ALTOONA - Jeremy Koller carded a 74 at Sinking Valley Tuesday, good enough for medalist status at the District 6 Eastern Regional golf tournament - and more important, it helped Mifflin County to a third-place finish in the team standings, which qualifies the scoring foursome for the District 6 event next week.
State College was the top team at 319. Hollidaysburg's 330 outpaced the Huskies by nine strokes.
Right behind Koller were Nolan Robins of Hollidaysburg and John Peterson of State College, who each shot 75.
O'Donnell said the cold, wet and rain made it difficult to play the course.
"The scores kind of reflect the fact that the course was not ideal for scoring. Jeremy, however, played very consistent," he said.
Koller made up for a difficult 17th hole, which ended in a triple bogey, by birdieing the 18th.
One individual, Matthew Knode, also made the district field with an 81 Tuesday, which was better than three teammates who were in the scoring cluster, a group that had to be designated in advance by coach Kevin O'Donnell.
"Figuring out the right combination of guys to put out there has kind of been a stumbling block this year," O'Donnell said. "I think Matt's experience factor showed through today."
Knode will have to play well enough to make the cut on the first day of districts, Oct. 11 at Scotch Valley. The other qualifiers - Koller, Tyler Gentzel, Evan Pupo and Hunter Wright, all of whom shot in the 80s - are guaranteed to play both days.
"Obviously since Matt shot an 81 I didn't make the right decision," O'Donnell said, quickly pointing out that it would have made a difference of only eight strokes, not enough for second place.
"The only think you're getting to do is fight again another day, so the only thing we were trying to do was make districts," O'Donnell said. "Our team had by no means a pretty round but we got the job done."
Golf
East Juniata 341, Millersburg 374, Newport 397
COCOLAMUS - East Juniata's golf team finished undefeated in the Tri-Valley League with a win Monday at Lykens Valley, perpetuating the Tigers' string of TVL championships.
Christian Searer shot a team high 81 and medaled with his performance. Searer, Colton Fogleman, Garrett Leister and Dylan Leonard will be the first foursome in school history that has qualified for the District 4 playoffs on averages.
Coach Mike Zendt couldn't be happier with his team's performance this season and how his Tigers accepted two transfers from Juniata.
"I'm pleased with the way we played here this year, They continue to work over the summers and that's what's making the difference." Zendt said. "The two guys I had from Juniata both blended in very well. I know it had to be difficult for them to put on a Tigers hat and a Tigers shirt. The EJ boys are a credit as well because they accepted those boys graciously."
The Tigers finished their season at 12-4. The district even will take place Thursday and Saturday at Eagles Mere.
Field hockey
Mifflin County 8, Newport 0
NEWPORT - Tayler Kuhns had a hat trick and added two assists in Mifflin County's 8-0 drubbing of Newport in Tri-Valley League field hockey Tuesday.
Sam Peters and Kezia Loht each had two goals, with Loht getting a helper.
"I think they're really starting to come together and play as a team," Mifflin County coach Tish Maclay said.
The Huskies (7-3, 6-1) are back in action this evening at East Juniata, the team that effectively put Mifflin County in control of its own destiny by forcing a draw with defending champ Greenwood Friday - and one that played spoiler on the same field to Indian Valley a year ago.
"We're going to come ready to play," Maclay said.
The JV game ended in a 1-1 tie.
Greenwood 8, Juniata 0
MIFFLINTOWN - Salene Shaffer and A.J. Seigel accounted for five of Greenwood's eight goals in its 8-0 Tri-Valley League field hockey game against Juniata Tuesday.
"I thought we moved a lot better tonight and everybody was playing ahead of the ball," Greenwood coach Kent Houser said. "Our suppport was much stronger tonight."
Shaffer had a hat trick while Seigel scored twice for the Wildcats.
"A.J. was real aggressive around the cage and Salene has been getting open in top of the circle that's what we need to do to create some more offense," Houser said.
Juniata was coming off a tough tie against Newport in which it played well. Indians coach Nikki Bailey said her team didn't look the same Tuesday night.
"It was a completely different team tonight," she said. "The team that showed up tonight wasn't the team that played yesterday."
The two teams played without a score for the first 14 minutes and then Greenwood scored three times over the next 10 minutes to control the game.
