Hometown Heroes- A glance at local athletes at next level

Basketball:

Cole Magner (Colony 2000) completed his first season with the Bowling Green basketball team. A sophomore on the football squad, Magner finished his freshman season in hoops. Magner averaged 14.3 minutes per game in 10 appearances this season … Ray Schafer (Wasilla 2003) has signed a National Letter of Intent to join the University of Oregon for the 2003-04 season … Marsha Schirack (Wasilla 2003) has signed a National Letter of Intent to play for the University of Alaska Fairbanks next fall … Zac Forsythe (Palmer 2002) completed his first year with the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Forsythe and the Nanooks won a school record 20 games during the season and advanced to the Division II national tournament … Jessica Moore (Colony 2001) is competing in her second season with the University of Connecticut. Moore is averaging 10.5 points and 6.1 rebounds per game this season as a starter for the top ranked Division I team in the nation. Moore scored a team-high 13 points and grabbed eight rebounds in the Big East Championship against Villinova. 'Nova shocked the Huskies in the title game, defeating UConn 52-48 and snapping their record 70-game winning streak. Despite the loss, UConn earned a number one seed in the women's national tournament … Melissa McNulty (Susitna Valley 2002) finished her first season with UAF. McNulty was recently named to the chancellor's list and inducted into the UAF student-athlete 3.0 GPA club … Laura Lee (Palmer 1999) completed her senior year at Vangard University, an NAIA school in Costa Mesa, CA. Lee recently set the school record for career three pointers. Vangard is annually ranked in the top 20 in the nation and had been to the national playoffs four straight years. The Lions suffered a 76-66 loss to Master's College in the GSAC title game last week. Lee finished the season averaging 5.0 ppg … Sara Bergeron (Palmer 2002) scored 23 points and grabbed eight rebounds in her collegiate debut at Southwestern Oregon Community College in Coos Bay, Ore. recently … Thomas Kelly (Matanuska Christian) is in his first season with Peninsula College (WA). Kelly scored 18 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in PC's last two games.

Hockey:

Nathan Schwartzbauer (Colony 2000) has committed to join Bemidji State for the 2003-04 season. Schwartzbauer currently skates for the Sioux City Musketeers of the United States Hockey League. The former Colony standout has four goals and 15 assists for the Junior A club … Jake Luthi (Colony 2001) has committed to join Renssalaer Polytechnic Insitute for the 2003-04 season. Luthi currently plays for the Sioux Falls Stampede of the USHL. He has registered seven goals and seven assists in 46 games for the Junior A club … Shane Saum (Palmer) is competing in his third season with Air Force. Saum has 27 goals and 30 assists during his career with the Division I program. He currently has five goals, nine assists and 66 penalty minutes in six games this season. Saum registered a power-play goal in Air Force's 5-3 loss to Wayne State Jan. 5 … Kerry Weiland (Palmer) is in her senior season with the University of Wisconsin women's ice hockey team. The 2001 All-American has four goals and 11 assists this season. Weiland also recently participated in the 4 Nations Tournament as a part of Team USA and has been selected to participate on the Team USA Select Women's Team in a tournament in China in April. Weiland recently notched an assist on the game-winning power-play goal in Wisconsin's 2-1 win over Ohio State on Feb. 22. The win improved Wisconsin to 20-6-5 on the year. Weiland was just named second team All-WCHA.

Cross-country skiing:

Renae Moore (Susitna Valley 2002) is competing in her freshman season with the University of Alaska Fairbanks … Ryan Quinn (Colony) is in his senior season with the University of Utah. Quinn was an All-American last season … John Heimerl (Colony) is in his senior season with UAF … Diana Heimerl (Colony) is in her junior season with the Nanooks … Eric Strabel (Colony) is competing in his junior season with the University of Alaska Anchorage. Strabel was an All-American last season … Sarah Hansen (Colony) is a junior with the Seawolves. Hansen has been selected for the Junior National Team.

Swimming:

Dirk Craft II (Palmer 2000) is in his second season with South Dakota. Craft scored an "A" national qualifying time of 45.98 in the 100 freestyle during the prelims of the North Central Conference Swimming and Diving Championships in Grand Forks, N.D. Feb. 22. Craft's time was the sixth best in school history and just .60 short of the record. Craft finished third in the 100 freestyle and ninth in the 200 breaststroke of the NCC "B" class. Craft won the 50 freestyle in the Gold Division at the NCC Championships … Davin Holen (Wasilla) is now the head coach of the University of Alaska swim club. Holen was a three-year letterman as part of the UAA swim team.

Wrestling:

James Winter (Colony 2001) will begin his second season as a heavyweight for Moorehead State … Dan Pickett (Colony 2001) is a sophomore for Moorehead State and Daniel Graham (Colony 2002) is entering his first season with Moorehead State. Graham placed fourth at the University of Mary (N.D.) open tournament on Jan. 18 and placed second at the Concordia (MN) open tournament the week prior … Jesse Brock (Wasilla) is now a junior with Boise State, wrestling at the 133-pound class. Brock was a Pac-10 champion last season. Brock notched an 11-3 major decision over Montana State's Caleb Schaeffer on Feb. 15 … Tony D'Amico (Palmer) is a junior at the 184-pound class. D'Amico, placed third in the Pac 10 championships after transferring from Oklahoma State the year before. D'Amico scored a 19-9 major decision over Montana State's Mike Lester on Feb. 15 … Scott Jorgenson (Palmer) is also a sophomore for Boise State. Jorgenson defeated California Poly's Nathaniel Yberra 11-8 on Feb. 9 … Jon Bush (Palmer 1997) is entering his senior season with Purdue. Bush pinned Wisconsin's Lee Kraemer in 27 seconds Feb. 13 … Ryan Olivera (Wasilla 2002) is entering his first season with the University of Indianapolis … Burton Parker (Colony) scored a pin to lead Pacific University past Pacific Lutheran 21-20 in a dual meet recently.

Track:

After finishing her season with the Citadel volleyball team, Stefanie Faris (Wasilla 2002) was asked to join the school's track squad. Faris has already made an impact for the Citadel track team, in record breaking fashion. Faris finished sixth in the 800-meter at the Appalachian State Invitational to establish a new freshman indoor track record in the event with a time of 2:36:14. It was Faris' first collegiate race. She also helped her 4x400 relay team to a fifth place finish … Ryan Collins (Colony 2002) is in his first season as a sprinter for the Army track team … Kristine Larson (Colony 2000) is in her junior year with the Eastern Washington indoor track team … Nikki Campbell (Colony 2001) is a sophomore at the University of South Carolina. Campbell was recruited by USC as a cross-country runner, but participated on both the Gamecock's cross-country and track squads during her freshman year. The Gamecocks won both the 2002 Southeastern Conference title and the NCAA national crown. Campbell received championship rings for both events.

If you know of any news about a former Valley athlete competing on the next level, let us know! Give us a call at 352-2273 or e-mail the news to sports@frontiersman.com.