It was inevitable, but Kyle Mangas has added another major accomplishment to his growing list of the G.O.A.T. résumé.

In the midst of IWU making the Crossroads League men’s basketball championship for the sixth straight season, Mangas set the IWU all-time leading scoring mark. Mangas broke the record by passing Perry Frank.  Needing just 23 in the game to pass Frank, Mangas netted his 23rd point in the second half to achieve 2,453 points and the all-time IWU record. Mangas currently has 2,454 points.

Mangas is now 11th all-time in the Crossroads League scoring list as well, having passed Bethel’s Willaim Walker earlier in the week and Frank Saturday night to sit just 50 points shy of Grace College legend Chet Kammerer at 2,504. The junior is just 335 points from moving into second place in the Crossroads League standings, which is held by Goshen’s Erick McCollum II. Steve Platt of Huntington holds the conference record with 3,700 points, which is about the only achievement Mangas hasn’t got under his belt as of this weekend.

Record breaker!!! With this bucket @Kmango2 Kyle Mangas is now the all-time leading scorer in @IWUWildcats @IWUHoops history surpassing Perry Frank pic.twitter.com/jBzTAzjUbk

— Scott Hunt (@mscotthunt) February 29, 2020

 

The Wildcats defeated defending NAIA National Champions Spring Arbor, 102-75. It’s the Wildcats fourth straight win over the Cougars.

INSIDE THE BOX

• • The Wildcats were red hot in the first half shooting 61% from the field and 50% from deep. IWU knocked down seven three-pointers, with Cannan Coffey leading the way with three.
  • Despite finishing the game with 24, Mangas has struggled from deep lately, not converting one in his last two games.
  • Tanner Rubio finished the contest with 17 points, missing just one shot in the game. The senior added a team-high six assists as well.

MOVING UP THE CROSSROADS LEAGUE SCORING LIST

1. 3,700 – Steve Platt – Huntington
2. 2,789 – Errick McCollum II – Goshen
3. 2,696 – Eric Brand – Bethel
4. 2,622 – Mark Galloway – Bethel
5. 2,620 – Jody Martinez – Bethel
6. 2,616 – Ben Falkenberg – MVNU
7. 2,565 – Jeff Shepherd – Huntington
8. 2,540 – Jerry Neigh – Spring Arbor
9. 2,525 – West Stowers – Marian
10. 2,504 – Chet Kammerer – Grace
11. 2, 454 – Kyle Mangas – IWU
12. 2,452 – Perry Frank – IWU
13. 2,427 – William Walker – Bethel
14. 2,409 – Durand ‘Speedy’ Walker – IWU
15. 2,393 – Micah Lancaster – Spring Arbor

 

O’Connell Still Soaring For PFW

Lexi O’Connell has just gone about her business at Purdue Fort Wayne, and business has been good.

O’Connell, a senior at PFW and Tippecanoe Valley graduate, broke the school record in the 60m hurdles for the second day in a row with a time of 8.74 for fifth place.

At the Summit League Indoor Track and Field Championships, the Purdue Fort Wayne women’s track and field team finished seventh overall at the Lutheran Health Fieldhouse on Saturday. North Dakota State won the championship with 213.5 points.

Grace Tennis Continues Strong Winter

Grace’s men’s tennis team extended its winning streak to five with a 7-0 sweep of Holy Cross on Saturday.

The Lancers played the match at Notre Dame’s indoor complex in South Bend.

Grace used new doubles’ combinations during the sweep. Pavle Popovic teamed up with Kye Barrett to win 6-1 at No. 1 doubles.

Mauricio Corty and Francisco Margaria won 6-4 at No. 2 doubles, and Max Rozas and Nicolas Graber won by the same score at No. 3.

In singles’ play, Popovic was nearly perfect (6-0, 6-1) at the top court. Fabricio Galvan was efficient 6-1, 6-2 at No. 2, and Ramiro Candia won 6-4, 6-2 at No. 3.

Corty picked up his second win of the day 6-2, 6-2 at No. 4 singles, and Margaria and Barrett also won again at No. 5 and No. 6 respectively.

The Lancers (14-4) will travel south next week for a five-match tour of Kentucky. Grace will play four teams ranked or receiving votes in the NAIA, starting with No. 11 Lindsey Wilson on Tuesday.

Grace Baseball Staying Competitive In Florida

Grace’s baseball team opened up its spring break trip to Florida over the weekend.

The Lancers won the first game on Friday versus Judson before falling to Robert Morris on Saturday.

Friday began Grace’s trip to the Sunshine State, and the Lancers won in dramatic fashion.

Houston Haney starred from the mound as Grace beat Judson 3-2 in 11 innings. Haney was dynamic, striking out 12 batters in nine innings, allowing two runs and one walk in a stellar performance.

Judson started ahead, scoring in the second inning with a two-out RBI.

Grace responded with a two-out run of its own in the fifth. Chris Griffin walked with two outs, and he reached third base with a stolen base and a balk.

Jeff Pawlik then drove in Griffin with a single to the outfield.

The score remained 1-1 until the ninth inning. Griffin scored again with two outs — this time with a solo homer to put the Lancers up 2-1.

Grace was unable to secure the win in the bottom of the ninth, however, as the Eagles rallied to tie the game and force extra innings.

Xavier Harris came in to pitch the extra frames, and he kept Judson off the scoreboard in the 10th. Griffin drove in the go-ahead run in the top of the 11th, singling with two outs to score Ethan Brooks.

Harris took care of the rest, striking out the final batter to preserve the victory. Harris had two strikeouts and three walks in two innings of relief to earn the win from the mound.

Griffin hit 2 for 5 with 2 runs, 2 RBIs and 1 stolen base, and Alex Rich was 2-for-4. David Anderson finished 2 for 5.

Saturday’s game saw a combined 21 runs and 27 hits, but Grace was on the short end of a 12-9 defeat to Robert Morris.

The Lancers actually led 2-0 after four innings were complete. Rich had a two-out RBI single in the third inning, and Harris plated in the fourth.

But the Eagles took control starting in the fifth inning, scoring 12 runs over the next four innings.

Grace tried to keep pace, using a two-run double from Brooks in the sixth, a two-run single from Anderson in the seventh, and a two-run double from Pawlik in the eighth.

But Grace was unable to bridge the gap in the ninth and had to settle for the loss.

Griffin went 3 for 4 with two runs and a stolen base, and Harris batted 3 for 4 with two runs. Anderson finished 3 for 4 with two RBIs and a steal, and Pawlik had 1 hit, 2 runs and 2 RBIs.

Nick Stoltzfus was Grace’s most efficient pitcher, tossing two clean innings of relief with two strikeouts.

The Lancers’ trip continues on Monday with a matchup with Trinity Christian.