Juniata (1-8-1, 1-8-1) hosts State College Thursday. Greenwood (9-2-1, 5-0-1) hosts East Juniata on Thursday.
East Juniata 9, York Country Day 0
COCOLAMUS - The score at halftime of East Juniata's matchup with York Country Day was 3-0. So York was still in it.
Then East Juniata poured on six goals in the second half to break out to a 9-0 non-league win in field hockey action Tuesday.
Courtney Peoples and Stephanie Dressler each carded hat tricks for the Tigers. Alyssa Schlegel scored two goals for East Juniata.
The Tigers outshot York Country Day 20-0 and had 15 penalty corners to York's none.
East Juniata travels to Greenwood Thursday.
Harrisburg Christian 4, Belleville Mennonite 0
HARRISBURG - In Belleville Mennonite's first game on turf, the Trojans were overcome by speed from Harrisburg Christian in a 4-0 loss Tuesday.
Belleville Mennonite was down only one goal at the half. But the work of Harrisburg Christian was too much for the Trojans.
"I think the girls did well for playing on turf for the first time this year," Belleville Mennonite coach Glenna Young said. "We had opportunities and they did a good job."
Belleville Mennonite (5-4) travels to Huntingdon Thursday.
Midd-West 2, Mifflinburg 1
MIFFLINBURG - The new penalty corner rule has proven to be a burden on most of the field hockey teams this year.
For Midd-West, that was not a problem in its 2-1 win over Mifflinburg Tuesday night in Heartland Conference field hockey.
The Mustangs were down 1-0 at the half but scored on two corners in the second to take the win. Their second came with only 2:10 to play in the game.
Amanda Womack got the ball on her stick off the corner and found the cage. Sarah Straub scored the first goal just as the second half began.
"The girls are really great at attacking," Mustangs coach Mandi Romig said of her team's corner play. "They work together to improve and find the open shot. That's all on the girls."
Midd-West (7-1, 3-1) hosts Mifflinburg today.
Boys soccer
Belleville Mennonite 8, Harrisburg Christian 4
HARRISBURG - Andrew Miller scored four goals and added two assists to lead Belleville Mennonite in a boys soccer shootout Tuesday at Harrisburg Christian.
Miller scored with only two minutes off the clock to start the game and the Trojans were on their way to a 5-1 halftime lead.
Belleville Mennonite coach Brian Renno said Miller played well, but it was his teammates that deserve some of the credit.
"We wanted to establish our midfield play," Renno said. "In the end, Andrew was scoring the goals but it was coming from the wide play of his teammates."
Renno cleared his bench when it was 7-1 early in the second half. The defensive play from the Trojans was solid, Renno said.
"Sam Morgan and Eli Allisberger played a really good game in the back," Renno said. "When we spread a team out we're going to get goals."
Belleville Mennonite (9-2) hosts Columbia County Christian Thursday.
New Covenant 2, Juniata Mennonite 1
MANSFIELD-The New Covenant Flames rode two first half goals to victory against the Juniata Mennonite Lions in boys soccer on Tuesday.
Tony Gehman scored the only goal for the Lions to give them a 1-0 lead before Ben Harris scored the first goal for the Flames. Late in the first half Kurtis Eby gave the Flames the lead.
Neither team scored in the second half as both defenses clamped down and the ball stayed in the middle of the field throughout most of the first half.
Although they lost, coach Andy Meiser was proud of his team's effort and improvement from the last time these two played.
"That was probably the best game we've played all season. We had a 2 1/2 hour bus ride then played on a muddy, beat up field and they didn't give up and fought hard all the way through," Meiser said. "Ashton Martin did a great job at left back and he shut down the right side in the second half."
The loss dropped the Lions record to 4-6-1. They head to Columbia County Christian Oct. 11 and Meiser knows his team needs to improve.
"We need to get better at marking off the ball, and do a better job at putting things together," he said. "We did a good job of putting things together tonight and getting combinations, but we still have to improve."
Girls soccer
Selinsgrove 1, Midd-West 0
MIDDLEBURG - Way back on Sept. 12, Midd-West got trounced by Selinsgrove 6-0. In the rematch it was a different story.
Although the Mustangs lost, it was only by the margin of 1-0 in their Heartland Conference matchup with the Seals Tuesday night.
