The Upper Makefield Youth Baseball and Softball League (UMYBL) has announced sponsorship and vendor partners for the 2009 U-12 Cal Ripken Baseball Pennsylvania State Championship Tournament and Fan Fest to be held July 17-21 at the UMYBL baseball complex on Eagle Rd. next to Sol Feinstone Elementary School in Upper Makefield.
The League also released information on the attractions that will be a part of the event. Admission to the Tournament and Fan Fest will be free to all spectators and fans.
The sponsorships and partnerships are a big part of the Fan Fest event that is planned to help draw interest to the championship tournament. “From the beginning, we wanted the Tournament to be something special,” said Jay Pomeroy of Newtown, a UMYBL Board Member and Tournament Director.
“Teams and families are coming a long way to be a part of this tournament, and we wanted to make sure it is a memorable experience for both the players and their families and fans. Our sponsors and partners are helping to make that a reality through their generous donations and willingness to help put on the event,” said Pomeroy.
“We expect the Fan Fest will draw additional fans from around the area to see championship baseball and join in the family fun.”
The headline sponsor of the Tournament and Fan Fest is TD Bank. Blue Flame Gas of Dublin, is the supporting sponsor. Additionally, Rita’s of Newtown, Colonial Farms, The Fancy Fig, and Gabriel’s Pizza, all of Washington Crossing are Tournament Partners and will be providing all food and refreshments for the event, including breakfast foods and beverages, a full lunch menu, and Rita’s famous water ice.
ERG Photography Game Action Shots is the official photographer for the tournament, and Star Bright Amusements will be supplying the non-baseball entertainment at the Fan Fest. Fine Designs will provide a wide variety of Tournament logoed merchandise for purchase, and Airbrush Underground will be on hand to do customized painting of batting helmets—a big hit with players of all ages.
UMYBL officials also obtained a one of a kind No. 8 Orioles jersey, autographed by the tournament namesake, Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr., and personalized with the words “2009 Pennsylvania Championship.” The jersey will be on display at the tournament and sold via silent auction.
“In addition to elite baseball, we are going to have great food and fun games like Moon Bounce for siblings and non-players to enjoy,” said Pomeroy. None of this would have been possible without businesses like TD Bank and Blue Flame Gas and all our Tournament Partners stepping up to support us.” Pomeroy said that the event expects to draw some 3000 spectators over the five days tournament.
The Tournament itself will consist of eight teams from who will have advanced through District competition. As the host team, Upper Makefield, coached by Rich Brunetti, Chuck Charlton, and Matt Glenn, will have a bye and receive and automatic bid to the tournament.
On Friday night, things will kick off with opening ceremonies and a skills competition for the players that will be highlighted by a home run derby. Pool play begins on Saturday and continues Sunday and will have all 8 teams participating with each team playing 3 games (2 on one day, one on the other; no team will be eliminated until the completion of the games Sunday).
Four teams will reach the semifinals on Monday, and the Championship game will be played on Tuesday night. The Pennsylvania State champ will then move on to a Regional tournament in Bridgewater, NJ on August 5 and the potentially to the National tournament at the Cal Ripken Baseball Academy in Aberdeen, MD on August 15.
Cal Ripken Baseball is a competing organization to the more well known Little League baseball. Lead and by managed by its major league and Hall of Famer namesake, the organization has a challenging set of criteria for players 11 and above. Field dimensions are greater (bases are 70 feet apart versus 60 feet for Little League, and the pitcher’s mound is 50 feet from home plate, versus 46 feet), and base runners are allowed to steal at anytime—not just after the ball crosses the plate. Upper Makefield will begin its third season of Cal Ripken play in 2009.
Upper Makefield Youth Baseball League is a registered 501c-3 non-profit, led by a dedicated group of volunteers who proudly serve the boys and girls of community, ages 5-18, by promoting good health, good sportsmanship and leadership skills through the opportunity to play organized baseball and softball in a safe, supportive environment. For more information regarding the 2009 Cal Ripken Baseball Championship Tournament and Fan Fest, contact Jay Pomeroy at jaypom1@gmail.com.

Organizers of the annual Newtown Lions 5K Run For Sight thought they had a good idea when they decided to host their annual event on a weekend that did not compete with the Revolutionary Run, a 10K road race held annually on the Fourth of July weekend in Washington Crossing Historic State Park.
While it might have been a good idea, seeing as how runners seem to flock to the Revolutionary Run by the thousands, organizers did not count on foul weather. And on Saturday, June 20, it rained and rained and rained - to the tune of more than an inch in the Newtown area.
Though they had more than that who entered the race which began this year at Brian S. Gregg Park, just 67 runners were able to finish the event which, in previous years, was held in Tyler Park. Post-event ceremonies were also hampered by the rain, according to race director Wayne Cordes.
Still, event organizers were able to raise more than $3,000 in funds which are headed toward Leader Dogs For The Blind.
Sean McFarlane, 22, was the first male runner to cross the finish line. Someone who calls herself Sparkle Splenty was the first female to finish. The 43-year old crossed the line in 21 minutes flat.
Here are the remainder of the results:

PL………NAME…………TIME
1. Sean McFarland 15:50
2. Rick Clebdaniel 16:54
3. Shawn McElhaugh 17:13
4. Grant Brewin 19:54
5. Nick Barbour 20:24
6. Jesse Elijah Lee 20:31
7. Nick Swan 20:43
8. Sparkle Plenty 21:00
9. Sean Peck 21:37
10. Dave Gerson 21:49
11. Trevor Knott 21:50
12. Kevin Crawford 21:53
13. Jerry Rosetti 21:56
14. Paul Snyder 22:00
15. Pessy Levin 22:12
16. Carin Cohen 22:22
17. Elizabeth MxHale 22:26
18. Susan Tucker 22:37
19. Matt Bohning 22:39
20. Anthony Accardo 22:40
21. Doug Levin 22:49
22. Jim Waitkus 23:20
23. Amy Accardo 23:22
24. Mike Brown 23:58
25. Matt Sullivan 24:10
26. Stephan Volkenborn 24:13
27. Robert Taylor 24:15
28. Lisa H. Yoskowitz 24:27
29. Richard J. Donaher 24:35
30. Bob Hardcastle 24:51
31. John Rosania 25:00
32. Stephen Moyer 25:20
33. Doug Lefever 25:15
34. Laurie May 25:27
35. Abby Pliskin 25:47
36. Brian Gordon 25:48
37. Shawn Kaplan 26:30
38. JoAnn Robbins 26:13
39. Lisa A. Nolan 26:29
40. Kelly Quinn 26:35
41. Jessica L. Loughery 26:59
42. Gary Prell 27:19
43. Carter Beyer 27:28
44. Ben Severn 27:44
45. Richard B. Millham 28:10
46. Sharon Schanbacker 28:30
47. Holly O'Malley 28:90
48. Heather Beyer 28:17
49. Sarah Lindgren 28:19
50. Dennis Brown 28:29
51. Jon Severn 28:30
52. Kevin Meider 28:36
53. Sally Maturana 28:46
54. Janel Bonacci 29:00
55. Emily Lindgren 29:10
56. Bill Grasso 29:90
57. Skip Schanbacker 29:24
58. Bill McHale 30:50
59. Bridgitte Hogan-Perry 30:32
60. Ann Bacon 30:37
61. Cary Tralies 30:40
62. Bridget A. Musse 31:10
63. Wendy V. P. Fesmire 32:90
64. Melissa Czartoryski 32:50
65. Valerie Musse 32:52
66. Ken DePinto 33:21
67. Frank J. Rubino 33:23

A Bucks County woman is among the members of 2009-2010 USA Field Hockey Women’s National Team announced earlier today.
The 24-member U.S. roster features a number of 2008 Olympians, as well as former members of the Developmental Squad promoted to international competition. Veterans such as team captain Carrie Lingo and goalkeeper Amy Tran return, as does defender Lauren Crandall, a CB East High School and Wake Forest University alum from Doylestown, along with strikers Keli Smith and Tiffany Huisman.
“I’m very happy with the team we’ve selected,” said Head Coach Lee Bodimeade. “We are looking at qualifying for the 2010 World Cup and towards the 2012 Olympic Games.”
New additions to the senior roster include: Caroline Blaum, Katie Evans, Maren Ford, Lauren Pfeiffer and Katie Reinprecht. All but Ford joined the Women’s National Team for a test series against Argentina in April, which featured Pfeiffer’s first international appearance. Ford, who earned a silver medal at the 2008 Indoor Pan Am Cup as a member of the Women’s Indoor National Team, played hockey professionally in Argentina last year.
A 2003 graduate of CB East who hails from Doylestown, Crandall first started making headlines here in Bucks County when she and her Lady Patriot teammates claimed a state championship in 2002 under then head coach and former Philadelphia Flyer Jeff Harding.
Last summer, she was part of Team USA that competed in the Summer Games that took place in Beijing, China. As a member of Wake Forest, she helped the Demon Deacons to NCAA championships in 2003 and 2004. For her career at Wake, she tallied 38 goals and 34 assists for the Deacs and was an NFHCA First Team All-American her junior and senior seasons.

Two Lower Bucks girls soccer teams have captured the top prize in the recent US Youth Soccer Pennsylvania East State Championships.
By winning their respective tournaments, these teams have qualified to compete in the US Youth Soccer Region I (East) Championships slated for July 2 to 7 at Barboursville Soccer Complex, Huntington YMCA Kennedy Center and Scott Orthopedics Soccer Complex in Barboursville, West Virginia.
Next month, the U-13 FC Bucks Revolution and the FC Bucks Vipers, an under-18 girls team loaded with Division I talent will be among more than 282 top US Youth Soccer Boys and Girls teams from 15 US Youth Soccer State Associations competing for regional titles.
The Region I Championships feature top teams in the Under-12 through Under-19 age groups beginning Thursday, July 2, with opening ceremonies at Marshall University’s Joan C. Edwards Stadium. Round robin games are Friday, July 3, through Sunday, July 5, with semifinal matches Monday, July 6. The Region I Champions will be crowned following final games on Tuesday, July 7.
US Youth Soccer State Cup champions and select runners-up from 15 State Associations in Region I, including host West Virginia Soccer Association will participate. The other State Associations represented are Connecticut, Delaware, Eastern New York, Eastern Pennsylvania, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York West, Pennsylvania West, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia.
Regional winners of the Under-14 through Under-19 brackets earn a berth to the US Youth Soccer National Championships slated for July 21-26, at Citizens Bank Field at Progin Park in Lancaster, Mass.
Daily reports and complete results from the tournament will be available online at http://Championships.USYouthSoccer.org/regionI. To learn more about the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series, visit www.championships.usyouthsoccer.org.

Dial Or Nodial, bred and owned by New Hope’s Arlene and Jules Siegel, of Fashion Farms, is 4-1 in the morning line for Saturday’s $1.4 million North America Cup at Mohawk Racetrack in Campbellville, Ontario.
Brian Sears will drive Dial Or Nodial, who is trained by Jim Campbell. A two-time New Jersey Sire Stakes champion, Dial Or Nodial has won 11 of 17 lifetime races and earned $623,974.
Last week, Dial Or Nodial won his North America Cup elimination race by a length over OK Boromir in 1:50.2. He will start from post three.
Breeders Crown champion Well Said, who won his elimination in 1:50, is the 2-1 favorite in the Cup final.
The field for the North America Cup (with drivers) in post position order is OK Boromir (Luc Ouellette), Mr Wiggles (Corey Callahan), Dial Or Nodial (Brian Sears), If I Can Dream (George Brennan), Well Said (Ron Pierce), Keep It Real (Steve Condren), Art Colony (John Campbell), Chasin Racin (David Miller), Annieswesterncard (Tim Tetrick), and Millionaire Cam (Jody Jamieson).
Fashion Farms is located on Street Road in New Hope.

Archived photo by William Anderton
Bristol sophomore Kiersten Cain takes a swing in the Carpenter Cup softball tournament.
By Steve Sherman
Sports Editor
Not to be outdone by the SOL National/ Bicentennial boys in this year’s Carpenter Cup series hosted by the Philadelphia Phillies, the girls came through with a win in their opener yesterday (June 24) in the softball segment of the tourney in South Philadelphia’s FDR Park.
While the boys made it to the Carpenter Cup championship on the same day a second year in a row, the girls opened with a 4-3 comeback victory over Delaware County.
DelCo had tagged Neshaminy hurler Sarah McGowan for a pair of runs in the first inning and another in the third to go up 3-0 in this one.
McGowan got a run back for SOL National/BAL however when she slapped an RBI single in the fourth off DelCo reliever Jenny Barnholt that pushed Ashley Alden — on board with a double — across the plate.
Bristol sophomore Brooke Dugger kept the drive alive with a single that left runners standing at the corners. McGowan came home on an RBI single by Chelsea Yanishevsky.
With Dugger now at third, ready to tie things up with the next run, Ashley Cantiello didn’t want to disappoint her teammate. So she slapped a single that brought the Bristol sophomore home.
Now Yanishevsky was ready to score. Again, Cantiello provided the key. When she made a break for second on a stolen base attempt, Yanishevsky broke for home on the pickoff attempt.
While Cantiello was safe at second, her teammates couldn’t find a way to get the sophomore infielder home. No matter. Ashley’s RBI single and stolen base provided the only runs the SOL National/ BAL would need to get past their first round foe.
That’s because Cantiello’s classmate Kiersten Cain came on in relief of McGowan and finished the job in fine fashion. First, Cain retired the side in order in each of the seventh and eighth innings, fanning three of the six batters she faced. During that span, not a ball tapped by the opposition left the infield.
And while Cain got into some trouble after recording the first two outs in the top of the seventh by hitting a batsman and walking another, Kiersten pitched her way out of the jam by getting Alyson Smith on a weak fly ball to short.
In the afternoon, SOL National looked like they might be on their way to win number two, especially after plating four runs in the fifth and another in the sixth to go up 5-3 with Cain dominating in the circle for the locals.
Indeed, Kiesten fanned five of the nine batters she faced in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings only to have things blow up in her face in the home seventh.
But before that, the girls from lower Bucks came through for the SOL/Bicentennial. First, Cantiello scored after getting aboard on a double, going to third on an error, then coming home on a single by Taylor Hunt. Then, Pennsbury infielder Kelsi Bunda — who reached after an 8-pitch at-bat on an infield error — scored on Chloe Pinto’s double.
Both Hunt and Pinto crossed the plate on a two-run error by DelSouth shortstop Asia Brittingham.
Bunda would also plate run number five in the sixth, getting on board with a single, reaching second on a single by Truman infielder Stevie Van Schaick, then coming home on an error made by DelSouth leftfielder Morgan Hobbs.
Now it was on to that wild and wooly seventh inning when things unraveled for the SOL National/ BAL.
After getting the first batter to strike out swinging, Chelsea Morris got on board for Del South on an error. Not to worry—Cain got Steph Wheatley to also strike out swinging.
With two outs, you’d think no worries, right, but things would get much worse from there.
Amber Mabrey walked then Kelsey Doherty singled, bringing Morris home.
With runners at first and second, Kelsey Doherty’s ball slapped to short was mishandled, scoring a pair of runs including the game-winner.
The SOL trailed 3-0 early on in this one after a wild third inning by Delaware South that saw the opponent score three runs on just two hits off Pennsbury hurler Kait Schilling.
Things got crazy out there for Schilling and the SOL in an inning that saw three walks a passed ball, a wild pitch, a runner picked off at first base and another cut down at home plate. The fact is the game could have gotten out of hand were it not for the fact that Kelsey Oliphont was picked off at first base. But the throw to first allowed Logan Pavlik to score from third base.
Delaware South put another pair of runners on board on back to back singles by Asia Brittingham and Alexis Oliphont. Then things got really hairy with Morgan Hobbs up to bat. When Schilling threw her first wild pitch on a 1-0 count to Morgan, it sent both runners into scoring position. When she threw the next one on a 3-1 count, it allowed Brittingham to score with more threatening to pile on.
But three unearned runs were enough--SOL National/BAL cut Alexis Oliphont down trying to reach home on Schilling’s second wild pitch.
Carpenter Cup softball play continues today with the SOL American & Continental taking on Delaware North and the Philadelphia catholic League taking on Olympic Colonial.
Play resumes for the SOL National/BAL at 1 p.m. Monday, June 29 against an opponent that is to be announced.

