Firebaugh named to MAAC All-Rookie Team

James Wood graduate and Rider University freshman guard Makayla Firebaugh was a unanimous selection to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball All-Rookie Team that was announced on Monday.

Firebaugh was one of five players selected to the team. She led all MAAC rookies in conference scoring this year (12.5 points per game) and ranked eighth overall in the conference for scoring average.

In all games this year, Firebaugh leads the Broncs with 11.2 points per game, scoring in double figures a team-high 15 times in 22 games.

Firebaugh is shooting a team-high 88.9 percent from the free-throw line (40-45), connecting on each of her last 29 attempts dating back to Jan. 2. She is also averaging 4.4 rebounds per game.

Firebaugh has twice been named MAAC Rookie of the Week and was selected MAAC Player of the Week on Feb. 1 following a career-high 26-point performance at Monmouth, when she made 6 of 8 3-pointers. She added nine rebounds.

Rider (6-17, 5-13 MAAC) is the No. 7 seed for the MAAC Tournament that begins today. The Broncos will play No. 10 Monmouth at 2:30 p.m., with the winner advancing to a quarterfinal game against No. 2 Quinnipiac on Wednesday.

Clarke tied for 2nd in regional football ratings

The 2-0 Clarke County football team is tied for second in Region 2B with Strasburg (2-0) and the Eagles’ Friday opponent Page County (1-0) with a rating of 18.0 in the Virginia High School League power ratings that were released on Monday.

The top four teams make the playoffs in Region 2B. Stuarts Draft (2-0) tops the 10-team ratings in Region 2B at 19.0. Staunton (1-1) is fifth at 13.5.

The five-team Class 4 Northwestern District does not use ratings for its playoff qualifiers. The top two teams will advance to the Region 4C playoffs.

The Judges — who were off last week — open district play on Friday at Fauquier. In Saturday’s district openers, Kettle Run beat Fauquier 44-0 and Liberty beat Culpeper County 38-21.