== CES The Dallas Post Dallas, PA Thursday, March 28, 2002 9 THE DALLAS POST —: SPOrts ® LJ ¢ From the bullpen Timothy J. Raub |i College athletes show they care As I pulled into the Stanton Lanes parking lot Saturday, I was met by a wall of cars in. just about every direction. And then, as I opened the front doors, I could barely make my way into the main lobby of the bowling alley. I was really surprised to see the number of college athletes at the alley at an early time (for them) of 10 a.m. on a Satur- day. From football to softball players and from fraternity and sorority members to just the average “Joe,” thousands of people turned out for Big Brothers/ | Big Sisters annual Bowling For Kids Sake at Stan- ton. It is a true sign that not all college athletes are out to play sports, drink beer and occa- sionally go to that thing called class. Some of these athletes really showed they cared. At one point in the morning, a stretch of about 10 to 15 lanes was taken up by just - King’s College athletes, all of whom could have stayed out to make sure the keg got kicked and stayed in bed until a much more reasonable time of 1-2 p.m. But they didn't. These athletes raised money, and showed those Who turned out for the event that they could be part of the answer as well, and not the problem — like some collegiate athletes. 'Is it getting that hard to make money in the Majors? I could not believe what I had heard, when I learned that now former New York Yankee Ruben Rivera stole a glove from Derek Jeter’s locker in the team’s spring training facil- ity. For a guy who stood to make about $1,000,000 this season, it is almost impossible to be- lieve he would do such a stu- pid thing, especially to a team- mate, and for only a few thou- sand dollars. Teams share a lot of emo- tions together, and the locker room is like their home. A lot of things happen in a locker room that build bonds for team- mates, and Rivera went to to an extreme extent to shatter the code of honor and respect athletes have for one another. This should have never been an issue, and athletes on all levels should be able to leave a locker room with their locker door wide open, and not have to worry about anything ever being taken from it. It's a matter of respect, Ruben. Thank God your team- mates had the wisdom to send you packing and not forgive you, because it's apparent they’ll never trust you. Rich’s Return Rich Butcofski, a 1995 Dal- las High School graduate and former East Stroudsburg Uni- versity standout linebacker, made his return to the Wilkes- o Barre/Scranton Pioneers line- up Monday. Butcofski, who sat out al- most a week with an ankle in- jury, returned to practice March 25, a week before the team’s mandatory roster cut, which will narrow the squad to 21 players. “I missed a week of camp, so 6 I'm a little behind,” Butcofski 1 told the Times Leader. “I've got to push myself a little bit.” Amy Aston-Rome, 1st female in the Winter's End Foot Race at Penn State Wilkes-Barre March 24. Aston-Rome returns to win Winter’s End 4.5 Mile By ROBERT MINER Special to The Dallas Post LEHMAN TWP. — The dream matchup nearly everyone from the area running community had been waiting for finally hap- pened on Sunday morning at the Wyoming Valley Striders’ 22nd annual Winter's End 4.5 Mile Foot Race at the Penn State Wilkes-Barre campus: Amy As- ton-Rome vs. Michelle Wolyniec. Aston-Rome, 35, who had made her mark running for Dal- las High School and at Penn State University in the 1980s and returned to area racing just recently, defeated the 23-year- old Wolyniec, of Plains Town- SPRING SPO ship, the area’s most recent dominating female runner. Aston-Rome broke the tape in 26 minutes and 58 seconds, winning top female honors. She finished sixth overall. Wolyniec, formerly of Coughlin High School and Bloomsburg Univer- sity, placed second and eighth overall, 28 seconds behind As- ton-Rome. Carly Graytock, 23, of Cambridge, Mass., finished third among the women and ninth overall in 27:41. Aston-Rome’s win over Wolyniec marked only the sec- ond time in more than five years that another area female defeat- ed Wolyniec since she began dominating area road races. The last time another area female runner defeated Wolyniec was when Patty Kupstas, then age 43, returned to action for one race, after a seven-year absence, and defeated Wolyniec, then 20, at the Jack Daniels Mile in Tunkhannock in August 1999. When Aston-Rome reached the turnaround (about 2 1/4 miles into the race), she could see that Wolyniec was not far behind her. “I knew that Michelle was a strong finisher,” the winner said. “So I just kept trying to keep pace with Sean Robbins (third- place finisher in 26:43, also from Dallas), trying not to be passed.” RTS PREVIEWS The weather outside has been JSrightul lately, but spring is here and with it the spring high school sports schedules. Here is a roundup of this sea- son’s prospects for Dallas and Lake-Lehman. Note: Repeated attempts to reach some coaches were un- successful, leading to no report for those teams. Girl’s Soccer Dallas Head Coach: Chris Scharff and Chris Chapple (2nd season, 12-1-1) 2001 postseason: 12-1-1; lost to Wyoming Valley West in a shootout in the first round of the District 2 Class 3A playoffs. Top Returners: Jackie Hard- wick, soph., forward; Jen Toth, sr., midfield; Jill Youngblood, sr., midfield; Hallie Williams, soph., fullback/midfield; Jill O’Brien, 'sr., fullback; Jannelle Opello, sr., forward; Kaitlin Dukas, soph., midfield /forward; Ashleigh King, soph., full- back/midfield; Mandy Alles, soph., midfield /forward. Outlook: “We're relatively