This year's champions in the Panera Bread Bucks 5K Series are from left: Greg Wetzel of Doylestown, Sarah Simonetti of Perkasie, Nancy Smith of New Britain and Carl Goldschmidt of Doylestown. Wetzel and Simonetti are the overall champions; Smith and Goldschmidt are the masters champions.

Greg Wetzel of Doylestown and Sarah Simonetti of Perkasie are this spring's Panera Bread Bucks 5K overall champions. Wetzel won the last race of the seven-race series, the Chalfont Challenge on June 6, and clinched the title. Simonetti had previously locked up her championship with a win at the Johnny King-Marino Sertoma 5K.
Greg is a track coach at Central Bucks West High School in Doylestown. He was a standout runner at Elizabethtown College, where he was a Dean’s list student. His best time for the Series 5K races was 15:43 at the Doylestown 5K and at the Chalfont Challenge.
Sarah is presently a freshman at Philadelphia University. In September, she was named the female cross country runner of the week in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference. Her best Series time was 19:24 at the Sertoma 5K.
Nancy Smith of New Britain and Carl Goldschmidt of Doylestown are this season's Panera Bread Bucks 5K Series masters champions. Nancy is a world class triathlete. She won her age group and was the Grand Master’s champion at the Eagleman Half-Ironman Triathlon on June 13. As a result, she qualified for the Hawaii Ironman. Her best 5K time in the Series was 19:24 at the Sertoma 5K.
Carl is a leading master’s runner in the tri-state area. He was recently second overall at the AJ Foundation’s Best Dam Run. His best time in the Series was 17:43 at the Sertoma 5K.
The Panera Bread Bucks 5K Series is a non-profit organization that facilitates and coordinates seven 5 kilometer (3.1 mile) road races. These races all benefit worthy causes, provide wholesome family activities, and improve the physical fitness of our communities. There are seven races in the series, all in the spring, and all in central Bucks County. This spring, the Series concluded its most successful year ever. The Series hosted a record number of athletes — 5300, and raised a record amount of money - $114,000.
The complete race schedule and more information about the Panera Bread Bucks 5K Series is available at www.bucks5kseries.com.
The Series also awards champions in 14 age groups.
The list of winners are as follows:
Male Overall, Female Overall
Greg Wetzel, Sarah Simonetti
***
Males Master, Female Master
Carl Goldschmidt, Nancy Smith
***
Male 70 & Over
Charles Loughery
***
Male 65-69, Female 65-69
Jim Rehrig, Anne Cook
***
Male 60-64, Female 60-64
Stover Wiggins, Ann Bacon
***
Male 55-59, Female 55-59
Phil Davies, Lynda Terry
***
Male 50-54, Female 50-54
David Noa, Julia Kennedy
***
Male 45-49 Female 45-49
Carlton Seybolt, Sue Walton
***
Male 40-44, Female 40-44
Paul Walsh, Stacey Hermance
***
Male 35-39, Female 35-39
Peter De Mallie, Christina Grube
***
Male 30-34, Female 30-34
Bob Pultorak, Michele Fillette
***
Male 25-29, Female 25-29
Steve Bayer, Tracey Sawyer
Larry Hannon
***
Male 20-24, Female 20-24
Robert Peiffer, Laurie Wartman
***
Male 15-19, Female 15-19
Austin Gregor, Hannah Lindgren
***
Male 12-14, Female 12-14
Ross Wilson, Louise Huuki
***
Male 11 & Under, Female 11 & Under
Jake Brophy, Elizabeth Huuki
***
Complete Series and race results are posted at www.bucks5kseries.com.

By Steve Sherman
Sports Editor
There’s more than one way to skin a cat as they say, or more directly, more than one way to reach your goal.
Such is the case for the Yardley Makefield Soccer (YMS) Xplosion U-17 boys team whose road to nationals looks much tougher this year than last.
Last year, YMS qualified through its top two finish in the USYSA National League. This year, the Xplosion had its chance to sidestep regional qualifiers by winning a National League playoff with Lower Merion Velez in a mid-April matchup at Drexel University.
But Velez won that all-important game with a late goal, finishing as the top team in the National League. The Dallas Texans–Houston Division punched the second ticket to nationals by claiming the runner-up slot.
In order for YMS to make it to nationals this year, they must take the top prize in their upcoming Region I tournament.
YMS qualified for this tourney by defeating their old nemesis Lower Merion Velez, 2-0, in the finals of the Region 1 Premier League last month. A week later, the Xplosion followed with a 2-0 win over Lower Merion in the EPYSA State Cup finals.
In the upcoming regional tourney however, YMS has an extremely difficult draw, says Coach Jim Powers, as it will face TSF Academy – the state champs from New Jersey, Virginia state champ Great Falls Elite and Maryland champion Pachuca in preliminaries.
If the Xplosion advances to the semifinals, they will most likely face – you guessed it – Lower Merion, who qualified as the Region Premier League Wildcard, a much less challenging draw, according to Powers.
YMS will be heading off to West Virginia next week as the Eastern PA representative, to compete in the regional tourney which kicks off July 3.
The US Youth Soccer Region I (East) Championships are slated to take place July 2 to 7 at Barboursville Soccer Complex, Huntington YMCA Kennedy Center and Scott Orthopedics Soccer Complex in Barboursville, West Virginia.
The US Youth Soccer National Championships are slated for July 21-26, at Citizens Bank Field at Progin Park in Lancaster, Massachusetts.

By James D’Arcangelo

“Repeat! Repeat!”
The bubbly chants uncorked the celebratory mood in the overflowing stands at Upper Makefield’s George Strachan Field, bringing a familiar end to the town’s youth baseball season Wednesday, June 17.
The Marlins had just won the most senior division (11-12 year-old) of the Cal Ripken (a parallel to Little League) play, 10-0 over the Braves, in the season’s championship game.
Difficult in any league, the Marlins had found a way to duplicate supremacy, even after being challenged by a long losing streak mid-season. But, repeat they did.
As in any level of baseball, it’s pitching and timely hitting that dictates who controls the game. Throughout the season, head coach Tom Kovalcik implored the team to focus on the core strategy, “just throwing strikes” and getting players on base.
The Braves, which had beaten the Dodgers, 13-3, to advance to the finals, were baffled by the superlative speed, location, and mix of pitches from Alexandro Kovalcik and his brother Juliano. Neither pitcher walked a batter.
Alexandro allowed two hits, while striking out nine, in three innings. The only two batters with hits off of Alexandro were Drew Glenn, who had a double off of the left field fence, and James O’Donnell, who poked a single up the middle.
Juliano was just as strong as Alexandro, shutting down the Braves’ bats in one inning of relief as the game was stopped in the fourth inning due to the 10-run mercy rule.
The Marlins’ hitting was a full team effort. Virtually all Marlins had a hit, and all players reached base. Joe Pomeroy catapulted a towering (estimated at 240 feet) opposite-field home run to right field off of Braves pitcher Drew Glenn.
Juliano Kovalcik turned on a high fastball from Glenn to crush a line drive home run out to left field. As the Marlins steadily built their lead, Chris Beverly, Taylor Goldberg and Raymond Pfundt had key doubles. Chase D’Arcangelo, 2-for-3 on the day, knocked in Matteo Cariola on a single up the middle for the game-ending, 10th run.
As importantly, D’Arcangelo prolonged the key 4-run third inning with a two-out single to right field (driving in Goldberg), which ultimately set up the Kovalcik and Pomeroy home runs to follow.
Winners in the end, the Marlins, struggled midseason. With key players out of the lineup, the Marlins slumped to a multiple-game losing streak.
When the team turned things around, Coach Kovalcik rejoiced in the kids’ excitement and the magnitude of the accomplishment, but even after capturing the title again, he still stressed a season-long perspective that is both rare and grounding in this day and age of often over-enthusiastic parents and coaches.
“I am most proud of the team and how well it defined sportsmanship,” stated Kovalcik after the title win. “We never lost sight of respecting each other, the other teams, and the game.”
With that philosophy, it’s not hard to imagine a “three-peat” might be in order.

The Gators won the Council Rock Softball U10 girls softball championship last week in a game that came down to the final strike. The 5-4 victory came in the top of the sixth inning with the bases loaded and a full count as Gators pitcher Madison Tomlinson caught a line drive to end the game.
With a roster composed of third-graders and one fourth-grader, the Gators went undefeated through the playoffs to cap off a great season. Helping to win the championship for the Gators were Rebecca Riesenberger, Lauren Bossio, Emma McCoy, Mackenzie Tinner, Grace Schweizer, Madison Tomlinson, Madeline Moore, Taylor Briggs, Sydney Amspacher, Ally Harper and Giana Grosso.
Coaches Zane Moore, Dave Schweizer, and Glen Tinner could not be more proud of their team.

Bucks County's own Major League Baseball writer Jayson Stark has been making the rounds lately signing copies of his new tome — “Worth The Wait: Tales of the Phillies 2008 Championship Season” — at area bookstores.
This week, the tour moves to minor league ballparks with Jayson making an appearance from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at this Friday’s Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs ballgame at Coca Cola Park in Allentown.
On Saturday from 6 to 7:30 p.m., he’ll be at Lakewood’s First Energy Park, home of the Lakewood Blue Claws.
And on Friday, July 3 from 5 to 7:30 p.m., Stark, who resides in Newtown, appears at Reading’s First Energy Stadium, before the start of that night’s Reading Phillies game.
--Sports Editor Steve Sherman

Two Lower Bucks girls soccer teams have captured the top prize in the recent US Youth Soccer Pennsylvania East State Championships.
By winning their respective tournaments, these teams have qualified to compete in the US Youth Soccer Region I (East) Championships slated for July 2 to 7 at Barboursville Soccer Complex, Huntington YMCA Kennedy Center and Scott Orthopedics Soccer Complex in Barboursville, West Virginia.
Next month, the U-13 FC Bucks Revolution and the FC Bucks Vipers, an under-18 girls team loaded with Division I talent will join more than 282 top US Youth Soccer boys and girls teams from 15 US Youth Soccer state associations competing for regional titles.
The Region I Championships feature top teams in the under-12 through under-19 age groups beginning Thursday, July 2, with opening ceremonies at Marshall University’s Joan C. Edwards Stadium. Round robin games are Friday, July 3, through Sunday, July 5, with semifinal matches Monday, July 6. The Region I Champions will be crowned following the finale on Tuesday, July 7.
US Youth Soccer State Cup champions and select runners-up from 15 state associations in Region I, including host West Virginia Soccer Association will participate. The other State Associations represented are Connecticut, Delaware, Eastern New York, Eastern Pennsylvania, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York West, Pennsylvania West, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia.
Regional winners of the Under-14 through Under-19 brackets earn a berth to the US Youth Soccer National Championships slated for July 21-26, at Citizens Bank Field at Progin Park in Lancaster, Mass.
Daily reports and complete results from the tournament are available online if you click here. To learn more about the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series, visit www.championships.usyouthsoccer.org.

Ryan Seiz (Chris Dock) smoked a 2-run homer in the bottom of the eighth innning June 19 at Meiklejohn Stadium, in a 5-4 win over Lehigh Valley that advanced SOL-National/BAL to the Carpenter Cup semifinals June 23 at Citizens Bank Park.
Scott Runzer (CR North) scored the first run for the locals in the first inning, getting on board on a fielders choice, advancing on a pair of Lehigh Valley errors before coming home on a sac fly by Shane Coleman (Holy Ghost Prep).
The second run for the locals was plated by Bill Fleming (CR South), who walked, stole second, advanced to third on an error then came home on a single by Tyler Orr (Neshaminy).
The locals also forced in a run in the fifth inning when Nick Mascioli (DelCo Christian) drew a two-out bases loaded walk that pushed Seiz across the plate. Fleming singled with two outs to keep the rally alive.
Seiz was the hero in last year's Carpenter Cup championship win, hitting a 2-run walkoff homer in the bottom of the ninth to propel the locals past Lehigh Valley.
SOL-National is slated to go up against the Philadelphia Catholic League at 2 p.m. Tuesday, June 23 at CBP.

Labels: Baseball

By Steve Sherman
Sports Editor
Pennington School senior soccer standouts Amber Brooks and Heidi Sabatura might be the closest thing Bucks County currently has to the evidence of the good works performed by Charlotte Moran.
Moran is the recently deceased Churchville, Pa. resident who acted as a national advocate for women’s soccer for the last 30 years.
A member of the US National U-17 girls team that made it to the finals of the FIFA World Cup tournament held last year in New Zealand, Brooks, who hails from New Hope, will play women’s soccer this fall at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a national power that’s won 20 national titles over the last three decades.
And Sabatura is a Lawrenceville resident and member of the FC Bucks Vipers team that qualified for the US Youth Soccer National Championships that took place last summer in Little Rock, Arkansas. Heidi is headed to Villanova in the fall where she hopes to play forward.
Until her death on May 18, Moran, was the executive director for the Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Association (EPYSA) and administrator for the Region 1 Olympic Development Program (ODP), a position she held for more than 20 years.
There was no mountain that couldn’t be moved by Moran. From her start as the Lower Southampton AA soccer league secretary, she attained the professional ranks in 2001. For the next three years, she acted as Director of Team Operations for the Charge, the Philadelphia affiliate for the now defunct Women’s United Soccer Association (WUSA).
In November 2007, Moran finally met a foe she could not overcome – pancreatic cancer. On May 18, After an 18-month battle, Moran finally succumbed to the deadly disease.
The two girls were so moved by Moran’s death they stirred their cause to action, raising thousands of dollars collected through a recent youth soccer tournament held at Lower Makefield’s Macclesfield.
They called it Score for the Cure and 80-some girls, ages 8 to 13 played dozens of 3-on-3 soccer games held June 12 on nine different fields. Everyone pitched in including Yardley-Makefield Soccer (YMS) Director John Greaves and Coaches Mike DeMaio and Davey Simpson, who guide the Comets U17 girls premier team.
The support tents were erected alongside the fields and tables lined with merchandise set up underneath. The lines were drawn and the games began.
All of the members of the six-time NJ Prep A state champion Pennington School girls soccer team assisted with the officiating duties. Two members of the Red Raiders boys team helped out as well – Evan Bruccoleri and Billy Hawkey. Area soccer moms – from Pennington and YMS – worked the concessions.
When the dust settled, more than $8,000 was collected – funds headed for the Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research.
“All this money donated shows how great she was for soccer across Pennsylvania and across the East Coast,” stated Sabatura in a recent interview. “We had a great turnout. The girls loved it – each of them got medals. It was a great event all the way around.”
Over the years, Brooks, an ODP Region 1 player, became close to Moran, the Region 1 ODP director.
“She was like a second mom to her,” stated Sabatura.
Heidi says she was recruited by Brooks to work on the project as part of the student-athlete’s senior internship. The tournament was the culmination of three month’s work.
While the WUSA folded in 2003, that never stopped Moran from continuing her quest for women in the sport. Still a member of the NSCAA Women’s Committee, she was elected to the NSCAA Board of Directors in January 2008. Later that year, she received the Women’s Committee Award of Excellence, a tribute established a decade ago to recognize those who have brought honor and distinction to women's soccer.
More recently, Moran was bestowed with the Youth Long-Term Service Award At this year’s NSCAA Convention in St. Louis. She was also given the Glenn Myernick Service to Soccer Award dedicated to Glenn "Mooch" Myernick, a Lawrence High graduate who spent a decade playing pro soccer in the North American Soccer League.
It was all done for love of the game, said Moran in a 2001 interview.
“We were a soccer family – that’s what we did all weekend and that’s how we spent our vacations and holidays. Giving something back for all the years of enjoyment is why I do it.”
On June 12 at Macclesfield, Brooks and Sabatura gave some of that love back to Charlotte Moran.
***
A soccer fund in memory of Ms. Moran has been established. Those wishing to contribute can do so by sending donations to EPYSA-Charlotte Moran Foundation; C/O EPYSA; 2 Village Road, Suite 3; Horsham, PA 19044.

