BOYS HOOPS: Basketball runs through the bloodlines in the Alton family

By: Andrew Atwal

For BucksLocalSports.com

When talking about the Alton brothers, the term all in the family comes to mind, with the subject of basketball being the topic.

Will Alton is a Division III starter at Penn State Abington where last season, he averaged over 15 points and four assists a game as a sophomore for the Nittany Lions.

Max is a standout on the Hopewell Valley Central boys varsity team. Not only does he start for the Bulldogs, but he also averaged a little over 14 points per game as a junior.

Youngest of the Alton brothers, True, is a combination of Max and Will, according to his dad, Bob Alton. True plays AAU basketball where he averaged almost 13 points a game. He also was among the top scorers in the Hopewell Basketball Spring Hoops recreation league.

But first Will just wants to be better than everyone else.

“Will just does not give up. If the team is down by a significant amount towards the end of games, it does not make a difference; he fights until the end,” Mr. Alton said of son Will.

The six-foot guard has been dominating opponents at Penn State Abington where he relies on his speed to get to the basket and get easier, higher-percentage shots. Last season as a sophomore, he was named third team All-North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC).

Will led the Nittany Lions in free throws made and free throws attempted, sinking 120 of 163 shots from the foul line. Will also led the team in games started and minutes-per-game.

Although he was a sophomore last year, it was his first year at Penn State Abington because he transferred from Division II University of Wilmington, where he had a basketball scholarship. Will transferred because he did not like the team’s coach.

During the break, Will is also working hard to advance his skills while holding a summer job.

“I play basketball for about three hours each day and take around 500 shots daily. I also am involved with numerous local summer leagues and run a mile a day, jump rope, and lift weights five times a week,” Will said.

Though he knows a thing or two about the hoops game, Mr. Alton never coached Will.

“In fifth and sixth grade, he thought he knew everything about basketball,” Mr. Alton said. “But by the time he got into high school, he wanted to be better than everyone else and started listening to my advice, which helped his game.”
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FOOTBALL: South defeats North in annual All-Star Game

By: Andrew Atwal

For BucksLocalSports.com

 

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.

Conwell-Egan football coach Kevin Kelly took that mantra to task last Saturday night when he led the South senior all-stars to a comeback victory over the North in the 35th annual Bob Sands Memorial Bucks County Lions Senior All-Star Classic at CB West’s War Memorial Stadium in Doylestown.

Last year, the North, under the guidance of Archbishop Wood head coach Steve Devlin, defeated the South, 16-7, in Kelly’s first appearance in the classic, which pits the best senior football players in lower Bucks County against their counterparts to the North.

Though the game was held in the same location as last year, the outcome would prove much more satisfying to Kelly as well as the rest of the South all-stars.

While the North bolted out to a quick lead on the strength of a 13-yard touchdown run by William Tennant fullback Tyler Hamlet and a field goal in the opening stages of the second quarter, the tide would turn dramatically in favor of the South shortly thereafter.

Bensalem linebacker John Marcelline recovered a North fumble with seven minutes left in the second quarter, which lead to a touchdown strike on a pass from Conwell-Egan quarterback Anthony Singlar to Truman receiver Drew Peterson which cut the North lead to 10-7, going into halftime.

The South would keep the pedal to the medal in the second half.

Bristol RB Woodrow Vorters sprinted for a 46-yard touchdown run to give the South their first lead of the game at 13-10.

Later in the third quarter, Pennsbury RB Dante Devine added a three-yard touchdown run to expand the lead to 10 points, going into the final frame.

Devine added another score on a beautiful 81-yard TD catch-and-run from Singler late in the fourth quarter. Devine again struck in the final minutes on a 51-yard touchdown run to give South a 34-10 victory over the Northern All-Stars.

The South has now won the contest five out of the last six years.

Neshaminy RB/LB Stephen Stemme was awarded the sportsmanship award for the South while Singlar was awarded Most Valuable Player for the South; Tony Latronica captured MVP honors for the North.

After the game, South coach Kelly reflected on the win.

“It was just a great win for the kids. They really played outstanding football in the second half,” Kelly said. “We had to get Dante (Devine) in space and our quarterback (Anthony Singlar) played really well.”

Coach Kelly also emphasized how well his team was able to control the line of scrimmage in the second half, which was one of the reasons for the South’s big turnaround.

Vorters, who had a long touchdown run in the first half, talked about how much of an honor it was just to be named to the team.

“It meant a lot. I’m just a small kid from Bristol. I just wanted to end my High School career with a bang. I did not want to leave on a bad note,” Vorters said. “It means everything to me to be named to the team and I really feel accomplished for all I was able to do throughout high school.”

One of the keys to the South’s win was the play of Devine, who scored three times in the second half.

“It was just fun to play in this game. I got to play with a lot of my friends that I didn’t get to play with on Pennsbury,” Devine said. “It meant a lot for me to be named to this team.

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