Ex-Fort Mill star leads cross country team at E. Kentucky

By Earl Gault - Herald correspondent

Former Fort Mill High School cross country runner David Willis helped Eastern Kentucky's Colonels capture their third straight Ohio Valley Conference championship in the league's recent meet at Cape Girardeau, Mo.

A sophomore, Willis finished 11th with a time of 26:22.0, earning second-team All-OVC honors.

The Colonels also finished sixth in the recent Southeast Regional Championship.

Willis had a season-best time of 25:14 in the 8-kilometer race at the Greater Louisville Open and a clocking of 25:17 in the Pre-National Meet in Terre Haute, Ind.

• ERSKINE: Sophomore forward Jean Marie Harris (Indian Land) contributed a field goal as the Flying Fleet women's basketball team opened its season with victory last week.

The 5-9 Harris got into the scoring column in the Flying Fleet's 80-71 win at Brevard.

The Flying Fleet carried its 1-0 record into Tuesday's road game at Pfeiffer. The Fleet entertains Francis Marion on Saturday night.

• LANDER: Junior forward Curtis Milner (Clover) has helped the Bearcats get off to a 2-0 start in basketball.

A 6-7, 205-pounder, Milner is averaging 4.5 points and 5.0 rebounds a game as the 'Cats headed into Wednesday's game at Wingate.

In the Bearcats' season opener, Milner saw a couple of familiar faces during the 79-70 victory over Anderson. Sophomore guard Kevis Cornwell (York Comprehensive) and freshman forward Taylor Shugart (Northwestern) saw action for the Trojans. Cornwell scored 17 points while Shugart had three points and three rebounds in limited playing time.

• NORTH GREENVILLE: Three former area high school athletes helped the Crusaders' women's basketball win three of its first four games.

The Crusaders are led by 6-1 center Amanda Milner (Clover). Milner averages 16.0 points and 7.3 rebounds a game. Milner had an outstanding effort in a 74-73 win over Queens University as she scored 27 points and collected eight rebounds.

Former Rock Hill High standouts Markeisha Hicks and Shakendra Hicks, twin sisters, played for Queens.

Jaleesa Gladden, a 5-10 junior from Chester, is averaging 6.0 points and 5.5 rebounds for the Crusaders and 5-4 sophomore Trish Polito (Fort Mill) is averaging 1.8 points and 2.0 rebounds a game.

The Crusaders won their first three games before dropping a 75-65 contest to Limestone.

• WINTHROP: Former Eagles right-hander Chris Leroux has been added to the Florida Marlins' 40-man roster.

Leroux, 24, who arrived at Winthrop as a catcher, made the transition to the mound and was the Marlins' seventh-round selection in the 2005 First-Year Player Draft despite undergoing shoulder surgery.

Last season, Leroux was 6-7 with a 3.65 ERA and one save in 57 relief appearances with Jupiter of the Class A Florida State League. He struck out 78 batters in 74 innings. Leroux and Jupiter teammate Adalberto Mendez tied for the league lead in appearances (57).

Leroux spent three years (2003-2005) at Winthrop before being drafted by the Marlins. The Canada native was drafted out of high school in 2002 by Tampa Bay.

Leroux joins Minnesota Twins right-hander Kevin Slowey as former Eagles on current major league rosters.