Labels: Pennington

University of Massachusetts senior Karen Upperco of Titusville, N.J. was recently named the Atlantic 10's Most Outstanding Diver after posting first place finishes in two diving events at the A-10 Championships.
She and freshmen Jason Cook of Amherst, were in Buffalo, representing UMass at this year's NCAA Zone A Diving Regional. Both divers competed in the one-meter and the three-meter and both have been selected as two of the 58 total competitors for this season's Zones.
This marked the fourth consecutive trip for Upperco to the NCAA Zone Regional and the senior has improved every year she competes. In her freshman season, Upperco finished 22nd in the one-meter event, and 29th in the three-meter.
As a sophomore, she dramatically improved on her premier performance, finishing seventh in the one-meter and fifth in the three-meter. Last season, the 2005 graduate of Hopewell Valley Central High School notched a fourth-place finish in each diving event.
This year, Upperco ended her final collegiate season on a high note as she notched a new Atlantic 10 record in the three-meter dive (588.25) and was named A-10 Champion in the one-meter (520.30), an event in which she already holds the conference record with a score of 520.60. The senior also notched a new Joseph Rogers Pool record after scoring 279.45 in the three-meter dive on Senior Day against Colgate and now sits atop the UMass record books in the three-meter dive and ranks third in school history in the one-meter.
At this year's A-10 Championships, the Minutewomen also dominated as they notched a fourth-place finish for the second year in a row at the Championships and broke six school records. The team was led by two of its senior captains - Upperco and Christa Narus of Stony Brook, N.Y.
Upperco was the team's leader on the diving board as she finished first in both diving events, something she hasn't done since her freshman year at A-10s. Narus added a third-place finish in the 200 fly (2:04.88) on day four to her record-breaking third-place finish in the 100 fly and fifth-place finish in the 200 free that she notched on the third day of competition.
***
UMASS PROFILE

General: Holds the Atlantic 10 Championship records in the one-meter and the three-meter ... Holds the UMass school record in the three-meter dive (310.50) and ranks third all-time in the one-meter (278.85) ... Was named A-10 Most Outstanding Diver for the third time in her career.
***
2008-09 (Senior): Was named A-10 Most Outstanding Diver, A-10 Student-Athlete of the Year, and UMass Dinn Bros. Winter Scholar-Athlete as a senior ... Set two new A-10 Championship records after placing first in the one-meter (270.70) and three-meter (292.15) at this year's Championships (2/18-21) ... Placed first in both the one-meter and three-meter diving events in the final dual meet of the season at Fordham (1/31) ... Set a new Pool Record in the three-meter dive with a score of 297.45 while adding another first-place finish in the one-meter (261.23) against Colgate (1/25) ... Finished first in the three-meter (259.35) and third in the one-meter (211.35) at home against Boston College (1/24) ... Finished first in both the one-meter (259.20) and the three-meter (259.35) at the Rhode Island Invitational (1/16-17) ... Notched a first-place finish in the one-meter (304.60) and a second-place finish in the three-meter (281.20) at the Galbraith Diving Invitational (12/6) ... Notched two first-place finishes: three-meter (279.75) and one-meter (251.32) at Binghamton (11/8) ... Finished first in the three-meter (277.80) and second in the one-meter (248.16) at home against Army (10/25) ... Notched two second-place finishes in the first meet of the season at Boston University (10/18).
***
2007-08 (Junior): Atlantic 10 Most Outstanding Diver ... UMass Winter Female Scholar Athlete ... Competed at the NCAA Regionals (3/14-16) and finished fourth of 22 divers on both boards, notched a score of 532.65 on the one-meter dive and 563.65 on the three-meter dive ... Finished second in the three-meter dive with a score of 563.95 and first in the one-meter dive (520.60) at the A-10 Championships (2/20-23) ... Placed first in the one-meter dive with a score of 249.45, and second in the three-meter dive (261.30) at the Rhode Island Invitational (1/11-12).
***
2006-07 (Sophomore): Second-Team All-Atlantic 10 member ... Named to the A-10 Commissioner's Spring Honor Roll ... Earned UMass/Dinn Bros. Athlete of the Week (2/5) ... At the A-10 Championships (2/21-24) took second in the three-meter dive (523.50) and third in the one-meter dive (476.85) ... At Fordham (2/3) won the one-meter dive (264.38) and the three-meter dive (279.90) ... Had her top three-meter dive of 280.70 at Colgate/Binghamton ... Posted eight wins on the season (six on the three-meter board).
***
2005-06 (Freshman): First-team all-conference diver after winning the one-meter and three-meter dives at the A-10 Championships (2/18) ... Named A-10 Women's Most Outstanding Diver ... Named team MVP ... Earned A-10 Rookie of the Week honors (11/14) and UMass/Dinn Bros. Athlete of the Week honors (12/5, 2/20) ... Had 16 first-place finishes for the season between the one-meter and three-meter boards ... Finished the season 22nd on the one-meter board and 29th on the three-meter board at the NCAA Zone A Regional meet.
***
Before UMass: A 2005 graduate of Hopewell Valley Central High School where she was a three-time All-American diver ... Was a 10 time National Diving Qualifier with her highest finish being seventh on the three-meter board ... Took sixth place on the three-meter board at the 2005 AAU Nationals ... Finished third at the 2005 New Jersey State Diving Championships ... Also swam the freestyle and butterfly events ... Led the Bulldogs to the New Jersey State Sectional title in 2002-03 and to a Colonial Division Championship in 2004-05 ... A two-time Mercer County Diving Champion and a member of the All-CVC Team as a senior.

Labels: Girls Swimming, Hopewell Valley

Chris Ault gave it a good run in this year’s Golf Association of Philadelphia (GAP) Amateur Championship going on this week at Stonewall GC in Elverson, Pa. Ault, a 2003 graduate of Pennsbury who hails from Yardley, returned to the quarterfinals for the first time since the 2006 Amateur held that year at Torresdale-Frankford CC.
A 16 seed in the tourney after carding 145 in his first two rounds, Ault posted a 6&5 triumph over Edward McCrossen, Jr., of Whitemarsh Valley CC Tuesday June 15 in the round of 32 then came through with a 2&1 victory over Doug Marcincin in the Round of 16.
Marcincin, a 32 seed from Northampton CC, had stunned top seed Michael Hyland, of Little Mill CC, with a 2-up triumph in the Round of 32.
But that’s as far as Ault would reach in the tourney as defending GAP Amateur champion Michael McDermott, of Merion Golf Club posted a 2-up victory on Wednesday, June 17 in the quarterfinals.
In the match with McDermott, Ault was 1-up at the halfway point, thanks to a pair of birdies he recorded on Nos. 7 (par 3, 166 yds.) and 9 (par 3, 235 yds.).
Chris got off to a rough start on the back nine however, bogeying Nos. 10 (par 4, 444 yds.) and 13 (par 4, 452 yds.). The 23-year old Ault played scratch golf the rest of the way save No. 18 (par 4, 450 yds.), which he also bogeyed. His opponent meanwhile got down in two on both 15 (par 3, 178 yds.) and 17 (par 3, 134 yds.). McDermott went 1-up with his bird on No. 17 and finished 2-up when he hit par on 18.
The day before, McDermott defeated Brian Gillespie of St. Davids GC, 2&1, in the Round of 16 on the Old Course. Jeffrey Griest, a 30 seed from Waynesborough CC, defeated Mark Miller of Yardley CC, 6&5.
James Kania, Jr. of Overbrook GC and Conrad Von Borsig of Concord CC, a pair of long-hitting, upstart 20-somethings, advanced to the GAP Amateur final on Wednesday on the Old Course. Kania, the 11th seed, who turned in a very workmanlike effort in search of his first Amateur title, stopped Anthony Martire of Seaview Marriott Resort & Spa, 3&2, in the semis the got past Griest, 3&2, in the quarters. Von Borsig, who also is in search of his first Amateur crown, stunned defending champion McDermott, 1-up, in the semifinals and Thomas Gramigna, the No. 4 seed, of Tavistock CC, with a 1-up victory.
On Monday, Ault carded scores of 73 (Old Course, par 70, 6,579 yds.) and 72 (North Course, par 70, 6,690 yds.) for a total of 145 in his first two rounds before entering Tuesday’s match play.
And Hyland didn’t miss a beat in his return to the Philadelphia golf scene. The winner of the 2000 Amateur Championship at the Elverson venue, Hyland carded a 1-under-par 139 on Stonewall’s two courses to take the 109th Amateur Championship medalist honors. A golfer who turned professional shortly after winning the 2000 title and returned to the Amateur ranks in 2005, Hyland posted Monday’s lone sub-par total.

Labels: GOLF

By Steve Sherman
Sports Editor
Defending a Carpenter Cup title doesn’t necessarily add to the pressure to win.
Just ask SOL National/ Bicentennial head coach Keith Smeraglio, who says it actually lessens the burden.
“It makes it easier,” stated Smeraglio, flatly. “We know we have a good team and the kids went out and played like it.
“The defense was great, we got timely hitting and we have a tremendous [pitching] staff.”
Earlier today (June 17) at Meiklejohn Stadium, the local boys shrugged off a third-inning 1-0 deficit, plating seven runs the rest of the way in a 7-3 tournament opening triumph over Berks County. The SOL/ Bicentennial won this one going away, despite the fact it was out-hit, 10-7, by Berks. That’s because the opposition stranded over a dozen batters along the basepaths.
“I think we had almost the same amount of hits but we had a lot of clutch hits,” commented Council Rock North senior Scott Runzer, who was 1-for-3 on the day. “With guys on third, we had at least two or three sac-flies. Doing things like that definitely helped us score some runs so that was clutch.”
Defensively, Smeraglio led with his trump card in starting Harry S Truman and Bristol Legion lefthander Josh Patman in the opener against Berks. Last year, it was a pair of lefties — Patman and New Hope-Solebury southpaw Vinnie Vorhees — who kept the opposition off-balance.
Vorhees set ‘em up and Patman knocked ‘em down.
First, it was the New Hope lefty striking out 12 batters combined in quarterfinal and semifinal triumphs respectively over Mercer and defending champ Chester.
Then, it was Patman who got the final out in both the 2008 Carpenter Cup semis and the finale. In the championship win over Lehigh Valley, he got the win, after recording the final two outs in the top of the ninth.
This time out however, it was a rough outing for Patman. After getting the first Berks batter to take a called third strike, he put the next two on board with a walk and a hit batsman. But Berks failed to take advantage of the situation, launching a popup and a fly ball to Nick Mascioli to end the inning.
Patman put another pair of batters on board in the second, issuing a free pass to Kyle Hartman and a single to centerfield by Jonah Pulford. Again, Berks failed to capitalize on the opportunity. When Nick Riegel single to short, Pulford advanced to second but Hartman was picked off at third base. Patman got out of the jam, inducing a force-out at second base to Neshaminy shortstop Rick Brebner.
On the other side of the hill, Berks pitcher Brad Smith was keeping the defending champs’ bats quiet, retiring the first six hitters in order.
“The first time out, everyone was trying to hit home runs and stuff, just jumping at balls,” stated Runzer. “The second time around, everyone relaxed and started swinging to get hits.”
The local boys finally started to make some noise in the third when the SOL-N/ BAL drew a walk and single by Brebener that put a pair of runners aboard. The men were stranded however when Chris Dock junior Ryan Seiz – last year’s hero in the finale with a 2-run walkoff homer in the bottom of the ninth – struck out swinging.
Berks finally broke through in the third, scoring a run off Holy Ghost Prep righthander Andrew Strenge, of Morrisville. After retiring the first two batters, Strenge surrendered consecutive singles then an RBI double down the left field line by Hartman that scored Sean Hagen. With runners at second and third base, Andrew pitched out of the jam, fanning Pulford to keep it close.
It was HGP junior Greg Olenski who plated the first run for the SOL/ Bicentennial. After getting hit by a pitch, he advanced on a Scott Runzer single, went to third when a walk was issued to Shane Coleman then came home on a double-play grounder hit to short by Nick Mascioli.
Seiz redeemed himself in the fifth, putting the local boys on top for good by pushing CR South sophomore Bill Fleming across with an RBI triple. Olenski put the SOL on top by two, scoring Seiz with an ensuing RBI double.
The bottom of the fifth was a wild one for Berks. With CR South sophomore lefthander Greg Welsh in for Strenge, Berks sent six batters to the plate – two had reached on walks and another pair slapped singles. Add in a stolen base and a failed pickoff attempt and one might think an opposing rally would have been the result. When the dust settled, however, the enemy had but a single run to show for their trouble.
That’s because Neshaminy senior Tyler Orr nailed Blaise Fernandez trying to score from second base on Chris Lloyd’s single to right field. After inducing a popup to Frankelvin Reyes, Welsh put another pair of runners aboard, surrendering a single and a walk. The CR South lefty finally settled down, fanning Garrett Gitler to get out of the inning.
The locals really took advantage in the top of the sixth, plating three more runs on just two hits. SOL/ Bicentennial put a pair of runners aboard with Eric Ebert reaching on an error and Orr slapping a single to centerfield. It was Matt Hone coming through with the big hit, an RBI double down the left field line that pushed Ebert across.
Kelly Adams then plated Orr with a sac-fly to right field. Bristol junior Adam Moore repeated the feat with a sac-fly to left field that scored Hone.
The bottom sixth looked like another shaky one for the locals, defensively, especially when Berks put their first two batters on board on an error and a walk. Again, Welsh settled down, inducing a ground ball to Tim Ravel and striking out Fernandez.
Orr scored the final tally for the SOL in the eighth. After drawing a walk, he advanced on a fielder’s choice, went to third on an error then came home on a ground ball hit to short by Corey Hower.
After waiting around for nearly 2 hours, Neshaminy junior Ray Hyjurick finally got his chance to pitch in the seventh. Ray made the most of it, retiring the side in order. After surrendering a double to C Faust to open the eighth, he recorded the next three outs on a fly ball to left field and a pair of grounders.
After the game, Hyjurick spoke of what it was like waiting in the wings.
“It’s a little nerve-wracking but it’s also exciting — you can’t wait to get into the game and play here.
With his team holding a commanding lead, Smeraglio countered with Abington junior Jake Ruch. The 11th-grader allowed a walk but nary a run putting this one in the books favor the boys from Bucks County.
Another factor that helped the locals was that both CR South and North made it to the postseason this year, with the Indians advancing all the way to the state quarters.
“It was a good run — we made it to the quarterfinals in states,” commented CR North infielder Scott Runzer, who is headed to West Chester. “The team we lost to — North Penn — ended up winning it so that was tough.
“The good thing was that all the guys from North were able to stay sharp coming into Carpenter Cup playing so late into the [varsity] season.
With North part of the Continental Conference last year, Runzer was not part of the 2008 Carpenter Cup champions. So Runzer would really like to see this team repeat last year’s feat. With his current squad wearing a target on its back, he knows the task will not be easy. Still he believes this group has the talent.
“Everyone is coming out to beat us since this team won last year,” stated Runzer.
“I know we have the potential to repeat; we have really good pitching and I know we can hit the ball too.
That much was proven today in a 7-3 win, favor: the locals.
***
NOTES: From here, the SOL-N/ Bicentennial returns to Meiklejohn at 12:3o p.m. this Friday, June 19 where they’ll take on Lehigh Valley, 3-1 winners over Inter-AC. Lehigh will surely looking to avenge last year’s loss to the locals in the tournament finale.

