Colorado Springs – Fisher DeBerry said so long to the Air Force Academy at a banquet honoring his 23-year term as its football coach, but he said he would never say goodbye.
DeBerry said the night was not for him, but for all the players and coaches who had performed for and worked with him over the years.
“The proudest moments for me were not the victories over Notre Dame and Army and Navy, but when I saw our players throw their hats in the air at graduation,” DeBerry said. “This is a tribute to all of them from my family.”
He closed his address with a challenge for the future: “Go Falcons, beat Army and Navy.”
DeBerry, who guided the Falcons to 17 winning seasons, predicted the program will continue to prosper under new head coach Troy Calhoun. Calhoun, a former player under DeBerry, took the reigns of the Air Force program after DeBerry retired in late December.
DeBerry was presented with several awards, and Gen. John Regni, the academy superintendent, announced that DeBerry’s name will be attached to an award to be given annually at graduation to the Air Force cadet who is deemed to have the highest character.
DeBerry was presented a distinguished personal service award by Air Force Secretary Michael W. Wynne; a U.S. Senate resolution presented by Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Colo.; and a congressional resolution from Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Colo.
He also received tributes from former players, including Chad Hennings, an All-American defensive lineman who won three Super Bowl rings with the Dallas Cowboys.
– Irv Moss
Softball
The second-seeded Western New Mexico softball team got three consecutive home runs in the bottom of the sixth inning and topped Colorado State-Pueblo 5-3 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference championship game Saturday at Mesa State College in Grand Junction.
Western N.M. (36-16-1) finished the double-elimination tournament undefeated and advanced to the NCAA South Central regional. Sixth-seeded CSU-Pueblo (23-19-1), which lost its opening tournament game, stormed back with victories over top-seeded Mesa State, third-seeded Nebraska- Kearney and fifth-seeded Regis to reach the title game.
CSU-Pueblo took an early lead after Katie Johnson hit a two-run home run in the second inning. But the Mustangs scored in the bottom of the second and third innings to tie the game.
The ThunderWolves regained the lead when Shana Martin knocked in Janine Tyler in the top of the fourth. But in the sixth inning, Antoinette Estrella, Debbie Yescas and Rebecca Reynolds hit back-to-back-to-back homers to push the Mustangs ahead for good.
Women’s lacrosse
Kristie Leggio scored a goal and assisted on two others in the closing minutes to rally top-seeded Denver over California 7-6 in the semifinals of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation tournament semifinals in Davis, Calif.
Leggio, who was named the MPSF player of the year Thursday, finished with two goals and two assists.
Denver (16-2), ranked No. 15 nationally, advances to today’s championship game to face third-seeded Stanford, which eliminated Oregon 8-2.
The Pioneers are looking for their first conference title.
Ali Flury added two goals and an assist and Steph Coyne added two goals.
Cal (7-6) scored three consecutive goals in the second half to give the Bears a 5-4 lead. But Leggio, Steph Coyne and Karen Morton responded with three unanswered goals to put Denver ahead.
Men’s lacrosse
Ryan Zordani tallied a goal and two assists to lead Denver to a season-ending 8-5 victory over Pennsylvania in a non-league game in Philadelphia.
DU (9-7) finished in third place in the Great Western Lacrosse League. Penn (6-7) led early, but Brad Patterson, Ilija Gajic and Joey Murray scored to give the Pioneers a 3-1 lead.
Baseball
John Ray hit his team-leading seventh home run of the season and Phil Santucci knocked in the go-ahead run in the sixth inning to lead Northern Colorado (12-28) over visiting Air Force (8-38) 4-2 in the Bears Spring Classic. It was UNC’s second win over Air Force in as many days. The Bears finished their season series with the Falcons at 5-0.
Jake Palmer’s RBI single scored Reece Gorman in the bottom of the ninth inning to give Metro State a 5-4 victory over visiting Mesa State in the back end of a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference doubleheader at Auraria Field.
Mesa State, ranked No. 13 nationally, won the opener 6-2.
The RMAC regular season ends today, and the conference tournament, with most seeds still to be decided, starts Wednesday in Grand Junction. Mesa State already earned the No. 1 seed.
