REI Post sports arena | Give me a hit A young Giant batter steps to the plate and waits for the perfect pitch in the hope of driving out a homerun in last Saturday's game between the Giants and Phillies. (George Poynton Photo) | sSidelines t's how you play the game BY CHARLOT M. DENMON Staff Writer ‘It’s not whether you win or lose but how you play the game,’ that was the philosophy used by school paches in years past. We're not ire, however, that’s their attitude iin recent years. For the past several seasons, we have observed the actions of play- @rs and fans, from the very young “yin Little League, mini-football, "Biddy basketball and elementary wrestling to the teenagers in high school on the varsity teams. No longer do the boys and girls appear to be enjoying the game for the sport of it. They couldn’t if they wanted to because from the side- lines come blatant remarks from fans (mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers) and coaches, too. “Kill em’, ‘take the bum out”, boo’s and other snide remarks ,come from fans. who supposedly t an example for their children. t Coaches punish athletes for not winning by sitting them on the bench, by playing jayvees rather than the starters. Some go to the extreme of not allowing an athlete play if he or she misses a practice when it is for a very legitimate reason. The original goal of such sports as Little League and mini-football was to teach children how to win or lose graciously while having the fun of competing against friends. This appears to be the exception today. ¥ Most coaches emphasize win, win, win. They berate the young- ster, who strikes out or misses a ground ball or pop fly. Wrestlers are chided for being turned over on their back by their opponent. It is the same in other sports as well. What is worse is that high school coaches accept a position knowing that if they don’t produce a winning team year after year, their coach- ing career will be terminated. How often has this happened in our own area whether Back Moun- tain or Wyoming Valley? Our two Back Mountain schools meet in competition and for years it has been a friendly rivalry. Recently, however, actions of the adult fans have been setting an example for athletes. Boys and girls from Dallas and Lake- Lehman, some related and some friends for years, are ignoring one another. Not all of them but a great many. They frequent the same recrea- tion places, go to the same restau- rants and because they are follow- ing the examples set by adults, no longer talk with one another. To us, this is a sad situation. We believe sports should be a teaching program. The athletes should be taught to play to their potential, to give up to 100 percent of their ability and to help one another, pick someone up when they're down. They should also be taught to be a gracious winner as well as a good loser. Those, who can best teach this to our young people are the adults- parents, friends and coaches. It’s time to take the name-call- ing, ridiculing and poor sportsman- ship out of atheltics and once again sit the example, “It’s not whether you win or lose but how you play the game.” Athletes and fans, let’s practice good sportsmanship. Let's make the game a fun-learning process for our youth. Strikes & spares The Colts picked up four points on a forfeit from the Benz last week in the Idetown Compact League while J. Hubbell’s 170 (484) paced the Corvettes to three points from the Yugos. J. Clark’s 173-177 (483) aided the Tempos in taking three points from the Porsches team and the Aries copped three from the Fieros despite Paul's 205 (504) and B. May’s 191. Cierras divided equally with the Chargers. In the Bowlerettes League two ke bowling had the Violets shut- ting out the Morning Glories and picking up three points from the Daisies, who also dropped three to the Mums the second week. The Mums divided 2-2 with the Morning Glories in their earlier match. Butch’s five shut out Alfalfas and Wheezers blanked Chubby’s team in Our Gang League. Stymies took three from Spanky’s and Buck- wheats copped three points from Porky. High scorers were S. John- son 183-180 (520), B. Searfoss 553, D. Moore 247-221 (607), B. Eipper 221 (597), D. Jenkins, Jr. 538, D. Jenkins, Sr. 537, B. May 175 (477), and F. Tregan 577. In the Barriette League Slow Pokes took all from the Misfits and Bare Essentials copped three points from the Yo Yo’s. Slow Pokes and Bare Essentials meet for the league championship this week. High rollers were M. Faux 191 (492), E. Feher 175, R. Mazer 479, B. Clemow 187 (518), S. Johnson ' 183-184 (514), B. Strazdus 172 (482). In d& regular match and a makeup match in the Country League Fashion Vending took