Photo courtesy of SUSQUEHANNA ATHLETICS Former Mifflin County standout Lydia Hidlay fires a ball during field hockey action for Susquehanna University.

Senior started every game this year, tallying four goals

SELINSGROVE – After winning the Landmark Conference field hockey crown a year ago, Lydia Hidlay was determined to help the Susquehanna University River Hawks earn back-to-back titles to cap her senior season.

That’s exactly what the Mifflin County High School product did as the top-seeded River Hawks rode a fourth-quarter rally to beat Scranton University, 3-2, for the Landmark championship on Saturday.

Trailing 2-0 entering the fourth quarter, Susquehanna cut the lead in half then attempted to tie the game on a penalty corner. Hidlay sent the ball to the top of the arc to senior Alli Kiley. As Hidlay snuck to the far post, freshman Mady Quigley passed right behind her.

Kiley passed the ball through the crease to Quigley who buried it to tie the score. Eventually, Quigley also scored the game-winner with 1:33 to play.

The River Hawks (15-5) earned a bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament where they will travel to Lynchburg University for a first-round matchup at 1 p.m. Wednesday.

Hidlay has started every game for the River Hawks, tallying four goals, including two game-winners, and a team-best 10 assists. Her 18 points ranked third on the River Hawks.

On Oct. 14, Hidlay earned her second Landmark Conference Defensive Athlete of the Week honor. Hidlay had one defensive save in the first half in a 3-1 victory over Alvernia University on Oct. 8. During a 2-1 win over Elizabethtown College on Oct. 12, the senior added one defensive save and one shot on goal during a contested Landmark battle. The game also marked Senior Day as Hidlay was recognized alongside her family and peers in the pregame ceremony.

Other highlights for Hidlay this season included:

An assist in Susquehanna’s 1-0 victory against Franklin and Marshall College on Aug. 30.

A goal and two assists during a 6-1 win over Drew University on Sept. 21.

A goal in a 5-1 win at King’s College on Sept. 25.

A goal and two assists in a 5-1 victory at Wilkes University on Sept. 28. It marked the third-straight game that Hidlay scored a goal.

A goal against Lycoming College, a 3-0 win on Oct. 5.

An assist in a 5-0 victory against Goucher College on Oct. 15.

An assist in a 3-0 win at Juniata College on Oct. 22. It marked the first of three-straight games that Hidlay notched an assist.

An assist in a 2-1 win at Scranton University on Oct. 26.

Two assists in a 3-0 victory over Catholic University on Oct. 29.

Aitkins makes mark with Lock Haven XC

LOCK HAVEN – Anden Aitkins closed out his high school career with a 55th-place performance at the PIAA Cross Country Championships in Hershey.

Now, the Midd-West High School standout has taken his running talents to Lock Haven University. As a freshman, Aitkins certainly made his mark, finishing 28th in 19:56.2 at the Dolan Duals vs. Penn State on Sept. 6.

On Sept. 13, at the DII/DIII Challenge at Kutztown University, Aitkins was 53rd in 28:54.11 as Lock Haven placed third in the team standings.

On Sept. 28, at the Lock Haven Invitational, Aitkins led the way for the White team with a 26th in 27:39.5 to power the Bald Eagles to sixth in the team standings.

On Oct. 12, at the Houghton Highlander Invitation, Aitkins ran 24th in 27:00.4 as the Bald Eagles placed second in the 10-team field. He followed that up with an 80th-place finish in 27:57.8 at the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Championships, held at Kutztown on Oct. 26. The Eagles were eighth out of 15 teams.

On Nov. 2, at the Go Fast River Run at Lock Haven, Aitkins took 32nd in 28:34.2. Lock Haven ended up third out of five teams.

Druckemiller runs at York College

YORK – Freshman Tylor Druckemiller (Mifflin County/McClure) helped York College continue an impressive run at the Middle Atlantic Conference Cross Country Championships at Messiah University in Grantham, on Nov. 2, with an impressive run himself.

Druckemiller placed 88th in 29:58.6. The Spartans placed seventh out of 16 teams. York has finished seventh or better in all four MAC Championship meets they’ve competed in, starting with 2021.

Druckemiller started the season at Shippensburg University’s Galen Piper Challenge on Sept. 6, taking 57th in 22:00.1, as York placed fourth out of nine teams.

On Sept. 28, at the Messiah Invitational, Druckemiller ran 62th in 30:21.1 as the Spartans were fifth out of 11 teams. He came back on Oct. 5 at the Paul Short Run at Lehigh in Bethlehem, to finish 88th in 29:24.7 as York placed third in the 22-team field.

On Oct. 19, at the Aubrey Shenk Invitational at Gettysburg College, Druckemiller was 129th in 28:39.3 as York took fifth out of 20 teams.

Swan drives in sprint football at Mansfield

MANSFIELD – Eli Swan (Midd-West/Mount Pleasant Mills) capped his senior year of playing sprint football at Mansfield University with seven catches for 116 yards for the Mounties.

Sprint football is similar to the varsity sport played at the college level, except that players must weigh 178 pounds or less and have a minimum of five percent body fat to be eligible to play.

The 6-0 Swan was a wide receiver for Mansfield, who went 3-5 overall and 3-1 in the CSFL North.

On Oct. 12, a 28-21 loss at Caldwell University, Swan caught two passes for 23 yards. He followed that up with one catch for three yards in a 42-35 loss setback at Chestnut Hill on Oct. 19.

In a 42-21 defeat at Army on Oct. 26, Swan had two receptions for 28 yards. He finished the year with one catch for 40 yards and a touchdown in a 64-21 victory over Molloy on Nov. 1 and had one for 22 yards in a 48-35 decision over Cornell on Nov. 8.

Sheetz on Lock Haven field hockey roster

LOCK HAVEN – Hailee Sheetz (Mifflin County/McClure) was a member of the Lock Haven University field hockey team this fall. A junior, Sheetz did not appear in any games for the Bald Eagles, who were 4-15 overall and 2-5 in the Atlantic-10 Conference.