PW's Lapent commits to Bridgeport, in gymnastics

Michaela Lapent held off on the decision as long as she could. The Plymouth Whitemarsh senior's dilemma: choose from among numerous scholarship offers to compete in gymnastics or diving.

She recently accepted one for gymnastics at Bridgeport.

"I love both sports, and I didn't want to give one up," said Lapent, who added that the social aspects of gymnastics won out over diving.

"Diving is separate [from the swim team] in college, whereas you're family with the 20 or so girls on the gymnastics team." She dives for Plymouth Whitemarsh.

By choosing gymnastics, Lapent also will have the opportunity to train under Byron Knox, who has coached Bridgeport to two straight USA Gymnastics collegiate national titles. Lapent, who began gymnastics at age 3, became a top, Level 10 gymnast two years ago.

Lapent initially expected to join her sister Chelsea, who is a member of the Temple gymnastics team, but then received the scholarship offer from Knox.

At 5-foot-7, Lapent acknowledges that she's taller than most gymnasts. She has a busy week ahead in both of her favorite sports. She will dive Wednesday for the Colonials at the Suburban One League American Division championships, then leave the next day for a gymnastics meet in Ohio. She competes for Spirit Gymnastics in North Wales.

Speedy Ghosts. How fast can they go? That's the question being asked around Abington, where three boys' indoor track relay teams are leaving the opposition behind in record fashion.

The boys' 4x400- and 4x800-meter and distance-medley relay teams have set some of the fastest times in the state and nation so far this indoor season.

Last weekend at the Armory in New York, the 4x400 foursome of Josh Swift, Macey Watson, Tevin Smith, and Will Taylor ran a Pennsylvania state-record 3 minutes, 16.6 seconds, bettering the old mark of 3:18.7 set by Glen Mills in 2002. The Ghosts beat DeMatha for first. It's the best time so far this season in the country.

Standout miler Kyle Moran anchored the Ghosts' winning 4x800 quartet to a Pennsylvania record of 7:45.93, also at the Armory. North Penn had set the old mark of 7:47.45 at the National Scholastic Indoor Championships in 2008 at the Armory. He was joined by Smith, Watson, and Taylor. The same foursome ran the country's fourth-fastest time in the distance-medley relay.

Abington's 4x200 girls' team of Rachel Strother, Nicole Grasty, Jordan Matthews, and Leah Nugent ran the fastest time this season by a Pennsylvania school. The four covered the distance in 1:42.82.

Scramble on the ice. With the regular season winding down, a number of teams could skate off with top honors in the National Division of the Ches-Mont Hockey League.

Unionville (9-4-2) and West Chester Rustin (10-3-0) are tied for the division lead with 20 points each, and West Chester Henderson (9-3-1) is right behind with 19.

The Indians have just one regular-season game left, a date with Methacton (second in the American Division) on Feb. 25. Rustin has three left, including one against Kennett on Friday. Henderson also has three remaining, including one vs. Perkiomen Valley on Friday.

"It's been an awesome year for the league," said Rustin coach Nick Russo, whose Golden Knights are the defending Flyers Cup A champions. "We split with Henderson and Unionville, so it's going to be interesting coming down the stretch.

"I also expect the league to do well when it comes to seeding for the Flyers Cup."

Downingtown East's Ryan Urban leads the league in points with 33, on 20 goals and 13 assists, followed by Ryan McNamara of Methacton with 28 (12-16).

Rustin has three players in the top 10: Ben Kinch (11-11-22), Matt Gosik (9-13-22), and Jeff Nelson (8-12-20).