Labels: Baseball, CR North, CR North Baseball

By Steve Sherman
Sports Editor
Imagine a sport that combines polo and lacrosse with just a touch of badminton. If you can visualize such an athletic endeavor, than you’ve stumbled upon polocrosse, a sport that was originally founded in England as a riding exercise for horseman.
Like polo, the players compete in the sport aboard equine animals. Instead of polo mallets though, polocrosse competitors carry a stick that is a combination of a lacrosse pole and a badminton racquet. The original polocrosse sticks were badminton racquets, only the tight webbing was removed in favor of leather netting similar to that which is found on a lacrosse stick. The racquets were also made longer to accommodate play that takes place on horseback.
To the spectator, polocrosse offers an action-packed feast of galloping horses, thrilling ball-handling and clashing racquets. For those competing in the sport, it provides a fast-moving and exciting team sport that takes speed, stamina, and lightning-fast reflexes from both the horse and rider in order to excel.
“It is amazing to watch, how fast the people who are good at the sport can fly down the field on a horse and score a goal,” explained Bruce Lewis, of Newtown, a newcomer to the sport. “I’m not at that level. I’m more or less trotting down the field with the ball than going back to pick it up when I drop it.”
“The people who are good at it are going full speed ahead; it’s amazing what they can make a horse do.”
Polocrosse offers the horse enthusiast the opportunity to combine their love of horses and competition with a game of teamwork, strategy, and agility. It’s a three-a-side game, and like lacrosse, has players in the attack, midfield and defense positions. The battle takes place on a grass field 160 yards long and 60 yards wide that is divided into a large midfield and two end zones.
The game is started by an umpire who throws the ball in and the game progresses as teammates carry and throw the ball down the field with the ultimate goal of putting the sphere into a goal. Normally, the horsemen wouldn’t have any problem marching up to the 6-by-4 foot cage and blasting the ball in but the players must shoot from outside an 11-yard semicircle that envelopes the goal.
Unlike polo, which requires a string of horses, polocrosse players are allowed only one horse per competition, so it demands outstanding fitness of horse and rider. That fact makes polocrosse much more affordable than its sister sport.
Developed in Australia beginning in the 1930s, polocrosse is now played around the world and is growing in the United States, particularly on the east coast. More recently, the sport has been introduced to the Bucks-Mercer region by the Bucks County Polocrosse Association. In existence since 2005, the club is a group of enthusiastic athletes from both sides of the river with all levels of experience, including up-and-coming juniors as well as adults who are enjoying a new experience on horseback.
Polocrosse players have no real defining characteristics apart from their devotion to the sport. The sport attracts players of all ages from all walks of life.
Bruce’s son Chris, an 8th-grader at Newtown Middle School, came into the sport with an advantage. He’s a club lacrosse player for Council Rock and has been playing that sport for years. He doesn’t particularly like massaging the horses (riding them in a circle to exercise the animals) but he sure likes polocrosse.
“Riding the horses in a circle wasn’t much fun for him,” explained Bruce. “He’d rather be flying down the field on his horse full speed ahead.”
Chris and his mother Manya, Bruce’s wife, are experts at their craft. Bruce and daughter Kyra, a 1st-grader at Newtown Elementary, are the beginners in the family. Level of expertise doesn’t matter, says Bruce. It’c the fun quotient that counts.
“It’s something the whole family can do; that’s what first drew us to it,” explained Bruce.
In addition to those just learning the sport, the association also has players who are competing at the highest level, representing the United States in international competitions.
Sara Cifelli, 18, of Pennington, is one such player competing at the highest level. She’s currently in South Africa taking part in a test match for the US Polocrosse U-21 team. Last summer, she traveled to Australia as part of the USA’s U-17 team.
But not everyone has the freedom to travel the globe or the expertise needed to compete on an international level. Club directors realize that and they’re always trying to attract new players. They do it by hosting events in both Bucks and Mercer Counties.
A little less than a month ago, the club hosted what they called a Polocrosse Play Day at the Cifelli family’s Sycamore Creek Farm, which sits along Pennington-Harborton Road in Pennington.
On the weekend of June 20-21, the association will be host its fifth annual American Polocrosse Association sanctioned tournament at Come Along Farm in Pipersville. The weekend promises exciting entertainment for the horse lover and non-horse lover alike and is a great opportunity for a get-together and picnic with family and friends.
Because polocrosse involves an equal combination of brains, brawn, and agility, polocrosse is one of the few team sports where men and women play on equal footing. All this makes polocrosse an ideal and highly popular family sport and it is not uncommon to see three generations of competitors camping and competing together at a tournament.
***
IF YOU GO: This year’s Bucks County Polocrosse Club tournament will have all levels of polocrosse, with a peewee division, two junior divisions, and four or five open divisions divided by skill level. There will be two playing fields to accommodate all the teams. Play starts at 9 a.m. and continues throughout the day.
Come Along Farm is located at 55 Municipal St., in Pipersville. For more information on Bucks County Polocrosse and for directions to Come Along Farm, visit online at: www.buckscountypolocrosse.com or call (908)797-8778.

By Steve Sherman
Sports Editor
What, me worry.
That’s the attitude of Newtown Legion skipper Bob Maley as he and his Post 440 Legion baseball team scramble to make up half the season’s schedule in the upcoming weeks.
With Council Rock North earning a berth this spring in the District One Class AAAA finals as well as the PIAA tournament, all of Newtown’s games were suspended until the Indians were eliminated from states.
Post 440 missed 11 games in all--matchups that must be made up by July 6 in time for the July 7 start of the Lower Buck Legion playoffs. Additionally, a June 9 pairing against Yardley-Morrisville was rained out. That’s a dozen games in a 24-game season.
“I’m not worried; we’ll catch up,” stated Maley, who is just finishing up the first week of a season that’s three weeks old for the rest of the league.
After opening PIAA play June 1 with a win over Central, CR North had a pair of dates rained out in their state quarterfinal pairing against North Penn. The battle against the Knights finally took place on June 6, with North Penn edging the Rock, 2-1.
Newtown finally got going Sunday, June 7, falling 3-0 to Falls Post 834. In that one, Post 440 managed just two hits.
Again, Maley is not worried.
That’s because Newtown turned the tables on Post 834 last night (June 11) at CR North’s field, crushing Falls, 19-1, in a 5-inning game shortened by the mercy rule.
“We couldn’t buy a hit in the first game against Falls. Half the team was worn out from states. The other half was rusty from sitting around for 3-and 1/2 weeks waiting,” stated Maley.
“Hopefully, last night is more of an indicator of what we’re going to do this season”
The 19-1 thumping was Post 440’s first visit to the win column. Newtown lost Wednesday’s (June 10) matchup to Northampton, 5-2.
Despite his team’s 1-2 record, Maley is excited about Post 440’s prospects for the season. The reason for Maley’s enthusiasm is simple--plenty of pitching.
While the coach scrambled to fill the rotation last year in his first season at the Post 440 helm, Maley says he has plenty of arms to go around this season.
That’s because several pitchers including CR North seniors Scott Runzer and Kelly Adams who were working elsewhere last season, are back with Post 440 this year. Add Keith Terry and Jared Weed to the mix and Connor McFarlane, a freshman lefthander for PSU-Abington, and you have a pitching coach’s dream come true.
Pile on Sean Duckworth, of Archbishop Wood, Mike Buckley, of Holy Ghost Prep and Pennsbury righthander Tom Herring and you might have a hard time getting enough mound duty for each and every pitcher.
Playing the field for Newtown this year is Matt Hone, a CR North senior selected to this year’s SOL-National/ Bicentennial Carpenter Cup team along with Adams and Runzer. Ryan Maley, a third baseman at Rock, will play second for the legion team. Zach Stegers, of Pennsbury, is positioned at third base. Holy Ghost junior Mick Conway, Matt Kane of Archbishop Wood and Gywnedd Mercy College freshman Kevin Smeraglio will see action in the outfield.
Connor Flannery will see time at short, second base and the outfield says Maley. “He has a big bat so we’re going to play him wherever we can get him into the lineup,” says the coach.
In order to catch up to the rest of the league, Newtown has 10 games scheduled in the next nine days. There are two games added to this week's lineup including a home game at noon, Sunday, June 14 against Yardley-Western. Wednesday's road matchup against Northampton has been turned into a 5:30 p.m. doubleheader.
Hopefully, the rains that have hit the region repeatedly the last several weeks will hold off long enough to get the games in.
Again, the coach is not worried. According to Maley, Post 440 will catch up.

Monmouth pitcher
helped Conwell-Egan
to its only PCL crown

By Steve Sherman
Sports Editor

Area coaches always knew there was something special about Ryan Buch, a Monmouth University righthander who three years ago helped Conwell-Egan to its first Philadelphia Catholic League championship in 25 years.
“Ryan is one of those kids who just continues to get better and better, and before it’s all said and done, I truly believe Ryan is going to make some noise in pro ball,” stated Monmouth pitching coach Chuck Ristano.
Now it's official.
The MU junior was selected in the Major League Baseball Draft yesterday by the Chicago White Sox. Buch, a 6-3 right-hander, was an eighth round selection (No. 253 overall) by the Sox.
Classmate Brett Brach, a 6-3 righty from Freehold, was also drafted, selected by the Cleveland Indians in the 10th round (No. 305 overall). Brach, who won a career-high seven games this season, has earned 14 victories, as well as five saves, in his first three years at Monmouth.
"Both Ryan and Brett should be very proud of being selected today," said Monmouth head coach Dean Ehehalt. "They both have worked very hard in order to put themselves in this position."
Buch holds an overall record of 22-8, with 234 strikeouts in 210 innings of work in his career for the Hawks. This year, he set a new single-season record for strikeouts with 92, while leading Monmouth back to NCAA Regionals.
MLB Draft Prognosticators had Buch going much sooner, as high as the second round which took place on Tuesday—day one of the draft. Baseball America ranked the righthander as the 90th top prospect in the draft, and the No. 24 overall righthander. Perfect Game Crosschecker listed the Yardley native as the No. 74 overall prospect.
It’s all said and done with now with both players apparently headed to the American League. Both had gone undrafted out of high school.
"We are extremely excited for Ryan and Brett," added Ristano. “Both kids have been integral to our success, and this is a great indicator that the program continues to move in the right direction."
This spring, Monmouth won its fourth Northeast Conference (NEC) Championship and advanced to its fourth NCAA Regional. The Hawks, who went 32-25 on the year, posted their third straight 30-win season and fourth of the last five years.
In 39 career appearances for the Blue and White, which includes 35 starts, Buch stands second all-time at Monmouth in strikeouts and victories. His 3.43 overall ERA in three seasons also ranks third all-time in the Hawks' record books, while his freshman season ERA of 2.44 still stands fifth-best as a single-season mark.
"Ryan has some special abilities," stated Ristano. "This year, his fastball touched in the mid 90s and he has a big-time breaking ball. He’s got a great pitcher's body and he always has been a workhorse on the mound.”
The 2007 NEC and New Jersey Collegiate Baseball Association (NJCBA) Rookie of the Year, and Freshman All-American by Collegiate Baseball, Buch made two starts for the Hawks in NCAA Regionals, facing Nebraska in 2007 in Tempe, Arizona, and squaring off against Missouri's Kyle Gibson (No. 22 overall pick in this year's draft by Minnesota) in Oxford, Mississippi.
Last season at Monmouth, Buch went 6-1, posting a 3.66 ERA in 51.2 innings of work. In 11 games (9 starts), two of his wins were complete games, with one shutout and two combined shutouts. Ryan also ranked second on the team with 66 strikeouts. He allowed just 37 hits in 51.2 innings of work – a.198 average.
This season, Buch went 7-5 in 14 appearances (13 starts) with a 4.31 ERA, best on the team among pitchers with 60 or more innings pitched. This year, Ryan allowed 85 hits in 77.1 innings of work.
Those who haven’t followed Buch and some of the other high school standouts from Lower Bucks who’ve gone on to excel at Monmouth might remember Ryan when he was pitching at Conwell-Egan. Buch was a member of the Eagles team that went 16-0, capping their best season ever by clobbering St. Joseph’s Prep to capture the PCL Championship on the only undefeated team in the history of the Catholic league.
In two seasons at CEC, Ryan averaged more than two strikeouts per inning. He wasn’t bad with the bat either. The year the Eagles won it all, Buch hit .385 and led the PCL in triples.
He was also winning pitcher for the Mercer-Bucks Red Sox summer league team which won the league title and advanced to the NABF World Series.

Labels: Baseball, Conwell-Egan

By Steve Sherman
Sports Editor

Drag racing fans can see Funny car driver Marty Nothstein up close this Tuesday, June 16 in Bensalem.
Nothstein, 38, an Allentown native who once was an internationally renowned bicyclist who won gold and silver Olympic medals in cycling, now drives an NHRA Top Alcohol Funny Car for Follow A Dream racing team.
Nothstein is making an appearance from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Texas Roadhouse on Street Road in Bensalem.
A 1989 graduate of Emmaus High School, Nothstein retired from competitive cycling after the 2006 season and went straight to drag racing. He is in his third season driving an Alcohol Funny Car, which is the undercard division to the NHRA's nitro divisions.
Starting tonight, Marty will compete in the NHRA Super Nationals at Old Bridge Raceway Park in Englishtown, New Jersey. The event continues through Sunday.
The racers returned to Englishtown today with mixed emotions, thoughts of Scott Kalitta, who was killed last year in a horrific crash when his parachute failed to deploy in a Super Nationals qualifier still fresh in their minds. Kalitta’s car, a modified Toyota Solara, continued down the drag strip, hit a concrete post at 200 miles-an-hour and erupted into a fireball. The 46-year-old driver was pulled from the wreck barely clinging to life and was pronounced dead a short time later.
In order to prevent a recurrence of what happed to Kalitta, the NHRA has increased track distance from a quarter-mile to 1,000 feet.
Nothstein has won two races in the 2007 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series season; one at Bradenton Motorsports Park in Florida in the season opener, the other at Gateway International Raceway in Madison, Illinois. He finished 11th in points his first year in drag racing.
In cycling, he captured a silver medal in the match sprint at the 1996 Summer Olympics held that year in Atlanta. Four years later, he captured an Olympic gold medal in the same event in Sydney, Australia.
Nothstein still keeps his hand in bicycling. He’s the first-year executive director of Trexlertown’s Valley Preferred Cycling Center (VPCC) where he got his start in the business. The World Series of Bicycling kicked off Friday, June 5 at the Trexlertown cycling venue. Annandale, N.J. native Jame Carney outsprinted young gun Lanell Rockmore of Bethlehem in the final half-lap to take the season opener.
Next up at VPCC is the Festival of Speed which takes place on Friday. After that, it’s on to the BRL All-Star Finals on June 26. For more information, visit www.thevelodrome.com.
The Texas Roadhouse is located at 1545 Street Road in Bensalem. For more information, call 215-639-7427.
Old Bridge Raceway Park is located in Old Bridge Township, N.J. on 230 Pension Road in Englishtown. For more information visit www.etownraceway.com or call (732) 446-7800.

The top junior and sophomore prospects from The Eastern Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association will be on display for college recruiters tomorrow Thursday, June 11, at Haverford College in a brand new showcase event.
The Showcase will consist of two games, one for sophomores and one for juniors. Each game will feature a public school team vs. a private school team. The sophomore game will be played first at 5 p.m., and the junior game will follow immediately afterward.
Pennsbury has a pair of sophomores playing - Dan Marr and Ricky Jutkiewicz (pictured, above). Marr was recently named to the All-Suburban One League National Conference First Team. Jutkiewicz was given the nod to join the All-SOL-N Second Team.
Additionally, Holy Ghost has a pair of junior taking part in the contest - Andrijko Andrusko and Andrew Cacchio.
"The event will start a rigorous summer recruiting circuit that many of our players endure. We believe the best players in Eastern PA will be showing their talents on June 11 at Haverford College,” said EPSLA Vice-President and Episcopal Academy Head Coach Andy Hayes.
This event has been created in the spirit of the EPSLA’s mission statement “to promote the growth of lacrosse in Eastern Pennsylvania.”
The EPSLA has historically organized an end-of-year tournament for all high school teams in the region. With the sanctioning of boys’ lacrosse by the PIAA, however, the tournament is now in the hands of the state organization and is therefore limited to PIAA member schools—a new configuration that excludes some of the best programs in the region.
The EPSLA’s Showcase promises to redress that problem by ensuring all the top juniors and sophomores from EPSLA member schools will have the opportunity to showcase their talents for college recruiters. Organizers expect The Showcase to recapture the excitement of previous years’ tournaments.
The four teams for The Showcase were selected through a tryout held on Sunday, June 7 at Episcopal Academy. Each team carries 22 players and will be coached by a staff of EPSLA head coaches selected by their peers. EPSLA member coaches nominated the top players from their teams by the end of the season, and a selection committee comprised of EPSLA coaches determined which players would be invited to try out.
The inaugural EPSLA Sophomore and Junior Showcase promises to be an excellent recruiting opportunity for the area's elite lacrosse underclassmen, and will certainly garner the attention of many college lacrosse coaches from around the country.
"It will be an honor for both players and coaches to participate in this event. We have many elite lacrosse players in this area and The Showcase will be a great way for them to get exposure to college coaches," states Dean Curtis, EPSLA President and former Pennsbury High School Head Coach.
More information about the The Showcase can be found at www.eplsa.org.

