Hometown Heroes, a look at local athletes competing at the next level

Jake Luthi, a 2001 graduate of Colony High School, scored his first career collegiate goal last week. Luthi, a sophomore defenseman for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, scored from the point on the power play to give RPI a 1-0 lead in a 3-3 tie against East Coast Athletic Conference rival, Brown.

Luthi, who did not register a goal during his freshman season and the first 14 games of his sophomore campaign, struck five days later scoring in RPI's 4-3 win over Providence.

Trailing 1-0, Luthi took a pass from winger Kevin Croxton, and scored his second power play goal in less than a week. Luthi also registered his first assist of the season on RPI's game-tying goal in the third period.

Luthi, a 6-foot, 190-pound blueliner, now has two goals and an assist this season.

After skating for the Knights, Luthi moved on to the Junior A hockey level and played with the Sioux Falls Stampede of the United States Hockey League.

Luthi is not the only former Knight skater at the Division I level. Former teammate Nathan Schwartzbuaer is a defensman on the Bemidji State squad.

Hockey:

Kerry Weiland (Palmer 1999) … is in her first season with the Brampton Thunder of the National Women's Hockey League. Weiland has four goals and seven assists in 14 games for the 13-2-2 Thunder … Jake Williams (Houston 2002) is in his second season with the Dubuque Thunderbirds of the Minnesota Junior Hockey League. Williams is third on the squad with six goals and five assists for the 15-9-1 Thunderbirds … Jamie Bennett (Houston 2002) is in his second season with the Thunderbirds. Bennett two goals and three assists with 31 penalty minutes. He scored in a 6-2 win on Nov. 26 … Seth Reda (Colony 2001) is in his first season with the Fairbanks Ice Dogs of the National Junior Hockey League. He is second on the squad with seven goals and 10 assists for the 9-12 Ice Dogs. Reda was traded to Fairbanks by league rival Wichita during the off-season … Spencer Syverston (Wasilla 2004) is in his first season with the Hudson Valley Eagles of the United States Hockey League, a Junior B league … Jake Luthi (Colony 2001) is in his sophomore season with Rensselaer Polytechnic. Luthi scored his first collegiate goal Dec. 3 in a 3-3 tie against Brown. He now has two goals and an assist this season … Nathan Schwartzbauer (Colony 2001) is in his sophomore season with Bemidji State University. Schwartzbauer leads all Beaver blueliners with a +4 rating. He also has one assist in 12 games … Dan Hacker (Wasilla) is a senior at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. He has four goals and six assists for the 7-7-1 Mavericks. He is one of five Mavericks with double digits in points.

Basketball:

Jessica Moore (Colony 2000) is a senior at the University of Connecticut. scored eight points and grabbed nine rebounds as the 4-1 Huskies defeated Hartford 55-32 on Dec. 7 … C.J. Hooker (Palmer 2000) is a senior at the University of North Carolina. Hooker scored two points in a 97-65 win over Southern California Nov. 28. Hooker has appeared in five games this season … Adam Fitt-Chappell (Wasilla 2002) is a junior at the University of Alaska Anchorage. Fitt-Chappel, who is averaging 7.4 ppg and 3.6 rpg this season, scored seven points and grabbed six rebounds in a 62-57 loss to Humboldt State on Dec. 4 … Zac Forsyth (Palmer 2002) is a redshirt junior with UAA. Forsyth will sit out a year after transfering from UAF during the off-season … Brittany Kroon (Wasilla 2002) is a junior for Seattle Pacific Univeristy. Kroon had a steller night in a 99-75 win over Alaska Fairbanks, Dec. 4, with 17 points and 19 rebounds. Kroon is averaging 11 ppg and a team-high 8.5 rpg … Ron (Buddy) Bailey (Wasilla 2003) is a sophomore at Cal Baptist University. Bailey registered two points and two assists in a 92-68 win over Fresno Pacific on Dec. 4. He is averaging 4.4 ppg and 2.5 apg … Amber Magner (Palmer 1992) is in her third season as head coach of California State University-Monterey Bay women's basketball squad. CSUMB is 2-4 … Leah Magner (Colony 1999) is an assistant coach for the CSUMB women's basketball squad … Marsha Schirack (Wasilla 2003) is a sophomore forward with the University of Alaska Fairbanks. She scored four points and grabbed two rebounds in a 99-75 loss to Seattle Pacific on Dec. 4. Schirack is averaging 7.1 ppg and 4.5 apg … Melissa McNaulty (Susitna Valley 2002) is a junior guard with UAF. She has appeared in 16 games last season … Ray Schafer (Wasilla 2003) is a redshirt freshman with the University of Oregon. He recorded three points and four rebounds in a 89-69 win over Marshall on Nov. 27 … Kelly Quinn (Colony 2002) … is a redshirt sophomore with Central Washington University. She is averaging 5.3 ppg and 2.3 rpg for the 6-0 Wildcats. Quinn grabbed three rebounds in a 85-67 win over UAA on Dec. 4 … Kristina Klapperich (Colony 2004) … is in her first season with Central Washington. Klapperich, who is averaging 3.8 ppg and 3.3 rpg, registered four points and three boards against UAA … Chandice Cronk (Wasilla 2004) is in her first season with Santa Clara University. Cronk, who is averaging 4.5 ppg and 2.7 rpg, posted nine points and seven rebounds in a 90-42 win over UC-Davis on Dec. 5 … Kurt Devon (Palmer 2004) is in his first season with Southwestern Oregon Community College … Stanley Ratcliff (Palmer 2004) is in his first season with Western Oregon University. He posted two points and two rebounds in a 70-51 loss to UAF on Dec. 5 … Jesse Prins (Palmer 2004) is in his first season with Hope College (Mich.) … Emily Bolling (Palmer 2004) is in her first season with the New York Institute of Technology. Bolling scored eight points in a 59-46 win over Bridgeport on Dec. 8 … Laural Creel (Wasilla 2004) is a freshman at Southwestern Oregon Community College.

