13 Staff Correspondent The Dallas Mountainers baseball team took it on the chin for the first time this year. The heartbreak also happened twice in the same day. The week started in fine fashion on Tuesday when Mark Konopki fired a five-hitter to lead Dallas to an 8- 1 victory over potent Coughlin. The game started off shaky when a strong offensive Coughlin club scored in the first inning on a lead-off double by Jeff Phillips, an infield single by Pitara and a R.B.I. single by Cole. After that, however, Konopki beared down to retire the Crusaders allowing only two runners to reach base the remainder of the game, striking out eight batters and walking none. Dallas scored all the runs they needed in the bottom half of the first when Ramirez reached first on an error and advanced to third on a single by A.J. Bittner. After Bittner stole second, Matt Medura plated both runners with a base hit. Darren Ford bounced into a fielder’s choice before Drew Jubis and Dombek produced R.B.L hits. The Mountaineers produced three more runs in the second on an R.B.I. single by A.J. Bittner and a sacrifice by Medura. MOUNTS DROP PAIR Thursday, May 2, proved to be the day Jack Wolensky’s Mountaineers would be put to the test and came up a little short. They first faced G.A.R. and started in fine fashioin. Mark Ramirez and Brian Moye started the game off with base hits. A.J. Bittner followed with an R.B.I. single. Darren Ford then plated another run, but Bittner was called out for throwing his helmet while running from second to third. In the second inning, Dallas scored two more. Rob Dombek singled, and, with two outs, Mark Ramirez tripled to score Dombek, Moye walked and Bittner delivered an R.B.I. single before the Mounts were retired. Mounts on top 4-0. G.A.R. came back with two in the third when Tom Sypniewski reached first on a bunt single, Pat Liberasky followed with a walk and Pat Patilla plated both runners with a triple. In the fourth inning, the Grenadiers knotted the score at 4-4. Ken Wielgopolski led off with a double and was plated on a single by Mike McCarthy. Mark Hockenbury singled and Pat Liberasky drew a walk to load the! bases. Jim sokolas then followed with a sacrifice fly. The geime was decided in the bottom of the seventh. Jay Kubicki hit a one out double for the Grenadiers. Coach VWolensky then decided to intentionally walk Partilla. With Greg Skrepnak at the plate, Tim Moyer threw a wild pitch and both runners advanced. With two strikes, Skrepnak hit a short fly to right and Kubicki scored. The Mountaineers then had to face Crestwood in a continuation of their 12-12 deadlock which was played earlier in the year. Crestwood ended things quick in the bottom half of the eighth (first inning of this day) when they scored on a bases loaded squeeze bunt, winning 13-12. DALLAS 9, HAZLETON 0 Dallas got back to business as usual in their next game at the expense of Hazleton. The Nlounts wasted no time as Mark Ramirez opened the game with a single to center and then stole second. Brian Moye followed with a walk. Both runners advanced on a ground out before Ramirez scored on a grounder by Medura. Dallas scored again in the second on a sacrifice fly by Ed Kwak. After that the Mounts scored in every inning to win, handily 9-0. Offense: was led by Ramirez, Jubis and Moyer who all had two hits. Matt Medura also had three R.B.I’s. Mark Konopki got the win, making him the first to win six games in the Wyoming Valley Conference. By JOHN RODGERS Staff Correspondent The Lake-Lehman baseball team won two out of three this week to keep them in the thick of things. On Tuesday, the Knights rode the bats of T. Willy Cadwalader and Konopky to defeat Northwest, 8-5. Northwest took an early 3-1 lead, highlighted by a two-run double by Gary Boberick. The Black Knights knotted the “game at-3-3 on an:R.B.l. single by Konopki, after scoring single runs in the third and fourth innings. The Knights put the game away in the seventh on two run homer by pinch hitter, D. Traver to right center. Offensively Cadwalader and Kon- opki combined for seven hits. Earl Weidner was the winning pitcher, striking out six. LEHMAN 12, O'REILLY 3 The Knights turned on the bats and Brian James tossed a four- hitter as the Knights of Lehman turned in a 12-3 victory over Bishop O'Reilly. After giving up two runs in the first inning, James beared down and allowed only one more run while striking out 10 Queensmen. Lehman got rolling in the second, T. Willy and Bill George singled to start things moving. Bill Boyle and Earl Weidner were retired but Lehman then got four consecutive singles to score five runs. The Knights added three more in the sixth on a bases loaded triple by Weidner, scoring T. Willy, George and Boyle. TUNKHANNOCK 7, LEHMAN 1 Tunkhannock’s Keith Watkins was a one man wrecking crew. Watkins was the winning pitcher, not allow- ing an earned run and going 3 for 3 at the plate with three R.B.L’s including a triple as the Tigers upended the Knights 7-1 on the winners field. Losing pitcher for Lehman was P.J. Malak striking out three and walking two. Gunn led the offense going 2 for 2 at the plate. Watkins also stole home in the first to get what proved to be the Dallas boys track team lost, 86-64, to" Valley West, but managed a split tri-meet last Tuesday. The Lake-Lehman Knights hosted Hanover and Hazleton in a tri-meet the same afternoon at the Knights field, but went down to defeat 107-43 to Hanover Area and 86-64 to Hazle- fon. In the Dallas tri-meet with the Spartans and Rangers, Steve Brace came in first in the 300m hurdles in 42.4, and in the long jump with 18- 11. Ron Ostrowski took first in the .200m dash in 25.1 and Mark Wright came in first in the high jump with 6-0. Matt Liva took the discus with 136-2 and the shot put with «7-434. Hislop took the javelin throw: with 140-3. Placing second were Mark Wright, 1600m run; Ostrowski, 100m dash; Wright, 3200m run; W. Gau- thier, triple jump; Matt Nihal, discus; Liva, Javelin. Third place finisher was Kern in the pole vault. In the Lake-Lehman tri meet, the Knights relay team of Schall, Dennis, Henninger and Janiczek took the 3200m relay and the team of Schall, Kazmierski, Morgan and Janiczek took the 1600m relay irace. Dave Janiczek won the 1600im run Custom Built Bikes To Your Spec's 20 Yo Ladies LEWIS[® 287-118% BICYCLES OFF Wear / Tues., Wed., Sat: 10-6 p.m Lp = winning run. t in 4:53 and the 800m run in 2:08.8. Chris Van Gorder won the discus with 116.2% . Taking second was B. Guzinski, long jump; Van Gorder, javelin. Third place winners were Van Gorder, shot put; Schall, 400m dash; Dennis, 3200m run. — CHARLOT M. DENMON Cage league forms The Wyoming Valley Catholic Youth Center is still accepting reg- istrations for its First Annual Men’s Summer Basketball League. Due to the recent success of the CYC’s Open Tournament, the league will consist of two divisions: A 6 foot 1 inch and under small man’s division and an open division with no height limitations. Rosters can be picked up at the CYC, 36 S. Washington Street from 9 am. to 9 p.m. daily. For more information call Ed DeMichele at 823-6121 or stop by at the Center. Rev. John S. Terry is director of the CYC, a member agency of the Wyoming Valley United Way. REMODELING Meet the coaches Rodgers on sports By JOHN RODGERS Sports Columnist It’s time to set the record straight. This article stemmed from a recent conversation I overheard, and then got involved in. It is the judgement and evaluation of Back Mountain high school sports pro- grams. ; The conversa- tion started with the Dallas base- ball team when one man inferred it (the baseball program) was going downhill. (This being in 4 reference to its 5 two losses in one RODGERS day). Then one thing led to another and the conversation got sticky. First of all, I will not even attempt to compare Back Mountain coaches to that of any other. Coach- ing is tough enough and to compare styles and principles is heresy. I'm sure they all do their best with what they have and their main concern is the well being of their players. As for the athletic directors and pro- grams in general I believe the rule is the same, although there will always be exceptions. Okay! Let’s set it straight. The myth of some people saying, the Back Mountain Area is a bunch of farmers and hicks because it is a rural area is absolutely ridiculous. This seems to be a last-ditch effort, probably because their defenses are thinning — they’re running out of things to say. Another good one! It’s a fluke year out there for both Dallas and Lehman. Come on! Give some credit to these schools like any others run on four-year programs. It takes a lot of hard work and credit, by both coaches and players, to build and mold a team together. A fluke is when nine freshmen take the field and go undefeated. It is not a fluke when a team works its butt off and a coach who twists his brain to come up with the right combina- tion. Here’s another! They played an ADDITIONS SIDING DECKING BRAND NAME 20% OFF Pastel Striped Jeans & Sport Pants Casual Shorts 20% OFF Maternity Tops Maternity Jeans Jean Skirts Jean Jackets 20% OFF easy schedule. To make a statement like that at this point in the season is ludicrous. These teams took every challenge thrown at them, from weather to competition level. Tell them it was easy! Maybe you should wait until the end of the year, when it’s all over and each team has played the same oppo- nents. Now, for the one that got me right in the gut. I myself commented that both Lake-Lehman and Dallas had some Blue Chip prospects ready for the college level in both men and women sports. Here are some of the intellectual responses I heard. They will fail out the first semester. Or how about this one? They will never find their way out of the woods. If this gentle- man was serious, I would like to know where he went to school. I think it was sarcasm though; another form of defending a falter- ing defense. If there is anyone who could be serious about such state- ments, they should wake up. These schools, along with all the others, The collision accident. WE CAN BEAT ANY WRITTEN ESTIMATE COMPLETE PAINT JOB *195 For Most Foreign and Domestic Cars provide each student with expert teaching prowess. They strive for academic placement first and scho- lastic ability second. Once again, how about some credit for the ones who reach both, no matter what school they’re at. For the statistical department, I will give you just one. The comment made was, ‘‘Over- all, Wilkes-Barre schools have a better record this year.” Well if your talking baseball and girls’ softball, you’re wrong. Dallas and Lake-Lehman boys have a com- bined 18-7 record, the two top Wilkes-Barre schools are G.A.R. and Coughlin who stand at 15-10. In girls, Dallas and Lehman register at 18-5 while Coughlin and G.A.R. are 17-8. If you would like to check other sports feel free, it’s about the same. So, to sum it up, to the few people who wish to be so narrow-minded, call anyone anything you wish, but do your homework first and be honest with yourself, before you put your foot in your mouth. “ate | % to know about a good shop is before you have an We have over 35 years ZS 7 J Fa fh Michelob invites you to enjoy an exceptional dark beer. 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