NF Mounts teach youngsters as they pl Section 2 Wednesday, March 12, 1997 By BRIAN BAYER Sports Correspondent DALLAS TWP. - As spring nears, so does the baseball sea- son. The Dallas Mountaineers baseball team already has been swinging the bats and throwing the balls as players and coaches prepare for the fourth consecu- tive spring trip to the Norfolk, Virginia area. The team held its fourth an- nual baseball clinic for Little Leaguers ages 7 through 13 Mar. 8. The clinic, from which the proceeds pay for half the cost of the Virginia trip, attracted over 175 little leaguers from through- out the Back Mountain. The staff included 19 of the players, head coach Jack Wolensky, assistant coach Scott Francis, who is a former Dallas pitching standout and Atlanta Braves farmhand, Ron Musto, head baseball coach at Wyoming Area, Dallas freshman coaches Dave and John Konopki, and several baseball, father vol- unteers. “I think it’s a win-win situation for both the kids and our team,” said Wolensky, when asked about the clinic. “It gives us money for our trip and the little leaguers get the chance to get a few basics down before their season starts.” Among the many activities the clinicincluded were four stations, which focused on fielding, hitting, pitching/throwing, and base run- ning. Along with the money raised from the clinic, raffle drawings, 3 games, | _ 3 champs in GOH tourney The first weekend of the Gate of Heaven Girls’ Basketball Tourna- ment was completed this Sunday. This is the fifth year for the tour- ney which features all of the girls’ teams from the Back Mountain. The format pits four teams in five divisions, from 4th grade through 8th grade. This past weekend the 4th grade, 5th grade and 6th grade divisions were played. In the sixth grade division, Gate of Heaven was crowned champi- ons by beating Regis Academy in an exciting game by a score of 33- 27. The Gators outscored Regis 14-5 in the fourth quarter to win. Caitlin Ward led GOH with 10 points while Morgan Carey had 7, and Molly Guntli and Adrienne Gilbert had 6 poins each. In the first round games Regis Academy beat Lake-Lehman by a score of 45-19. Amber DelPriore had 15 points and Arielle Phillips had 12 points for Regis while Jackie Paul had 7 points for the Lady Knights. In the second game, GOH beat DYB 36-22. Molly Guntli led the Gators with 17 and Morgan Carey added 8.” Rachel Kukosky scored 20 points for DYB. In that game Molly Guntli scored the 500th point of her career for Gate of Heaven. In the fifth grade division, the championship went to DYB with a come-from-behind victory over GOH by a point 17-16. Meredith Lacey scored 8 points for DYB and Stefanie Galeano had 7 points for GOH. In the third place game, Regis downed Lehman 15-13. Lauren Griffen had 11 points for Regis and Lizzy Martin had 9 points for Lehman. In the first round, GOH topped Lehman, 27- 15 and DYB beat Regis by the score of 33-18. Andrea Krakosky led GOH with 11 points while Carissa Reisser and Connie Kane had 4 points each. Lizzie Martin had 11 for Lehman. For DYB, top scorers were Shannon Thomas and Ashleigh King with 8 points each. Regis was led by Lauren Griffin with 4 points. See GOH TOURNEY, pg 10 S P and a Practice SAT that was given, the team will have the trip to Virginia paid. Dallas will take 20 players and travel, along with Wilkes-Barre Meyers, to Virginia March 20 through 23 to play each other and several other teams in the Norfolk /Virginia Beach area. Presently, Dallas has three games scheduled, one of which will be played on the Division 1 Old Dominion University base- ball team’s field and about two to three practices. “It's a two fold benefit for us,” Wolensky said. “The trip gets us on the field and ready for the start of the season as well as building some comraderie and bringing the team together.” The Mountaineers will be faced with tough competition from Lake Taylor and Washington, both of which are from the Norfolk area. These teams are on their baseball fields practicing by mid-February when Dallas has yet to practice on their field because of the weather and field conditions. “I like play- ing those teams (Lake Taylor and Washington) because Lake Taylor is a contender and Washington is justastep below them,” Wolensky said. POST PHOTOS/RON BARTIZEK Halli Williams, with ball in top photo, was guarded by Carissa Reisser during the 5th grade title game. Meredith Lacey, Dallas, and Andrea Krakosky, GOH, are in background. At right, Morgan Carey (52) scrambled for a takeaway against Regis Academy in the 6th grade game. The Dallas Post orts\Veek “The players look at what type of teams they can