🇬🇷SPORTS NEWS🇺🇸

Winnipeg Blue Bombers Quarterback Zach Collaros has had an amazing career in the

Canadian Football League. The CFL is the highest level of professional football in Canada.

Collaros is a three-time Grey Cup Champion (2012,2019,2021,) two-time Most Outstanding

Award,(2021,2022,) Grey Cup MVP(2021) and has received many other awards. Collaros Blue Bombers team lost in the 2024 Grey Cup to the Argonauts 41-24. Collaros will be a future Hall of Fame quarterback with all his accomplishments in his magnificent career.

Collaros grew up in the Greek Community of Stubenville,Ohio. Zach attended Steubenville High School where he won two state football titles and finished with a perfect 30-0 record at quarterback. He would graduate High school in 2007. 

Collaros attended the University of Cincinnati and had a good college career. His best college year was in 2010 leading the Big East in passing yards with 2,902 and 26 touchdown passes. In 2010 Zach was named first-team All-Big East at quarterback. Collaros is good friends with his former Cincinatti Bearcats teammates NFL stars Jason and Travis Kelce. Collaros is very proud of his Greek Heritage and enjoys Greek dancing.

Rutgers quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis in week one led his team to a 44-7 victory over

Howard. Kaliakmanis went 15-for-24 passing for 147 yards and three touchdowns. This would be the start of a good season for the Scarlet Knights and for Kaliakmanis. Rutgers would finish with a 7-5 record and is going to the Rate Bowl in Arizona and will be playing Kansas State.

Kaliakmanis known as the “Greek Rifle” finished passing for 2,459 yards and 17 touchdowns.

His other statistics were Comp Pct. 54.8%, 6.8 YDS/Pass, 233 Rush Yds, 3 Rush TD, and threw

6 interceptions. Athan was Rutger’s leader and had tremendous poise all season. Kaliakmanis also has a huge following the Greek American Community.

The Harvard and Yale football rivalry, called “The Game” is the second-oldest continuing

rivalry in college football. Yale would beat a very good Harvard team 34-29 in this year’s 2024 annual game that was played at Harvard. David Pantelis of Yale had a very good game again this year and was an impact player catching 7 passes for 148 yards for the Bulldogs. Pantelis a senior has made clutch catches his entire career including last year’s 12 -yard touchdown reception with 5:47 left in the quarter which was the winning touchdown in a 23-18 win over Harvard. Pantelis stellar career also included running back kick returns and leading Yale in receptions in 2022 with 39 receptions and 539 yards receiving.

Pantelis is a multisport athlete playing football and basketball at Upper St. Clair High School. Among his many high school awards are single sea son record holder with 77 catches and 1,169 yards. Incredibly in his career he caught 148 catches, 20 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. His team won a conference title in football and two conference championships in basketball.

Harvard sophomore Stephen Scourtis saw some action for Harvard this season and is from State Park, Pennsylvania. Scourtis is a talented player and had an outstanding high school career. We will list some of his accomplishments and awards.

Scourtis was named First Team 6A All-State honors as a defensive end and tight end. Stephen was honored as a First Team All-Conference (Mid-Penn Commonwealth) defensive end and tight end. Also selected for The Big 33 Football Classic. He was awarded the school’s Dick Morgan Memorial Award for Sportsmanship. He captained two teams and received four varsity letter. Stephen lead his team to an undefeated regular season as a senior, winning the Mid-Penn Commonwealth title, District 6 championship, and reaching the state semifinals with a 13-1 final record. Stephen played lacrosse and was a member of the National Honor Society. He also received the National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete Award winner.

Panayiotis Kapanides graduated Springfield College in 2023 playing four years of varsity

basketball. Kapanides was a vocal leader on the court for The Pride hoop team and led by

example in his career. The 6 -foot 3- inch Kapanides was a 40% free throw shooter his junior season. During his college career he exhibited fearlessness taking an incredible 30 charges. He was a three- year captain and demonstrated leadership that inspired his teammates. Panayiotis would graduate with a degree in Physical Education and Sports Medicine from Springfield College which has a reputation of graduating some of the best physical education teachers in the world. Panayiotis is currently an assistant coach and player development recruiter for Emmanuel College in Boston. He can be contacted @coachkapanides at X.

Συγχαρητήρια, Congratulations to Montini Catholic senior Niki Kerstein signing  to play women's basketball at the University of Missouri for Head Coach Robin Pingeton. Kerstein is a 3-time All-State honoree from Illinois and is a prolific scorer that is on pace to score 2,000 points in her outstanding high school  career.Niki is a great 3-point shooter and has converted 40.7% of her 3-point shots. Niki is also a solid guard that can dish the basketball as an outstanding playmaker. She had over 20 colleges recruiting her at the D1 level.

Niki is very much involved with the Greek-American community of Chicago. She also is a dual citizen of Greece and don't be surprised if you see her possibly on a Hellas Women's U21 team in the future. Niki was recognized last year by Greek American Sports on our High School Arete Sports Spotlight for her  excellence in the classroom with a 4.133 GPA and her excellence on the hoop court. 

