Hirsh is back on the javelin scene
Holliston's Samantha Hirsh, who injured her knee at the NCAA Division 3 outdoor championships in 2006 while competing in the javelin, made a triumphant return to this spring's event, held last weekend at the University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh.
Hirsh, a junior at Keene State College, finished fourth with a throw of 147 feet, breaking her own school record and earning All-America honors while helping the Owls finish fourth among 80 point-scoring teams.
"I had a good warm-up and then just let it rip," said Hirsh. "I knew when it left my hand it was a good throw. I was more confident, more mature and much stronger this time around."
After sustaining the knee injury her freshman year, Hirsh underwent surgery and didn't return to competition until last spring. She qualified for the NCAA championships with her winning performance at the George Davis Invitational at UMass-Lowell.
"I'm very proud I made it back," said Hirsh. "The injury helped me realize that I'm not invincible. It was a blessing in disguise because it helped me appreciate other things in my life."
As a freshman at Keene State, Hirsh won the Little East Conference shot put championship, and was the ECAC Division 3 champion in the javelin, even though she had never competed in the event in high school. She took up track as a senior at Holliston High, where she was a four-sport athlete. Hirsh still holds the college's shot put record.
Hirsh, who is also the starting goalie for the Keene State women's soccer team, won the conference championship in the javelin the past two years. She was second in the javelin at the New England Division 3 championships and fifth at the ECAC Division 3 championships this spring.
"Samantha worked very hard to rehab her knee and return to the NCAA championship meet," said Keene State coach Peter Thomas. "She was so excited about being an All-American she was dancing around the infield."
That's how University of Michigan lacrosse coach John Paul describes the freshman season of former Needham High captain Harry Freid for the undefeated national champion Wolverines.
Freid, a long-stick defender who was fourth on the team with 55 ground balls, was a first-team Central Collegiate Athletic Association selection and a third-team Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association All-American. The MCLA is a national organization of nonvarsity lacrosse programs, with some 200 teams in two divisions.
Michigan (20-0), the first CCAA team to go undefeated, played its semifinal and final games in Texas Stadium, where it knocked off Brigham Young and Chapman University of Los Angeles.
"We liked what we saw of Harry on film, but what he accomplished was phenomenal for a freshman," said Paul, president of the MCLA. "He led all of our long-stick defenders with five assists. He has great stick skills and an overwhelming desire to win."
This summer, Freid will play in a tournament in Japan for the USA West all-star team.
At Needham High, Freid was a two-time Bay State Conference All-Star, an Eastern Mass. All-Star and the Rockets' team defensive MVP. He also lettered in basketball and was a football captain.
Milford's Jorge (El Conquistador) Rivera will take on Martin (The Hitman) Kampman of Denmark in an Ultimate Fighting Pay Per View bout that will be televised Saturday from London's Olympic Park Arena. Rivera trains at the United States Mixed Martial Arts Academy in Bellingham.
Western New England College freshman women's lacrosse player Nicole Poli of Medfield was honored as the Commonwealth Coast Conference's Defensive Player of the Year. Poli led the conference with 4.44 caused-turnovers per game.
Marvin Pave can be reached at 508-820-4223 or marvin.pave@ rcn.com. 