Eighteen members of the Air Force Academy hockey team have played less than half of the college games as senior defenseman Scott Mathis.

“We have a really young team,” said Mathis, a Prairie Ridge graduate. “(About 65 percent) of our roster is freshmen and sophomores.”

Thanks to Mathis -- who has played in 134 career games at NCAA Division I Air Force -- and those young players, AFA is off to its second-best Atlantic Hockey Association start in school history at 8-3-2.

The Falcons (10-6-3) are in second place in the AHA, only two points behind league leader Mercyhurst.

“Our young guys have really bought into what we’re trying to do with our systems,” Mathis said. “They’ve picked things up really quick.”

Mathis has provided a solid example for his younger teammates.

His 15 points (four goals, 11 assists) rank second in the AHA among defensemen while the Falcons are allowing a mere 2.64 goals-against average.

While Mathis is a regular contributor on offense, defense is where he and the Falcons have been solid all season. 

The Falcons have allowed more than three goals only three times this season. Of their six losses, three were one-goal decisions, while two were against ranked opponents.

“Whether you’re a forward or defenseman, we’re about team defense,” Mathis said. “That’s what Air Force hockey is all about. We play hard in our own zone. That’s where it all starts.”

Mathis, one of four seniors on the 28-man roster, would like nothing better than to finish off his career in the NCAA tournament for the third time in his four seasons.

The Falcons advanced all the way to the West Region final during Mathis’ freshman season. Last year, while Mathis was earning first-team All-AHA honors, Air Force lost a 2-1 overtime decision in the NCAA’s opening round.

“It was real frustrating because we had beaten them earlier in the season,” Mathis said. “But in college hockey, any team can beat anybody else on any night.”

Getting back to the NCAAs is something Mathis hopes can happen with the help of his young teammates. Twenty different players have scored goals this season for Air Force, which boasts five players with at least 10 goals.

“Our team is pretty confident (of returning to the NCAAs) because of the depth of our roster,” he said. “We play all four of our (offensive) lines and all six defensemen every night. A lot of other teams have two good lines, but they don’t use a full roster.”

Moran makes move: Jacobs grad Johnny Moran made three three-pointers Tuesday in a 63-60 men’s basketball loss to Creighton to move into second place on D-I Northern Iowa’s career made three-pointers list.

Moran, a senior guard, has 171 threes in his four-year career as a starting for the Panthers (12-5). Moran, who has hit 10 of his last 18 three-point attempts, trails only school record holder and current UNI head coach Ben Jacobson’s 203 career threes.

Moran has started 118 career games, which is two starts shy of Jacobson’s career record.

This season, Moran is averaging 6.6 points and 2.6 rebounds while starting every game. He also has a team-best 24 steals.

Parkland players choose King: Pitcher Mark Hode and outfielder Tom Hooker of NJCAA Parkland College in Champaign, Ill., have committed to play baseball next spring at NCAA Division II King College.

Hode, a right-hander, is a Crystal Lake South graduate who helped the Cobras to a fifth-place finish in the NJCAA World Series last season. Hooker, a Crystal Lake Central grad, batted .300 last season for the Cobras on their run to nationals.

King, located in Bristol, Tenn., will play its first season in Conference Carolinas this spring. Last season, the Tornado (28-25) won at least 28 games for the sixth season in a row. King also advanced to the National Christian College Athletic Association World Series by winning the Mideast regional.

Starring in Springfield: Huntley grad Carly Goede is averaging 5.2 points and 1.9 assists a game as a top reserve guard for D-II University of Illinois Springfield’s women’s basketball team.

Goede ranks second on the team this season for the Prairie Stars (6-6) by hitting 42 percent of her three-point shots (10-for-24). Goede scored a career-high 15 points on Dec. 8 in a 74-55 win against Oakland City.

Barry Bottino writes a weekly column and a blog about local college athletes for the Northwest Herald. Write to him at BarryOnCampus@hotmail.com and check out his On Campus column every Saturday in the Northwest Herald sports section.

While Hampshire graduate Jackie Heine was playing college basketball at NAIA Saint Xavier University, her schedule mostly kept her away from her alma mater, where her sister Chrissy was playing ball.

“I went to as many of her high school games as I could, but that wasn’t very often because I had my own games,” Jackie Heine said.

Now in her fourth season as an assistant coach at SXU, Jackie Heine is seeing plenty of her “baby sister,” who is a sophomore forward for the NAIA Cougars.

“I’ve gotten a lot closer with Jackie,” said 20-year-old Chrissy Heine, who is five years younger than Jackie. “It’s nice to have a family member close by. We talk a lot and we go out to dinner.”

Jackie Heine lives in Oak Park, just minutes from the St. Xavier campus on Chicago’s south side. She works in Chicago as a web auditor for an executive search firm. After 5 p.m. each weekday, she returns to the court where she made plenty of memories as a player.

“I love coaching basketball,” she said. “Basketball has been such a big part of my life.”

In three seasons with the Cougars, Jackie Heine scored 1,159 points, which ranks fourth all-time in school history. She also ranks third in career rebounds (857) and blocked shots (89).

The Cougars, with Chrissy Heine coming off the bench as a reserve forward, are off to a 12-4 start this season and were ranked No. 10 in the nation this week in NAIA Division I. SXU has six players who are averaging at least seven points a game.

“There’s no one player that stands out every night,” Jackie Heine said. “They all contribute.”

A defensive specialist who has played in 13 games, Chrissy Heine is averaging 2.5 points and

1.7 rebounds in just under seven minutes a game.

