This section was started as a way to share some of the many noteworthy items that occur on a regular basis. In order to do so, we’ve moved to a weekly edition that will be updated as we gather new items we think you should know about. We hope you enjoy.
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Aguirre Wins National Honors
This week, Joshua Aguirre showcased his skills at the AAU Taekwondo National Championships in Fort Lauderdale. During the awards ceremony, the talented twelve-year-old from Lebanon, who holds a third-degree black belt and is a member of the national team, was recognized as the AAU NATIONAL ATHLETE OF THE YEAR in Traditional Forms. Aguirre’s exceptional performance while competing at the event earned him SIX gold medals, along with the prestigious Indomitable Spirit award and the title of Point Sparring Grand Champion. Congratulations on your outstanding achievements, Joshua! (published 7/5 @ 10:00 am)
Trio of Athletes Announce College Plans
In the past couple of weeks, three of LebCo’s top female athletes announced where they intend to compete at the collegiate level.
ELCO’s Kailen Hibshman got it started on June 14th when the rising senior announced via Instagram that she will attend and play Field Hockey at Stevenson University after graduating next year.
On June 24th, Palmyra rising junior Jovie Weaver also used Instagram to announce her commitment to continuing her Field Hockey career at Syracuse University.
On July 1st, Cedar Crest’s rising junior Kaila Francis checked in on Instagram and X to announce that she had verbally committed to continuing her Basketball career at Colgate University.
While each of these talented athletes has made a decision regarding their future, we will be fortunate to watch them compete for at least one more season. (published 7/2 @ 6:00 am)
Baseball Names All-State Selections, Four LebCo Stars Make Cut
On Monday, the newly formed Pennsylvania Baseball Coaches Association announced their inaugural All-State Teams. Making the list were four names that are familiar to our readers. Leading the way was Northern Lebanon’s Moises Gonzalez who was named to the 4A First Team as an outfielder. Gonzalez finished the season with a .469 batting average on his way to hitting 8 home runs on his way to driving in a team-high 31 runs. Gonzalez offered many fireworks as the Vikings finished 18-4 and included them claiming the Lancaster Lebanon League Section 4 Championship. The recently graduated Gonzalez is taking his skills to PSU-Harrisburg.
Also garnering All-State honors was ELCO’s Morgan Shanaman, who was named to the 4A Second Team as a utility player. Known mostly for his pitching ability, Shanaman’s solid play that included a .329 batting average, helped the Raiders to a runner-up finish in District 3 that qualified them for the PIAA State Championship Tournament. Shanaman, who graduated in June, will be heading to Niagara County Community College to continue his baseball career.
Not to be outdone, two more Northern Lebanon Vikings were named to the 4A Second Team for the outstanding sophomore seasons that were had by cousins Adrian Gonzalez and Andrew Via. A. Gonzalez made the list as a pitcher after posting a 0.79 ERA on his way to a 6-3 record that included 6 complete games and 3 shutouts. Via, who made it as an infielder, led the Vikings with a .477 batting average that he parlayed into a .561 on-base percentage.
For the full list of All-State selections, visit the PA Baseball Coaches Association’s website. Congrats to all!
(published 7/1 @ 10:00 pm)
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Previous Sports Shorts
Week of June 24
Week of June 17
Week of June 10