"We obviously played better than we did the first time," Midd-West coach Gary Keister said. "We made big steps and we have to keep improving on the little things."
Selinsgrove's only goal came with just under 30 minutes to play in the contest off the foot of Jenna Fisher.
Keister was happy with his team's performance, but still need to work on some things.
"We need to be better switching skills," Keister said. "Our communication was the best its been tonight. If you could do the little things, everything will fall in place."
The Mustangs (4-5, 2-4) travel to Williamsport Thursday.
Juniata Mennonite 2, New Covenant 1
MANSFIELD - Alexis Hahn-Kline scored just eight minutes into Juniata Mennonite's girls soccer game against Mansfield New Covenant Tuesday night.
Good thing she did, because the Lions struggled down the stretch but squeaked out a 2-1 win.
Brianne Kell scored the next goal for Juniata Mennonite with 17:56 to play in the first. From there, the Lions were in trouble.
"We played well in the beginning of the game and we got two goals," Juniata Mennonite coach Trisha Hoffman said. "We got those first two and then we just couldn't get anything else in the goal."
Juniata Mennonite (6-4-1) hosts Watsontown Christian on Thursday.
Volleyball
Mifflin County 3, Central Mountain 1
MILL HALL - The Huskies dropped the first set to Central Mountain Tuesday night but roared back thanks to their serving.
Mifflin County served on an 87 percent rate and notched 11 aces on its way to a 3-1 volleyball win over the Wildcats.
The Huskies lost the first set 16-25 and then poured it on in the next three sets to finish off Central Mountain.
"In the first three sets we started out in a big hole," Mifflin County coach Matt Kern said. "Then we got some momentuma and pushed the pace."
The Huskies picked up the pace and found weaknesses in the Wildcat team and won the last three sets (25-17, 25-15, 25-14).
"This is the first time we really found a team's weaknesses and used that to our advantage," Kern said. "Our girls enjoyed tonight."
Mifflin County (2-7) hosts Huntingdon Thursday.
West Branch 3, Mount Union 1
MOUNT UNION - The West Branch Warriors handed the Mount Union Trojans their first loss of the season, winning 3-0 in Inter-County Conference volleyball Tuesday.
The Trojans got off to a slow start in the first set and by the time they got into the game, it was all but over as the Warriors took a 25-12 victory. The Trojans gave a better effort in the last two sets but dropped those as well, 25-18 and 25-19, respectively.
Trojans coach Tessa McCormick knew her team's youth played a factor, but thought her team learned a good lesson.
"Some of our inexperience was revealed tonight as far as our younger players, they made some mental mistakes and misssed a few serves at crucial points and that happens with a young team," McCormick said. "I'm glad they got to play a fundamentally sound team in West Branch and hopefully next time we'll do better."
McCormick also thought her seniors showed great moxie and didn't let the younger players give up.
"We had a lot of leadership from our leaders, we didn't let up as far as playing hard," McCormick said. "We fought through all three sets. I was happy about the way we kept playing, the seniors really tired to motivate the team and inspire the younger girls."
Mount Union (10-1) hosts Claysburg-Kimmel on Thursday.
Cross country
Boys: Mount Union 15, Juniata Valley 50
Girls: Mount Union 20, Juniata Valley 35
MOUNT UNION - The Mount Union Trojans dominated the course in a victory against the Juniata Valley Hornets in cross country on Tuesday.
In the boys race, the Trojans had four boys finish in the top five. Zach McKeehan finished with a time of 17:38 and Ryan Wilson finshed the race in 19:10. Coach Bob Wydock was proud of his team and overcoming what they've been through this season.
"We certainly ran a storng race with our top six, I was really plaeased with the effort," Wydock said. "The boys did a great job of bouncing back, they've over came some injuries and we're getting stronger as a unit."
The girls race was almost the same as Lauren Shugarts finished in second with a time of 23:17; teammate Katrina Hammon was right behind her with a time of 23:39 and Katie Smith crossed the finish at 23:49.
Wydock thinks his teams are peaking at just the right time and are showing no signs of slowing down.
"As the season's progressed both teams have continued to improved," Wydock said. "We had some personal bests today and they're getting their times down and that's the name of the game."
The boys team improves to 4-2, 2-1 Inter-County Conference. The girls move up to 5-1, 3-0.