“It doesn’t matter if I play for a minute here or a minute there, I just love playing,” she said.

Head coach Bob Hallberg’s focus on effort has rubbed off on the younger Heine.

“Coach talks every pregame and every postgame about intensity … and how that’s what Saint Xavier is about,” Chrissy Heine said. “That has really stuck with me. I’ve always been a good defensive player. My shot has been coming along. Jackie has really helped me with that.”

While the sisters talk daily, sometimes no words are needed to get a point across.

“I can just look at her and she knows what I’m about to say,” Jackie Heine said.

Career day: Cary-Grove grad Jamie Kuhl scored a career-high 23 points Dec. 10 to guide D-III St. Norbert’s women’s basketball team to a 90-75 win against Knox College.

Kuhl, a senior forward, ranks second on the team with 11.1 points and 6.2 rebounds a game.

The Green Knights are off to a 7-3 start this season, including a 5-0 record in the Midwest Conference.

Mat monster: Central Michigan freshman wrestler Joey Kielbasa went 3-0 Dec. 19 at the Bison Duals in Mount Pleasant, Mich., to help the Chippewas win all three duals on the day.

Kielbasa, a Crystal Lake Central grad, has a 16-9 record for CMU in the 149-pound weight class.

Kielbasa also went 3-2 at the prestigious Midland Championships at Northwestern last month. Among Kielbasa’s 16 wins, 11 have come in tournament competition.

Barry Bottino writes a weekly column and a blog about local college athletes for the Northwest Herald. Write to him at BarryOnCampus@hotmail.com and check out his On Campus column every Saturday in the Northwest Herald sports section.

On many occasions over the past year, an inquisitive Richie Schumacher spent time in Truman State University defensive coordinator Kellen Nesbitt’s office.

While trying to get familiar with a new defensive scheme brought in when Kellen Nesbitt’s father, Gregg, was hired as Truman’s head football coach on Dec. 4, 2009, Schumacher turned to his defensive coordinator for answers.

“I was in his office every day asking questions,” said Schumacher, a junior defensive back for the NCAA Division II Bulldogs. “If he wrote down all the questions I asked, he could probably write a book.”

Playing the bandit position in Truman’s defense – the same spot Kellen Nesbitt played during a four-year career at Central Missouri – Schumacher provided plenty of answers for the Bulldogs this season.

While moving all over the field for Truman (4-7), Schumacher piled up a team-high 130 tackles, which was good for No. 2 in nation among D-II schools. Schumacher’s tackle total also was the fifth-highest in a single season in school history.

“I’ve played everywhere (on the field) from a deep safety to a blitzing end,” Schumacher said. “It’s so much fun.”

Picking Nesbitt’s brain proved valuable for Schumacher, who was chosen to the All-Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association second team. The conference included five teams that won at least eight games this season, including D-II national champion Pittsburg (Kan.) State, which went 13-1.

“I had a good (knowledge) base from coach (Chuck) Ahsman in high school,” Schumacher said. “I learned so much this year. I felt like the game slowed down for me this year.”

While playing all around the field for the Bulldogs, Schumacher had at least 10 tackles in nine games this season, including a 16-tackle effort against Central Missouri. He also two interceptions, two forced fumbles, a sack and a blocked kick.

“I was more confident this season,” said Schumacher, whose studies were not limited to chats with his coach. “I probably watched more film this season than other seasons combined.”

Schumacher’s impact included 41 more total tackles than any other Truman player and 64 assisted tackles.

“I had a lot of assisted tackles, and that’s just effort,” Schumacher said. “When we talk about our defense, effort is the No. 1 thing.”

Injuries on defense, according to Schumacher, had plenty to do with Truman’s seven losses. But the season also included a 27-26 loss to Pittsburg State and two wins to close out the 2011 campaign.

“I’ve always had a passion for the game, but that’s bigger now than it’s ever been,” Schumacher said. “I can’t wait to get back to school. I can’t wait to start winter conditioning.”

OVC volleyball stars: Three local athletes were among 21 chosen for the All-Ohio Valley Conference women’s volleyball teams this fall.

Prairie Ridge grad Ashley Doherty and Crystal Lake Central’s Paige Economos were chosen to the 14-member all-conference team after strong senior seasons.

Doherty, a middle blocker at Tennessee-Martin, led the Skyhawks (19-14) with 378 kills and was second with 87 total blocks. Doherty ranked ninth in the league with a .269 hitting percentage. 

Economos, a libero at Austin Peay (11-20), ranked third in the conference and 42nd in D-I volleyball this season in digs (5.08 per set). Her 604 digs this season made Economos the first player in school history to have back-to-back 600-dig seasons. As a junior, Economos collected 603 digs.

Crystal Lake South’s Hannah Burkle, a middle blocker at Eastern Kentucky, was named to the seven-member All-Newcomer Team. Burkle, a freshman, ranked ninth this season in the OVC in blocks (0.85 per set) and points (3.52). She also ranked second on the team at EKU (14-18) with 351 kills.

Ranger rebounder: Jacobs grad Conrad Krutwig, a junior forward, is the leading rebounder this season for D-II Wisconsin-Parkside’s men’s basketball team.

Along with his 5.6 rebounds a game, Krutwig is averaging 8.1 points a game while starting every game for the Rangers (5-3). Krutwig had a season-high nine rebounds Nov. 18 in a victory against Saginaw Valley.

Barry Bottino writes a weekly column and a blog about local college athletes for the Northwest Herald. Write to him at BarryOnCampus@hotmail.com and check out his On Campus column every Saturday in the Northwest Herald sports section.