First Posted: 10/21/2014

Mike Beamish is wrapping up a great career with the University of Pennsylvania sprint football team.

Beamish (Abington Heights) is a running back with the Quakers and he was named to the College Sprint Football League first team his first three seasons and is well on his way to a fourth straight selection.

Beamish has collected 2,471 yards in his four years which puts him in third place all-time at Penn, just 56 yards behind the player in second place. He has 528 yards on 107 carries with six touchdowns for the 3-2 Quakers this season. He also has 40 career receptions for 532 yards and has scored 18 touchdowns via the ground and in the air.

Ironically, Beamish helps the squad in another way. He’s the team’s punter and has seen his average improve every season.

“Mike’s impact is not only made running, but punting,” coach Bill Wagner said. “He’s a great running back but people don’t appreciate the fact of how strong he is as a punter and getting the ball out of our half of the field and helping the field position game.”

Beamish is in his second season as a team captain.

“His leadership is certainly very, very important,” Wagner said. “He has a great relationship with the coaching staff and his teammates. Not only does he talk about what we need to do as a team, he actually sets the example.”

Clarke’s on a roll

Keystone senior Justin Clarke (Lackawanna Trail) has been named Colonial States Athletic Conference Runner of the Week in men’s cross country five times this fall. The latest came after he finished ninth out of 225 runners in the College White Division race at the Paul Short Invitational in Bethlehem with an 8k time of 26:15. This past weekend, he finished 13th out of 355 runners (26:18.3 for 8k) at the Gettysburg Invitational. Next up is the CSAC Championship Saturday, Nov. 1 in Langhorne.

“Justin is the top returning runner from last year’s CSAC race and he missed qualifying for the NCAAs by two seconds,” coach Michael Badway said.

The coach says that Clarke has some big goals coming off an injury during the track season and feels he’s on pace to take a solid shot at them.

“He wants to take home the individual CSAC title and help the Giants win the team title,” Badway said. “And, he’s looking for those final two seconds to hopefully take the trip to the nationals.”

And, after Justin graduates, the Clarke family will have another person to root for. His younger brother Devon is a freshman at Marywood and recently earned CSAC Rookie of the Week honors.

“Devon should be the top freshman in our conference and is looking to fill his brother’s shoes when Justin graduates,” Badway said.

Conaboy’s solid in the middle

Senior Sal Conaboy (Abington Heights) has played in 34 games and started 29 at center in his four seasons with the Maryland football team. The 6-foot-3, 295-pounder started all 13 games last season and has started all seven this season.

Last season, Conaboy and his offensive line teammates helped the Terps pass for over 3,000 yards for the first time since 1994. This season, Maryland (5-2 overall and 2-1 in the Big Ten Conference) is averaging 35 points a game and 402.3 yards in total offense each outing, including 251.7 in the air.

Goals for Albino

Sophomore Casey Albino of Scott Township (Lakeland High) scored his first career goal for the East Stroudsburg men’s soccer team in a 2-1 victory over Georgian Court. He followed that up with the Warriors only goal in a 4-1 loss to Gannon. Last season, the 5-foot-10, 160-pound midfielder played in 16 games and had an assist.

East Stroudsburg is 4-9-1 overall and 2-5-0 in PSAC play.

Boslough bounces back

York senior golfer David Boslough (Lackawanna Trail) finished in a tie for 15th place at the recent Alvernia Fall Invitational in Mohnton. He finished with a round of 80 but he had to work for it. The 5-foot-9, 170-pounder was four over after two holes but posted a birdie on the third hole and rallied for a 40 on the front side. He matched that score on the back nine.

Boslough had a standout junior season for the Spartans, averaging 76.8 strokes per round and finishing eighth in the Capital Athletic Conference Championships to earn All-CAC honors for the second straight year. The CAC title match is held in the spring.

Burke helping on defense

Freshman Abby Burke (Abington Heights) has played in nine games and started four on defense for the Wilkes women’s soccer team, which is 8-7 overall and 1-3 in Freedom Conference play.

Burke played all 90 minutes in a 2-1 victory over UMass-Boston and 81 minutes in a 2-0 triumph over Moravian. The Colonels have given up 15 goals with four shutouts.

Loboda back on the pitch

Red-shirt senior Roma Loboda (Abington Heights) played 14 games for the Bloomsburg men’s soccer team as a sophomore but just three last year because of a season-ending knee injury. But the 6-foot-2, 195-pound defender has started all 13 games for the Huskies this season, the team 7-4-2 overall and 5-2-0 in PSAC play after 1-0 victories over Slippery Rock Friday and California Saturday.

Loboda had the game-winning goal in a 5-1 victory over Pitt-Johnstown and came back with a goal in a 3-0 triumph over Seton Hill.

McCoy seeing action

Malorie McCoy (Abington Heights) is one of seven freshmen battling for playing time with the veteran Alvernia field hockey team. The 5-foot-5 midfielder has played in eight games and starts four for the Crusaders, who are 8-7 overall and 2-2 in Commonwealth Conference action.