Labels: Pennsbury, Pennsbury boys lacrosse

By Steve Sherman
Sports Editor

Archbishop Wood senior Adam Citko (pictured, right) has been named as this area's only representative in the PSFCA East/West All-Star game. The game is slated Friday, June 19 at Mansion Park in Altoona.
In Wood's fall 2008 campaign, Citko helped the Vikings' ground attack by opening up gaping holes for the likes of running backs Sean Cunningham, Sean McCartney and Nick Devine. His efforts helped Cunningham - a second team selection - tally more than 1,700 yards on the ground and 27 touchdowns this season, one in which Wood captured it's first District 12 championship and a trip to the PIAA Class AAA title game where it fell to two-time state champion Thomas Jefferson.
For the season, McCartney compiled 683 yards on 128 rushes. Devine carried the football 75 times for 479 yards.
This is the 9th annual east-west gridiron clash. Through it, players have been awarded more than $45,000 in scholarships toward their post-secondary school education.
For the first time in its history, the battle will be staged on the same weekend as the Big 33 Football Classic, which is set for Saturday, June 20 at HersheyPark Stadium.
Speaking of which, there are three area players taking part in the annual Big 33 game which pits the best seniors Pennsy has to offer against their counterparts in Ohio. Two are from Neshaminy including Jay Colbert and Dan Shirey. Council Rock South’s Justin Pugh has also been nominated to play in the game.
Colbert is a 6-1, 233-pound defensive end who is headed to New Hampshire. Shirey is a 6-2, 275-pound offensive lineman destined for Villanova in the fall. Pugh is also an O-lineman, but for the Golden Hawks, and weighs in at 6-5, 275 pounds. Justin is going to Syracuse.
NOTES: PSFCA is an acronym for Pennsylvania Scholastic Football Coaches Association.

Labels: Archbishop Wood, CR South, Neshaminy

Council Rock South senior Brett Gilson and John Cantwell made it to states this year for the Golden Hawk boys track & field team with Cantwell earning state berths in the long jump and the triple jump and Gilson competing in the pole vault.
Gilson was this year’s district runner-up in his craft with a vault of 14 feet, 6 inches. At the district meet held last month at Coatesville Area High School, Brett nearly cleared a height of 15 feet but couldn’t quite get there.
“I had enough height, just not enough penetration into the pit,” stated Gilson as he prepared for states. “I kept hitting the bar on my way down.”
Gilson, who is headed to Dartmouth in the fall, got himself a new 15-foot pole measuring before heading to states. “I’m real excited to use it,: stated Gilson. “It gives me more height coming off the top of it.”
With a 9th-place finish May 23 at the PIAA Class AAA meet at Shippensburg University’s Seth Grove Stadium, Gilson just missed earning a state medal with his 14-foot vault.
Two others--Mitch Codd, of Seneca Valley, and Chris Dougherty, of St. Joe’s Prep--tied for seventh place medals just ahead of Gilson. They also had 14-foot vaults but attained the winning height with fewer misses than Gilson.
Cantwell, who is headed to Miami of Ohio, placed 11th in the triple jump with a leap of 45 feet, 2.25 inches. Muhlenberg High’s Tyrell Ellison won the event after notching 49 feet, 0.75 inches.
Cantwell earned a 12th-place finish in the long jump, reaching a mark 22 feet 1-and-1/2 inches from the start. Matt Green, of Belle Vernon High, took the top prize with his leap of 23 feet 7.5 inches.
--Sports Editor Steve Sherman

Labels: CR South, track and field

The St. Joseph’s softball team has garnered multiple all-conference honors with four Hawks earning individual accolades. Freshman third baseman Monica Aguilar became the first Hawk in program history to be named Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year and was selected to the Atlantic 10 All-Conference First Team alongside junior catcher Brooke Darreff, a Central Bucks South graduate from Hartsville.
For the second straight season, Darreff has proven to be the best catcher in the Atlantic 10, earning her second consecutive All-Conference First Team honor.
Leading the Hawks with a .391 batting average and .457 on-base percentage, Darreff slugged a career-high four home runs, while driving in 29 runs and scoring 15 times.
The 2008 A-10 Player of the Year, Darreff posted an astounding 96 hits the past two seasons, while batting .427. She is currently 20th all-time in SJU softball history with 115 hits.
Senior outfielder Erika Rosenwinkel and senior pitcher Dani Gonzales earned All-Conference Second Team honors. The four award winners bring the Hawks’ all-time total to 32 All-Conference honorees.
As a team, St. Joe's was 22-18 on the season and 8-7 in Atlantic 10 play. This was the second time the Hawks have made the A-10 Tournament under head coach Terri Adams.
***
—Steve Sherman, Sports Editor

The Mercer County Carpenter Cup roster has been released and three players from Hopewell Valley Central have made it onto the team including second baseman Tyler Cignarella (pictured, right) along with outfielders Ben Meer and Carl Sorg.
Two players from Ewing High School - senior third baseman Nick Cifelli and junior lefthander Colin Holmes - have also been named to the tournament team.
Carpenter Cup play commences for Mercer at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 16 against Delaware South at University of Pennsylvania's Meiklejohn Stadium.
The tourney continues June 18 and 19 at Meiklejohn and moves to Citizens Bank Park on June 23 for the semifinals with the championship slated to go June 24.
All games are weather permitting.
--Sports Editor Steve Sherman
***
Carpenter Cup Classic
Mercer County
No. Name Cl. Pos. High School

24 Anthony Verderese Sr. OF Hamilton West
25 Ben Meer Sr. OF Hopewell
12 Brian Witkowski Sr. P Notre Dame
6 Carl Sorg Sr. OF Hopewell
23 Colin Holmes Jr. P Ewing
1 Eric Patterson Jr. 2B Nottingham
16 Joe Leone Sr. DH/3B Notre Dame
29 Jon Scott Jr. C Princeton Day School
22 Kevin Dragert Sr. P Steinert
9 Kevin Kocsak Sr. OF Hamilton West
32 Kyle Paul Jr. P Steinert
4 Kyle Reed Jr. P West Windsor North
14 Mark Kalokitis Sr. DH/C Steinert
30 Mark Moceri Jr. OF Steinert
7 Matt Chotkowski Sr. SS Nottingham
10 Matt Maher Sr. 3B Steinert
17 Matt Patterson Jr. 1B Nottingham
18 Mike Mimmo Jr. P Nottingham
8 Mike Tartaro Sr. OF West Windsor North
28 Neil Harm Sr. P Steinert
3 Nick Cifelli Sr. 3B Ewing
31 Nick Zucchero Sr. 1B Steinert
11 Ryan Phelan Jr. C West Windsor North
21 Scott Kelly Sr. SS West Windsor North
5 Tyler Cignarella Sr. 2B Hopewell
Alternates:
Kevin Fitzell Jr. P Lawrence
Mike Ford Jr. P/3B Hun School
Andrew Septer Sr. C Hamilton West
***
Head Coach
3 - Brian Giallella
Assistant Coaches
8 - John Constantino
24 - Kip Harrison
25 - Tom Brettell

The Carpenter Cup Classic baseball tournament rosters have been released and it looks like two players from lower Bucks have been selected, namely Conwell-Egan seniors Kevin Cahill and Ben Keller.

Cahill was the Eagles ace on the mound this year, going 5-0 during the season before helping Egan overtake Lansdale Catholic in the first round of the Philadelphia Catholic League tournament. Keller was the most consistent hitter for the Eagles this season. Both players were named First Team All-Catholic when the season came to a close.

For Archbishop Wood, senior catcher Mike Kerns, junior infielder Matt McAllister, sophomore infielder Kyle McCrossen, lefthander Jeff Courter, an AW sophomore, and junior outfielder Brian O'Grady will represent the Vikings.

O'Grady and McCrossen were named First Team All-Catholic at their repsective positions. Kerns made it there as a designated hitter.

Neumann-Goretti juniors Mark Donato and Al Bauer will represent the 2009 PCL Champions. Both are First Team All-Catholic with Bauer named to the prestigious list at two positions.

Pitcher Kevin Gillen, this year's Red Division MVP, is among two players representing St. Joe's Prep. But somehow Kenedy-Kenrick infielder Christian "Ya-Ya" Walker, this year's Blue Division MVP, was left off the PCL roster.

Jim DiGuiseppe Sr. - this year's Blue Division Coach of the Year - and Jim DiGuiseppe Jr. are among five assistant coaches selected to help PCL head coach Steve Carr, of Cardinal Dougherty.
--Sports Editor Steve Sherman
***
Carpenter Cup Baseball
Philadelphia Catholic League
No. Name Cl. Pos. High School
19 Al Baur Jr. INF/P Neuman-Goretti
6 Ben Keller Sr. OF Conwell-Egan
5 Bob Hopkins Sr. INF/P Northeast Catholic
28 Brian O'Grady Jr. OF Archbishop Wood
12 Gio Morales Sr. OF St. Joes Prep
37 Jeff Courter Soph. P Archbishop Wood
33 Jeff Lynch Sr. 1B St. Joes Prep
18 Joe Aloia Sr. OF LaSalle
17 Joe Armata Sr. C Neuman-Goretti
16 Joe Harvey Jr. 1B/P Kennedy-Kenrick
30 Jon Schmidt Sr. OF Archbishop Ryan
24 Kevin Cahill Sr. P Conwell-Egan
36 Kevin Conroy Jr. DH Father Judge
31 Kevin Gillen Sr. P St. Joes Prep
10 Kyle McCrossen Soph. INF Archbishop Wood
15 Mark Donato Jr. 1B/P Neuman-Goretti
39 Marty Venafro Fr. INF Neuman-Goretti
23 Matt McAllister Jr. INF/P Archbishop Wood
32 Mike Kerns Sr. C Archbishop Wood
29 Mike Riverso Jr. OF Neuman-Goretti
2 Mike Zolk Soph. INF. Northeast Catholic
11 Ryan Etsell Jr. INF/P Northeast Catholic
27 Ryan Hires Soph. DH Northeast Catholic
38 Tom Neeley Sr. P Archbishop Ryan
22 Tyler Freeman Sr. INF LaSalle
Alternates:
9 John Campbell Jr. OF Lansdale Catholic
34 Sean Murphy Sr. OF St. Joes Prep
8 Andrew Onimus Jr. OF Cardinal O'Hara
***
Head Coach
21- Steve Carr Cardinal Dougherty
Assistant Coaches
14 - Jim DiGuiseppe Sr. Archbishop Wood
4 - Jim DiGuiseppe Jr. Archbishop Wood
7 - Lou Spadaccini Neuman-Goretti
15 - Kevin Manning West Catholic
25 - Joe DeBarberie Monsignor Bonner

The SOL National/Bicentennial - last year's reigning Carpenter Cup champions - kicks off tournament play at 9 a.m. Wednesday, June 17 against Berks County at University of Pennsylvania's Meiklejohn Stadium.
The tourney continues June 18 and 19 at Meiklejohn and moves to Citizens Bank Park on June 23 for the semifinals with the championship slated to also go at the Phillies ballpark June 24.
All games are weather permitting.
--Sports Editor Steve Sherman
***
Carpenter Cup Baseball
SOL National-Bicentennial

No. Name Cl. Pos. B/T High School
19 Adam Moore Jr. INF/OF Bristol
21 Andrew Strenge Sr. P Holy Ghost Prep
5 Bill Fleming So. SS Council Rock South
7 Brad Lampson Sr. 1B New Hope
12 Brian Beyer So. C Truman
1 Brian Fiocco Sr. 2B/OF Neshaminy
15 Chris Bechter Sr. OF Truman
18 Corey Hower Sr. OF Abington
24 Dan Doyle Sr. P William Tennent
9 Eric Ebert Sr. 3B Council Rock South
11 Greg Olenski Jr. C Holy Ghost Prep
20 Greg Welsh So. P Council Rock South
25 Jake Ruch Jr. P Abington
2 John Schiotis Jr. 2B Truman
22 Josh Patman Sr. P Truman
13 Kelly Adams Sr. P/OF Council Rock North
3 Matt Hone Sr. INF Council Rock North
14 Nick Mascioli Jr. OF Delco Christian
16 Pat Traczykiewicz Jr. OF William Tennent
23 Ray Hyjurick Jr. P Neshaminy
4 Rick Brebner Jr. SS/3B Neshaminy
10 Ryan Seiz Jr. C Christopher Dock
6 Scott Runzer Sr. P/1B Council Rock North
8 Shane Coleman Sr. 3B Holy Ghost Prep
17 Tyler Orr Sr. OF Neshaminy
Alternates
26 Tim Lazor So. C-OF Holy Ghost Prep
***
Head Coach: Keith Smeraglio, Holy Ghost Prep
Assistant Coaches
Dennis Cox Neshaminy
Dave Torresani Abington
Rick Lee Bensalem
***
SCHEDULE
Wednesday, June 17
University of Pennsylvania - Meiklejohn Stadium
Time Teams
9 a.m. SOL National/Bicentennial vs Berks County

The Carpenter Cup Classic tournament pairings have been released and Bucks County baseball fans can’t wait for the games to begin.
That’s because the Suburban One League (SOL) National/ Bicentennial Athletic League (BAL) is coming off a Carpenter Cup baseball championship in 2008.
Who can forget SOL-N/ BAL lefthanders Josh Patman, of Harry S Truman, and Vinnie Vorhees, of New Hope-Solebury High, teaming up to defeat Mercer, 8-3, in the opener and, 6-0, in the semis versus defending champion Chester County.
The tables were turned in the championship round however, as SOL National/ Bicentennial dug itself out of a 5-0 deficit with its bats, defeating Lehigh Valley, 7-6, to capture the Carpenter Cup title at Citizens Bank Park.
Christopher Dock sophomore Ryan Seiz was the hero for the locals, rocketing a 2-run walk-off homerun in the bottom of the ninth to propel his team to its first ever Carpenter Cup title since the team was formed in 2004.
The tourney tips off Monday, June 15 at University of Pennsylvania’s Meiklejohn Stadium. The first battle features Olympic Colonial vs. SOL American & Continental.
The Philadelphia Catholic League gets their chance at 4 p.m. Tuesday, June 16 when they take on 2007 champion Chester. The SOL National/BAL has to wait until 9 a.m. Wednesday, June 17 to take on Berks County.
The tourney continues June 18 and 19 at Meiklejohn and moves to Citizens Bank Park on June 23 for the semifinals with the championship slated to go June 24.
All games are weather permitting.
--Sports Editor Steve Sherman
***
SCHEDULE
Monday, June 15
University of Pennsylvania - Meiklejohn Stadium
Time Teams
9 a.m. Olympic Colonial vs. SOL American & Continental
12:30 p.m. Tri-Cape vs. Delaware North
4 p.m. Philadelphia Public League vs. Jersey Shore

Tuesday, June 16
University of Pennsylvania - Meiklejohn Stadium
Time Teams
9 a.m. Burlington County vs. Delaware County
12:30 p.m. Mercer County vs. Delaware South
4 p.m. Chester County vs. Philadelphia Catholic League

Wednesday, June 17
University of Pennsylvania - Meiklejohn Stadium
Time Teams
9 a.m. SOL National/Bicentennial vs Berks County
12:30 p.m. Lehigh Valley vs Inter AC/Independents

Newtown Legion Coach Bob Maley could not schedule any games for Post 440 while Council Rock North conducted its postseason run. North opened state tournament play June 1 with a win over Central High School. Slated to play a state quarterfinal pairing against North Penn on Thursday, June 4 and again on Friday, June 5, the Indians were stuck inside with the rains coming down outside. The battle against the Knights finally took place on Saturday with North Penn edging the Rock, 2-1.
Now, Maley can finally gather his Legion team, though the makeup games are too numerous to mention them all.
There are two Newtown games added to this week's baseball lineup including a home game at noon, Sunday, June 14 against Yardley-Western. And next Wednesday's road match-up against Northampton has been turned into a 5:30 p.m. doubleheader.
-Sports Editor Steve Sherman

Newtown Legion Post 440
Updated Schedule

Northampton at Newtown Wednesday 6-10-09 5:45 p.m.
Falls at Newtown Thursday 6-11-09 5:45 p.m.
Newtown at Yardley/Morrisville Friday 6-12-09 5:45 p.m.
Yardley/Morrisville at Newtown Saturday 6-13-09 12:00
Yardley/Western at Newtown Sunday 6-14-09 12:00
Yardley/Western at Newtown Monday 6-15-09 5:45 p.m.
Bristol at Newtown Tuesday 6-16-09 5:45 p.m.
Newtown at Northampton Wednesday 6-17-09 (5:30 p.m. Doubleheader)
Newtown at Yardley/Western Monday 6-22-09 5:45 p.m.
Lower Southampton at Newtown Thursday 6-25-09 5:45 p.m.
Newtown at Yardley/Western Sunday 6-28-09 1 p.m.
Falls at Newtown Monday 6-29-09 5:45 p.m.
Newtown at Falls Tuesday 6-30-09 5:45 p.m.
Newtown at Bristol Wednesday 7-1-09 5:45 p.m.
Lower South at Newtown Thursday 7-2-09 5:45 p.m.
Yardley/Morrisville at Newtown Friday 7-3-09 5:45 p.m.
Newtown at Lower South Sunday 7-5-09 (1 p.m. Doubleheader)
Newtown at Bristol Monday 7-6-09 5:45
Bristol at Newtown TBD TBD TBD
***
FIELDS
Bristol: Truman High School
Falls: Pennsbury High School
Lower South: Copper Kettle Field
Yardely/Morrisville: Phila Biblical University
Northampton: Northampton Civic Center
Yardley/Western: Conwell-Egan High School

Doubleheader at Northampton on 6/17 will start at 5:30 p.m.

