Counce, Troy to join Blast Hall of Fame

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Counce, Troy to join Blast Hall of Fame

The Blast announced Tuesday that former players Dan Counce and Rusty Troy will be inducted into the team's Hall of Fame on Jan. 7. Counce and Troy will be honored in a ceremony during halftime of the Blast game against the Rochester Lancers that day. Counce, the first player ever signed to a Blast contract, played four seasons for the original Blast and also served as the assistant coach and worked in the front office. A forward and defender, Counce was a player-coach during the 1983-84 championship season and ranks 18th on the original Blast's all-time scoring list with 94 points in 117 games over four seasons (1980-84). After retiring as a professional player at the end of the 1983-84 season, Counce returned to the Blast before the 1986-87 season to serve as vice president and general manager. Troy, who spent four seasons with the original Blast and two seasons with the Baltimore Spirit, was the Blast's first pick in the 1988 college dispersal draft. He was named Major Soccer League Rookie of the Year in 1989 after scoring 15 goals in his first professional season. Troy ranks 12th on the original Blast's all-time scoring list with 128 points in 185 games over four seasons. Original Blast coach Kenny Cooper, former players Stan Stamenkovic, Mike Stankovic, Tim Wittman, Bruce Savage, Dave MacWilliams, Joey Fink, Heinz Wirtz, Keith Van Eron, Dominic Mobilio, Billy Ronson, Richard Chinapoo, Cris Vaccaro, Pat Ercoli and Doug Neely are already in the Hall of Fame, along with original Major Indoor Soccer League commissioner Earl Foreman.

Boxing: Jake "The Snake" Smith of Baltimore Boxing Promotions and Scott Wagner's Ballroom Boxing announced that the area's top amateur fighters will battle the Naval Academy's best boxers Jan.26 at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie. Tickets purchased in advance start at $25 and are available at baltimoreboxing.com or by calling 410-375-9175. The card features more than 10 bouts, and all matches are sanctioned by USA Boxing. A special donation will be made to the children of Beethavean Scottland of North Brentwood, who died in 2001 from injuries suffered during a fight. "I'm excited for this event because it involves members of the community and is going to help out the family of a fighter who fought many times at Michael's Eighth," said Smith, who owns the Baltimore Boxing Club, where many of the local fighters currently train. "The Navy's coach, Jim McNally, is a personal friend of mine and somebody I have the world of respect for." In addition to the $25 advance purchase tickets, individual VIP seats are $50 and tables of 10 are $500. Doors open at 7 p.m., and the first bout is scheduled for 8:15.

Pro basketball: The Bay Area Shuckers of the Atlantic Coast Professional Basketball League signed former Maryland guard Adrian Bowie (Montrose Christian).

Women's college volleyball: UMES outside hitter Saitaua Iosia was named COBRA Magazine's Freshman of the Year. The COBRA East Region Player of the Year also earned a spot on the All-National first team, the highest placement ever bestowed by the publication for a Hawks volleyball player. Iosia becomes the second UMES player to be an All-National team member, joining Whitney Johnson, who selected to the second team in 2009. The online magazine honors volleyball players of African, Samoan and Tongan descent. Iosia finished the season ranked in the top 50 in all of Division I in points per set with 4.77 (26th), aces per set with 0.42 (27th) and kills per set at 4.07 (41st). She ended the year with 472 kills on a hitting percentage of .292, 49 service aces and 54 total blocks. … Salisbury juniors Chelsea Glowacki and Carley Todd were named to the Eastern College Athletic Conference South second team.

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