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a——
By RICK ROGERS
Sports Correspondent
Before Saturday night’s Class AAA Eastern quarter-
finals girls’ basketball game between North Schuylkill
and Dallas, Dallas Coach Kit Karuza was not wringing
his hands or offering prayers to St. Patrick as his 18-10
Mountaineers faced the 27-0 Spartans.
Coach Karuza’s philosophy was simple and stoic:
“We have nothing to lose because we probably
shouldn’t be here. There are only eight teams playing
now, and we’re glad to be one of them.” The veteran
coach added, ‘‘Hopefully, I’ll have a smile on my face
after the game.”
By the middle of the second half, the pressure for
Dallas — the District Two entry — to win was off; the
Let’s rid
ourselves
of drugs
By RICK ROGERS
Sports Columnist
Integrity - something you don’t
miss until it’s not there anymore.
Kinda ' like parents and comic
strips.
Donald Fehr, baseball players’
association director, must have
been skulled by a foul ball in
spring training.
Why else would he and the
players’ association fight base-
ball owners over mandatory drug
testing?
At a time when sports in Amer-
ica are being shaken to their
very foundations by drug scan-
after-game smile for Coach Karuza was permanently
off, and the North Schuylkill Spartans were off to the
semi-final round with a 74-64 victory. :
But the Spartans’ 28th victory was certainly not one
of its easier wins.
In the first period, Dallas used its superior height
and eight points from Karen Vloedman to surge to a
12-6 lead. But the Spartans fought back and closed the
margin to 14-12 by the end of the first period.
In the second period, North Schuylkill changed
tactics by employing a full-court press which upped
the tempo of the game and spelled the difference in
the contest.
The Spartans’ ball-hawking defense came up with
two steals that paved the way for a 6-1 spurt and a 20-
15 lead, before Dallas’ JoAnn Cook broke the drought
with a basket at the four minute mark.
Dallas rallied, outscoring the Spartans, 10-4, in the
last three minutes, and trailed by four, 29-25, at the
half.
The third period saw North Schuylkill stretch its
lead to as many as 11 points. Kim Rinehimer of Dallas
connected on two long jumpers to cut the Spartan lead
to eight, but the stanza ended with Dallas on the short
end of a 47-37 score.
The Spartans kept the pressure up in the final
period, and Dallas found itself down 54-41, with only
5:35 to play. But the Mountaineers refused to quit.
And, with a little more than two and a half minutes
remaining to be played, Dallas was only down by
seven with a chance to make it a five point game.
But the Spartans turned their game up a notch with
Melissa Minakowski and Lesley Seitzer hitting baskets
that choked off any hope of an upset. The game ended
with North Schuylkill on top 74-64. .
Somehow, Karuza was still able to manage a smile
after the game. “I’m very pleased with the finish our
team had this season. In four of the last five games,
we’ve played well,” said the veteran coach.
“We were probably 20 or 25 point underdogs, and we
played them wihtin a few points most of the game.
North Schuylkill shot very well and used the quicker
tempo to their advantate. They are a very talented
team,” the coach concluded.
Dallas was led by Karen Vloedman’s game high 26
points. JoAnn Cook contributed 15 for Dallas in a
losing effort.
- North Schuylkill placed four starters in double
figures. Minakowski and Seitzer scored 22 and 23
points respectively.
lost his quarterfinal match to Eric
By RICK ROGERS
Sports Correspondent
Neither one of the two Lake-
Lehman wrestlers who participated
in last week’s AA State Tournament
at Hershey came home empty-
handed.
Both Jeff Austin, at 105 pounds,
and Joe Smith at 126 copped sixth
place finishes. Austin, who placed
fifth in last week’s State tourney at
98 pounds, made it to semi-finals,
before he got caught in a headlock
and was pinned by the eventual
second place finisher, Bob Simpson
of Warrior Run.
Austin then lost a heartbreaker t
David McMillian of Westmont-Hill-
top, 3-2 to finish sixth.
