SUNDAY, MARCH 31, 2013 Tue DALLAS POST PAGE 9 Sports @Del Priore steps up on volleyball court By TOM ROBINSON Dallas Post Correspondent Dallas showed in the opening match of the Wyoming Valley Con- ference boys volleyball season that it has multiple players capable of finish- ing off points. The Mountaineers also made it clear that they have found the player to set up those hit- ters after losing projected starting setter Nick Mi- chalsin to a broken wrist suffered dur- ing the off-season. James Del Priore, the team’s senior captain, is one of three returning starters. After play- ing all over the court last season, he has settled into his new role quickly. /At the beginning of the season, our setter went down and I had to take over setting,” Del Priore said. “That was a bit of a challenge for me, but I wanted to get us in the best po- sition to win so I've worked on set- ting.” When the Mountaineers opened the season Tuesday with a win over rival Lake-Lehman, Del Priore had 30 of the team’s 32 assists and led the team with eight digs. ; After Dallas found itself down two games at the start, Del Priore helped get the attack moving in the right direction for a come-from-behind, 23- LA, Del Priore “We didn’t give up at all,” Del Priore said. “Coming into the game, ‘we wanted to win to make a state- ment. When we were down two games, we just stayed motivated. ~ “We fought. We kept believing in ourselves.” Dallas coach Nick Diaco believes the team has the commitment and potential to make a playoff run. The Mountaineers were just 4-8 last season. Lake-Lehman was one of the eight qualifiers for the District 2 Class AA tournament after going 8-4 in the WVC. “We have 12 guys and six or seven of them participated in off-season camps and the whole team partici- pated in an off-season league in Dal- where we were able to get some am chemistry going and play some teams that are in our conference,” Diaco said. “They were exposed to volleyball year-round and have had that playoff mindset since the end of last year.” Del Priore’s adjustment made sure that mindset did not have to change with Michalsin’s injury, which could ‘keep him out the entire season or at least until the potential playoff par- ticipation. % With Del Priore distributing the ball, Bryce Mattern was able to pro- | duce 17 kills and five blocks while X i pe 5 Alex Rubbico had 10 kills and Patrick Madaya had nine kills and six blocks. ~~ “We have a wide variety of people that are great hitters,” Del Priore said. “If it’s a good pass, I try to get it to our middle hitter Bryce. Then, once they see us going to the middle, I try to get it to the outside because any of our hitters can make a play on ‘the ball.” 3 ~ Madaya, a junior, is another return- 1 starter along with Matt Diaco. } a @ Diaco, the coach’s younger 1 "brother, is in his third season as a starter. From the libero position, he ‘was second in the conference in digs last season. ~ Kevin Masters, Michael Hart- ‘man and Brian Devine led the way for Lake-Lehman in Tuesday’s loss. 25, 15:25, 25:21, 25-15, 15-11 victory. BILL TARUTIS/FOR THE DALLAS POST Dallas hurdler and pole vaulter Drew Harding does leg presses in the high school's wellness facility. Dallas has multiple weapons in By TOM ROBINSON | Dallas Post Correspondent allas has a nice start in trying to put together more championship track and field teams with the presence of distance runners who combined for three state medals last fall after the school’s boys and girls cross country teams both went unbeaten in 17 Wyoming Valley Conference meets. As they try to repeat a WVC Division 1 boys championship and girls co-championship, the Mountaineers again have the athletes available to excel in the many events required for track and field success in the spring. “You have to be well-rounded,” Dallas coach Matt Samuel said. “That’s what track and field is about with 18 events.” Samuel will have large rosters with which to work while trying to fill all those events. “We have a lot of people, more than we’ve had in a while,” he said. “A lot of them are younger, but we're fairly well rounded and have some good athletes. “We've got little holes here and there that we’re trying to fill.” The Mountaineers already have some of the league’s most estab- lished performers. Junior Regan Rome is the defend- ing District 2 Class AAA champion in the 1600 and 3200 meters. She was third in the state in the 3200 and followed that up by also finish- ing third in the state in cross coun- try season while leading the Lady Mountaineers to a second-place fin- ish in Hershey. Freshman Ally Rome, Regan’s sis- ter, heads into her first varsity track season after also earning a state cross country medal by finishing 18th. Dominic Deluca was 11th in the state to earn a cross country medal. “Regan’s a pretty special talent, obviously, and she’s bringing along the other girls with her,” Samuel said. “It's a mix. There’s no real pecking order after Regan, which is nice. A lot of them can pick up the slack for one another. “The same could be said for the boys. Dominic Deluca is our num- Dallas sprinter Catie Gawlas ‘works out on the treadmill in the high school's wellness facility. ber-one guy, but after that , we have a lot of guys who can do real well. They're very supportive of each other.” On the opposite extreme of the track events, Dallas returns Cat- ie Gawlas, who won the district 100-meter dash title as a sopho- more and finished third in the 200. “She’s definitely our sprinting stalwart,” Samuel said of Gawlas, who excels in the two shortest sprints, but also can help the team at 400 meters, particularly for re- lays. Drew Harding had the top district finish last year of any returning Dal- las boy. He was second