The Journal B Sports THURSDAY February 12, 2015 LaRose Taking Talents To Siena Canton Overcomes Strong Effort By OFA In NAC Hockey LOCAL, B2 BRIEFS Snolf Teams Needed Organizers of the “Snolf” tournament are seeking teams. The event is a fourperson captain-andcrew golf tournament played in the snow on Feb. 28 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The tournament will raise funds for the St. Lawrence County SPCA. Registration is $25 per person, which covers golf and a party afterward at the K of C on Hasbrouck Street. For more info, registration forms, donations: call 394-3223, 3232512. Girls Indoor Soccer The Ogdensburg Boys and Girls Club is now taking signups for its for Girls Indoor Soccer League. The league will begin Feb.24th and end March 24th.. Games will be played every Tuesday and Thursday nights at 7 and 8pm. Maples Rock’N’Skate The Molson Maples Old Timers Hockey team would like to announce that it will be offering a Rock ‘N’ Skate at the Richard C. Lockwood Civic Center on Saturday, Feb. 21. The Maples will be providing four hours of ice time to area youths for this event. Youngsters in grades K-6 are scheduled to take the ice from 5 to 7 p.m. and grades 7-12 will follow from 7:15 to 9:15 p.m. Admission is free and for those not having their own ice skates there will be ice skates available to use through Ogdensburg City Parks and Recreation. Devil Hoop Star Verbally Accepts D1 Scholarship By DAVE SHEA When Kinnon James LaRose was a sixth grader at St. Marguerite D’Youville Academy in Ogdensburg he wrote in his yearbook that someday he wanted to play college basketball at Oregon State University. On Tuesday, the OFA senior confirmed that he had made a verbal commitment to accept an NCAA Division I basketball scholarship and that he will officially sign a letter intent during the week of April 15. But much closer to home, much to the delight of his mother Monica LaRose, as he committed to join the rich basketball tradition of Siena College of the MAAC Conference in Albany. LaRose’s father, Steve LaRose, said that his son received his scholarship offer from Siena Coach Jimmy Patsos on Monday. “After he received the offer, he talked to Monica and I about it and then accepted the offer,” said Steve LaRose. “Kinnon is looking for an opportunity where he works hard, competes every day, earns time, and contributes to the team and helps win games along with getting a great education.” On Tuesday evening, Coach Patsos made the trip to Brushton-Moira to watch OFA and his fourth 2015 recruit play. “I felt like Siena was just the best fit for me, academically and athletically. The coaches feel my role will be a two guard who steps in an makes an impact” LaRose said in a joint interview with the “The Journal”, “The Watertown Daily Times” and the Albany Times Union on Wednesday morning. “I love what Coach (Jimmy) Patsos brought to the table and all the other coaches and the community around it. It really felt like it was a nice place to be and it would be like home.” He is also confident that he will feel at home in Siena’s uptempo style and in what he calls “the crazy atmosphere” at the Saints’ home games at the Times more athletic,” says LaRose. “Playing with such talented players made me work harder. I learned that I had to get my shot off quicker and get down in a stance and really play defense.” He also became the second member of his family to become an NCAA Division I athlete. His older brother Breton is a pitcher for Sacred Heart University Baseball and Breton’s twin brother Cavan has overcome two major knee surgeries to play with Sacred Heart’s Division I Club Basketball team. Kinnon LaRose said that cementing his long range future plans was a “huge relief”. But he never lost focus on his short term plans of PHOTO BY DAVE SHEA helping OFA return to the OFA Basketball Coach Mark Henry shows his approval of Kinnon LaRose’s decision to acNew York State Final Four cept an NCAA Division I Scholarship to Siena College in Albany. and compete for a New York tion 10, became the school’s Rocks AAU coaches Jim Hart State Class B Championship Union Center in Albany. “My dad and I watch all all-time boys basketball and Hamlet Tibbs who invit- and then hopefully do the the games on television and leader for career 3-point- ed LaRose to join their team. same in baseball. LaRose says he plans to “Coach Henry had the they play the same uptempo ers, single game scoring at take summer classes at Sipressing style that we play at 51 points and career scoring foresight to schedule the ena and work at the college’s (1594 and counting). game. The game, as you look OFA,” says LaRose. summer basketball camp. Entering the final two back, changed his life” re“They like to get after peo“I can’t wait to get startple on defense and score in games of the regular season, calls Steve LaRose. transition just like we do.” he is closing on the single During the spring and ed,” he tweeted on his @ReLaRose joins three other season scoring record for summer, Kinnon LaRose alKinnon. In cyberspace, he is recruits, all from the Balti- boys basketball and the played 40 games with 17U more, MD, are in: 6’ 2” guard overall school record for Elite Youth Basketball known as @RealKinnon. In the North Country, he Nico Clareth and 6’ 8” power scoring which was set by