three from Faux Inn and three from Castlettes. Grotto Pizza picked up three from Back Mt. Bowl and three from Faux Inn. G.H. Harris took three from Back Mt. Bowl and dropped three to Castlettes. Hitting high scores were A. Tregan 170; 181, 198 (548); J. Lamoreaux 194, 182 (544); D. Balliet 179, M. Faux 492, L. Cyphers 201, 179 (535); M. Faux 486, J. Haefele 183, K. Scavone0177, B. Strazdus 210, Bar- bara Strazdus 195 (472), E. Shuleski 174, Barb Strazdus 190-174 (488). In the Friday Night Major League Gebhardt’s blanked Back Mt. Auto Body Shop, Roth Novelty picked up three from Back Mt. Sporting Goods, Varsity Lawn Care took three from Country Surrey, Monk Plumbing split 2-2 with Back To Basics and Back Mt. Bowl split with G.H. Harris. Hitting high scores were B. Mazer 222 (628), Glen Mazer 521, T. Ruger 544, A. Faux 234 (595), R. Harned 578, D. Moore 559, J. Broody 590, G. Bobb 266 (643), L. Achuff 590, B. Consi- dine 574, K. Spencer 235 (567), S. Vigorito 567, E. Harris 224 (581), M. Schmoll 524, C. Kazokas 588, A. Wendel 524. Wallace completes successful season BY CHARLOT M. DENMON Staff Writer Martha Wallace, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Wallace of Shav- ertown, recently completed a suc- cessful year of ice skating competi- tion. She won several coveted ‘medals in figures, dance and free style skating. Martha earned a gold medal at Old York Road Skating Club in Philadelphia for free style and a bronze medal in the Canasta Tango. She also earned a gold medal last year at Old York Road for her free style skating. Last weekend in Allentown, Martha won a bronze medal in the Philadelphia Area championships in Free Style and Overall Combined, which includes figures and free style. During the recent Keystone Games she won a bronze medal for the Canasta Tango where although she is only nine-years-old, she com- peted against 15 and 16 year-old girls. Prior to her recent achievements Martha also won gold medals at Lake Placid and Atlantic City. She has been skating competi- tively for the past five years, having started at the Wilkes-Barre Ice-A-Rama, and is a member of the Wyoming Valley Ice Skating Club. The fourth grade student at Gate of Heaven School has won at least 18 medals since starting her ices- kating career at the age of four. Play ball! Back Mountain Baseball, Inc., held opening day ceremonies at the Little League field, Dallas, on Saturday. The boys pictured above are reading the Little League Pledge as officials look on. (George Poynon Photo Back Mountain track teams win BY CHARLOT M. DENMON Staff Writer Dallas and Lake-Lehman boys track teams won their track meets last week, the Mountaineers down- ing Hazleton 116-34 and the Knights edging GAR 76-74 in a close, excit- ing contest. The Dallas .runenrs continued their winning streak to post a 13-1 record with six of their team mem- bers taking two firsts each. Dalals relay teams came in first in the 400, 1600 and 3200 events with Hopkins, Samuels, Aston and Lupinski running the 3200, Crosby, Lesiak, Sands and Clemm, the 400m and Lapinski, Evans, Rich- ards and Jamie Strange, the 1600m. Other first place winners for the Mountaineers were Post, 110 hur- dles, 17; 100 dash, Jon Strange, SPECIAL PLAQUE AWARDED — Lake-Lehman Junior High coaches, Phillip Lipski and Thomas Williams, above present junior high wrestler Charlie Jacoby with a special plague in recognition of his 400 wins in competitive wrestling for the years 1983-1984 through 1987-$988. Jacoby's total for the entire time was 400-76-1. (C. Denmon Photo) Wrestler achieves record BY CHARLOT M. DENMON Staff Writer Charlie Jacoby, son of Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Jacoby of Sweet Valley, achieved an outstanding record of 400 wins, 76 losses and one draw, in wrestling competition since he first started in the sport in 1983-1984. His most outstanding season was 1986-1987 when he had a total of 146 wins and 11 losses. In January, 1987, Charlie took the USA Wrestling Collegiate Style National Championship at Omaha, Nebraska. In March, 1987, he was AAU District Champion in the tour- nament at Dallas and that same month, Charlie won the AAU Regional Championship at Waverly, New York. He took second place in the AAU Eastern Nationals at Newark, Dela- ware, in April, 1987, and another second in July, 1987, in the AAU Greco-Roman Nationals at Indian- polis, Indiana. Ragnacci looks BY CHARLOT M. DENMON Staff Writer Lady Knights softball coach Rose Ragnacci is pleased with the way her girls have been working “Most of the girls are inexperi- enced. Pam Coolbaugh and Denise Davis are the only two returning starters from last season but both my assistant, Cheryl Travis, and