Bronx Sports Update: HS Tourney Update; Monroe Teams Eye Nationals (Updated)

Monroe's Jeff Early

Quick update from the BxNN sports desk (which is shockingly close to the BxNN crime desk):

Both the men's and women's basketball teams from Monroe College -- strong junior college programs that routinely graduate players to bigger basketball programs -- took care of business last weekend and will be playing for births into the national junior college tournament this weekend.

Both teams will be tested on the road. The Lady Mustangs travel to Scranton, PA to take on Lackawana College, while the male 'Stangs, led by guard Jeff Early (pictured), will be in Maryland taking on a Hagerstown Community College team that defeated them earlier this year in double overtime.

Apparently, you can follow the games live on CyberSports USA. (UPDATE: The men's game, which starts at 1 p.m. Saturday, will also be streamed live on the website for Hagerstown radio station 1240 AM WJEJ. Click on the link on upper left-hand side of the home page.)

After a week off, the PSAL high school playoffs resumed last night. The Bronx fared decently.

Walton, which we wrote about last Friday, saw its championship dreams die after enduring a tough 60-64 loss to fifth-seeded High School for Graphic Arts Communication in Manhattan.

Meanwhile, DeWitt Clinton, Evander Childs, South Bronx and Alfred E. Smith all moved into the round of 16. Clinton and South Bronx face off at the Mott Haven Campus gym tomorrow night. Evander has the pleasure of meeting top-seeded Midwood on Midwood's home court, while Smith draws Brooklyn Collegiate at home.

In tonight's action, third-seeded Christopher Columbus hosts Manhattan's High School for Environmental Studies and Bronx Science stays home for its match against New Dorp High School. Both games start at 5 p.m. If both win, as expected, the Bronx will have six spots in the Sweet 16.

Bronx News Roundup, Feb. 23

Frigid air in the Bronx this morning eventually gives way to slightly less frigid air this afternoon, but the sun will shine!

A couple of programming notes: The Norwood News, which covers Board 7, hits streets today. We'll trickle out some of the published stories (and some that didn't make the cut) here on BxNN and have them all up on the News' site by the end of the week. Also, we will be Tweeting live (@norwoodnews, and I'll see if we can get it up on this site as well) from the Bronx Borough President's "State of the Borough" speech at DeWitt Clinton high school tomorrow, starting at 11:30 a.m. And look for Bronx Foodie and The Bronx Sports Column, making their triumphant returns on Friday.

To the news!

Story of the Day:
Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. gave a little highlight reel preview of his State of the Bronx speech to NY1's Dean "The Dream." Here's my condensed Sportscenter-like montage of what to expect: "The state of the borough is strong . . .  lots of new housing! look at all of our green roofs! loans are flowing to Bronx businesses! . . . don't worry about the Kingsbridge Armory, trust us, we know taking on the mayor was risky, but we got this under control . . . Listen up, American Idols and Glenn Becks of the world, you're wrong about us, the Bronx is no longer burning, stop the stereotypes or risk a rumble!"

Quick Hits:
Following an infusion of 268,000 cubic yards of sand, Orchard Beach, a.k.a the Bronx Riviera, has its beach body back in shape for summer.

A pair of Bronx cops will not be charged with excessive force, despite video evidence that allegedly shows them roughing up a 19-year-old for riding his bike, says NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly.

Salsa legends Ruben Blades and Gilberto Santa Rosa play Lehman Center on Saturday.

Ida Keeling, a 95-year-old Bronx girl, cruised to victory in the 60-meter sprint competition at a northern Manhattan track meet last week. After taking up running at the age of 67, Keeling's been crushing age-related sprint records ever since.

Speaking of running, congratulations to the Bronx Science boys and DeWitt Clinton girls for their victories in the Bronx indoor high school track and field championships.

Today, angry parents, teachers and elected officials are planning to take their fight to clean up PCB contamination at PS 68 to City Hall.

Gov. Cuomo's budget plan axes state funding to schools for the deaf, blind and severely disabled, including three in the Bronx.

The Post reports that there is new evidence suggesting charter-school students are doing better than public-school students in social studies and science.

Bronx Weekend News Roundup, Nov. 8

Congratulations to all the Bronxites and everyone else who completed the NYC Marathon yesterday.

Most runners didn't notice crossing the borough's brand new Willis Avenue bridge, which was floated into place in early October. “I was too busy trying not to suffer,” a firefighter who works in the Bronx told the NY Times.

Some video from the race. Gebre Gebremariam of Ehtiopia took the men's title and Kenya's Edna Kiplagat won the women's race. Also competing: NY1's Bronx reporter Dean Meminger.

In his column about the race, the Times' George Vecsey said the crowds in the Bronx seemed "better" than in years past.

Several news outlets picked up on the story of a 21-year-old Mt. Hope father charged with causing the death of his 8-week-old daughter. At the arraignment Friday night, prosecutors say Gregory Gray gave conflicting statements to police about how the child was injured. Gray, who his uncle called a "loving kid," pleaded not guilty.

NPR has piece on "The Anthology of Rap," a new book about the evolution of the music genre born right here in the Boogie Down nearly four decades ago. 

A profile of Frank's Sport Shop owner Moe Stein, whose family has been in the sport and uniform business for almost 90 years near Park and Tremont avenues. Here's some video of Moe in action (watch this, Moe's hilarious). More from the Times earlier this year, and from the Tremont Tribune last year. 

After starting 0-5, the DeWitt Clinton football team has streaked to four straight wins and a PSAL playoff birth after undressing Lehman High School on Saturday, 48-6.

The Bronx Science girl volleyball squad is also streaking into the PSAL playoffs.

Could the Hunts Point Market be moving to Jersey? 

A new farming school is coming to the south Bronx.

An entrepreneur is taking advantage of the ban on cell phones at Bronx public schools by offering to baby-sit students' electronic devices for $1 a day. His mobile mobile phone depository offers its services at Lehman and Clinton high schools.

Friends worked hard to get the name of a fallen Vietnam War soldier from the Bronx, Peter Wiesneifski, included on a Van Nest war memorial.

The custodian of the Bronx's Theodore Roosevelt High School is being accused of using city workers to renovate the homes and apartments he owns.