Doubleheader at Lower Southampton on 7/5 will start at 1 p.m.

Labels: CR North, CR North Baseball

By John Gleeson
Correspondent

All-Star football games by their very nature feature two dream teams, loaded with talent and enthusiasm. With the rules slightly modified to showcase the offensive performers, pure athleticism reigns supreme.
Last Saturday’s 34th annual Bucks County Lions Club All-Star game held at War Memorial Field in Doylestown was no exception. Seniors from the North and South of Lower Bucks County locked horns for 52 minutes as they battled for one final taste of high school gridiron glory. When the final horn sounded, the blue clad warriors from the north found themselves on the winning side of a 16-7 score.
Of the many stellar performers, Mike Doty of Central Bucks South certainly gave off the most radiant glow. The 6’4” Maine University-bound wide receiver snagged 11 passes good for 210 yards.
Doty’s effort was so dominant that he accounted for over half of the North’s 336 total yards and 12 of their 16 points. Not bad for one last scamper across the scholastic gridiron.
Doty did not wait to unleash his athleticism. On North’s initial possession, coach Steve Devlin opted to start with a little razzle-dazzle. When an end-around throwback pass to quarterback Sean McCartney fell incomplete, Devlin employed more conventional tactics. Drop your QB deep in the pocket, chuck the ball long, and let your big receiver make full use of his height advantage.
The wisdom worked to perfection. Sean McCartney spotted Doty working the left sideline against a smaller Scott Woodard of Pennsbury and lofted a bomb in his direction. Doty skied over his 6-inch shorter defender, tipped the ball in the air, and caught the deflection flat on his back.
The play netted 31 yards and put North on the South’s 14 yard line. Four plays and a holding penalty later, McCartney and Doty finished what they started when they hooked up on a 15 yard TD pass.
Coty’s effort certainly drew the praise of coach Devlin, “Doty is a stud. It was a pleasure to get to coach him for the last two weeks. Not only is he a great player, but he is a great kid. He always has a smile on his face.”
Doty gave all the North supporters reason to smile when he snagged his second TD, a 24-yard scoring strike from Pennridge’s Brad Herrmann, with 1:04 left in the third quarter. The tally gave coach Devlin’s squad a 9-point lead, all they would need to gain North its 20th victory in the series that started back in 1972. The victory also snapped a four-game win streak by the South.
Where Coty’s athleticism certainly stole the spotlight and earned his team’s MVP honors, North quarterback Sean McCartney could justifiably be recognized as the most versatile performer of the night. The 6’3,” 180-pound signal caller ran four times for eight yards, completed 9 of 12 passes for 145 yards and one touchdown. On defense, he intercepted a pass.
Of his many exploits, however, McCartney’s punt in the second quarter might well serve as his most memorable achievement. Facing a fourth down at midfield, McCartney rolled to his right and managed to get off a rugby style kick that rolled dead at their opponent’s one yard line. On South’s first play from scrimmage, CB West’s Matt McMurdo raced across the line of scrimmage and tackled Conwell Egan running back Joe Trotter in the end zone for a safety.
The South team, led by Truman coach Van Smith, boasted some pretty outstanding performances of their own. Pennsbury’s Steve Marck gave the South its only touchdown of the game when he hauled in a perfect toss from Conwell-Egan’s Matt Della-Croce for a 55-yard score. His fellow Falcon teammate Rich Applegate earned his team’s MVP honors for toting the pigskin 16 times for 66 yards.
Once again, the Dream Teams lived up to their billing, leaving local fans one last memory of some great local gridders.
***
NOTES: The win was the North's first since 2004. The All-Star Game was founded in 1972 with the Bucks County Lions Club beginning it sponsorship in 1976. The North leads the series now with 21 wins and 14 losses. There were also three ties.
***

LINESCORES
North All-Stars 7 2 7 0--16
South All-Stars 0 7 0 0--7
(June 6 at War Memorial Stadium)
***
SUMMARY
N: Mike Doty 15-yd. pass from Sean McCartney (James McFadden kick)
S: Stephen Marck 55-yd. pass from Matt Della-Croce (Blake Montgomery kick)
N: Safety
N: Doty 24-yd. pass from Brad Herrmann (McFadden kick)
***
TEAM STATS
North South
18 First Downs 13
118 Yards Rushing 103
218 Yards Passing 58
336 Total Offense 161
13-21-0 Pass/Comp/Int 2-10-2
8-90 Penalties 1-15
3-36 Punts 1-28
***
INDIV STATS
SOUTH
Rushing: Richie Applegate 16-66; Rus Chichkin 2-11; Jordin Lollis 3-15; Joe Tretter 2-10; Terry Walker 9-6; Matt Della-Croce 1-1; Ron Vogelei 2-(-6). Totals 35-103.
Passing: Della Croce 1-2-1, 55 yards and TD; Vogelei 1-5-1, 3 yards; Walker 0-3-0, 0 yards. Totals 2-10-2, 58 yards.
Receiving: Steve Marck 1-55 and TD; Chichkin 1-3. Totals 2-58 and TD
***
NORTH
Rushing: Devon Passman 9-58; Brad Herrmann 10-22; Sean Cunningham 5-9; Nick Devine 2-9; Sean McCartney 4-8; Ted Conrad 2-8; Mike Doty 1-3. Totals: 33-118.
Passing: McCartney 9-12-0; 145 yards 1 TD; Herrmann 4-5-0, 73 yards and 1 TD; Tom Johns 0-2-0, 0 yards; Passman 0-1-0, 0 yards; Doty 0-1-0, 0 yards. Totals: 13-21-0, 218 yards and 2 TD.
Receiving: Doty 11-210- 2 TD; Devine 1-6; Caleb Swartley 1-2. Totals: 13-218 and 2 TD.
Interceptions: Greg Kogut, McCartney.

By Mary Jane Souder
For BucksLocalSports

ROYERSFORD — It had the look and feel of a risky play with little chance of succeeding.
But this was an advertisement for the value of perseverance.
Twice with Jimmy Smith barreling towards home from third on called suicide squeeze plays in Saturday's PIAA quarterfinal game against North Penn, Knights batter Mark Grassie attempted to bunt fastballs well out of the strike zone.
The first, Grassie somehow managed to get a piece of for a foul tip that saved the base runner. The second, he missed, but with no one anywhere near third, Smith beat the third baseman back to the bag.
North Penn fans exhaled.
"They were fastballs that rode away," Grassie said of his first two attempts. "I couldn't seem to reach out there and get them. With the squeeze, you have to try to get them.
"I tried."
Would Grassie get a third try?
"I knew coach (Bob) McCreary had confidence in me to get bunts down," he said. "I've been bunting a lot the whole year. I really have it hammered in my brain.
"He really believes I can do it."
That belief prompted the Knights' coach to call for the suicide squeeze yet one more time. Grassie wasn't surprised.
"I've actually gotten it with two strikes a couple of times this year," he said.
This time, Grassie didn't see a fastball out of the strike zone but rather a curveball. He knew exactly what to do with it, laying down a bunt toward the mound that easily scored Smith — who doubled to lead off the inning — with the game's first run. North Penn went on to defeat Council Rock North 2-1 June 6 in a PIAA Class AAAA quarterfinal contest.
"I knew there were two strikes, but I have to say I really wasn't that nervous," said Grassie, who was safe at first with his first of two hits on the day. "I felt really confident. I think that's the reason I got the bunt down.
"It was a curveball that started down the middle and dropped to my knees. That's actually a pretty good pitch to bunt, rather than one up high.
"I knew he (Rock North pitcher Scott Runzer) might be coming with a curveball because he threw me two fastballs right before that, so I knew I had to stay low and drop that bunt down because we really needed that run to get us going."
The run put the Knights on top 1-0 in the third, and the significance of Grassie's ability to execute was underscored in Rock North's sixth when - with Kelly Adams on third with one out and the Knights clinging to a 2-1 lead — the Indians failed to push the tying run across with back-to-back bunts.
On the first, Ryan Venner bunted the ball back to the mound on a safety squeeze. Pitcher Eric Ruth looked Adams back at third and fired to Grassie, who was covering first, for the second out. The threat ended when Tim Filer's bunt for a base hit was fielded by Ruth, who threw to first to retire Filer and the Indians.
"Ruth throws the ball very well," Rock North coach Dan Kusters said of his decision to call for a pair of bunts. "He wasn't necessarily throwing the ball by our guys, but in that situation with a runner on third, we need to do whatever we can to get the runner in.
"Tim is a very good bunter, and that third baseman was so far back. He had a chance to put it down and tie the game."
It didn't happen, and on the other side of the diamond, the Knights were celebrating because McCreary's unwavering faith in Grassie's ability to lay down a bunt turned out to be well-founded.
"He's a good fundamental player, and as a nine hitter you're looking for him to put a bat on the ball," the Knights' coach said. "I just had a gut (feeling) to try a suicide squeeze there.
"It didn't work out the first couple of times, but I said, 'What the heck— try again,' and thankfully for us, it worked."
And because it did the Knights are in the most enviable position — the state semifinals, just one win away from a spot in the state championship game.

Labels: Baseball, CR North, CR North Baseball

Trailing Owen J. Roberts, 8-4, in the top of the seventh inning May 22 in the district quarterfinals, Council Rock North senior catcher Tyler Farrell rode a pitch into the gap in right center scoring Jesse Goldberg and Matt Hone and giving the Rock the lead for good.
The final tally was an 11-8 victory over the Wildcats, a win that not only propelled the Rock to states, it also advanced North to the D-I semifinals May 26 where the Indians edged Garnet Valley, 3-2, to get to the district championship.
***
Compiled by Sports Editor Steve Sherman

Labels: CR North, CR North Baseball

On March 15, the Bucks Gymnastics Center II Level 7 team captured a first place trophy in the Lucky Star Challenge, defeating seven opponents in the process.
Melissa Foote took first place in all four events and first place in all-around with a score of 35.85. Teammate Madison Sendlock took first in vault (9.7), first in bars, first in floor, second in beam and first place all-around with a score of 37.3.
Siobhan Dougherty scored a 9.475 on vault for first place. She also took second place in bars, beam, floor and all-around (35.675). Pat Caucci placed second on vault (9.3) and third in floor exercise (8.875).
In Level 8 competition, Katie Houser took first in floor (9.5), second in vault and beam (9.375), fourth in bars and first place all-around with a score of 37.0254. Cassie Marshall tool third place in vault.
In the more advanced Level 9 competition, Shannon Foote had a fine showing by placing third in beam (8.8) while scoring 33.85 in all-around.
Later in March, the Level 7 team scored a second place trophy at the Dave Moscovitz Invitational Meet at Berks East Gymnasium in Reading.
Jessica Lewis placed second in beam (9.2), second in floor (9.325) and fourth all-around with a 36.175.
Madison Sendlock took third in floor with a 9.1 and an all-around score of 35.3.
Siobhan Dougherty took fourth in bars (9.05), fifth in beam (9.075) and fifth all-around with a 36.075.
Melissa Foote placed third in beam with a score of 9.175. Patricia Caucci placed third in vault (9.25) and fifth in floor (9.05).
The gymnasts are coached by Kelly Straka, Mike Peters and Kim Ray.

The Carpenter Cup Classic tournament pairings have been released and Bucks County baseball fans can’t wait for the games to begin.
That’s because the Suburban One League (SOL) National/ Bicentennial Athletic League (BAL) is coming off a Carpenter Cup baseball championship in 2008.
Who can forget SOL-N/ BAL lefthanders Josh Patman, of Harry S Truman, and Vinnie Vorhees, of New Hope-Solebury High, teaming up to defeat Mercer, 8-3, in the opener and, 6-0, in the semis versus defending champion Chester County.
The tables were turned in the championship round however, as SOL National/ Bicentennial dug itself out of a 5-0 deficit with its bats, defeating Lehigh Valley, 7-6, to capture the Carpenter Cup title at Citizens Bank Park.
Christopher Dock sophomore Ryan Seiz was the hero for the locals, rocketing a 2-run walk-off homerun in the bottom of the ninth to propel his team to its first ever Carpenter Cup title since the team was formed in 2004.
The tourney tips off Monday, June 15 at University of Pennsylvania’s Meiklejohn Stadium. The first battle features Olympic Colonial vs. SOL American & Continental.
The Philadelphia Catholic League gets there chance at 4 p.m. Tuesday, June 16 when they take on 2007 champion Chester. The SOL National/BAL has to wait until 9 a.m. Wednesday, June 17 to take on Berks County.
The tourney continues June 18 and 19 at Meiklejohn and moves to Citizens Bank Park on June 23 for the semifinals with the championship slated to go June 24.
All games are weather permitting.
--Sports Editor Steve Sherman
Monday, June 15
University of Pennsylvania - Meiklejohn Stadium
Time Teams
9 a.m. Olympic Colonial vs. SOL American & Continental
12:30 p.m. Tri-Cape vs. Delaware North
4 p.m. Philadelphia Public League vs. Jersey Shore

Tuesday, June 16
University of Pennsylvania - Meiklejohn Stadium
Time Teams
9 a.m. Burlington County vs. Delaware County
12:30 p.m. Mercer County vs. Delaware South
4 p.m. Chester County vs. Philadelphia Catholic League

Wednesday, June 17
University of Pennsylvania - Meiklejohn Stadium
Time Teams
9 a.m. SOL National/Bicentennial vs Berks County
12:30 p.m. Lehigh Valley vs Inter AC/Independents

