New head football coach at Mount Ida

Mike Landers, defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Nichols College, has been hired as head football coach at Mount Ida College in Newton.

"I want to bring back a perennial winning tradition that the campus and students can be proud of," said Landers, a Brockton native who succeeds Ed Sweeney as coach of the Division 3 program. "I have two goals - winning football games and graduating players. These kids should learn to fight for what they want in life, and I will help them through football."

A member of the Nichols staff for four seasons, Landers helped develop a defensive unit last fall that led the New England Football Conference in several categories. He also spent five seasons at Stonehill College and one season at Wesleyan University as an assistant.

A walk-on at Georgia Tech, where he played on special teams and in the defensive backfield, Landers received his bachelor of arts degree in communications from Bridgewater State College.

Assumption College freshman outfielder Wally Derosier of Shrewsbury was off to a fast start for the Greyhounds. The Holy Name of Worcester graduate was hitting a team-best .435 (10-for-23) with five runs scored and five RBIs going into yesterday's Northeast-10 opener against visiting Southern New Hampshire. Derosier, a three-sport athlete at Holy Name and a two-time Central Mass. Conference All-Star in baseball, has also been playing errorless defense, with one assist.

His teammates include junior starting third baseman Mike DiReda, a graduate of St. John's High in Shrewsbury who was batting .312; sophomore catcher Mike Batista, a graduate of Franklin High; freshman outfielder-catcher Mike Foley of Worcester, also a St. John's graduate; freshman pitcher R.J. Kenney, a graduate of Newton South High; and freshman pitcher Josh Thompson, a graduate of Shrewsbury High, who had a 2.45 earned-run average in four relief appearances.

Newton's 16th annual Heartbreak Hill International Youth Race will be held April 20 (weather permitting) from noon to 3 p.m. Information on race categories (it is open to all ages), prizes, fees, and registration for this popular event can be found at newtonpride.org or by calling 617-796-1540 or 617-527-8283.

The first 500 to register receive T-shirts, and all entrants get a ticket to the traditional prerace pasta party at Newton City Hall on April 18, a medallion, and a seedling tree. Sponsored by the Newton Pride Committee, this year's race memorializes the late, great marathoner Johnny Kelley, whose statue stands along Heartbreak Hill on Commonwealth Avenue.

Marvin Pave can be reached at 508-820-4223 or marvin.pave@rcn.com.