Abington Journal

College Sports Spotlight: Lastauskas improving for Lehigh men’s swim team

Nico Lastauskas is having a solid season with Lehigh University’s men’s swim team.

The sophomore from Clarks Summit (Scranton Prep) competes mainly in the 200 butterfly, the 200 breaststroke and the 200 individual medley (IM) for the Mountain Hawks, who are 5-4 overall and 3-2 in the Patriot League after a 155-133 league victory over Bucknell last Saturday in Bethlehem. Lastauskas finished second in the 200 butterfly in 1:57.42 and fourth in the 200 IM in 2:00.25. Those times are an improvement over his effort in a 184-102 league loss to Army Jan. 9 in West Point, when he finished fifth in the 200 fly in 1:59.38 and third in the 200 IM in 2:00.44. He also finished fifth in the 200 breaststroke in 2:13.00.

Lastauskas has Lehigh’s top times in both the 200 breaststroke (2:07.46) and the 200 butterfly (1:54.88), both times coming when he finished first in the 200 breast and second in the 200 fly in a 219-80 victory over rival Lafayette prior to the break Nov. 17.

The Mountain Hawks return to the pool with a non-league dual meet against Seton Hall Saturday in East Orange, N.J.

J. C. Show (Abington Heights)

The 6-foot-3, 205-pound junior guard continues to be a force for the Binghamton men’s basketball team. The Bearcats have a 10-10 overall record and are 1-4 in the America East Conference play after a 77-66 league loss to Stony Brook last Thursday. Show had a team-high 15 points in the game. On the season, he leads the team in scoring (14.6) and steals (27). He’s also averaging 3.7 rebounds and is second in assists with 37. And, he’s hit 50 of 144 3-point attempts (34.7) and has led the team in scoring in 11 out of 20 games.

Mary Kate Caucci (Scranton Prep)

The versatile sophomore from South Abington Township competes in sprints as well as the triple jump and high jump for the Fordham women’s indoor track team. She’s a member of the 4×400 relay which ranks eighth in the Atlantic 10 Conference with an adjusted time of 3:58.69. She also has competed in the 60 and 200 meter dashes this winter. Caucci’s best effort in the long jump was a career-best 16 feet, 9 ½ inches, which she recorded in the season-opening Fordham Invitational Dec. 1. Her best triple jump is 32 feet, 5 ¾, which she posted finishing 18th in the Wagner Invitational Jan. 5.

Noah Sirianni (Abington Heights)

The sophomore saw his first action of the season for the Navy wrestling team when he finished third at 125 pounds at the Shorty Hitchcock Memorial Tournament Jan. 13 in Millersville. He posted a 3-1 record with all three of his wins coming by decisions. He captured third place with a 5-3 decision over Army’s Ryan Hetrick. Sirianni posted a 2-8 record in mostly open competition as a freshman, but did post a 1-1 record in dual meets.

Julian Medina (Abington Heights)

The freshman is competing in diving for the Ohio Northern men’s swim team. The Polar Bears are solid in that event led by senior All-American Braden Kuhn. Medina finished third in the 3-meter dive with a score of 144.50 and fourth in the 1-meter dive with a score of 135.70 in a 182-118 victory over Mount Union Jan. 14 in Ada, OH. Ohio Northern will take a 6-0 overall record with a 4-0 mark in the Ohio Athletic Conference into a big league meet against No. 2 Kenyon Friday in Kenyon, Oh.

Alyssa McMinn (Abington Heights)

The junior and the Messiah women’s indoor track team competed in Susquehanna’s Orange and Maroon Classic last Friday in Selinsgrove and McMinn finished third in the shot put with a toss of 36 feet and seventh in the weight throw with a toss of 39 feet, 4 inches. She opened the season by finishing 10th in the shot put (36 feet, 9 inches) and 14th in the weight throw (40 feet, 1 ¼ inches) at the Diplomat Open Dec. 2 in Lancaster. That shot put mark ranks eighth and her weight throw toss ranks 10th in the Middle Atlantic Conference performance list.

Tim Toro (Abington Heights)

The 6-foot-10, 210-pounder is starting at center for the No. 18-ranked West Chester men’s basketball team. The Golden Rams have a 15-2 overall record and are 11-2 in PSAC East play after a 93-83 loss to Shippensburg in a league test last Saturday in Shippensburg. Toro, in foul trouble the entire game, played seven minutes and finished with four points. He had nine points and nine rebounds in an 86-77 victory over Lock Haven Jan. 13. He’s averaging 7.1 points and 5.0 rebounds with 17 steals.

Catie Nealon (Abington Heights)

The 5-foot-6 senior is starting at guard for the Marywood University women’s basketball team. The Pacers have a 9-9 overall record and are 7-2 in Colonial States Athletic Conference play after a 74-69 league loss to Cabrini last Sunday in Scranton. Nealon is averaging 6.2 points and 3.6 rebounds with 37 assists and 13 steals. She had eight points, seven rebounds and seven assists in a 79-66 victory over Susquehanna Dec. 16 and had a season-high 13 points and four assists in a 78-63 victory over Centenary last Thursday.

Lastauskas
https://www.theabingtonjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/web1_ABJ-Lastauskas-headshot.jpg.optimal.jpgLastauskas
Scranton Prep grad Nico Lastauskas, of Clarks Summit, is competing in the 200 butterfly, 200 breaststroke and 200 individual medley for Lehigh University’s men’s swim team.
https://www.theabingtonjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/web1_ABJ-Lastauskas-action.jpg.optimal.jpgScranton Prep grad Nico Lastauskas, of Clarks Summit, is competing in the 200 butterfly, 200 breaststroke and 200 individual medley for Lehigh University’s men’s swim team. Submitted photo

By Bill Arsenault

For Abington Journal

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