League team all over the is known as The Real Deal. forwards Kenny Wormley Bridget King 15 years ago. country culminating with NOTES: LaRose is one and Evan Fisher. Last season as a junior, he a second place finish in the The down home feeling set the single season school AAU National Champion- of two members of the OFA was emphasized a short time record for steals in boys bas- ship Tournament at the team planning to attend Silater when LaRose received ketball. landmark Freedom Hall in ena College. Senior guard Jon Rogers will attend the a tweet from fellow recruit OFA Coach Mark Henry Louisville, KY. Clareth saying “Kinnon wel- says that his “overall game” Playing shooting guard college and has earned a come to the fam bro. Nice to is what makes LaRose such and small forward he aver- Presidential Scholarship... a have a sniper on deck. Go an outstanding collegiate aged eight points, seven re- LaRose is the second memSaints” prospect. bounds, two assists and two ber of his team to earn a DiA sniper indeed. “Kinnon’s a natural scor- steals per game and hit a vision I scholarship. Seth LaRose is averaging 34 er, from the three-point line game-winning three-point- Pinkerton has accepted a points, 10 rebounds, five as- he’s got unlimited range,” er to send the City Rocks to baseball scholarship to the sists and four steals per game says Coach Henry. semi-finals of the national University of Hartford.... LaRose will be the second while shooting 74 per cent “When someone like him tournament. from the two-point range, averages 34 points a game He was contacted by over Ogdensburg product to play 42 per cent from three-point people might think he is 40 NCAA Division I pro- for Siena. Mike Seymour, a range (59-140) and 80 per only a shooter. But he is a grams and made unofficial 1966 graduate of St. Mary’s cent from the foul line. great passer, he’s incred- visits to Siena, the University Academy, enjoyed a very After two preseason loss- ibly unselfish, too and he of Michigan, Bucknell, Col- successful career and is a es to Albany area schools, has become an outstanding gate, Cornell, Northeastern member of the college’s AthLaRose, a 6-foot-5 senior leader.” and the University of Hart- letic Hall of Fame...LaRose who earned second team LaRose’s road to Siena ford which made a scholar- will become the first Section 10 basketball player in 37 all-state honors as a junior, started in the Albany area ship offer. has led OFA to 14 straight in the first game of his ju“So many people helped years to reach the Division I dominating wins, a third nior season when he scored me get to where I am and I level joining select company straight NAC Central Divi- 30 points and grabbed 12 want to thank them all,” said in Dr. Hal Cohen (Canton 1976) at Syracuse University, sion Championship and a rebounds in a 65-63 loss to LaRose. number 10 New York State Albany Academy. On SaturIn committing to Siena, Senior Analyst at US Dept Class B ranking. day, OFA will host number LaRose became the eighth of Homeland Security Tom In the course of the sea- four ranked Class A oppo- member of that Albany DuPre’ (OFA 1977) at the Air son, the 2014 NAC Central nent Albany Academy in a Rocks team to earn an NCAA Force Academy and current Dallas Mavericks Coach Rick Division MVP and co-recipi- 4:30 p.m. start at SUNY Pots- Division I scholarship. ent of the Joe Jukoski Memo- dam. “Playing with the City Carlisle (Lisbon 1978) at the rial Award given each year to In attendance at least Rocks really helped me. University of Maine and the outstanding player in Sec- season’s game were Albany I learned that I had to get University of Virginia. QUOTABLE “We like to go inside a lot more than we did tonight. I think we settled for threepointers too much. But Morristown did a good job with its box-and-one, Nate (Nate Weaver) just stood around too much. They are a tough club and they will be tough in the playoffs.” Harrisville Basketball Coach Brian Coloney PHOTO BY DAVE SHEA The two pond hockey rinks and an open skating area, constructed adjacent to the Richard Lockwood Arena, will provide a fine venue for this weekend’s Second Annual St. Lawrence River Pond Hockey Tournament. All Systems Go For Pond Hockey Tourney By DAVE SHEA INDEX Floor Hockey B3 Bowling B4 Classifieds B7 Brown Award B8 All systems are go for the second annual St. Lawrence River Pond Hockey Classic on Saturday and Sunday. Two pond hockey rinks and an open skating area have been constructed adjacent to the Richard Lockwood Community Arena. Pond hockey games will be held throughout Saturday and Sunday beginning at 9 a.m. on both days and youth and adult shootouts and chuck a puck contests will be held along witn a 50-50 raffle. There will also be food and drink on sale catered by Hosmer’s Marina. At noon on Saturday, Minor Hockey teams will play on the two rinks. “The ice in the rinks are in great shape and the weather is supposed to be excellent for pond hockey. And we are hoping that people will come down and take part. Not just the hockey players,” said Mike Fennessy who headed the organization of the tournament along with City Councilman Bill Hosmer. “We are going to have fire pits set up so players and spectators can keep warm and teams can get dress in the See ALL B6
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