Peter Badavas has excelled as Athletic Director for the Maryland School for the Deaf (MSD)

for the past 13 years. As the athletic director under his leadership the athletic program has

encouraged lifelong teamwork skills, fostered a sense of community, and encouraged leadership skills. Badavas and MSD athletics strive for excellence in academics, athletics, and character development. Badavas oversees and ensures the smooth functioning of 12 interscholastic team sports with public and private schools across Maryland and the nation. 

Badavas has also been involved with many national and international athletic organizations such as Special Olympics, Deaf International Basketball Federation (DIBF), and 3x3 World Cup Basketball. Peter spent three weeks in Buenos Aires last summer, Argentina, working with DIBF and working in close collaboration with the Organizing Committee to support the U21 World Deaf Basketball Championship. As part of the United States contingent Peter was honored to present the Gold Medals to the winning USA team. Greece also participated in the tournament.

Peter Badavas is from Boston, Massachusetts and is a former outstanding athlete at The Learning Center(TLC) for the Deaf High School in Framingham. Badavas as an athlete had the ability to lead, motivate, and inspire his teammates. Badavas was a two-time deaf All American Soccer player that lead his TLC team in 2001 to the National Deaf Second School Championship as a center mid fielder scoring 14 goals and 19 assists. He also starred as a goaltender. On one occasion he took over the goaltending duties in the second half against a nationally ranked D1 powerhouse American School and incredibly saved 23 shots in a 1-1tie. In basketball Peter would join the TLC 1000- point club scoring 1,012 points and becoming the schools all time rebounder with 763 rebounds. Peter was quoted in a Hellenic Voice Feature article in 2002, “I am proudest of what we accomplished as a team.” He attended Gallaudet University where he played soccer four years and graduated with a degree in Physical Education. Peter Badavas is very proud of his Greek heritage.

The 2024 AHEPA William G. Chirgotis Most Outstanding College Hellenic Athlete Award

was presented to Boston University Star Alex Giannaros by Greg Agganis and Mike Agganis. Also present were AHEPANS Nick Tsiotos and BU Professor Fotios Kokkotos. Alex has earned many honors including First Team All-Patriot League 2024, NCAA Women’s Division 1 Three- Point Percentage Statistical Champion 2022-2023 season and a Harry Agganis Award Winner. Greek American Sports would like to thank Boston University Athletic Director Drew Marrochello, Assistant Athletic Director Kyle Shawgo, and Coach Melissa Graves for the Press Conference. As well as Atty. Greg Stamos, Chairman AHEPA Athletic Hall of Fame and Supreme Athletic Director Chris Atsaves for their amazing work for AHEPA.

The 6th and 7th grade teams of Kimisis Theotokou in Brooklyn had the amazing opportunity to play on the Barclays Center court immediately after the Bucks vs Nets game on Sunday, December 8th. A once in a lifetime experience for these kids! Athletic Director James Pristouris has shown great leadership giving our youth many opportunities to engage in sports activities. They also had the opportunity to see Giannis Antetokounmpo score 34 points in a Milwaukee Bucks 118 – 113 win over the Brooklyn Nets.

GOYA Basketball has started throughout the USA Archdiocese with leagues and tournaments that are being hosted by our communities. The Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Constantine and Helen of Newport News, Virginia recently hosted a basketball tournament. Saint Katherine’s Girls A team coached by Sofia Kehayias won the Girls Championship. Georgia Kapelos of Saint Katherine’s was named the Most Valuable Player. The Saint Katherine’s Boys A and B team also won the championships. Congratulations to all the teams that participated and all the volunteers that made it possible.

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!

Greek Idiom - Vlepo mai kalo mati- I look favorably upon

Greek Philosophy - The high-minded man must care more for the truth than for what people think.  Aristotle

Greek American Sports wants to thank everyone who has supported all of our grass

roots effort this past year 2024 on our platforms on the web, Instagram, Tik Tok, Facebook, and other Greek-American, Greek and Cypriot sites that shared our Greek-American athletes stories and accomplishments. A big thank you to the Order of AHEPA and The National Hellenic Society. The response has been amazing! We have been told by community leaders that the Greek American Sports Initiative work is incredibly important to our community and is really important for our young Greek American Athletes to be featured, promoted, and finally have ac voice. All Greek- American Athletes at the high school to college level have represented our heritage with great pride. Our athletes for nearly 100 years have made a positive societal impact. Our vision became a reality that has grown to highlight other Greek sporting events worldwide from the Olympics, FIBA Basketball, Paralympics, Soccer, Boxing, and more. However, we have always focused on our youth and have met all of our first-year goals. In our 2025 first post we will feature some star football players from East Coast to West Coast at the high school level that won state championships. We will also be covering high school, college basketball, hockey, wrestling, and all GAS news. Also 2025 will are bringing back “Nick The Greek’s Grapevine” a hit sports column in The Hellenic Voice, Greek Legends, Immortals, GAS Stories from the ACRE and Greek neighborhoods from Los Angeles, Birmingham, Chicago, NY, Newport, Boston, to Bangor.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!  ΧΡΟΝΙΑ ΠΟΛΛΑ! 2025 🎉

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