Smith, who Lake-Lehman Coach
Ed Ladamus called a below-average
wrestler when he was a sophomore,
Snyder of Mifflinburg, who finished
fourth, before beating John Husick
of Tussey Mountain, 5-2, in the first
consolation round.
However, Smith was beat by
Jared Daum of Susquenita, 8-3, in
the battle for fifth and sixth place.
Coach Ladamus said, “We would
have liked to do a little better, of
course, but Austin and Smith were
in two of the tougher weight classes
(at the tournament). I'm happy for
them because a lot of guys never
got here at all and a lot of guys
never place.”
Coach Ladamus was especially
pleased with Smith. “Smith really
came on,”’ Ladamus said. ‘‘He
really improved a lot. When he was
a sophomore, I would say that he
wasn’t even an average wrestler,
but he worked hard and got lots
better.” i
dals, you would think that base-
ball players, who have had more
than their fair share of drug
scandals, would welcome the
opportunity of drug testing to
scream their innocence from the
highest foul poll.
But, apparently, Fehr and the
players’ union are willing to sit
this dance out — if they can.
Their bone of contention is that
invasion of the players’ privacy.
The union’s position is that it will
stop drug testing - if it can.
That the testing is an invasion
of privacy is a fact. If drug
testing was ever broched on Wall
Street, there would be such an
outcry that the street would have
to be renamed Rubble Street due
to the vibrations caused by all
those leather and alligator shoes
running for the nearest lawyer.
But, baseball is a cleaner
game than big business. At least
it always has been and it needs
the invasion of drug testing — a
necessary and saving invasion.
Unfortunately, it has become
all too clear that baseball play-
ers, professional athletes for that
matter, have about the same
tolerance to vice as anyone else,
with the exception that they have
a lot more money to spend on
their vices than most.
Of course, they can’t spend
their large sums on beer or
alcohol because they would wind
up fat or insane, or both. So, a
few buy cocaine and other drugs
to help them spend their money
and exercise their vice. Drugs
are a wonderful way to get rid of
excess money.
The problem is that America’s
game is supposed to be played by
players who have both feet on
the ground and not by those with
powdered noses.
It comes down to a question of
integrity, a seldom heard word
these days in sports. Integrity is
Pete Rose knocking the stuffing
out of a guy by breaking up a
double play, even when his team
is down, 10-1, in the ninth. Integ-
rity is being slapped in the face
for getting fresh on the first date.
Ty Cobb, although he was as
mean as a snake on the baseball
field, had integrity. Babe Ruth,
who was something of a woman-
izer and a tipper, had integrity.
Bob Gibson, who would kock you
down with a pitch if you got too
cocky, had integrity.
Somehow, integrity has
become the odd man out in
baseball and in all professional
sports. It’s been shoved to the
another word in the dictionary
(stuck between integrated circuit
and integument - so Webster tells
me.)
Drug testing, in all sperts, is
just the tonic to cure the
malaise, no malady, that has
infected sports. So when the
their little sample’ bottle, they
shouldn’t think of it as an inva-
sion of their privacy, they should
think of it as the first shot, heard
“around the sports world, in the
way we can get this drug busi-
_ ness behind us — hopefully.
umnist fer The Dallas Post.)
A
7
2 /
Dallas Post/Ed Campbell
By CHARLOT M. DENMON
Statf Correspondent
Something is different at Bonomo’s Sports Center,
Memorial Highway, Dallas.
The place is brighter, the lanes shinier and an air of
friendliness and efficiency impresses the bowlers. The
video machines still line the far end wall, billiard
tables still occupy the same section they always did
and the same familiar faces are behind the desk but
there is a difference.
Gone are the dozens of boys and girls ranging in age
from 10 through 18 or 19 crowding the entranceway or
loitering in the lockerrooms, many of them courting
trouble. In their place are better behaved young
people who spend time at the billiard tables or on the
lanes and then leave.
Outside the rows of cars parked in front of the
building and along the outer area of the parking lot
belong to the bowlers competing in league play or
open bowling. The lot is brightly lit, discouraging
loitering and fighting and young people congregating
in groups are soon dispersed by the owners or by the
police, who are encouraged to patrol the property on a
regular basis.
Responsible for these changes are the new proprie-
tors, Richard and Anthony Bonomo, Jr., sons of the
late Anthony Bonomo, owner of the lanes for 25 years.
Rich and Tony, Jr. grew up with bowling for 35
years ago since their dad managed the Eagles bowling
lanes. Later, he owned and operated the former
Modern Lanes in Exeter until 1961 when he purchased
the Dallas Crown Imperial Lanes from Robert
Hanson, who opened the business in 1956.
When their father died in 1985 and left the lanes to
them, Rich and Tony decided to continue the operation
and introduce some of the ideas they had.
“We are operating the lanes generally the same as
our dad did,” said Rich and Tony, “But we recognize
that, in many ways, the world has changed and, to be
successful, it is necessary that we do some things
The two brothers continue to welcome young people
as well as the older adults, but they emphasize the
fact that they expect good behavior from those
patronizing the lanes.
“Our success depends on filling the 16 lanes in this
house and, to do this, we must have an orderly
atmosphere. We appreciate our customers having fun
but we won’t tolerate rowdiness. Step out of line and,
if necessary, we will take the proper steps to eliminate
the guilty person or persons from the premises,” said
the new owners.
The Bonomos have done the necessary repairs to the
lanes. They have introduced a new oiling system for
the lanes, they are oiled every day and a new
stripping process is used to remove the buildup of
foreign substance on top of the dressing.
New video games have been installed for the benefit
of the younger set. For the past five weeks, there has
been ‘“Moonlight” bowling on Saturday nights begin-
ning at 8:30 p.m., highlighted by a ‘Red Pin” special.
Trophies are awarded each Saturday night to the
man and woman who bowl the highest 3-game series.
Bowlers are offered free coffee and free shoe rental. If
a bowler gets a strike when a red pins comes up as the
head pin, he or she recieves a 3-game pass.
A “No Tap” Tournament will be held Saturday and
Sunday, March 15 and March 16, and there are church
groups, who bowl periodically from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.
In March, a group has reserved the lanes to bowl from
11 p.m. to 2 a.m., and the Red Rock Job Center will
bowl on Saturdays. Every Friday night, a high school
group bowls the early shift on Lanes One through Six.
The two brothers are planning a “Learn to Bowl”
program for both local school districts for next season
as well as many other new projects in the near future.
“This is a bowling center, the only one in the Back
Mountain Area, and our goal is to make it a respected
and successful recreational bowling center. Bowling
has been a great part of our life and of our parents’
lives — we hope to make it a successful memorial to
them by providing friendly and efficient service to the
many bowlers and their children, who were among
their closest friends,” said Rich and Tony.
The fourth annual Nesbitt Memo-
rial Hospital 5-Mile Run will be held
Saturday, April 12, at 10 a.m. All
runners pre-registered will receive
a T-shirt.
Fifth five awards will be
presented in 11 male and seven
female age categories. All entrants
5-Mile Run
p.m. entitled “The Use and Effec-
in Evaluating Foot Disfunction”’.
Applications may be obtained at
the hospital’s Cardiac Rehabilita-
tion Clinic, 534 Wyoming Avenue,
Kingston or by calling 288-1411,
extension 4773-4774.
The first Nesbitt Memorial Hospi-
tal 5 Mile Walk will be held on April
12 at 9:30 a.m.
All pre-registered walkers will
receive a T-shirt. Certificates of
Applications may be obtained at
the hospital’s Cardiac Rehabilita-
tion Clinic, 534 Wyoming Avenue,
Kingston or by calling 288-4111,
extension 4773-4774.
