Mendel, Dils Named Athletes of the Week

A couple of three-sport standouts take this week's iBerkshires.com/Bedard Bros. Athlete of the Week Honors.

 

Mount Greylock senior Sam Dils and Hoosac Valley junior Alie Mendel led their respective soccer and basketball teams to successful seasons earlier this year.

 

In the first half of the spring season, they are right back at it -- this time making headlines in track and field and girls lacrosse.

 

Dils Saturday won three events as he helped keep the Mounties boys track and field team unbeaten in dual meet competition this spring.

 

He won the 100 meter dash in 11.95 seconds and took first in the long jump (19 feet, 2 inches) and triple jump (38-7.5) in a three-way meet against Drury and Lenox.

 

Dils has been a dangerous scorer on the soccer pitch for four years, this fall finishing with 15 goals and 10 assists for a team that went 11-5-2 and earned a berth in the Western Mass semi-finals. He followed that up by running the offense for a Mount Greylock squad that won 10 in a row before falling in the sectional quarter-finals.

 

Alie Mendel has been a force in Western Mass basketball tournaments since she averaged eight points per game as a freshman on a Hoosac Valley team that went to the state finals. This winter, she scored a team-best 17 points per game as the Huricanes went 19-3, losing in the quarters to rival Wahconah.

 

But Mendel also has been big-time scorer outside the gym.

 

In the fall, her team-high 10 goals helped Hoosac go to Western Mass, where it was ousted on penalty kicks.

 

This spring, she has 31 goals and 21 assists for a 7-1 Hoosac Valley team looking to make its second straight trip to the sectionals.

 

In a 3-0 week this past week, she scored six goals against Springfield Central, three against Lee and five in a 9-5 win over Pittsfield.

 

The Hurricanes can accomplish that goal this week with a win against either Mount Greylock (a 14-10 finisher in their first meeting) or St. Mary's, who Hoosac beat, 16-2, the first time around.

 

The iBerkshires.com Athlete of the Week is sponsored by Bedard Bros. Auto of Cheshire.