>> Gardner Commits to Red Storm
Christ the King H.S., Middle Village, senior boys’ basketball player Brandon Gardner will continue his hoops career next fall at St. John’s University, Jamaica. The 6-foot-8-inch forward transferred to Christ the King prior to this season and is set to take the floor with the No. 16-ranked team in the nation.
>> Hall of Famers
Two local baseball lifers were inducted Nov. 13 into the New York State Baseball Hall of Fame. Former longtime St. John’s University, Jamaica, head baseball coach Ed Blankmeyer and Bensonhurst native Gary Perone were inducted.
Blankmeyer is the winningest coach in St. John’s baseball and Big East Conference history. After a brief stint coaching minor-league ball, he returned to Queens this fall as an adjunct associate professor in the Division of Sports Management.
Perone grew up in Bath Beach, before playing baseball at Bishop Ford H.S., Park Slope. The St. Francis College, Brooklyn Heights, grad worked for the Brooklyn Cyclones for 20 years before accepting the general manager position of the Atlantic League’s Staten Island FerryHawks prior to last season.
>> Fall Champs
Here’s a look at the diocesan high school fall sports champions:
• Msgr. McClancy H.S., East Elmhurst, took home the girls’ varsity volleyball ‘A’ city championship. The junior varsity girls’ team finished the regular season 9-0 to capture the ‘A’ North Division crown.
• The St. John’s Prep, Astoria, boys’ varsity soccer team won the ‘A’ city championship.
• The junior varsity girls’ soccer team from St. Francis Prep, Fresh Meadows, won the ‘AA’ city championship.
• Xaverian H.S., Bay Ridge, won the ‘AA’ Brooklyn- Queens championship in girls’ varsity soccer.
• St. Francis Prep continued its dominance on the tennis court by capturing the varsity ‘AA’ state title over Archbishop Molloy H.S., Briarwood. Molloy won the varsity ‘AA’ diocesan championship.