Hometown hero: Herricks' Kahn helps Johns Hopkins get near top of Division III baseball world

David Kahn always thought he had the tools to be a great college baseball player; it was just a matter of putting everything together for one season.

The Herricks High School graduate finally succeeded and the Johns Hopkins baseball program reaped the rewards as the senior centerfielder - named d3baseball.com's Division III national player of the year and the Centennial Conference player of the year - helped lead the Blue Jays (44-7) to a No. 1 ranking and the Division III College World Series.

Johns Hopkins failed in its quest to win the national title. The Blue Jays were eliminated by Cortland on day three of the College World Series, 23-8, on May 30. But it was a personal victory for Kahn, who spent his freshman and sophomore seasons on the Johns Hopkins junior varsity team.

"It's been a pretty amazing ride and I certainly didn't expect all of this," Kahn said of the accolades he's received for 16 home runs, 70 RBIs, 72 runs scored and a .473 batting average. "I changed my swing to get more width. I also was a little more aggressive in my approach."

In addition to their No. 1 ranking, the Blue Jays also had a 32-game winning streak. "We struggled a little last year and went 28-16," Kahn said. "But we've gotten great play from the entire roster this year."

Kahn noted the strong play of fellow Long Islander James Teta. The Sachem East graduate hit .311 with 25 RBIs and 10 stolen bases.

For Kahn, helping his team get over the hump was a priority. In fact, he declined an invite to a pre-draft workout by the Mets because he didn't want to miss a chance to win a World Series.

Kahn said: "I would much rather be here."

Anderson wins title

Hempstead High School graduate Racquel Anderson reached the pinnacle of her young career in track and field when she took home the NCAA Division II long jump championship with a leap of 19 feet, 11½ inches for Lincoln (Mo.) University last week.

DeLuca honored

SUNY Cortland's Chris DeLuca (Sayville High School) received the Iroquois national award as the country's top Division III lacrosse player. DeLuca, the SUNYAC player of the year, helped guide Cortland to a NCAA Division III semifinal. The senior midfielder finished with 37 goals and 15 assists.