Page 46 The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch December 6, 2013 Sports In The News Mallards Split First Two Games Worcester Boys Look For Repeat By SHAWN J. SOPER SPORTS EDITOR 6th Reindeer Run 5K Slated BERLIN – Worcester Prep’s boys’ varsity basketball team got its season off to an uneven start, cruising past Gunston, 68-24, last week in the season opener before falling to Salisbury Christian, 51-49, in a tight game on the road on Tuesday. The Mallards are coming off a 17-3 season last year including the Eastern Shore Independent Athletic Conference (ESIAC) championship. Worcester lost a handful of key players from the conference championship team, but return a solid nucleus expected to make a run at a repeat in the ESIAC. Senior co-captains Matt Reilly and Ryan Nally are expected to lead Worcester this year, along with another four-year player in senior Jack Marshall. Other seniors on the squad include Thomas Buas and Jack Pedigo. Erik Zorn is the lone junior on the 2013-2014 team, which includes a flock of young Mallards ready to make their mark on the program. Sophomores Elio Telo, Wyatt Richins and Charlie Pritchard are ready to step into key roles, while freshmen Owen Nally and Tate Shockley are expected to make an immediate impact. The Mallards faced Greenwood Mennonite at home yesterday in a game played too late to be included in this week’s edition, and will face Greenwood again today on the road. Next week, the Mallards will face Holly Grove on Monday at home and will travel to Chincoteague next Wednesday in the last game before the holiday break. Worcester Girls FallTo Salisbury Christian The 6th Annual Reindeer Run 5K holiday race through downtown Berlin is set for tomorrow, Saturday, Dec. 7. Above is the scene from the starting line at last year’s event. Submitted Photo By SHAWN J. SOPER SPORTS EDITOR By SHAWN J. SOPER SPORTS EDITOR BERLIN – The 6th Annual Reindeer Run 5K, sponsored by Live Long Fitness, is set for tomorrow, Dec. 7, with an early-morning start time through downtown Berlin. The annual race, which has become a fixture on the local holiday schedule since its inception five years ago, starts and finishes at the Atlantic Hotel with the course winding its way through the heart of the downtown area. The course heads down Main Street around the Worcester Prep campus and the Northern Worcester County Athletic Complex before finishing back in front of the hotel on Main Street. With the town decorated, the e- vent is a perfect kick-off to the holiday season. The event is very family-friendly with food, drinks, a bake sale, carriage rides beginning at 11 a.m. and even Santa. Fundraising has been set up for Worcester Youth and Family Counseling Services. The 5K start time is 9 a.m. with a one-mile fun run set to start at 10 a.m. Last year’s race was the largest ever with 322 competitors. For the second year in a row, Berlin’s own Dave Rovansek was the top overall finishers, while Lindsay Buckman was the top female finishers for the second year in a row. The Top 10 finishers included Rovansek, Steve Wheeler, Blake Hundley, Christopher Stanley, Brian Stoehr, Ben Schofield, Rick Hundley, Pete Mohammadioun, Jason Cole and Buckman. BERLIN – Worcester Prep’s girls’ varsity basketball team started the 2013-2014 campaign with a split in its first two games, including a decisive 56-2 rout over Gunston in the season opener last week followed by a narrow, one-point loss to host Salisbury Christian on Tuesday. The Mallards routed Gunston, 56-2, last week, the Herons’ only points coming in the waning minutes of the game. Against Salisbury Christian on the road on Tuesday, Worcester got its first real test and fell, 28-27, in a tight, low-scoring game. Simona Holland takes over as head coach for the girls’ varsity team after coaching the junior varsity team for the last two years. Holland has a solid roster of veteran players at her disposal, 12 of whom are returning upperclassmen. Worcester is top heavy with sen- ior leadership including Meg Lingo, Lilly DiNardo, Frankie Willing, Kristen Shriver, Allie Greer and Cynthia Delaney. Six of the 13 roster spots are filled with talented juniors including prolific scorer Sophie Brennan, Jordie Loomis, Molly Soule, Maura Smith, Natalie Twilley and Ali Wyatt. Sophomore Grace Tunis is the lone underclassmen on the veteran roster. The Mallards went 12-6 last year and hope to improve on that mark as they get into the meat of their ESIAC schedule. The Worcester girls faced Greenwood at home on Thursday in a game played too late to be included in this edition. They face old rival Saints Peter and Paul at home next Tuesday and Greenwood again on the road next Friday before closing out the first part of the schedule with Holly Grove and Chincoteague just before the holiday break. 21st Santa’s OpenSet For Saturday 2nd Annual Winterfest Jingle Bell Run Set By SHAWN J. SOPER SPORTS EDITOR BERLIN – The Ocean Pines Golf and Country Club will be the celebratory hosts for the 21st Annual Santa’s Open Charity Golf Tournament tomorow, Dec. 7, to benefit future operations provided by Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Chesapeake for the Eastern Shore. The club hosts 18 holes of gently sloping terrain and magnificent pines, providing golfers with a distinct and satisfying experience. The tournament’s cost per person is $75 plus one new unwrapped gift for a child or youth between the ages of 7 and 17. In turn, the cost will cover breakfast, golfing fees, Santa’s cheer cart, contests, gifts and the commemorative post-tournament reception to be held in the clubhouse. Additional post-tournament reception and auction tickets can be purchased for $20. Awards will include closest to the hole, longest drive, low net and low gross teams. For information about Santa’s Open, call 410-543-2447, extension 225. All proceeds from this event will be used for the programs and services of the Eastern Shore office of the Big Brothers-Big Sisters of the Greater Chesapeake. By SHAWN J. SOPER SPORTS EDITOR OCEAN CITY – The 2nd Annual Winterfest of Lights Jingle Bell Run is set for this Sunday, Dec. 8, at Northside Park in Ocean City. The event takes place at Winterfest of Lights in Northside Park on 125th Street. The race takes runners through an animated course of dazzling lights and spectacular holiday displays. Participants dress in the holiday spirit and will receive an event Tshirt, hot chocolate and cookies and a ride on the Winterfest Express. Post-race activities and an a- wards ceremony will be held at the Abbey Burger Bistro adjacent to Northside Park. Hot chocolate and cookies will be available to everyone, and adults 21 years old and over will receive one drink ticket. Participants are encouraged to bring a toy for the Toys for Tots program. Last year’s inaugural event was a huge success with 176 runners from all over the region competing. For the record, Dan Clemson won the event last year, finishing in 17:52.1. Rounding out the Top 10 were Blake Hundley, Jachary Elmer, Kevin Herbert, Noah McAleer, Brian Stoehr, Brian Swift, Sean Rolleston, Lindsey Buckman and Don Parana.