By George O'Gorman
For BucksLocalSports

SOUTH PLAINFIELD--Emily Kianka picked the biggest stage of all to have the best day of her high jump career.
The Hopewell Valley junior won the gold medal she was denied a year ago June 4 at the Meet of Champions, and did it with an all-time Mercer County record when she cleared 5 feet, 9.25 inches to earn the only gold for the Colonial Valley Conference at the season’s final track and field meet.
Kianka’s jump, the second time this year she has bettered the existing county record, was one of three all-time Mercer bests established last week with a crowd of over 5,500 watching at Frank Jost Field.
West Windsor South’s Kate Kellner set another all-time county mark when she ran second in the 3200 in 10:34.04 in the final race of her NJSIAA career.
She was one of two CVC girls who took second place medals, with Nottingham’s Stephanie Hicks earning the other with a 14.65 clocking in the 100 meter hurdles.
Ewing’s Tayona Brown collected a third place medal with a 17-8 long jump after she had taken seventh behind Kianka in the high jump, while her Ewing teammate Brigit Roemer also high jumped 5-4 for sixth.
The third county girls record erased was the one Hopewell Valley’s Clare Buck broke in the 1600 meters with a 4:54.0 that bettered the 1600 mark of 4:54.89 former Hopewell Valley star Emily Sherrard held.
Overall, it was one of the best nights Mercer County girls have ever had at the Meet of Champions — topped by Kianka’s jump.
Earlier this season, she bettered the old county high jump mark by a quarter inch with a 5-8.25 leap. She had been looking to improve that mark ever since, but last night saw it all come together.
Tied for second a year ago with Roemer and Brown, this time Kianka took charge of the competition early clearing 5-2 and 5-4 on her first attempts before missing 5-8 on her first try at that height.
She became the only girl to clear 5-8 on her next jump, then went straight to the 5-9.25 height to break her own Mercer mark.
After clearing that height, she tried to set the meet mark of 5-10 but didn’t get over, although she had three excellent attempts at that height.
“I definitely felt confident today,” she said. “Clearing 5-9 was my goal tonight. After making 5-8 on my second jump, I knew I could do it.
“I think with more experience of jumping in big meets, I can get that 5-10,” said Kianka, whose next jumps may come at the Nike Nationals in Greensboro, N.C. in two weeks, where she came in third a year ago.
Long after Kianka became only the second HoVal girl to win Meet of Champions gold--Julie Alexander won the 400 hurdles last year--Hicks and Kellner were turning in their best runs of the spring.
Hicks came through the preliminary round of the 100 hurdles in second place to Ugonna Ndu of Union, who she would duel in the final 40 meters a few minutes later in the hurdles final. Ndu ended first in 14.17 with Hicks next at 14.68.
Amber Scott of Robbinsville, the Group I champ, was fourth at 14.76.
“I feel like I could have won,” said Hicks. “I got out of the blocks with her (Ndu) and we were together for seven hurdles, then I had a little trouble on the next hurdle and she took off.
“I went over the hurdle funny and when I recovered I couldn’t catch her,” said Hicks, the county champ the last two years.
Kellner’s runner-up run was very impressive as well as she did her best to stay ahead of the second group of runners after Chelsea Ley of Kingsway ran a blistering first two laps and went on to win in 10:19.31.
Kellner’s sister Caroline, a freshman, came in ninth in 10:43.61, with Julie Jablonski of HoVal tenth at 10:47.23.
“I’m really happy. I don’t think I could have run much faster,” said Kellner, who was third in the Meet of Champions cross country race last fall. “My goal was to stay with Chelsea as long as I could, but she went out so fast. I can’t run a 400 as fast she she did on that first lap.”

Labels: Hopewell Valley, track and field

By Jim Shay
For BucksLocalSports

Manager Joe Fuhrman may have owned the game ball after Hopewell Post 339’s comeback win last Wednesday, June 3, but it was his shortstop who provided the late-game heroics.
With the skies growing darker entering the bottom of the seventh inning, and talk of a suspended game growing louder, James Lauer broke a 3-3 tie with a two-out laser just past the outstretched glove of Ewing Post 314 centerfielder Joe Sgroi to seal a 4-3 win.
The win marked the first of Fuhrman’s managerial career.
“I was struggling the first few at bats with that lefty, and this kid was throwing a little bit harder,” Lauer said. “It was kind of hard to see, to be honest, but I just kept my weight back and tried to go the other way.”
What began as a slugfest quickly turned into a tightly-contested pitcher’s duel, as both Ewing southpaw Matt Ianni and Hopewell’s James McGraw settled down after a shaky first few outs.
Facing a 2-1 deficit entering the top of the third inning, Ewing emerged with the lead thanks to a two-run double from first baseman Asa Rodriguez.
Ianni held Hopewell hitless over the next three innings before issuing a pair of walks and a passed ball in the sixth.
Post 339 designated hitter Doug Sensi took full advantage and delivered the game-tying single.
From that point on, confusion ran rampant on the basepaths for Hopewell.
Ewing’s Steve Arnold delivered his first pitches in relief of Ianni before Sensi broke for second only to find himself well behind catcher Mark Metcalfe’s throw, killing the sixth-inning rally.
Eric Palin failed to advance to third in the bottom of the seventh after his one-out sintoward sent teammate Jeff Mulford flying toward home plate and into a run down.
But after Arnold followed by issuing a walk, Lauer stepped to the plate and took advantage of a Ewing shift that left a gaping hole in right centerfield.
“We had a great, great outing from James McGraw, he stepped up big, showed a lot of heart out there,” Fuhrman said. “As a team, we could have folded. We could have folded when they made that big out in the seventh in that rundown, but we came out and got a big hit.”
Despite watching the lead slowly slip away from his team, Ewing manager Jon Conant remained positive following the loss.
“It was a tough game to lose,” Jon Conant said. “We’ve got to hold our heads up, though, we played a good game, not to take any credit away from Hopewell. They did what they had to do to win.”
Upcoming Post 339 games
Home Field: Hopewell Valley Central High School (HVCHS)
June 6 @ 11 a.m. West Windsor Plainsboro WWP-South HS
June 8 @ 5:45 p.m. North Trenton Post 458 Nottingham HS
June 9 @ 5:45 p.m. Lawrence Post 414 HVCHS
June 10 @ 5:45 p.m. Trenton/Mitchell Davis Post 93/182 HVCHS
June 12 @ 5:45 p.m. Robbinsville Post 530 Robbinsville HS
June 13 @ 11 a.m. Hightstown Post 148 HVCHS

Labels: Hopewell Valley, Hopewell Valley baseball

The top junior and sophomore prospects from The Eastern Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association will be on display for college recruiters on Thursday, June 11, at Haverford College in a brand new showcase event.
The Showcase will consist of two games, one for sophomores and one for juniors. Each game will feature a public school team vs. a private school team. The sophomore game will be played first at 5 , and the junior game will follow immediately afterwards.
"The event will start a rigorous summer recruiting circuit that many of our players endure. We believe the best players in Eastern PA will be showing their talents on June 11th at Haverford College,” said EPSLA Vice‐President and Episcopal Academy Head Coach Andy Hayes.
This event has been created in the spirit of the EPSLA’s mission statement “to promote the growth of lacrosse in Eastern Pennsylvania.”
The EPSLA has historically organized an end‐of‐year tournament for all high school teams in the region. With the sanctioning of boys’ lacrosse by the PIAA, the tournament is now in the hands of the state organization and is therefore limited to PIAA member schools—a new configuration that excludes some of the best programs in the region.
The EPSLA’s Showcase promises to redress that problem by ensuring all the top juniors and sophomores from EPSLA member schools will have the opportunity to showcase their talents for college recruiters. Organizers expect The Showcase to recapture the excitement of previous years’ tournaments.
The four teams for The Showcase were selected through a tryout at Episcopal Academy on Sunday, June 7. Each team will carry 22 players and will be coached by a staff of EPSLA head coaches selected by their peers. EPSLA member coaches will nominate the top players from their teams by the end of the season, and a selection committee comprised of EPSLA coaches will determine which players will be invited to try out. Interested players should notify their high school coach if they wish to try out.
The inaugural EPSLA Sophomore and Junior Showcase promises to be an excellent recruiting opportunity for the area's elite lacrosse underclassmen, and will certainly garner the attention of many college lacrosse coaches from around the country.
"It will be an honor for both players and coaches to participate in this event. We have many elite lacrosse players in this area and The Showcase will be a great way for them to get exposure to college coaches," added Dean Curtis, EPSLA President and former Pennsbury High School Head Coach.
More information about the The Showcase can be found at www.eplsa.org.

Labels: Pennsbury, Pennsbury boys lacrosse

Friday, June 5
BASEBALL
Yardley Morrisville vs. Falls Post 834 at Philadelphia Biblical, 5:45 p.m.
Lower Southampton vs. Bandits at Kopper Kettle Field, 7 p.m.
South Brunswick Post 401 vs. Falls Post 834 at South Brunswick, 7 p.m.

Saturday, June 6
BASEBALL
* Newtown vs. Northampton at Council Rock North HS, Noon.
Yardley Western vs. Bristol at Conwell-Egan HS, 1 p.m.
Narberth Post 356 vs. Falls Post 834 at Narberth Post 356, 1 p.m.
Yardley Morrisville vs. Lower Southampton at Philadelphia Biblical, 1 p.m.

Sunday, June 7
BASEBALL
* Falls Post 834 vs. Newtown at Pennsbury HS, 1 p.m.
Northampton vs. Lower Southampton at Civic Center 290, 1 p.m.
Falls Post 834 vs. Ivy Ridge at Pennsbury HS, 5 p.m.
Quakertown vs. Yardley-Morrisville at Memorial Park, 7 p.m.

Monday, June 8
BASEBALL
Bristol vs. Lower Southampton at Truman HS, 5:45 p.m.
Yardley-Western vs. Yardley-Morrisville at Conwell-Egan HS, 5:45 p.m.

Tuesday, June 9
BASEBALL
Falls Post 834 vs. Northampton at Pennsbury HS, 5:45 p.m.
* Yardley-Morrisville vs. Newtown at Philadelphia Biblical, 5:45 p.m.

Wednesday, June 10
BASEBALL
Yardley-Morrisville vs. Yardley-Western at Philadelphia Biblical, 5:45 p.m.
Lower Southampton vs. Olney at Kopper Kettle Field, 7 p.m.

* All Newtown Legion games are suspended while Council Rock North conducts its state playoff run. CRN won its opener then had its June 4 quarterfinal pairing postponed until today (June 5). With rains continuing to pelt the region, today's matchup with North Penn could also be postponed until Monday, June 8. Should that happen, both the Saturday matchup with Northampton and the Sunday pairing vs. Falls would be postponed.

By Steve Sherman
Sports Editor

This year’s District One AAAA runnerup, Council Rock North would like nothing better than to win a state championship.
The Indians opened state play on Monday with a 6-2 victory over District 12 runnerup Central.
They head to round two at 3 p.m. today in Boyertown (weather permitting) in a quarterfinal pairing against SOL Continental Conference rival North Penn.
“I think anyone who starts playing high school baseball wants to win a state championship if they can,” stated Indians catcher Tyler Farrell.
“It might not always be realistic but once you have a shot at it, you can see it in sight and you want to fulfill it.
"You wanna go out there and win it.”
In their state opening triumph over Central High, Ryan Hartley got things moving in the right direction when he drove in the Rock’s first run with a second-inning, two-out single to left that scored Tim Filer, on board second with a single and a stolen base.
The Indians added another run in the third on a Scott Runzer single that scored Jesse Goldberg.
The Indians then sacked Central starter Stephen Schall in the fourth, building a 5-1 edge. Hartley again was a catalyst, leading off with a bloop single to right then advancing to second on a groundout.
Goldberg and shortstop Matt Hone laid down consecutive bunts with both runners reaching to load the bases, paving the way to a 3-run Indian outburst.
Runzer did the rest, scattering four hits and three walks while striking out five. At the plate, he added a pair of RBIs on 2 hits.
The 6-2 victory over Central put the Indians on their way. A win over North Penn and two more nets the Rock Keystone Gold.
“We really want to finish our senior year of right—with a state championship,” said Hone Wednesday afternoon in a post-practice interview.
“That would mean so much to all of us.”
***
A week ago, Council Rock North made it all the way to the district championship, knocking off Methacton, Owen J. Roberts and Garnet Valley to get to the title tilt. The Indians showed their ability to bounce back, rebounding from deficits in all three district pairings to advance.
“When we get down, nobody gets scared,” explained Hone. “We seem to battle back and stay with it. We always have a shot. We’re never worried about [trailing].”
The SOL National Conference runnerup, finishing two games behind sister school CR South, North hardly remembers now how its season started off. But boxscores don’t lie and the truth is that the Rock suffered a 22-0 drubbing at the hands of SOL Continental rival CB South in its season opener at home.
Starter Scott Runzer surrendered four runs and threw 62 pitches in the first two frames. Even though the senior righthander gave way to reliever in the third, things wouldn’t get any better for the Indians in the third. Three different North pitchers surrendered 16 runs and seven walks in an inning that saw 20 Titans come to the plate.
“That’s baseball,” stated Farrell. “It was one of those days when nothing that you do can go right and everything they do goes right.”
Game two didn’t get much better with North suffering a 7-4 loss to Germantown Academy in an effort marred by three Indian errors.
“It was just one of those days you put it behind you; the next day you go out there and you get them,” explained Farrell. “You try harder and you make sure that you don’t make those errors.
“You try to win the next game and the game after that.”
***
FALCONS SCALPED
The first two losses might have been ugly but the good news was they were non-league affairs. Game three was a league battle with Pennsbury so it counted.
For a long while in this one, North struggled. By the bottom of the fourth inning, the Indians were looking at a 6-1 deficit. With zeroes on the board in frames two through five, no one thought Rock would rebound. But North did just that, plating six runs in the top of the sixth, ignited by a 2-run homer by Ryan Venner and an RBI double by Lee Marvel.
The Falcons came back to tie in the bottom of the frame, sending the battle to the seventh tied 7-all. But Bill Hartley came through in the visitor’s half of the inning, pushing Venner home with the winning run on an RBI single.
Farrell added pair of hits of his own to the Rock’s effort.
“It seems to be a common thread in some games,” stated Farrell of his team’s ability to bounce back. “We definitely fought hard. It looked like we were out of it but we showed some fight and some spirit and we came back and bulldogged our way into it.”
North followed the win over the Falcons with another come from behind win. This time, the Indians rallied to score five runs in the sixth inning to defeat Truman, 11-7.
“After that, we started on a roll downhill; it was like an avalanche gaining, gaining—you couldn’t stop us
Indeed, Rock rolled to victory in battles against Tennent (7-2), Neshaminy (5-4), Bensalem (12-0) and again beating Pennsbury, this time in a 13-0 thumping of the Falcons
“It’s just a matter of doing your job and taking care of your responsibility,” stated Farrell.
“If you take of the things you have to take care of, the other things will fall in line.”
Oh, there were other setbacks suffered by the Rock throughout the season but none as bad as the 22-0 spanking they endured in the opener. Truman came back and bit the Indians in a 5-3 loss. South won both battles 3-2 the first time and 12-0 blister near the end of the season.
The players say none of that matters now. It’s the state playoffs and the Indians are on fire.
“We’re playing better now than we did in the regular season,” stated Hone. “We’ve been playing our best baseball lately and that’s really all that matters.”
***
Photo caption: Kelly Adams on the mound in another win for the Indians.
Photo by William Anderton

Labels: Baseball, CR North, CR North Baseball

The Neshaminy boys lacrosse team capped off a successful season, earning their first trip to the District One playoffs
The Redskins had several other individual awards bestowed upon them. One such player capturing honors was senior Anthony Pipe, who was named to the US Lacrosse Academic All-America Team. He is the first Neshaminy player to achieve this high recognition.
Anthony is ranked in the top five percent of the class and has a current GPA of 4.3. Pipe received early acceptance into the Air Force Academy, and was one of the top 200 of 25,000 applicants. He will attend the Academy in the fall and major in astronautical engineering.
The Redskins also had 10 players named to the All-Suburban One National Conference team. Tristan Emig highlighted the group, earning his second straight first team award. Other members included: Alex Forman-1st Team, Chris Brady-2nd Team, Andy MacPherson-2nd Team, Steve Lewallen-3rd Team, Eugene Laborde-3rd Team, Casey Elfvin-3rd Team, John Sutton-Honorable Mention, Jason Thibodeau- Honorable Mention, and Ryan Mawhinny-Honorable Mention. Senior Alex Forman will be attending Providence College next year on a lacrosse scholarship.

