🇬🇷SPORTS NEWS🇺🇸

Purdue University linebacker Yanni Karlaftis has had a tremendous four-year career for the Boilermakers. Karlaftis a 6’3” 235lb senior is having a great year with 22 solo tackles, 13 assisted for a very respectable 35 total tackles with several games left in the season. Yianni is a lion on defense and is a very explosive powerful tackler. He is talented, aggressive, smart, and is a leader. Yanni is currently studying pursuing his MBA. Yanni Karlaftis is very proud of his Greek Heritage. We believe that Yanni has all the qualities to be drafted by the NFL.

Big Nathan Zacharakis 6'5" 330 lbs. was again outstanding on the Franklin Pierce University offensive line  helping his team win an exciting 35-24, hard fought victory over Southern Connecticut State University on October 26. Zacharakis simply dominated with his strength driving his opponents of the ball and was named Player of the Game for the Ravens. Nate is intelligent,tough,has good character, and has a strong work ethic which has made his career so successful. Nathan a senior majoring in Criminal Justice. He is very proud of his Spartan heritage.

Sinharitiria, Congratulations to S.L.A.A. founder James Pristouris on completing the challenging 2024 Chicago Marathon and now having completed four marathons. Pristouris ran to raise money for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocesan Olympics, a historic event that has been taking place for over 40 years bringing our youth together. So far, they have raised 4 thousand dollars! Pristouris has done amazing community work for Greek youth of all ages with basketball and soccer events.

Athens Chapter Number 24 has been very active in AHEPA athletics for over 96 years. The chapter has had many athletic moments including in 1938 when legendary AHEPAN George Demeter and other members of AHEPA helped Greece’s Stylianos Kyriakides run in his first Boston Marathon and then again in his historic 50th Boston Marathon Anniversary Win in 1946.

Amongst many other chapter athletic endeavors were very good softball, track, and AHEPA winning National and Regional basketball teams. The Boston Sons of Pericles also recorded 6 straight I.S.I.B.T. Championships (1971-1976) in New York City, Columbus, Ohio, Minneapolis Minn., Norfolk, Virginia, Canton, Ohio, and in Maryland finishing their streak at the Baltimore Civic Center in 1976. The Baltimore Sons & Maids International Sons Invitational Basketball Tournament dance and banquet drew over 1,500 youth members. 

The voice of the NBA Baltimore Bullets Jim Karvellas was the Banquet Guest Speaker. The Boston Sons participated in basketball tournaments of and on from 1980-2024. The Boston AHEPA Chapter recently conducted their 100th Anniversary Celebration featuring trophies, newspaper articles and other memorabilia including photos of Legendary Athlete Harry Agganis receiving a Boston AHEPA Award.

Triumph “THYRIAMVOS” Greece’s soccer team beat England 2-1 for the first time at Wembley Stadium in a UEFA Nations League match overshadowed by the tragic death of Greece’s player George Baldock who drowned in his swimming pool the night before the game. Baldock was English born of Greek descent and the Greek players dedicated the win to him.

Team Hellas talented striker Vangelis Pavlidis scored both goals despite being swarmed by defenders on both goals.

Every Kuriakee ON AIR WNTN Grecian Echoes WNTN1550AM from Boston “The Athens of

America” The one and only Greek-American Sports show “THE BENCHWARMERS” Hosted by Greek radio legend Ted Demetriades, Bill Galatis, Nick Ypsilantis, and Nick Markopoulos.

Greek Hoop Scoop- Check it out an amazing site about all things about Greek Basketball. They cover Greek and Orthodox basketball tournaments individual players, teams, and much more. Editor Terry Poulos, is a long-time sports columnist for The Greek Star and Windy City Greek.com as well as a Greek American media journalist.

The 95th NHIBT-National Hellenic Invitational Basketball Tournament will take place in

Chicago on March 28-30th, for High School and Senior Divisions. The tournament will be here before you know it. NHIBT President Dr. Peter Petrovas is urging community leaders to enter a team from their community. For more information go to NHIBT website.

OLI MAZH STO CHICAGO! OPA!

Congratualtions to all the grandparents Papou, Yiayia, and Parents who take their children to Greek School and Sunday School. 

Greek Idiom- Exe ta matia sou tesarra-Keep your eyes open, be very careful.

Greek Philosophy- “The secret of happiness is freedom and the secret of freedom is courage. ” -Thucydides

We want to thank all GAS followers for your kind comments. Special thank you to AHEPA Executive Director Basil Mossaides and Executive Administrative Director Stephanie Maniatis for carrying GAS ON AHEPA'S E-News website. Please keep sharing posts and spreading the GAS News  Also thanks to all other Greek sites that have shared GAS and understand our mission. Athlete submissions must be sent to greekamericansports@gmail.com. This is the only form of submission. Please also follow our Facebook page Greek American Sports and be sure to turn on post notifications. For GAS fans that have Instagram follow GAS on Instagram and tell your friends and parea.

GAS has already connected athletes and our youth throughout the United States with each other through our GAS Instagram, as well as received wonderful feedback from parents and elderly grandparents who have commented how proud they are of their grandchildren from the U.S.A. and Greece. We are celebrating our One Year Anniversary what a robust and vital community we have in the USA and world wide.What really stood out to us was how proud the Greek-American high school and college athletes were to be recognized. For some of these athletes this was the first time they were honored and acknowledged. The parents were thrilled. We have been contacted by colleges,high schools, professional teams in Greece, sports organizations,and quoted in newspapers.We have so much great material we have trouble keeping up with it.

Some of our discoveries that are highlights for our first year include:

• Shout out  to Greek American Sports from 2 time Super Bowl Champ George Karlaftis prior  to Super Bowl. 
• Helen Maroulis most decorated female wrestler US Olympic History winning her 3rd  Olympic medal.
• 4 Greek-Americans on Women's Navy Team: Toni Papahronis, Gia Pissott, Morgan Demos,and Maren Louridas
• 3 Greek-Americans on Stonehill College Men's Team:Chris Melis, Charles Diamantis, and Panagiotis Pavlidis
• Boston University Alex Giannaros leading D1 women in 3 point percentage
• John Poulakidas of Yale 28 point performance in NCAA win over Auburn 73-72
• Rutgers  Star Football QB "The Greek Rifle" Athan Kaliakmanis, 2 games 6TD Passes to start 2024 season.
•  Congratulations  to our outstanding high school and college  student-athletes to many to mention  for carrying on the Greek Ideal of excellence, "A Sound Mind in a Solid Body."
• Bravo to our  National Hellenic Society, AHEPA  FAMILY, Alpha Omega Council, American Hellenic Institute,Super League Athletic Academy,  GOYA, GREEK BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTS,and all sports and Hellenic community events GAS  has covered.
• ΓΙΝΕΤΑΙ GINETAI-It can happen!  Our community leaders that BELIEVE in their initiatives  to start Greek Women's Softball Team for The 2028 Olympics, Hellas Baseball, Greek Heritage Ice Hockey Team, Greece Lacrosse Association, and Greek Football will happen with support.
• And one more event: Father Panteleimon hitting a  half court shot  to inaugurate the brand new gym at Holy Resurrection Church in Brookville,NY was definitely a highlight.

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