BY MARC RAIMONDI
“It's one of the top schools in the country Ð academically,” Knights coach Tom Pugh said.That played a big difference in deciding between Lafayette, Georgetown and Holy Cross College for Coon, a 92 student and regular on the honor roll.”That's a very good league,” said Pugh of the Patriot League the Pennsylvania school plays in. “In academics, too.”Of course, it didn't hurt that Lafayette told Coon that he could play tailback, his position for the Knights. Georgetown and Holy Cross were bringing him on as just an athlete, to see where he would be a better fit.”They're excited about him,” Pugh said.Carroll commits to HofstraGeorge Carroll has played catcher and the outfield at Holy Cross. But Hofstra's interest in him might have more to do with how his 6-foot-1, 170-pound frame fills out.”A lot of people think he could become a pitcher,” Knights coach Doug Manfredonia said.Carroll projects as a right fielder in Division I baseball right now, mostly because of the strong arm he has exhibited at that position.”He has a professional outfield arm,” Manfredonia said. “He definitely throws better than a lot of major leaguers.”That is part of the reason why the senior will close for Holy Cross team this season. His fastball can reach the mid-80s right now with what his coach calls “catcher mechanics.” If Carroll can adjust to throwing like a pitcher does, he could easily reach the high-80s, Manfredonia believes.”He's kind of lean right now, but he's wiry strong,” Manfredonia said.And the possibility of him maybe hitting 90 on the gun piqued a lot of interest from local schools. But Hofstra was the one Carroll, 17, wanted from the beginning.”George really loved this school,” his coach said.Women's BasketballQueens College 78, Mercy College 56. Patti Cronin paced Queens with 20 points, six assists and six rebounds in its 78-56 win at Mercy College Saturday afternoon. The win put Queens above .500 for the first time in the 2005-06 season and helped them to improve to 5-5 in conference play.Men's BasketballMitchell Beauford scored a career-high 24 points to lead five Seawolves in double-figures as Stony Brook defeated UMBC 75-65.Beauford, a Christ the King product, netted 15 of Stony Brook's 34 first-half points.”Mitchell had everything working and put together a super effort to help us to victory,” Stony Brook Steve Pikiell said.
