SPORTS
SCS
Mary Washington sophomore first baseman off to a fast start DAVID DRIVER
For the Stafford County Sun
It has been a rough start in conference play for the Mary Washington baseball team, which was 17-9 overall after splitting a doubleheader on March 26 with Penn State-Harrisburg in conference action. The Eagles have not been as successful in the Capital Athletic Conference, with a mark of 2-7 following the twin bill with Penn State-Harrisburg. But Mary Washington has gotten strong production from sophomore first baseman David Slupek, a Mountain View High graduate. Slupek has been hitting .349 with 19 RBIs in games through March 28. “I was hitting cleanup but was in a little bit of a slump, so now I am hitting sixth,” Slupek said. Other Stafford products with the Eagles includes senior James Keller (Colonial Forge), who was hitting .350; freshman infielder Ramsis Ruiz (Brooke Point), who was hitting .290; junior utility player Cody Beacorn (Stafford High), hitting .284; and senior pitcher Andrew Slupek (Mountain View), who did not allow a run in his first three outings this season after he had an ERA of 3.75 in 12 games last season. “He is a great leader,” David Slupek said of Keller. “He has always performed in the middle of the lineup. He is an allaround leader.” Ruiz began the season as a reserve but
Mountain View graduateDavid Slupek Slupek has been hitting .349 with 19 RBIs in games through March 28 for Mary Washington.
forced his way into the lineup. “Now he is starting at shortstop,” David Slupek said. “His strength is definitely fielding. He has quick hands and he is also improving at the plate.” The Eagles were slated to play a CAC contest March 30 at Christopher Newport and then have a doubleheader on April 2 at nationally ranked Salisbury,
one of the top teams in the conference. Salisbury was 13-6 overall and 7-2 in the CAC in games through Monday. The Sea Gulls swept a doubleheader on Saturday against St. Mary’s by a combined score of 29-10. Salisbury won one game 34-10 on March 24 against Gwyneed Mercy as the Sea Gulls had 29 hits.
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But Slupek is confident going into the games with Salisbury, which took three of four from Mary Washington last season. “We are on the way back up,” Slupek said.
David Driver can be reached at info@staffordcountysun.com.
Eagles Aerie 4123 hosts Virginia Taekwondo Championship AAU National qualifier
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to compete in the prestigious 2016 AAU Taekwondo National Championships in July at Fort Lauderdale, Florida, according to a news release. Team Power Kix won numerous medals in Olympic sparring, point sparring and forms. Daniel Adkins (Silver), Dee Adkins (Silver, Bronze), Brook Atteberry (Bronze), Raniah Aweina (Bronze), Rula Aweina (Silver, Bronze), Keegan Chaney (Silver), Madison Cobb (Silver, Gold), Brandon Curry (Bronze), Carter Douthitt (Silver, Gold), Justin Einwechter (Bronze), Michael Farace (Bronze), Alison Fetchko (Gold), Jonre Fisher (Silver, Bronze), Brayden Hanny
BATAAN MEMORIAL HIKE North Stafford High School AFJROTC cadets take part in the first leg of the Bataan Death March memorial hike at the Rappahanock Heritage Trail in Old Mill Park on March 19. A two-mile march to complete the memorial hike will be held April 9, after the cadets host the second annual Air Commando Physical Training Competition at 8 a.m. at the high school. SUBMITTED
(Bronze), Aws Ibraheem (Bronze), Layth Ibraheem (Bronze), Molly Miller (Silver, Gold), James Pavlichek (Gold, Bronze), Elissa Reynolds (Silver), Nathan Reynolds (Bronze), Jayden Richards (Silver), AJ Richter (Bronze), Joey Rohal (Silver), Wardell Samotshozo (Gold), Adeeb Shuhait (Gold), Omar Shuhait (Gold), Elizabeth Smith (Gold, Silver), Ashley Stafira, (Gold, Bronze), Brooke Stafira, (Silver), Jordan Stewart (Bronze), Lucas Underbakke (Bronze, Gold), Ainsley Vickers (Gold, Gold), Matt Vickers (Gold) and Callie Walker (Bronze, Bronze).
STAFFORD COUNTY SUN • www.insidenova.com/news/stafford/ • Friday, April 1, 2016
Madison Cobb, right, from Team Power Kix, delivers a head kick enroute to a silver medal in Olympic sparring.
Power Kix Martial Arts and Eagles Aerie 4123 in Stafford County teamed up last month to host the first Virginia AAU championships and qualifier of the 2016 season. Approximately 300 athletes, from New York to Florida, descended upon the Eagles’ Cool Springs Road facility to demonstrate their taekwondo talents in Olympic sparring, point sparring, forms, and board breaking. Under the instruction of Olympic gold medalist Arlene Limas and supported by Eagles members, the AAU sanctioned event was the first qualifying tournament for many athletes hoping
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