in the pole vault after clearing 13-3, a height Samuel expects him to exceed this season. “He’s also a real good hurdler,” Samuel said. “We're definitely look- ing forward to him having a good year. “He’s very technically savvy, which you have to be in the pole vault. We haven’t had a lot of time with that yet because of the weath- er, but he’s doing everything else he needs to do to get prepared. “I think he’s going to be even bet- ter than last season. He’s definitely a lot stronger.” Courtlyn Van Deutsch, who was third in the district in the triple jump, returns and is also strong in the long jump. Javelin thrower Liz Kravitz is one of the team’s other top returnees. Ryan Kozloski and Jason Simo- novich, who were fifth and sixth in the district javelin, return to the boys team this year. Samuel de- scribes both as jumpers and throw- ers, who can also sprint. “Those two guys are multi-talent- ed,” he said. Dallas had its scheduled opener at Hazleton Area, the team that shared the division girls title after a dual-meet tie last season, post- poned this week because of weath- er. The new date has not been set, but Samuel said it will not be until after Wednesday’s home opener against Crestwood. “I don’t mind going and compet- ing, but I think it was smart not to do it now and get kids hurt,” Samu- “el said. “It’s a long season. We try to make it so we are at our best at the end of the season rather than burn our candle a little too quickly at the beginning. . “I don’t know if relieved is the right word about the postpone- ment, but I was definitely OK with not having that meet.” Local athletes recognized by swim coaches Swim coaches of the Wyoming Val- ley Swim Conference, South Division announce the first team all stars and honorable mention, Most Valuable man, Dallas High School; Sami Sabol, Lake-Lehman High School AA BOYS FIRST TEAM Patrick Gelso, Grant Luksic, Porter MVP AA girls boys swimmer - Brian Stepniak and Marcus Wagner, Dallas SPORTS BRIEFS RAIDERS REGISTRATION The Kingston Township Raders will hold registration for mini football and cheerleading from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on April 20 and May 18 at the Kingston Township Municipal Buidling, 180 E. Center St., Shavertown. Parents should bring the child’s birth certificate, two proofs of residency and a photo of the child. Registration fees are $50 for cheerleading and $60 for foot- bail with a $10 sibling discount. BANDITS ACCEPT REGISTRATIONS Registrations are now being accepted via the website at www.laxteams.net/bmylax for the Back Mountain Bandits lacrosse team. Boys and girls in grades 1-3 may sign up for intramurals. Boys age groups are U-9, U-11, U-13 & U-15. Girls age groups are third and fourth grade, fifth and sixth grade and seventh and eighth grades. The registration fee includes US Lacrosse registration, US Lacrosse magazine and a team jersey. Participants should print the form and mail it, along with applicable fee to BMYL, P.O. Box 1746, Shavertown, PA 18708. KAPOW HOCKEY CLUB OFFERS TRAINING KaPow Field Hockey Klub is offering spring training and game play age groups U6, U8, U10 and U12 directed by Olympian Lauren Poweley April 14-19 at Wyoming Seminary, Kingston. For a registration form, email lcomiskey@kapowfh.com. Deadline is March 31. FASTPITCH PLAYERS SOUGHT The Endless Mt Blast U14 travel fastpitch program is still looking for a few qualified play- ers to round out its teams for the upcoming season. Anyone interested is asked to call 840-6433 or email ronh@ sbsmod.com. Softball clinics scheduled The Dallas High School soft- ball team, under the direction of Coach Joyce Tinner, will conduct five developmental softball clin- ics for girls ages 7 through 14. Session 1- April 7 Noon to 2 p.m. - Dallas High School gymnasium, Proper throwing and catching mechan- ics, defensive fundamentals and drills, offensive techniques Session 2- April 21 Noon to 2 p.m. - Back Mountain Little League field, Brief overview from Session 1, base running, proper infield and outfield posi- tioning, offensive execution drills Session 3 - April 28 Noon to 2 p.m. - Back Mountain Little League field, Brief overview of Session 1 and 2, moderate to advanced hitting techniques, po- sition specific defensive drills, communication drills Session 4 - April 28 3 to 4:15 p.m. - Back Mountain Little League field, Pitching me- chanics 1 Session 5 - May 5 1 to 2 p.m. - Back Mountain Little League field, Pitching me- chanics 2 In the event of inclement weather, outdoor sessions will be held in the Dallas High School gymnasium. Cost per session is $30, cost for two sessions is $55, cost for three sessions is $75, cost for all five sessions is $100 Little League coaches are wel- come to attend. ‘Masters had 15 service points and Athlete and Coach of the Year as Luksic, Reid Luksic, Jack Matusiak, High School For more information, email 12 digs, Hartman had 24 assists and voted on by conference coaches. The Erza Moore, Brian Stepniak, Marcus AA boys diver - Matthew Edkins, dallashighsoftball@gmail.com, ‘seven digs and Devine had nine kills following Back Mountain residents Wagner, Dallas High School; Matthew | ake-Lehman High School call Brent Berger at 793-1126 or ‘and seven digs. were named: Edkins, Lake-Lehman High School COACH OF THE YEAR Bill Kern at 4985991. The ap- ~The Black Knights had won their AA GIRLS FIRST TEAM AA BOYS HONORABLE . plication is also available on the ‘season opener. The loss to Dallas Kaylin Augustine, Abby Berger, MENTION AA boys - Romayne Mosier, Dallas Back Mt Little League website, www.bmtll.com, under clinics. dropped them to 1-1. Patrick Madaya, Dallas High School Lauren Finnegan, Amanda Schwerdt-
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