Wrestling:

Jed Wade (Wasilla 2004) is a freshman with Columbia University. Wade defeated Aaron Smith of Millersville 3-1 on Nov. 20 … Jonah Stewart (Palmer 2003) is a redshirt freshman at Western State (Colo.). Stewart pinned Derren Legge of the University of Colorado in the third period on Nov. 20. Stewart also defeated Kevan Costelow of the Colorado School of Mines 5-4 … Jermamiee Meisler (Wasilla 2004) is a freshman at Southwestern Oregon Community College … James Winter (Colony 2001) is a Minnesota State-Moorehead junior … Andy Anderson (Palmer 2002) is a Ellsbury Community College (Iowa) sophomore. Anderson is a starter at 133.

Swimming:

Dirk Craft (Palmer 2001), a nine-time All-American in swimming is expected to lead a deep University of South Dakota men's squad this season … Sarah Brettrager (Colony 2004) is a freshman at Division I Oakland (Mich.) University.

Football:

Cole Magner (Colony 2001) is in his senior season with Bowling Green State University. He has a team-high 62 catches for 678 yards and six touchdowns. The Falcons closed the regular season with an 8-3 record with a 49-41 loss to Toledo. Bowling Green had moved into the top-25 in the country before the loss to the Rockets … Ali Larijani (Palmer 2003) is in his second season with Valley City State University (ND). Larijani, a linebacker, finished the seson third on his squad in total tackles with 68. The Vikings finished 5-5 overall … Dustin Eley (Palmer 2003) is in his first season with Valley City State. Eley, VCS's starting punter, finished the season averaging 34.7 yards per punt … Mike Weber (Palmer 2004) is in his first season with Valley City State. Weber, a reserve defensive back, has two total tackles … Zac Fox (Palmer 2004) is in his first season with Valley City State. Fox is a reserve linebacker … Curtis Shirley (Colony 2004) is a freshman offensive lineman for the University of Western Oregon … James Watts (Wasilla 2001), a two-time letter winner, is in his junior season with Western Oregon. Watts finished the season with 87 carries for 306 yards and a touchdown. The Wolves finished the season 1-9 … Junior Aumavae (Palmer 2004) is a freshman defensive lineman for Western Washington University, a Division II program. The Vikings finished the season 6-4 … Joe Samuels (Palmer 1999) is a freshman defensive lineman for Western Washington. Samuels is currently fourth on the depth chart at defensive tackle … Justin Buzby (Wasilla 2000) is a senior with the University of Minnesota-Crookston. Buzby was named all-conference for the second consecutive season after recording 69 tackles, six sacks and an interception for 2-8 Crookston … James Winter (Colony 2001) is a Minnesota State-Moorehead junior. He finished the season with 14 tackles and two sacks for the 0-11 Dragons. Winter is also a heavyweight on the Dragon wrestling team … Cory Creighton (Colony 2000) is a senior wide receiver and kick returner for the University of Montana-Western. He finished the season with 11 catches for 112 yards and a touchdown for 7-4 Montana Western… Justin Harris (Colony 2004) … is a redshirt freshman defensive lineman at the University of Montana-Western … Jake Debuck (Colony 2003) s a freshman defensive end for Cabrillo College in Aptos, Calif.

Volleyball:

Emily Sakis (Palmer 2003) is a sophomore middle hitter at Northeastern Junior College (CO). She is currently ranked in Region IX and nationally in several statistical categories including attack percentage, first in the region and 23rd in the nation at .430, second in the region and eighth in the nation in kills with 4.81 per game and 11th in the region with 1.1 blocks per game. NJC finished with a 34-6 but fell to Western Nebraska 3-2 in the South Regional final … Brianna Johnson (Palmer 2003) is a sophomore on the Wartburg College (IA) junior varsity team … Diana Gordon (Palmer 2000), a junior defensive specialist with the UAA Seawolves, finished the season second on the club with 4.62 digs per game for the 1-13 Seawolves … Lisa Thomas (Palmer 2001), a Portland State senior, finished the season with a team-best .315 hitting percentage. She also averaged 2.83 kills per game … Leisa Rosen (Wasilla) is in her fifth season as an assistant coach for the University of Michigan … Stefanie Farris (Wasilla 2002), a Citadel University junior, finished the season with 254 kills and 228 digs for the 12-20 Bulldogs … Jessie Macknicki (Palmer 2004) is a freshman on the Southwestern Oregon Community College squad. Macknicki was named both offensive and defensive player of the week for her region during the month of October.

Cross-country running:

Aaron Dickson (Palmer 2003) and Drew Dickson (Palmer 2003) are sophomores with the Seawolves. Aaron finished 19th at the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships, while Drew finished 29th… Sarah Hanson (Colony 2001) is a senior with UAA. Hanson recently earned conference all-academic honors … Domonique Colberg (Colony 2003) is a sophomore with the University of Montana. … Diana Heimerl (Colony 2001) is a senior with UAF … Linnea Pudwill (Houston 2003) … was the top runner on her Colorado State squad in the NCAA Division I championships earlier this month. Pudwill, a former small school prep state champion, walked on and earned a roster spot on the Division I squad … Bethany DeVilbiss (Palmer) a Pacific Luthern senior, finished 77th in the Division III championships earlier this month.

Soccer:

Angelo Ebenol (Wasilla 2004) is a freshman forward for Southwestern Oregon Community College … Cheyenne Gillman (Wasilla 2004) is a freshman for Southwestern Oregon Community College … Cara Hasselbach (Wasilla 2004) is a freshman for Southwestern Oregon Community College … Ashlee McLaughlen (Palmer 2004) is a freshman for Southwestern Oregon Community College … Jessica Tuomi (Colony 2004) is a freshman for Northern State University in South Dakota. Tuomi recorded her first career assist in a 5-0 win over Upper Iowa on Aug. 29. Tuomi has appeared in six games. Her squad finished with a 14-8 record, second in the region … Tami Callison (Palmer 2001) is a senior with the University of Evansville (IN). She earned All-Missouri Valley Conference honors for the second consecutive year. Callison finished her career with 11 goals … Lynda Bowers (Palmer 1994) is in her second season as the head coach of the University of Southern Illinois-Edwardsville women's soccer squad. Her squad finished the season 13-6 overall and 9-1 in region play … Kristin Covalt (Palmer 2000) finished her senior season with USIE and is now an assistant coach.

Cheerleading:

Rheannon Owen (Wasilla 2004) recently was named to the California State University- Sacremento squad … Tyler Rush (Colony 2004), Josiah Hubbard (Colony 2004), Sonja Brekke (Colony 2004) and Cody Troseth (Colony 2004) each recently were named to the North Idaho College cheerleading squad … Trish Silvernail (Colony 1999) is a senior on the University of Hawaii squad … Calvin Culverwell (Colony 2001) is on the Hawaii Pacific University squad … Rob Conrad (Colony 2003) is on the Trinity Valley Community College (Texas) squad.

If you have a piece of notable news about a former Valley athlete competing in collegiate or professional athletics, let us know. Give us a ring, 352-2273, send us a fax, 352-2276, or drop us an e-mail, sports@frontiersman.com.