JOE VINELLI Era Sports Editor
A few items sent in over the last couple of days:
Bradford High graduate Ben Copeland is among the top 10
prospects (No. 9 overall) in the Northwest League, according to
Baseball America.
Copeland, who played college baseball at the University of
Pittsburgh, was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in June.
Copeland, 21, is an outfielder for Salem-Keizer Volcanoes, the
Giants’ Class A minor league (short-season) team in Salem, Ore.
“Copeland’s skills and work from the leadoff spot made (Steve)
Decker (manger of Volcanoes) feel like he was watching Johnny Damon
(Boston Red Sox all-star), without the beard and flowing mane of
hair,” Baseball America wrote on its Web site.
“Copeland, San Francisco’s top pick (fourth round) in the 2005
draft, uses the whole field well and shows the ability to drive the
gaps for extra bases. His line-drive swing, strength and speed mean
he should pile up plenty of doubles and triples in the minors
before those shots morph into home runs at a later stage of his
career,” the Web site said.
Copeland’s manager, Decker, was also impressed.
“He’s not a burner, but boy he’s quick out of the box and fast
down the line,” Decker commented. “He hits a groundball to second
base and you look up and it’s bang-bang at first. He’s so quick
that it’s surprising.”
In 121 at-bats, Copeland has scored 25 runs, has 37 hits, five
doubles, four triples, four home runs, 23 RBIs, 11 walks, 25
strikeouts, two stolen bases, has a .306 batting average, a .364
on-base percentage and a .512 slugging percentage.
The top 10 list is generated from consultations with scouts and
league managers.
To qualify for consideration, a player must have spent at least
one-third of the season in a league.
Currently, Copeland is in Scottsdale, Ariz., in the
instructional fall league.
Terry Stanley, with his Presque Isle Marathon win on Sept. 11,
earned the world record for the longest time span between marathon
wins.
Stanley won his first marathon Sept. 4, 1977, 28 years and seven
days prior to his most recent marathon victory.
The Eldred resident eclipsed the previous mark of 25 years, 332
days held by two-time New York City Marathon winner and England
native Hugh Jones.
Elk County Catholic’s Kevin Genevro is the D9Sports.com District
9 Football Player of the Week for Week 4 of the 2005 season.
Genevro’s had quite a performance in ECC’s 35-28
come-from-behind win over visiting Smethport on Saturday night.
Not only did Genevro catch four passes for 111 yards and two
touchdowns including the game-winning touchdown with 1:46 to play
and his team behind 28-27, he also helped set up that touchdown by
recovering an on-side kick at the Smethport 30 with 2:28 to play
following a Crusaders touchdown that cut a 28-21 lead to 28-27.
In another week of great performances, Genevro had stiff
competition throughout District 9 from Coudersport’s David Babcock
(301 yards rushing, 3 TDs), Clarion’s Manny Carpin (142 yards
receiving, 3 TDs, 1 INT on defense) and Clarion-Limestone’s Scott
Davis (183 yards passing, 3 TDs, 44 yards rushing, 1 TD).
