The Collegian
November,2l,l9Bs
Page Ten
Men seek to rebound
by Jim Parachini
Collegian Sports Editor
When you trot down through
what will soon be snow and sleet
to Erie Hall to see Behrend’s
men’s basketball, you will most
likely find players not only in the
air but on the ground diving for
loose balls as well.
That’s when they are not con
stantly running up and down the
court trying to prevent the opposi
tion from scoring.
Speed and aggressiveness makes
for exciting basketball and that is
going to be the style of head coach
Doug Zimmerman’s team this
year at Penn State-Behrend.
Having completed his best
recruiting year since his arrival at
Behrend three years ago, Zimmer
man is hoping that this year’s
squad is the one that will put the
Cub’s program over the hump
and on the road to national com
petitiveness and respectability.
“We’re going to have an up
tempo team this year aided by up
perclassmen which we haven’t had
in the past,” Zimmerman said.
“No matter how talented you
are, it’s difficult to beat ex
perience. Barring any unforeseen
circumstances, I feel confident
that we can compete on the na
tional level.”
Returning upperclassmen in
clude senior guard Gary Manuel
(5-9) who will occupy the point
spot. Juniors returning include
6-5 forwards Greg Green and
John Sargent.
Green, a two-year starter, and
Sargent have returned physically
stronger thanks to a productive
off-season weight program.
Perhaps the biggest impact
player will be junior forward Ran
dy Gomiak (6-8). Gomiak will
return after missing the second
semester last year. The reason for
the excitement are his stats from
the previous two years including
his impressive ‘B4-‘B5 results of 15
points-per-game and 12 rebounds
per-game.
“Randy is capable of big
numbers,” Zimmerman com
pliments. “He’s very good inside,
can create shots, shoot with either
hand and draws a lot of fouls.”
Sophomore returning players
include high percentage shooting
guard Jon Meanor (6-0), sw
ingman Mike Siggins (6-5), second
guard Jim Webb (6-1) and sw
ingman Paul Cwalina (6-3). Both
Cwalina and Meanor were starters
last year.
Immediate help can be expected
from a group of talented
freshmen. Point guard Joe Weed
(5-9) is expected to be a major fac
tor at the point position. Randy’s
older brother Gene (6-7, 225), is
also expected to make his presence
felt.
Kevin Brown, a 6-1 guard, is
probably the quickest player on
the team. Other fine players ex
pected to make positive contribu
tions are forwards Tom Leftwich
(6-4), Rich Irr (6-4) and Jack
Beaver (6-8) .
“Our returning players along
with the incoming people, will not
only provide us with more depth,
but allow us the ability to put
more pressure on the opposing
team and dictate the tempo of the
game, ” Zimmerman said.
Lumley and Mitchem named to Keystone Conference all-star team
by Barb Cavano
Collegian Staff Writer
Toni Lumley and Melissa Mit
chem of the woman’s tennis team
were chosen for the Keystone
Conference All District in singles.
Lumley and Mitchem were named
to the 2nd team and were seeded
3rd and 4th respectively. “The
girls will not compete in any mat
ches,” said Coach Pam Fisher.
“It’s an honor to be named. Toni
was Captain of the ‘B5 squad and
Lady Cub hoopsters should improve
by Jim Parachini
Collegian Sports Editor
With a limited number of
players it becomes very difficult to
be competitive on any level.
Faced with that situation last
year, women’s basketball coach
Karin Sobotta has reason to be
optimistic about the upcoming
campaign, only her second at
Behrend, due to the fact that she
has more players to work with.
With only eight women on last
year’s squad, Sobotta’s lady
hoopsters finished with a 6-17
record as a District 18 NAIA
school. There are 11 players on
the current roster including three
returners, two of which were letter
winners last year.
“It’s difficult to say how we’ll
do because we’re now Division 111
with a new schedule but I’m ex
cited because we have 11 players
and they are all experienced, hav
ing at least started for their
respective high school teams,”
Sobotta said.
“Of the eight players last year
three of them had hardly played at
all. Our depth will allow us to do a
lot more things on the court such
as run and press.”
Six of the 11 players are listed
she also teamed up with Melissa
producing an effective doubles
team,” Fisher said.
Mitchem is a second semester
freshman and Lumley is a junior
who may be returning next year.
On the soccer field, four
Behrend players showed their
stuff in the Western Pennsylvania
Inter-Collegiate Soccer Con
ference match held at Slippery
Rock University on Nov. 11.
Steve Lossing who played back
Karin Sobotta
as guards, indicative of a team not
blessed with a great deal of height.
“If I had to use one word to
describe the team it would be,
smart,” said Sobotta. “Since we
have a short team we will play a
flex type of offense (all positions
interchange) and also press a lot
on defense playing man-to-man.”
The three returning Lady cubs
include juniors Toni Lumley, a
tennis standout, Chris Huff and
sophomore Michele Williams.
Lumley (5-6) and Williams (5-7)
both lettered last year.
Two pleasant surprises from
was named to the first team. Mike
Hockenberger, halfback, and Joe
Kushon, forward, were named to
the second team and goalie Larry
Guenther was given honorable
mention.
The conference consisted of a
North versus South confronta
tion. Behrend played for the
North along with Gannon, Mer
cyhurst, Alliance and Grove City.
The South consisted of players
from Slir iry Rod Robert Mor-
sports
Penn State’s Shenango Valley
campus are juniors Karen Yur
chison (5-8) and Sue Holmes
(5-10). Yurchison, a Grove City
resident, will play guard and
Holmes (who along with Williams
and freshman Allicia Gray also
competed on the women’s
volleyball team) will play both
forward and center.
“Both of those players are a big
addition to the team,” Sobotta
said. “Each one is capable of
scoring a lot of points also.”
The other junior on the team is
5-5 guard Paula Skaggs, a transfer
student from Houston, Texas.
“Paula’s a very good defensive
player and will make things hap
pen for us,” Sobotta said.
Along with Gray (5-10) Sobotta
has four other freshmen on the
squad. They include Kim Erikson
(5-8), Lisa Butch (5-7), Sue
Walchack (5-6) and Kim Audette
(5-4).
“I don’t like to make predic
tions because I don’t want to put
pressure on anyone or myself but
I feel we are capable of having a
.500 season,” Sobotta concluded.
“The potential is there and the
competitiveness of the players
each day in practice will help us
down the road.”
commitments, Gannon and
Geneva did not show up and Slip
pery Rock was switched from
North to South to try and even up
the teams. This move left the
North short handed, with the
South winning the game, 2-0.
Halfback Mike Hockenberger
stated, “It was a good game ex
cept for the playing conditions
because the field was mud
dy.” Larry played a good game.
He played most of the