 points to lead Assumption to a 60-57 road win over Molloy last Monday. The 6-8 sophomore was a perfect 7-for-7 from the floor and 2-for-3 from the foul line in 19 minutes of action. He also had seven rebounds. A resident of Lithuania, Buivydas graduated from The Green, a Christian Brothers secondary school in Tralee, Co. Kerry. The Greyhounds are 4-3.
James Beckom notched a double-double as John Brown University lost, 68-66, to Central Christian in McPherson, Kan. on Thursday. The 6-3 senior from Cork came off the bench to score a team-high 18 points, while grabbing a game-high 11 boards. He shot 6-of-10 from the floor (1-of-2 from downtown) and 5-of-7 from the foul line. The Golden Eagles are 3-7.
Max Amadasun was a perfect 3-for-3 from the floor as St. Bonaventure lost, 83-66, to Buffalo on the road on Saturday. The 6-10 sophomore from Dublin, who transferred to the Bonnies (5-3) from Pitt, also had a blocked shot and a rebound to go with his six points.
Aidan Igiehon came off the bench to post perfect 2-for-2 marks both in shots from the field and the foul line for six points in Laramie, Wyo. on Saturday as Grand Canyon defeated Wyoming, 66-58. He is a 6-10 junior from Clondalkin, Dublin. The Lopes are 7-2.
Likewise, Sanmi Fajana posted 2-for-2s in the field goals and free throws columns as Parkside routed Michigan Tech, 72-49, in Kenosha, Wis. on Thursday. The 6-8 sophomore out of Dublin also got credit for five rebounds. The Rangers are 6-2.
Eli Lenihan was a perfect 5-for-5 at the foul line as Spring Hill lost, 94-85, to Fort Valley State in Mobile, Ala. last Monday. The 6-5 sophomore from Cork also clicked on two of three shots from the floor to give him nine points on the night. He also had a team-high five assists. The Badgers are 1-6.
Rick Pitino is beginning to give Silas Sunday some significant minutes on the floor. The 7-foot freshman from Lucan, Dublin scored four points and gathered two rebounds in each of Iona’s victories last week, 78-56 over Niagara on Friday and 90-60 over Canisius on Sunday. Both games were played in New Rochelle, N.Y. Sunday saw nine minutes of action against Niagara, making two of four field goal attempts, followed by five minutes in the Canisius win, where he drained two of three shots. The Gaels are 4-2.
James Thomas Phelan had co-highs in points and rebounds as Thomas (Maine) lost, 81-76, to Maine Maritime at home on Saturday. Phelan, a 6-3 guard from Portlaoise, Co. Laois, scored 19 points, corralled eight rebounds and assisted on a game-high five buckets for the Terriers (2-6).
Ryan Leonard chipped in 12 points to help St. Mary’s (Tex.) defeat Eastern New Mexico, 76-66, in San Antonio on Saturday. The 6-4 senior out of Tralee, Co. Kerry connected on three of four field goal attempts (including both attempts from River Walk) and all four of his free throws. He added five rebounds and three assists to his stat line as the Rattlers improved to 3-2.
C.J. Fulton had another typical well-rounded performance in Lafayette’s 68-56 loss to Drexel in Philadelphia on Wednesday. The 6-2 sophomore from Belfast scored 12 points, hitting six of 12 shots from the floor, reeled in five caroms, assisted on four buckets and pulled off three steals. The Leopards dropped to 1-8.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Bronagh Power-Cassidy was the game’s high scorer as Holy Cross defeated Northeastern, 60-55, in Boston on Saturday. The 5-10 sophomore out of Dublin knocked down five of 13 field goal attempts, including three of seven from Faneuil Hall, and both of her free throws. On Wednesday, the Cross visited Brown and administered a 60-45 smacking. Power Cassidy was good for 11 points, making four of eight shots from the floor, including three of five flares. The Crusaders are 6-2.
Abigail Rafferty contributed 12 points in a 77-35 DeSales win over King’s (Pa.) at home on Wednesday. The 6-1 junior from Dungannon, Co. Tyrone had a 6-for-12 night shooting the ball and took down five rebounds. She also had three steals. The Bulldogs are 7-0.
Deborah Ogayemi contributed 11 points to Texas-Rio Grande Valley’s 68-51 victory over Houston Christian in Houston on Thursday. The 5-11 sophomore out of Waterford knocked down three of eight shots from the floor, including one of two from long range, and all four of her free throws. She got her hands on eight rebounds as well. Enya Maguire scored seven points for the losing side. The 5-4 junior from Belfast made three of nine field goal attempts, including one of four from the boondocks. UTRGV is now 4-4, while Houston Christian is 3-4.
Lucy Coogan rolled a pair of sevens in Caldwell’s 72-51 trouncing of Alliance in a Saturday home game. The 6-foot freshman from Kilkenny shot 3-for-5 from the field, including 1-for-2 from long range, for seven points. She also put the clamps on seven caroms as the Cougars improved to 3-4.
Katie Williamson came up one rebound shy of a double-double as Southern Connecticut State defeated Pace, 60-33, in New Haven on Wednesday. The 6-1 junior from Dublin dropped in seven of 11 shots from the floor, including one of three from outside the arc, as well as one of two free throws for 16 points. She collected nine rebounds. The Owls (5-2) then came out on the short end of a 65-55 verdict to Bentley on Saturday in Waltham, Mass. Williamson scored 11 points on 5-of-12 shooting (1-of-4 on three-pointers).