young, and I'm pretty sure we - will be starting six underclass- men, so experience will be key. Most of the girls have experience from last year, hopefully we can challenge for conference title and do well at Districts. Lake-Lehman Head coach: Jan Elston (9th season, 99-31-8) 2001 postseason: 11-4, lost in the District 2 quarterfinals. Top Returners: Janna Elston, sr., midfield; Lindsay Boris, sr. sweeper; Joelle Lussi, sr., mid- field; Katy Pritcher, sr., midfield; Stephanie Frank, rx. forward /midfield; Lisa Wasser, jr., forward/midfield; Vanessa Wengen, jr., fullback; Betsy Pitcher, jr. midfield; Dee Wen- gen, jr., goalie; Amy Ruda, jr., forward; Casey Horvath, jr., midfield; Megan Desaris, jr., fullback; Erin Loughney, jr., fullback; Callie Carsman, soph., forward. Outlook: “We have a lot of seasoned girls back on the team this season with playing experi- ence. The experience on the field will be our strong point, and we have quality subs that will see playing time.” Baseball Dallas Head Coach: Steve Federici (3rd season, 21-11) 2001 postseason: 15-3, Dis- trict 2 champions; lost to even- tual state champion Phoenixville in the first round of the PIAA Class 3A state playoffs. Top Returners: Jeremy Har- ris, ss/p (2001 WVC MVP); A.J. Harris, c¢; Jordy Spencer, 2b/p; Ryan Gryskevicz, cf/p; Ryan Bolton, of/p; Mike Smith, of; Mike Fehlinger:; inf/of/p; Sean Whalen, p; Adam Tkaczyk, 3b. ; Outlook: “We lost five very good seniors and our top pitch- er, but I am very optimistic. The kids are working hard, and hopefully some of the sophomores from last season can step in and supply what we need to win.” Jeff Dickson ' extremely Lake-Lehman Head Coach: Scott Miner (4th season, 46-18) 2001 postseason: (6-8, 3rd in WVC Division 2) Top Returners: Gaise Lacek ,sr., c¢, First Team All-Confer- ence; Charlie Besteder, sr., p; Second Team . All-Conference; Dustin Kapson, jr., ss; Zach Ragukas, sr., 3b/p; Matt Ide, jr., 2b. Outlook: “I think as of right now, we have a good shot at making the playoffs, but we're gonna need a lot of guys to step up with four positions open. We do have a lot of experience up the middle of the field.” Softball Dallas Head Coach: Joyce Tinner (6th season) 2001 finish: 7-9 Top Returners: Erin Swep- ston, jr., util; Kelly Brzozowski, jr catcher/ss; Shannon Thomas, soph., . pitcher/ss; Meredith Lacey, soph., cf; Lau- ren Patton, jr. 2b; Sam Os- chman, jr. 3b/ss. Outlook: “We're going to have to take it one game at a time and hopefully learn from our mistakes as we go. We are rela- tively young again this year and really inexperienced in some po- sitions. Hopefully, we can ma- ture as a team as the season goes on.” Lake-Lehman Head Coach: Cherub Straigis See PREVIEWS, pg 10 RICHARD SABATURA/FOR THE DALLAS POST Two other runners — both males — eventually passed As- ton-Rome: Dave Horvath, 48, of Palmerton, who finished fourth, two seconds. behind Robbins; and Bo Krawczeniuk, 36, of Wilkes-Barre, who finished fifth, seven seconds behind Horvath. But on this day, Aston-Rome wasn’t about to be passed — at least, not by another female. The next time these two women meet, it should be inter- esting. Former Lake-Lehman stand- out Joe Maskalis finished sev- enth overall, nine seconds be- hind Aston-Rome. This article appeared in origi- nal form in the Times Leader. Samuel takes reins of Dallas track teams BY TIMOTHY J. RAUB Post Staff Following in the footsteps of one of the most successful coaches in Dallas High School history is not an easy task. But Matt Samuel feels he is up to it. The former Mountaineer and University of Pittsburgh stand- out runner is replacing long- time coach Bill Kvashay at the helm of the Dallas boys and girls track and field teams, and has the daunting task of re- building a program which has fallen victim to smaller numbers over the past few years. Kvashay retired from the pro- gram at the end of last season. “I try to tell the kids every day that the team aspect is most important here.” Matt Samuel Dallas track coach “I jumped at the chance to be the team’s head coach,” said Samuel. “(Kvashay) was like my father, and it is an honor to be able to coach after him.” Under Kvashay, Dallas en- joyed years of success, including four straight District 2 team ti- tles from 1991-95, and numer- ous state placewinners and all- state team selections, including Samuel. “I wanted to share my suc- cesses with Dallas, and repay the school for the opportunities I was given,” said Samuel. “This is my chance to promote the sport in the area.” Samuel will have his work cut out for him, though. The girls team has only about 12 members, which will not be See SAMUEL, pg 10 Delaney, Katyl named Sem MUPS Wyoming Seminary Upper School Director of Athletics Karen Klass- ner has announced Sem’s Most Valuable Players from the Back Mountain for winter sports played during the winter term. In girls basketball, Kathryn Delaney, a senior from Dallas, was the defensive MVP. In boys ice hockey, Matthew Katyl, a junior from Dallas, was MVP for the Sem Blue Team. Seen following the awards presentation are, Matthew Katyl, left, and Kathryn Delaney. Final BMT Baseball tryouts Saturday Back Mountain Baseball, Inc. will conduct baseball tryouts this Saturday, March 30 at the playing fields on Church Street in Dallas. All players ages 8-12 who are not already on a major league baseball team and wish to play major or minor league. baseball, but did not try out last Saturday, must attend. Ameri- can League tryouts are scheduled for 11 p.m. National League tryouts will be conducted at 1 p.m.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers