SuburbanOneSports.com recognizes a male and female featured athlete each week. The awards, sponsored by Univest, are given to seniors of good character who are students in good standing that have made significant contributions to their teams. Selections are based on nominations received from coaches, athletic directors and administrators.
Univest’s SuburbanOneSports.com Featured Female Athlete (Week of March 12, 2014)
Michael Harris sets high goals for herself and then goes out and achieves them. The Abington senior will be playing Division One basketball next year at American University where she will pursue her ultimate goal of becoming an orthopedic surgeon. “Mike is one of the hardest working kids I’ve ever coached,” coach Dan Marsh said. “She was so dedicated to getting a Division One scholarship. She wants her school paid for, and she wants a good education.” Harris needed an exceptional work ethic to overcome the obstacles that stood in the way of attaining her lofty goals. She didn’t start playing competitive basketball until she was in seventh grade, a late start by any standard. Then, in January of her sophomore season, she suffered a torn ACL. That just inspired the Abington senior to work harder than everyone else.
Despite playing just two-and-a-half years at the varsity level, Harris, the Ghosts’ 6-2 center, has over 800 points and close to 700 rebounds. “She’s definitely one of the best rebounders and shot blockers that I’ve coached,” Marsh said. “We can always count on her for that, and I’d guess she’s averaged over 15 points for pretty much all of our games in the second half of the season.” It’s not a coincidence that the Ghosts also have elevated their play in the second half of the season. “Mike has been playing better and more relaxed,” Marsh said. “She’s realizing what she can do.”
From seventh through ninth grade, Harris played basketball at Springfield (Montco) before transferring to Abington her sophomore year. A starter from the outset, Harris turned into a force to be reckoned with in the paint. “She’s become a great leader,” Marsh said. “She’s vocal, and her teammates love Mike.” Harris chose American University from a final list that included Loyola (Md.), Iona and Old. “My parents have always held me to really high academic standards,” Harris said. “American also was one of my top schools because of their high academic standards. When I went to visit, I noticed they have their own tutor, and they spend time with their students to make sure their grades are kept up. I really wanted that academic support because of the major I’m going into.” Instead of the traditional pre-med track, Harris is leaning toward majoring in business with a minor in one of the sciences.
To read Harris’ complete profile, please click on the following link: http://www.suburbanonesports.com/featured-athletes/female/michael-harris-0042271
Univest’s SuburbanOneSports.com Featured Male Athlete (Week of March 12, 2014)
Scott Parker made an immediate impact on the mat as a freshman. The Pennridge senior placed fourth in the state as a sophomore and third as a junior. His goal was to cap it all off with a state title. That dream died hard on the mat in Hershey in a fluke ending in overtime in the 120-pound state championship match that left Parker with a second place finish. Dan Goetter – his coach, friend and mentor – tried his best to console Parker after the 3-1 loss to Greater Latrobe’s Luke Pletcher. The lone Ram wrestler to ever win a state title back in 2005, Goetter handed a different type of title to the Lehigh-bound Parker. “I told him he is the best wrestler ever from Pennridge,” said Goetter, who went on to wrestle at North Carolina before his career was derailed by injury. “I just said that I may have the gold medal, but he is a better wrestler than I ever was.”
As he moves on, Parker knows he has plenty of people in his corner. His parents, Scott and Mary, were supportive throughout his high school and club career. “Even when they didn’t have the money, they found a way to make it happen,” said Parker, the middle child of three. His younger brother, Matt, reached regionals as a freshman and is a workout partner while older sister, Stevi, a soccer player at South Carolina, “set an example” for him in athletics.
For Parker, a 4.0 student, a strong academic school like Lehigh is the perfect place to pick up the pieces and follow his dreams. Parker says it has the “triple crown” – excellent academics, a notoriously strong wrestling program and a prime location. “It’s only 35 minutes away,” said Parker, who plans to major in business and one day work on Wall Street. “I couldn’t ask for a better school. I can’t wait to get started.” Geotter admits to being excited about it as well. “He’s going to be a fantastic college wrestler,” the Rams’ coach said. “I came in when he came in. We have become very close. It’s going to be sad to see him go. I couldn’t have asked for a better kid to coach. He was always the hardest working kid in the room – the first in and the last out. He was a leader by example and a great teammate.”
To view Parker’s complete profile, please click on the following link: http://www.suburbanonesports.com/featured-athletes/male/scott-parker-0042270
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