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.