I believe we have a good bunch of athletes. They are dedicated and hardworking. We have a saying “Lake-Lehman’s winning tradition continues,” Ragnacci said. The girls are trying for presently they are only half game behind first place Dallas Mountaineers with a 5-1 record going into today’s’ game with Tunkhannock. Most of the runs the girls have given up to- date have been due to fielding. Ragnacci, graduate of Valley View High School, did not play softball since they did not have it in their program. She played inter- mural at Bloomsburg and after graduation, played fast pitch soft- ball in the Scranton Area. She later ran a Scranton Woman’s League of 16 teams but this is her first high school coaching position. She coached basketball at Bishop O’Hara and started an eighth grade program in the Scranton area. She Charlie entered the 1987 AAU Freestyle Nationals in Indianapolis, July 4, but finished fourth when he had to default due to a broken collarbone. Later he qualified at two weights in folk style and one in freestyle competition for the Key- stone Games. In seventh grade, Charlie wres- tled on the Lake-Lehman Junior High squad and finished with a league record of 19-2-1. He received the Outstanding 7th Grade Wrestler Award this season. Charlie placed third in the AAU Cotton Bowl Classic, January, 1988, at Dallas, Texas, and placed second in Junior High Districts in February. He won the title in his weight claass (105) in the AAU Districts at Dallas and in the AAU Regionals, Mifflinburg in March and in April he came in second in the AAU Eastern Nationals at Mill- ersville University. The young wrestler has more than 150 trophies and awards from tournaments. for good year coached for three years at Bishop O’Hara and had a 46-12 record and two Class AA district champion- ships. Her knowledge of softball has been evidenced in the play of her young team and Coach Ragnacci is optimistic about this week’s games. Following her Knights game with Hanover set for Tuesday, she knows their game with Tunkhan- nock will be tough but if Coolbaugh is on they should be able to play a good game. ‘‘Tunkhannock has some good athletes. We will have to be at our best,” Ragnacci said. Pittston also has some big girls on their team and they’ll be tough but if the Knights are hungry enough they can win. Before Tuesday’s game with Hanover, the Lady Knights defeated Wyoming 5-2 on the Knights field. Pam Coolbaugh did the pitching giving up only three hits, striking out five and walking only two. The Lady Knights scored a run in the first but the Warriors tied it at 1-1 in the third. The Knights sewed it up in the bottom of the third when they exploded to score runs and push the score to 5- 1. Renae Dymond’s two run single and K. Taylor’s RBI hit paced the Knights rally. i 11.7; 1600 run, Mundy 4.49; shot put, Boudreaux, 44-1»; 400 dash, Richards, 53.7; 300 hurdles, Jamie Strange, 45.5; 800 run, Jon Strange, 2.08; 200 dash, Klem 24.6; long jump, Koprowski, 18-11%; 3200m, Mundy, 11.06; high jump, Klem 5-8; and pole vault, J. O’Donnell, 11-6. Other Mountaineers placing were Jamie Strange, Klem, Fader, Lap- inski, Moore, Post, Jayne, Evans, Aston and Farris, seconds; Farris, Jayne, Lesiak, Koprowski, Besecker, Samuel, and Farrell, thirds. . In the Lake-Lehman-GAR meets, Knight John Hutchins third place in the high jump helped the Knights win four without Hutchins placing the meet would have ended in a tie. Ed Radzinski took three solo firsts for the Knights and was a member of the first place 3200m relay team. Taking first for the Knights were the 3200m relay team with Radzin- ski, Huthcins, Campbell and Yencha; 1600m run, Radzinski 4:46.1; 400m dash, D. Doerfler 54.9; 800m run, Radzinski 2:10.2; 3200m run, Radzinski 10:55.6; 1600m relay team with Clark, Hutchins, Gensel and Doerfler, 3:47; long jump, Clark 19-134; javelin, Shafer 173-11; and pole vault, Maransky, 11-0. : Taking seconds were Campbell, Shafer, Hutchins, Shafer, Clark, Gensel, Monaco, Clark, Campbell. Placing third in the events were Gensel, 2; Campbell, Hutchins and Manzoni. ‘ Dallas boys were scheduled to meet Wyoming Area, Tuesday, and Lake-Lehman were to meet Cough- lin and Wyoming Valley West in a tri-meet at the Spartans stadium, Tuesday. Undefeated Knights to play Crestwood spikers BY CHARLOT M. DENMON Staff Writer Lake-Lehman’s volleyball team will go into the District II competi- tion, Thursday, May 12 at 5:30 p.m. at Crestwood High School. The undefeated Knights of Coach John Baranowski will play Tunk- hannock in the ‘Best of Three’ Lady Mounts BY CHARLOT M. DENMON Staff Writer Dallas softball coach Jay Pope’s girls went into their game with Coughlin Monday