Salisbury

Elevated levels of a toxic industrial solvent have been found in three more residential wells near Salisbury, the Maryland Department of the Environment reported Wednesday, as an investigation continues into ground-water contamination affecting dozens of homes in the area. Of 77 homes just south of the city that recently had their wells tested, trichloroethylene was found in seven, and three had levels of concern to health officials, according to MDE spokesman Jay Apperson. Bottled water has been provided to the three with elevated levels, he said.

Each week, The Sun publishes a Q&A with an area college lacrosse player to get you more acquainted with the player and his/her team. Today's guest is Salisbury senior goalkeeper Johnny Rodriguez, a Gambrills native and Mount St. Joseph graduate who ranks sixth in Division III with a 5.99 goals-against average. Although he pulled you in favor of senior Tim Swinburn in the second quarter of the team's eventual 16-14 win against Stevenson in the Capital Athletic Conference tournament final, coach Jim Berkman said you are still the starting goalkeeper.

College football Salisbury wins NCAA D-III tourney opener Senior running back Joe Benedetti ran for 125 yards and two touchdowns and senior linebacker Rodney Hill blocked an extra-point attempt and intercepted Rowan's Paul Hamersma late as No. 14 Salisbury defeated the visiting Profs, 17-9, in the first round of the NCAA Division III tournament Saturday. Benedetti scored from 10 yards out with 3:19 remaining in the fourth quarter, and the Salisbury (9-2) defense picked off Hamersma on consecutive drives to hold off Rowan (7-3)

Saturday's contest between top-ranked Salisbury and No. 4 Stevenson at Mustang Stadium in Owings Mills is one of the more heavily anticipated games of Division III. But before the powerhouses could focus their attention to each other, they had to take care of some Capital Athletic Conference business Wednesday. The nine-time reigning national champion Sea Gulls (14-0 overall and 6-0 in the league) handled Wesley, 24-3, while the Mustangs (12-2, 6-0) defeated Marymount, 10-6. Salisbury coach Jim Berkman said the midweek contest was timely in terms of helping to prevent a buildup of emotion for Saturday's game.

D-III college softball Gravdahl's homer helps Salisbury stay alive in Series Salisbury senior catcher Michelle Gravdahl (Long Reach) hit her 11th home run of the season in an elimination game in the NCAA Division III softball championship against Anderson (Ind.) University to eliminate the Ravens and stay alive in the World Series with a 2-0 win in Eau Claire, Wis. Gravdahl's homer to left with one out in the bottom of the first inning put Salisbury ahead, and the Sea Gulls added a run in the fifth.

Colleges Hopkins, Salisbury fend off NCAA baseball elimination The Johns Hopkins baseball team overcame two lengthy rain delays to stave off elimination for the second-straight day as the sixth-seeded Blue Jays defeated eighth-seeded Catholic, 7-2, on Friday to knock the Cardinals out of the NCAA Division III Mid-Atlantic Regional in Lakewood, N.J., and advance in the losers' bracket. Hopkins improves to 27-14 with the victory; Catholic's season ended at 23-20. Mike Musary and Joe Borrelli paced the Blue Jays with three hits and two RBIs apiece.

Nine-time reigning national champion Salisbury is off to a 2-0 start, which includes a 16-9 victory over No. 11 Lynchburg. But the degree of difficulty will ratchet up at least a level (or three) when No. 2 Roanoke visits Sea Gull Stadium in Salisbury on Saturday. The meeting between the top two teams in the preseason poll released by the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association is a prime opportunity for the Sea Gulls to assess their progress thus far. “Our guys are always amped up to play the best teams on our schedule,” Salisbury coach Jim Berkman said.

Salisbury's path to a possible 10th Division III championship could be blocked not only by an opponent, but also perhaps injuries. Senior attackmen Matt Cannone and Tony Mendes are battling leg injuries. Cannone suffered what coach Jim Berkman described as a leg strain suffered in the first quarter of the No. 1 Sea Gulls' 22-5 rout of then-No. 2 Roanoke on Saturday. And Mendes played sparingly in that contest because of an injured hamstring. But the offense barely missed a beat.

Devin Jones (Old Mill) matched his season high with 21 points, helping Salisbury (4-5) end a two-game losing streak with an 86-71 men's basketball victory over Maryland Bible in the consolation game of the CNU Classic at Christopher Newport. Greg Palmer added 19 points and 10 rebounds, and Mike Maczko (John Carroll) had 10 points and 10 rebounds. College football: CBS Sports' coverage of the Army-Navy game on Saturday earned an overnight household rating/share of 4.2/10, up 75 percent from last year's 2.4/6.

A water main break near northbound Route 13 in Salisbury has left about half a dozen homes without water Monday morning, city officials said. At least five homes on Middle Neck Lane and businesses from Pep Boys at Priscilla Street to Boulevard Motors north and southbound Route 13 will be without water, city officials said. The main is expected to be repaired by 2:30 p.m. One northbound lane on Route 13 will be shutdown. jkanderson@baltsun.com Text NEWS to 70701 to get Baltimore Sun local news text alerts