Roche picks Babson

Andover multi-sport star Tori Roche will play field hockey and softball at Babson, she announced late last week.

Roche scored 23 goals for the Golden Warrior field hockey team this past fall after hitting .413 with 20 runs as the starting catcher for the softball team last spring. She is currently a starting guard and co-captain for the Warrior basketball team.

Eberth to Amherst

St. John’s Prep star Ollie Eberth of Andover has committed to play for Amherst College.

This fall, the Eagles senior threw for 1,548 yards and 13 touchdowns and ran for 797 yards and 10 TDs. He threw 24 touchdowns as a junior, leading the Prep to a North title, after playing two seasons at Andover High.

“It was a difficult decision, but I believe Amherst is the best choice for me both academically and athletically,” said Eberth. “It’s one of the best football programs in NESCAC, and I look forward to contributing.”

Ritzer honored

Andover girls hockey will honor the late Colleen Ritzer when it hosts Danvers/Beverly on Thursday night at Phillips Academy (7:20 p.m.)

The game will be a fundraiser for the Colleen Ritzer Memorial Scholarship Fund, which is awarded each year to several students from the Andover High and Danvers High who will be pursuing degrees in education.

Farnham sits

New Jersey Devils forward Bobby Farnham of North Andover will miss at least a week after being placed on injured reserve for what the team calls an “upper-body injury. Devils coach John Hynes said they will reevaluate his status next week.

Farnham has scored three goals and registered 20 penalty minutes in 16 games for New Jersey this season.

False news

Apparently the widespread internet report that Carolina Panthers star Cam Newton is fined $5,512 each time he gives a ball away to a fan is just plain false. However, while the NFL has not fined him $253,552 for being a nice guy, as the report says, that doesn’t mean this isn’t a bad sign for the league.

The sad reality is, that absolutely sounds like something the NFL would do. This is a league, after all, that has made Breast Cancer Awareness Month into a money maker and fines players for wearing colors or symbols to support other causes.

The fact that so many people, this writer included, believed the Newton rumor is a bad sign for the NFL’s reputation.

Web Gem

I am no fan of Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard. His game is limited and he is a malcontent anywhere he has played. So I enjoyed the YouTube video of some of his bloopers during a recent rough game against Sacramento.

For the video, search “Dwight ‘Superman’ Howard”

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David Willis is a sportswriter/videographer for The Eagle-Tribune. Reach him on twitter at @DWillisET