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 Dec. 28, 2011)
Melissa Rowland has been a pleasant surprise in two sports this year. The Council Rock North senior was penciled in to see significant varsity time at forward for her field hockey team last fall, but that changed when the Indians found themselves shorthanded in the defensive backfield. Rowland was moved to defensive back where she excelled for an Indian squad that captured the Suburban One National Conference title and had 14 shutouts to its credit. “Melissa was one of our solid defenders this year,” coach Heather Whalin said. “She really could come through and push up a lot with the middies because she’s so fast and has great stickwork. She saves our butts because we were worried about another back because we didn’t have one. Obviously, she was a huge part of what we were able to accomplish this year.”
Rowland’s success on the basketball court was an even pleasanter surprise. Last year she was the starting point guard for the junior varsity. This year she is the starting two guard for the Indians and is the team’s undisputed defensive stopper. Rowland averages the most minutes on the court of anyone on the squad. Making that especially impressive is the fact that Rowland was not expected to contribute when the season began. As a matter of fact, first-year coach Liz Potash didn’t have even a passing acquaintance with her. “She was the only kid that when I walked in the first day of tryouts that I didn’t know,” Potash said. “She’s so smart. We put her on the other team’s best offensive player, and we can’t take her off the floor.”
An excellent student, Rowland is a member of the National Honor Society, the Spanish Honor Society and the Environmental Action Club. She takes honors classes and is enrolled in AP Biology and AP Calculus. Rowland will not be playing a sport at the collegiate level. Although undecided on a college, she is considering Penn State, Temple and Pitt. She plans to major in health care administration.
To view Rowland’s complete profile, please click on the following link: http://www.suburbanonesports.com/featured-athletes/female/melissa-rowland.
Univest’s SuburbanOneSports.com Featured Male Athlete (Week of Dec. 28, 2011)
James Mobley made an impression on coach Francis Bowe the first time he saw the Upper Merion senior at an open gym. “He steps on the floor, and I’m thinking, ‘This is a special kid. This kid has the right skills – he can go inside, and he can go outside,’” Bowe said. Mobley, whose father Jimmy Mobley had a prolific high school and career and collegiate career, did not disappoint. He was a captain and Upper Merion’s leading scorer last year as a junior, but his story took an unexpected twist when – because of family circumstances – he moved out of the district and was forced to miss the team’s final two games of the season. It looked as though his career at Upper Merion was over, and even when his family moved back into the district for the start of the current school year, it appeared that Mobley might not have the opportunity to play for the Vikings due to PIAA eligibility issues. “The worst part was with my boys,” Bowe said. “I know as a coach anytime you lose a kid that good, you say, ‘I lost my stud,’ but when your own players are saying, ‘Coach, we’re really going to miss James,’ and it wasn’t just because of basketball. It was just his presence in the locker room. It felt empty that first day of practice when we knew he couldn’t play, and everyone felt it – from the players to the staff.”
Mobley, however, never lost faith and worked out with the team in the fall. He also spoke to his teammates every day. “I do give the boy credit,” Bowe said. “He called me the day after tryouts and said, ‘Coach, don’t worry. I’ll be in uniform soon enough.’ What can I say? He called it.” Two games into the season, Mobley received word that he was eligible to play for the Vikings. “The kids were so happy,” Bowe said. “One of the things we always stress on our team is we always say, ‘Family,’ and we believe it. We’re a small family, and we welcomed him back into the family.” Mobley made his presence felt immediately, scoring 30-plus points in two of his first three games.
An honor roll student, Mobley plans major in business and also play collegiate basketball. “In the long career that I have, I probably will not get more than two more kids like him or even one more kid like that,” Bowe said. “It’s just so neat to have it happen early in my career. It’s a lot of fun.”
To view Mobley’s complete profile, please click on the following link: http://www.suburbanonesports.com/featured-athletes/male/james-mobley.
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