knowing the Cru- saders were an excellent ball club. The Lady Mountaineers knew they would have to play outstanding ball to beat them. The Dallas girls set out to do just that. With Laura Poynton on the mound supported by the strong hitting of Jill Urbanas, Tracy Hunter, Joyce Tinner, Patty Reed, and Chris Legenz’ go-ahead single in the fifth, the Mountaineers defeated the Cru- saders 9-2. “Coughlin was last year’s cham- pions and they had seven of their nine starters back,”” Coach Pope said. ‘“They’re an excellent club and probably the best hitting team in the conference. We knew going in we would have to play heads up ball. I'm pleased with the way our girls came through.” Poynton picked up her ninth win of the season by giving up six hits, walking one and striking out two. She also hit a single to send home Joyce Tinner and in the fifth advanced the winners with a bunt. Urbanas and Hunter were 3-for-4 at the plate, Tinner was 2-for-5 and Reed also went 2-for-5. game. Following that game, Coughlin will play Abington in the ‘Best of Three’. The winners of the two games will play the same night and winner of the ‘Best of Five’ will take the district title. The top two teams will advance to the state competition, May 21, at Shippensburg. win again Dallas scored one run in the top of the fourth but Coughlin came back to score two and move in front. Urbanas walked to start the fifth inning and Tinner hit a single. Poynton advanced both runners with a bunt and Chris Legenz drove in two runs with her single. The Mountaineers insured the win by scoring three runs in the sixth and three in the seventh. The win runs their record to 10-1 but Pope said his girls are still taking only one game at a time. They were to play Bishop Hoban Tuesday, the team picked at the beginning of the season to be the Northern Division champs. They’re also the team who came closest to beating Dallas. They gave the Mountaineers a rough time the first round. Dallas was leading 5-1 going into the seventh when the Argents scored six runs. ‘Fortunately our girls scored three runs in our half of the seventh to win by a one-run margin.” Pope said Pittston Area is capa- ble of beating any team on a given day. They have been playing better ball and are tough, as proven in their game with Lake-Lehman, and the Mountaineers know that. “As I said before, we'll take just one game at a time and do our best,” Pope said following Monday's game. BLack Knights at 8-0 Black Knight Coach Dwight Bar- baceci’s Knights held an 8-0 record going into this week’s competition but he looks only to one game at a time. His Knights were scheduled to play Meyers yesterday and Bar- bacci knew his athletes would have to continue the same kind of play they’ve been doing in the past. Barbacci said his athletes are confident but they realize they're only one game in front of North- west and they are not over-confi- dent. As long as his pitchers keep doing the superb job they have been on the mound and they get support from the offense, he knows his Knights can continue their win- ning. Es He knows his team is capable of getting into the playoffs but Bar- bacci is not looking or thinking about that now. His goal is just to have his boys take one game at a time, take the AA title then return to the Districts and win. That’s what the Knights are look- ing for this week-just one game at a time. They know they have three tough opponents in Meyers, then West Side Tech Thursday and Seton Catholic away next Monday. Wild horses are coming! About 100 living symbols of the old west, in this case wild mus- tangs, are coming to central New York May 21-22 when the Interior Department’s Bureau of Land Man- agement (BLM) begins a two-day ‘“adoption’’ event for the animals at the Finger Lakes Livestock Exchange in Canandaiqua, New York. The horses were rounded up in areas of Nevada and Wyoming where their numbers exceeded the ability of their range to keep them well fed and healthy. The bureau conducts a popular Adopt-A-Horse program that lets qualified persons take a horse home for their own use for a fee of $125. Each animal has been checked by a veterinarian, Coggins tested, and vaccinated for various equine disorders. For a year follow- ing the adoption, the animal remains a ward of the Federal government. After that, if the animal has been cared for humanely, the adopter can apply for and receive full title. Applications and information can be obtained by contacting the Adopt-A-Horse Program, Bureau of Land Management, 350 South Pick- ett Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22304, or by calling (toll) (703) 274- 0231. ; a on
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