compete with and it brings their (the players) confidence up,” he added. Wolensky looks at the trip to answer several of his questions. “We have many positions open and Scott Francis and I want to get a good look at who can do what,” he said. “I hope we can gain some experience as we lost many starters from last year's Class AAA District 2 champion- ship team. Aside from Justin Jumper, the rest of the team has a combined six innings from all other pitchers. We really need to get our pitchers much-needed work.” Wolensky and Francis look to build around four main players and returning starters for the 1997 season: Aaron Getz, Justin Jumper, Frank Valvano, and J.J. Smith. “The team is strong offen- sively and has great depth in speed, which is something our teams have lacked in the past,” Wolensky said. Getz and Jumper, team co-cap- tains and seniors, know what the team needs to accomplish in Vir- ginia. “We need to gel as a team and get down the fundamentals,” said Getz, who started at third base last season. “As a captain, I look to show the other players a lead in the right direction of the game.” “We want the young players to gain experience and hopefully win afew games,” said Jumper, who is See BASEBALL, pg 10 » an southern swing POST PHOTO/RON BARTIZEK Mike Wills took a cut during a batting drill in last weekend's baseball clinic. High school player Josh Dukas tossed the balls in. Batters hit them into a net. Strikers place at Upper Perk, Trail The Noxen Strikers wrestled in the Upper Perk wrestling tournament - on Sat. Feb. 22, and placed eight wrestlers. In the Midget division, Michael Stolarick took 2nd at 70 Ibs.; Matthew Dragon took 1st at 85 lbs. Jr. High Strikers in the Intermediate division are, Matthew Metz, took 4th at 95 lbs. and Todd Jones took 3rd at 100 lbs. In the Advance division, Jim Higgins took 3rd at 105 lbs., James Wood took 4th at 135 Ibs., Rick Patton took 3rd at light Hwt. and Matt Kehler took 1st at unlimited. Lackawanna Trail The Noxen Strikers wrestled in the Lackawanna Trail Wrestling Tournament on Feb. 23 and placed 18 wrestlers. In the Bantam division, Ricky Bower,, 2nd at 55 lbs. In the Midget division, Michael Stolarick 1st at 70 lbs,; Matthew Dragon, 3rd at 85 Ibs.; Brandon Higgins, 3rd at Hwt. and Kenny Miller, 4th at Hwt. In the Intermediate Division, John Houssock, 1st at 70 Ibs.; Michael Stolarick, 2nd at 70 lbs.; Perry Coolbaugh, 4th at 83 lbs.; Ryan Post, 1st at 90 1bs.; and Kelby Morgan, 2nd at 90 lbs. Other Jr. High Strikers that placed in the Jr. High Division are John Houssock, 1st at 73 lbs.; Perry Coolbaugh, 4th at 83 Ibs.; Ryan Post, 3rd at 93 1bs.; Kelby Morgan, 4th at 93 lbs.; Jim Higgins, 2nd at 103 lbs.; Jason Wood, 2nd at 128 lbs.; Chris Rogers, 1st at 141 lbs.; and Rich Patton, 1st at 188 lbs. Mountain View The Noxen Strikers wrestled at the Mountain View Wrestling Tour- nament on Sat. March 1 and placed 14 wrestlers. In the Bantam division, Ricky Bower took 3rd at 55 lbs.; Tom Pallish took 4th at 55 lbs.; Adam Sulewski took 3rd at 60 lbs.; Michael Stolarick took 1st at 78 lbs. Matt Dragon placed 2nd at 85 Ibs. in the Midget division. In the Junior division, Perry Coolbaugh took lst at 83 lbs.; Dale Radzinski took 3rd at 90 lbs.; and Kelby Morgan took 4th at 90 Ibs. In the Junior High division, Dale Radzinski took 2nd at 90 Ibs.; Matt Metz took 2nd at 97 lbs.; Aaron Kubasik took 4th at 97 lbs. Jim Higgins took 2nd at 104 lbs.; Shaw took 2nd at 120 lbs.; and Rich Patton took 1st at Hwt. : The Noxen Strikers wrestled at the YMCA Wrestling Tournament on Sun., March 2 and placed six wrestlers. In the Junior divison, John Houssock took 1st at 62 Ibs.; Andrew Shaw took 3rd at 67 lbs.; and Ryan Post took 4th at 87 Ibs. In the Junior High division, Matt Metz took 1st at 95 Ibs.; Aaron Kubasik took 3rd at 95 1bs.; and Todd Jones took 4th at 95 Ibs. Blast U-13 takes first at Carlisle The Back Mountain Blast U-13 Boys Travel Soccer team captured first place in the Christmas Classic Indoor Soccer Tournament held at the Pine Hill Sports Center in Carlisle, PA. Blast went undefeated throughout the tournament beating York United Flash 9-2, Hampden Hurricanes 8-0, Goalbusters 6-0, and finally defeating Hampden Hurricanes once again in the championship game with a score of 8-3. Shown in the above photo are members of the Blast. Front row, from left, Brian McMahon, Adam Burkland, David Walters, Chip Harrisbon, Andrew George, John Pambianco; back row, Jason Mahle, Jamie Rhodes, Tim Faneck, Ryan Love, Ricky Branco. Absent from photo: Wally Karl, Ryan Martin and David Russell.
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