{
Sports shorts
Rep. George C. Hasay is urging residents of the 117th District to
support the efforts of Susquehanna River Watch in keeping the river
pollution-free.
Hasay said that individuals who witness illegal dumping should:
— Get the license number, color and make of the vehicle;
z Get a description of the individual or individuals committing the
act;
— Mark down the date and time the dumping was observed;
a Mark down the location and landmarks where the action took
place;
— Get samples, if possible, of items being dumped. For example,
envelopes or stationary with a name or address would be helpful.
Hasay also urged residents to participate in the River Festival
sponsored by Susquehanna River Watch. This year’s festival will be
conducted June 21 and 22.
“The river is a valuable recreational and economic resource for the
residents of our area,” Hasay said. “Everyone of us has a
responsibility to continue the fight against litter for present and
future generations.”
Locals aid Spinners’
Four local girls can be proud 9f their performance for the Greater
Wilkes-Barre YMCA Spinners gymnastics team, even though their
team suffered its first set-back of the season, 119.5 to 101.5, to the
hosting Scranton Astronauts club team.
Rachael Holthaus, a 14 year old 9th grade student at Dallas Junior .
High, was the only Spinner to crack to Scranton domination of the 13-
and-over age grou.
Holthaus took second on the balance beam, in the floor exercise and
in the all-arounds. She also placed third on the uneven bars.
Michelle Sandstrom, a 10 year old 5th grader at Lake Noxen
Elementary, didn’t place in the top three in any of the four events but
was balanced enough to place third in the all-around point totals in
the 10-and-under class.
Emily Slaff, seven years old from White Birch Lane, Dallas and
Jennifer Birt, eight years old from Harveys Lake, also competed in
the 10-and-under class.
Slaff completed in floor exercise and Birt competed in both floor
exercise and balance beam.
Wrestlers travel to YMCA
Back Mountain Wrestling Club traveled to the Y.M.C.A. for the 14th
Annual Elementary Wrestling Tournament held at Wilkes College.
Three hundred and sixty wrestlers including 220 walk ins from
several states participated.
Seven Back Mt. wrestlers placed. They are: Roy Holcomb at 46 lbs.
took 1st; Rick Finnegan at 52 Ibs. took 2nd; Aran Gingo at 72 lbs. took
2nd; Michael Gervin at 87 lbs. took 1st; Charlie Roper at 87 lbs. took
4th; Jason Naugle at 92 lbs. took 1st; Gary Masters at 122 lbs took
1st.
Coach Robin Cummins’ King’s College women’s basketball team
posted a 15-11 record for the season and was 11-8 in the Middle
Atlantic Conference. The Lady Monarchs made the MAC playoffs and
lost at Elizabethtown. :
King’s averaged 66.1 per game to 61.8 for all foes. The team shot
42.8 percent from the field to 41.2 percent, and from the foul line hit
for 62.1 percent to 61.8 percent.
Junior Kathy Walsh of Dallas led the scoring derby with 334 points
to average 12.8 per contest. The rebound crown was retained by
junior Patti Thomas of Palo Alto with 244 retrieves and 9.3 a contest.
Freshman Maureen Fahey of Luzerne led in field goal accuracy
with 52 percent. Junior transfer Mary Ann Mozal of West Pittston
paced foul shooters at 68.1 percent.
Reaching the 1,000-point plateau in the season were Thomas and
senior Maureen Ryneski of Kingston, co-captains. Ryneski also
annexed honors as the career playmaker by registering more than
400 assists.
Individual scoring averages: Walsh, 12.8; Thomas, 12.2; Ronda
Hudzik, Sweet Valley, 9.6; Ryneski, 9.5; Cheryl Gavigan, Dallas, 8.1;
Fahey, 7.5; Diane Ratchko, Hazleton, 5.7; Mozal, 4.4; Michelle
Scheuermann, Westfield, N.J., 2.1; Debbie Eddinger, Center Valley,
y