WEST POINT, N.Y. – For the third year in a row, Matt Kyler of Clearfield has been honored as the most outstanding Army athlete in his class.
The senior wrestler was named Mr. Black Knight at the Army Athletic Association’s third annual Black Knights Awards ceremony in front of more than 400 people at the Robinson Hall Auditorium Sunday night.
The much-anticipated year-end event salutes the achievements of the top individuals and teams among Army’s 25 intercollegiate sports in a format similar to ESPN’s ESPY Awards.
Kyler led the 2009-10 Black Knight mat team in wins (32), bonus point wins (21) and major decisions (10) and was second in falls (10).
He became Army’s all-time winningest wrestler during his 32-5 season that culminated in his fourth trip to the NCAA Championships as the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) champion at 149 pounds.
Kyler owns two of the program’s top five single-season records, 43-8 when he was named 2008 Yearling of the Year and 40-7 when he was the 2009 Cow of the Year.
His four-year career record was 146-32.
Volleyball standout Maureen Bannon was named Ms. Black Knight.
Two more seniors were honored for their work both in and out of the realm of athletics.
Track and field’s Annie Taft was recognized with the Community Service Award after heading up the Hudson Valley Region Special Olympics for the last two years. She was also the Cadet-In-Charge for this year’s Toys For Tots drive.
Wrestler Richard Starks received the Maggie Dixon Inspiration Award, given in memory of the late Army women’s basketball coach. Starks, a 197-pounder, battled back from mid-season heart surgery to earn a berth in the NCAAs.
When master of ceremonies Rich DeMarco, assistant athletic director for marketing, multimedia and broadcasting, introduced the nominees for each award, video presentations were shown.
In addition to awards to male and female athletes in each class and the outstanding teams for each gender, best individual performances and the top play for 2009-10 were recognized.
All of the winners were presented with a commemorative Black Knight Award for their accomplishments.
* * * * * * * * * *
BASEBALL
FROSTBURG, Md. – Freshman pitcher Michael Moyer of Clearfield played a key role in Penn State Behrend claiming its third consecutive Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference championship last weekend.
The right-hander was inserted into a two-on, no-out situation in the seventh inning of Friday’s tight opener against Penn State Altoona and responded with three shutout innings to pick up the 5-4 victory.
Penn State Altoona had runners at the corners and took a 4-2 lead when the first batter Moyer faced bounced into a forceout.
Moyer retired the next two hitters on a strikeout and a flyout.
In the bottom of the inning, Dustin Dubensky of Punxsutawney doubled for two RBIs to tie the game and then scored the winning run on a single.
Moyer faced only six more batters for his fourth win in six decisions. He gave up a one-out single to Jimmy Baum in the eighth but threw him out trying to steal second and then set down the losers on a pop-up, a strikeout and a comebacker in the ninth.
Penn State Behrend (29-14), seeded No. 2, drubbed Mount Aloysius 13-2 Saturday and defeated Frostburg State 8-3 in the title game after losing 17-4 to the regular season champs earlier Sunday.
The Lions advanced to the NCAA Division III Mideast Regional Tournament that gets under way Wednesday at Marietta (Ohio) College.
They are the lowest seed in the seven-team, double-elimination tourney and will play No. 2 seed Wooster (34-7) in the 4:30 p.m. game. The North Coast Athletic Conference champ swept Penn State Behrend 2-1 and 15-8 on April 11.
On May 10, Moyer pitched one inning in his first relief appearance after five starts as Penn State Behrend ended its regular season with an 8-1 loss at Marietta. He allowed two hits and one earned run while striking out one and walking one.
For the season, Moyer has a 4.60 earned run average with 25 strikeouts for 31.1 innings. He has walked 14 and surrendered 33 hits and 18 runs, 16 of them earned.
Junior first baseman Kyle Kline of Clearfield did not appear in any games last week.
In 24 games, 14 as a starter, he is 11-for-49, a .224 average, with five doubles and 12 RBIs.