Newton's Wang wins US gymnastics title

Newton's Julia Wang had made it through the hard part, competing in the 2006 National Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships in Virginia last month.

The 10-year-old Wang won the level 4/5 championship.

The only time her knees shook was when she accepted her medal.

``I felt like I was going to fall off the podium," Wang said. ``I was really excited."

Wang competed in the Child C division (ages 10-11), winning the all-around title with 21.7 points and capturing first place in the rope event. The success didn't surprise her coach, Varduhi Nahapetyan .

``She's very strong, very smart, and very easy to work with," said Nahapetyan, a former national champion from Armenia. ``If you give her a program, she'll have no problem doing it. She's a very special girl."

Wang first tried rhythmic gymnastics when she was 7 but stopped briefly after her coach left the country. She has been coached by Nahapetyan for the last year and a half, practicing at the New England Sports Academy in Westwood.

Competitors in rhythmic gymnastics perform exercises using balls, clubs, hoops, ribbons, and ropes.

Wang, the daughter of Frank Wang and Lujia Tang , said her favorite is the rope event.

Medway's Aldrich paces Sacred Heart

The Sacred Heart (Conn.) University baseball team started the season 0-11, but the leadership and stellar pitching of Medway's Chris Aldrich has helped the team make a remarkable turnaround.

Aldrich, a tricaptain, pitched the second-most innings on the staff (81 2/3), while posting a 6-6 record and 3.42 earned run average. His performance was a major reason Sacred Heart posted a 26-28 record, captured the Northeast Conference title, and earned its first-ever berth in the NCAA Division I Championship.

The team was scheduled to open play this past Friday night in Athens, Ga.

``From Chris and the seniors, there was really no panic," said Sacred Heart coach Nick Giaquinto . ``These guys really persevered."

Especially Aldrich.

In his first two seasons at Sacred Heart, the right-hander was hardly used on the mound because the Pioneers had four solid hurlers who were upperclassmen.

``He worked his butt off for two years, fine-tuning his mechanics," Giaquinto said. ``For the last two years, he's been one of the most consistent guys we've had. His greatest asset is hard work, commitment. Sticking with it paid off for him.

``His fastball has great movement, with a little sink on it, and he's able to locate it," Giaquinto said. ``He also has a good breaking ball and developed a nice change-up as a third pitch."

Aldrich was scheduled to pitch in Sacred Heart's second game in the NCAA Championship.

Westborough to host Badminton nationals

Thanks to the involvement of two badminton clubs in Boston's western suburbs, the town of Westborough has been chosen to host the 2006 US Senior National Badminton Championship.

The event, scheduled for June 29-July 2, will take place at Westborough High School.

Batool Tauseef , who started Westborough's badminton club, was influential in bringing the championships to town, according to David Green , one of the event organizers.

``Many of us in the local badminton community were interested in bringing the senior nationals to our area," said Green, an Acton resident who plays two to three times a week with the Wellesley-based Maugus Club . ``The big thing was finding a venue that was appropriate, and that's where Batool's connections in Westborough came in."

Tournament director Beth Sopka , who anticipates as many as 200 competitors for the championships, was also instrumental.

While some might view badminton as a backyard sport, it is played solely indoors at the highest levels. Badminton is a full Olympic sport, and some players ``smashes" have been clocked at 200 miles per hour.

Green has noticed a spike in popularity for badminton, as ``a lot of small clubs are starting all over place."

Events at the Westborough-based tournament will include men's and women's singles, men's and women's doubles, and mixed doubles. The age categories start with Junior-Senior (ages 35 and up) and continue in five-year spans to the Golden Master III category (80 and up).

NU's Anderson heads to nationals

Wrentham's Derek Anderson is capping off his final season on the Northeastern University men's track and field team in stellar fashion.

After competing in the NCAA Championships for the winter season, Anderson recently clinched his spot in the spring NCAA Championships.

He earned the berth by finishing third in the shot put and fourth in the discus at the NCAA East Regional Championship in Greensboro, N.C. The top five competitors move on to nationals.

Anderson threw the shot 61 feet 1 1/2 inches, and his distance in the discus was 187 feet 1 inch.

``Derek really stepped it up to another level and went after some people," said Northeastern head coach Sherman Hart . ``Things have really picked up in preparation for the championships, and we're looking for a huge performance. I'm looking for an All-American performance in both the shot put and discus."

Anderson's most recent performance was the latest highlight of his record-breaking outdoor season. He set Northeastern records in both the shot put (65 feet 2 3/4 inches) and discus (194 feet 5 inches) at the Texas Relays April 7-8.

The NCAA Championships are scheduled for June 7-8 in Sacramento.

Extra points

Algonquin Regional (Northborough/Southborough) has had a boys' varsity volleyball team for three years, and this season marked a breakthrough as the Tomahawks won their first tournament game. Athletic director Fran Whitten also noted that the school had five league champions in the spring -- boys' tennis, girls' tennis, boys' track, girls' track, and baseball.

Franklin High athletic director Brad Sidwell reported that the Panthers' boys' tennis team qualified for the state tournament for the first time in more than a decade. The squad, coached by Paul Parnell , was one of five Franklin teams to make the postseason tournament. The others are boys' and girls' lacrosse, baseball, and softball.

Ashland's Anna Novakowski , competing for the Worcester Academy girls' track and field team, set a school record in the 1,500 meters. Competing at the New England Prep Division 2 championships, Novakowski clocked 4:51:93 to finish second and obliterate the old record of 5:06.5, set in 1988.

The Marlborough High softball team, coached by Kyle Wescott , qualified for the state tournament for the first time since 1985.

Lauren Milosh of Southborough and Ellen Carabetta of Wellesley served as captains of the Dana Hall School golf team. Both are seniors.

Mike Reiss can be reached at 508-820-4234 or mreiss@globe.com.