Photo caption: Neshaminy defenseman Tristan Emig was recently named to the All-SOL National Conference First Team./ Photo by Steve Sherman

Labels: boys lacrosse, Neshaminy, Neshaminy boys lacrosse

The Warrington Diamond Dawgs went undefeated in the 7th Annual Joseph Berthcsi Memorial Baseball Tournament hosted by Northampton-Council Rock Baseball. The holiday weekend tournament was in honor of Joey Berthcsi, whose love for baseball and his teammates left a mark on so many. Pictured seated in the first row, from left: Kevin Dorozinsky, Tyler Watson, Alex Karras, Cole Meenan, and Colin Green. Second row (standing): Coach Jay Watson, Danny Klepchick, Coach John Cucinotta, Danny McCartin, Devin Farrell, Jack Cucinotta, Kevin Berntsen, Andrew Dietz, Alex Bendzlowicz, Coach Matt Bendzlowicz and Coach Ciaran Farrell.

Labels: Baseball

By Rick Fortenbaugh
For the Yardley News

PHILADELPHIA — Location, location, location.
This seems to be as good an explanation as any as to how St. Hubert’s Melissa Robinson silenced the Pennsbury High School softball team’s bats yesterday, because she sure didn’t do it with trickery or heat.
In the first ever appearance of a Philadelphia Catholic League (PCL) team in the PIAA Class AAAA softball tournament, it was PCL champion St. Hubert’s beating SONL champion Pennsbury, 2-0, yesterday (June 1) on the La Salle University field.
Making the season-ending loss even tougher for the Falcons (18-5) is the fact St. Hubert’s is coached by none other Dave Shafer.
Shafer, of course, enjoyed tremendous success in a previous coaching stint at Bishop Conwell, and this wasn’t the first time the outstanding coach stuck it to Pennsbury.
“The early 1990s," replied Shafer when asked when was the last time he beat the Falcons when he was coaching at Bishop Conwell.
“This was a great win for our program and a great win for our league. Nobody gave us much of a chance in this game."
From the beginning, it was obvious Shafer had his Bambies (20-3) ready to play after capturing the District 12 title the previous week.
Pennsbury came out strong in the top of the first when it got singles by Alyssa Shirley (pictured) and Kirby Groves, but Robinson worked her way out of the jam with two grounders to good-looking shortstop Brittany Meehan.
That was pretty much the end of Pennsbury, which had only two base runners in the last four innings and never more than one runner in an any inning after the first.
The way Robinson did it was pretty simple. The junior righty did strike out the side in the seventh, but finished with just four Ks in the entire game.
It didn’t matter because a steady diet of inside-corner pitches had the Falcons constantly popping up or launching fairly-hard-but-harmless fly balls to Bambi right fielder Tara Robinson.
“Melissa has great control," replied Shafer when asked what makes her so effective. “She spots her pitches really well. Today, she did a great job of getting in on their hands."
Pennsbury’s Kait Schilling also threw a nice game, but was undone by a rocky third inning.
It all started with a walk to No. 9 batter Brianna Kenney. From there, Meehan put down a beautiful bunt single past Falcon third baseman Rebecca Erb and Kristin Tyrell sacrificed them to second.
With runners on second and third and one out, Pennsbury elected to more or less intentionally walk hard-hitting Gina Sciarrone.
On paper, this was probably the right move, but on the field, it was a disaster as pitcher Melissa Robinson helped her own cause by socking a hard two-run single through the middle of the infield.
Schilling prevented further damage in the bottom of the third with a pair of grounders back to the circle. She also sailed home in the last three innings to finish with a two-hitter.
But the fact both Bambi hits came in that third and a walk to throw in proved to be too much for the Falcons to overcome.
Especially for a normally-potent Pennsbury lineup that might have been better served to back off the plate a bit and go opposite field if Robinson compensated by sitting on the outside corner.
“She got us to pop up," snapped Falcon head coach Frank McSherry, when asked what Robinson did to shut down his team.
“You have to give them credit. She pitched really well and we got beat by a better team."
This was the diplomatic side of McSherry. Inside, you just knew he was not happy.
“Yes, we expected to do more (at the plate)," McSherry added. “You can’t get shut out like that."
While Pennsbury silently boarded the bus, the St. Hubert’s players were all celebratory smiles.
After this, you probably won’t hear too many Falcon fans disparage the Philly Catholic League for awhile.
***

LINESCORES
123 456 7 — R H E
Pennsbury 000 000 0 — 0 5 1
St. Hubert’s 002 000 x — 2 2 0
(June 1 at LaSalle)
WP-M. Robinson. LP-Schilling (15-4). RBIs: M. Robinson 2.

Join Chalfont Borough on June 6 for Chalfont Day! The day kicks off with the celebration of The 17th Annual Chalfont 5K Race. Come out and join (or watch!) almost 400 runners race along Chalfont’s historic Main St. and gently rolling residential hills.
Race day registration begins at 7:30 a.m. at Chalfont Borough Hall - $25 for the 5K and $5 for the One Mile Fun Run. The Fun Run starts at 8:30 a.m. and the 5K Race will begin at 9 a.m. John and Jane Strong, borough residents and owners of the Lenape Valley Swim Club, will be the honorary race starters.
Proceeds from the event benefit Chalfont Borough Parks and Trails Development Program. This year’s projects will include the rehabilitation of existing trails and the addition of new trails to continue making Chalfont Borough a pedestrian friendly community and encouraging the use of the parks system.
This year, the Chalfont 5K Challenge is the last race in the Bucks 5K series www.Bucks5Kseries.com. Series awards will be presented after the Chalfont Challenge race at Chalfont Borough’s picturesque Krupp Park.
Then in the evening, join runners and their family and friends at the Lenape Valley Swim Club from 6 to 8 pm for the Doylestown Heat Big Band, sponsored by the Doylestown Lions Club. BYOP (Bring Your Own Picnic) or you may purchase a hot dog, chips and a drink for $1.

Labels: Running

Chet Shemanski of Spring Ford Country Club carded a 9-under par 62 (net) to win the Spring Net Championship earlier today (June 1) at Raven’s Claw Country Club (par 71, 6,069 yards).
“It was a great round. It was the lowest score I ever shot,” stated Shemanski. “It felt good. I was just hitting fairways and greens, and the putts were going in. My iron game was on today. It was just one of those things.”
Shemanski, a 12-handicap, fired a 20-feet birdie on No. 5 (par 4, 403 yards) along with nine net birdies. However, the Collegeville, Pa. resident felt that he left a lot out on the greens.
“I lipped out a lot. I had a lot (of birdies) that could’ve gone in very easily,” he said.
Shemanski, 46, competed in his first Spring Net Championship after returning from a trip to Hilton Head, S.C.
“It was a nice little tune-up for today,” he said. “I shot my handicap. I’ve been playing a lot lately, and I’ve been playing well.”
Some players within the 79-player field dealt with problems in the hazard throughout the day.
Greg McLaughlin of Spring Ford CC, Jason Lerner of Meadowlands CC and Jules Quinones of Blue Bell CC, each finished tied for second overall with a net 5-under par 66.
Todd Gunerman, of Yardley Country Club, carded a 67 (net) among golfers with handicaps between 2 and 9.
Terry Law, also of YCC, carded a 68 in the 10-12 handicappers' group.
Keith McQueen, of Spring Mill CC, carded a 71 among those with a handicap between 13 and 15.

Labels: GOLF

SOUTH Senior All-Stars
Coach: Van Smith, formerly of Harry S Truman

No. Name Position Height/Weight School
6 Scott Woodard DB 5-10, 180 Pennsbury
7 Ron Vogelei QB/DB 5-10, 165 Bensalem
8 Jerry Davis WR/DB 5-7, 135 Bensalem
10 Michael Schmidt QB/DB 6-4, 220 Harry S Truman
11 Matt Della-Croce QB/DB 5-8, 175 Conwell-Egan
12 Terry Walker Jr. QB/DB 5-10, 194 Harry S Truman
20 Richard Applegate RB 5-11, 190 Pennsbury
21 Fatorna Greene DB 6-1, 197 Neshaminy
22 Joe Tretter RB/LB 5-11, 185 Conwell-Egan
30 Jordan Lollis RB 5-7, 190 Pennsbury
31 Rus Chichkin RB/LB 6-0, 210 Council Rock South
33 Jacob Allen LB 5-9, 180 Pennsbury
35 Brian Deola FB/LB6-1, 230 Council Rock South
40 Stephen Marck TE/LB 6-4, 240 Pennsbury
41 Kyle Schnee WR/DB 5-7, 150 Morrisville
42 Tom Vogelei WR/LB 5-10, 160 Bensalem
50 Trevor Scott LB 5-11, 215 Harry S Truman
51 Blake Montgomery P/K 5-10, 170 Pennsbury
52 Chris Hoffman OL/DL 5-11, 200 Pennsbury
53 Justin Donnarumma LB 6-0, 200 Neshaminy
60 Patrick Cantrell OL/DL 6-1, 260 Pennsbury
61 Devon Reedel LB 6-0, 195 Neshaminy
62 Kyle Heasley OL/DL 5-11, 210 Pennsbury
63 Nick Schaeffer DL 6-2, 270 Neshaminy
65 Dan Hofmeister OL/DL 6-0, 230 Pennsbury
66 John Zavorski OL 6-3, 260 Neshaminy
70 Greg Waters OL/DL 6-1, 245 Council Rock South
71 Ross Re DL 6-1, 215 Council Rock North
72 Dan Wenclewicz OL/DL 6-2, 290 Neshaminy
73 Josh Davis OL/LB 6-0, 210 Morrisville
74 Steve Monohan DL 6-1, 200 Pennsbury
75 Ryan Calabro OL/DL 5-11, 255 Council Rock North
76 Keith Socoloski OL/DL 6-3, 275 Conwell-Egan
80 Steve Williams WR/DB 5-11, 155 Council Rock North
81 Eric Santiago WR/DB 5-7, 150 Harry S Truman
82 Cody O’Neal DB 6-0, 180 Neshaminy
83 Ryan Golin WR 6-1, 180 Conwell-Egan
84 Dave Damirgian TE/DE 6-2, 210 Council Rock South
85 Chris Boland DB 5-10, 185 Neshaminy

Labels: Football

NORTH Senior All-Stars
Coach: Steve Devlin, Archbishop Wood

No. Name Position Height/Weight School
6 Devon Passman (pictured) RB 5-8, 170 CB East
7 Brad Herrmann QB 5-11, 165 Pennridge
8 Mike Maxwell WR 6-4, 220 Arch. Wood
10 Mike Doty WR/DB 6-4, 205 CB South
11 Tom Johns WR/QB 6-5, 195 CB South
12 Sean McCartney QB/DB/P 6-3, 180 Wood
20 Dave Giusti DB 6-0, 180 CB South
21 Andy Hutchinson DB 5-9, 175 Wood
22 Sean Cunningham RB/LB 6-1, 210 Archbishop Wood
30 Greg Kogut DB 5-9, 165 Central Bucks East
31 Ted Conrad FB 5-10, 205 Central Bucks West
33 Zack Knepp DB 5-10, 175 Pennridge
35 Nick Miller LB 5-10, 180 Central Bucks East
40 Matt Pattison DE 6-2, 225 Pennridge
41 Andy Kenderdine LB 5-9, 195 Central Bucks South
42 Nick Devine FB 6-1, 210 Archbishop Wood
50 Aaron Meyers DT 5-11, 255 Central Bucks South
51 Warren Bixler OG 5-10, 190 Central Bucks East
52 Shane Miller DB 6-1, 190 Archbishop Wood
53 Tom Dilelu DE 6-0, 186 William Tennent
60 Jeff Shoolbraid OG 5-10, 250 Central Bucks East
61 Josh Barndt OG 6-0, 265 Quakertown
62 Sam Grove C 6-1, 215 Pennridge
63 John Reimer OT 6-4, 265 Quakertown
64 Chris Urban DT 6-1, 240 Central Bucks East
65 Nick Mortimer OT 6-2, 240 Central Bucks South
66 Matt McMurdo LB 6-1, 220 Central Bucks West
70 Adam Citko OT 6-5, 295 Archbishop Wood
71 Chris McCabe OG 6-0, 200 Pennridge
72 Chris Beach OT 6-1, 220 Central Bucks South
73 Phil Dutter C 5-11, 205 Central Bucks West
74 Ryan Beach OT 6-1, 250 Quakertown
75 Steve McDermott OG 5-11, 225 Central Bucks South
76 James McFadden K 5-11, 175 Archbishop Wood
80 Scott Schneider TE 6-5, 225 Central Bucks East
81 Caleb Swartley WR 6-2, 175 Pennridge
82 Joe Hoy DE 6-2, 220 Central Bucks East
83 Chris Harmon WR 6-3, 185 Central Bucks East
84 Anthony Narisi TE/DE 6-3, 210 Archbishop Wood
85 Vince Furlong WR 6-3, 190 Archbishop Wood

Labels: Football

Runners get ready, the annual Run For Sight is coming to Newtown borough sooner than you think.

The annual 5K run/walk and 1-mile fun run for kids has been moved ahead two weeks to Saturday, June 20. Race Director Wayne Cordes said the date was changed in order to attract more participants.

The event had traditionally been held over the Fourth of July weekend in conjunction with Newtown’s First Fourth celebration.Race organizers realized that the timing of past year’s races couldn’t have been worse with many Bucks County runners flocking to participate in the annual Revolutionary Run held each year in Washington Crossing Historic Park.

Last year, when the Rev Run added a 5K to the preexisting 10K that is their main event, it depleted the Run For Sight ranks even further.

Another variation taking place this year with the event is a change in venue. In the past, the run had always been held in Tyler State Park. This year, the Run for Sight begins at Brian S. Gregg Park and continues through the streets of Newtown borough.

Sponsored by the First National Bank of Newtown, the event is a fundraiser for Leader Dogs For The Blind. Registration begins at 8 a.m. with the fun run kicking off an hour later. The Run For Sight 5K walk/run commences precisely at 9:30 a.m.

Tee-shirts will be given to all pre-registered participants and all race-day entrants while they last. The cost is $20 if you register by Friday, June 5. Afterwards, the cost is $25 with a tee-shirt and $20 after the shirts are exhausted.

Registration forms are available at many businesses throughout the borough. Make your check payable to the Newtown Lions and mail your registration forms to: Newtown Lions, 27 South State St., Newtown, Pa. 18940.

Participants can also register online at www.active.com.

***

—Steve Sherman, Sports Editor

By Steve Sherman
Sports Editor

Jenn Jaeger.
Nicole Adamson.
Kelly Pinto.
Sam Dougherty.
Amanda Spadaccino.
They’re all Bristol High seniors and they’re all well aware that the time they have left as Lady Warriors is limited. They’ve been playing for Mike Lalli’s team now for the last four years, yet somehow they don’t want it to end.
“We’re all seniors and we know what time of the year it is,” stated Jaeger, the team’s shortstop. “We want to play as far into [the month of] June as we can. None of us want to see it end.”
After winning their third consecutive District One Class A softball title a little over a week ago in a 13-3 romp over archrival Christopher Dock, the Warriors had time to reflect on what has been yet another fantastic campaign.
“Every year, Dock gives us a pretty good run for our money,” explained Jaeger. “This year, our hitting just improved so much when it came to the district championship.
“We went into that game hoping for the best and everyone did what they were supposed to and that’s why we came out with a win.”
In the title tilt, freshman Kaley Crohe hit a pair of triples against the Pioneers and junior Mariah Strobele hit a bases-clearing double with the sacks jammed to put Bristol on top, 9-2, in the fifth inning. Kiersten Cain pushed Kelly Pond home with the 13th run in the bottom of the sixth, officially making the Warriors district champs once more.
After three consecutive one-run games--the sides split a pair of 2-1 contests and Bristol won the battle for the BAL championship 6-5--the Warriors had finally broke through.
“With [Dock righthander Jocelyn Hickey] pitching, we were a little more familiar with her and what she was going to throw us,” explained Jaeger. “Even though those others were such close games, in this one, we were just able to put more hits together and score a lot more runs.”
Bristol came back Thursday, May 28 and put a 22-0 spanking on Parkway West (8-9). The lopsided win at LaSalle University sends the Warriors back to states today where they get set to face District 11 winner Williams Valley 2 p.m. at Blue Mountain High School in Orwigsburg.
Against Parkway, winning pitcher Kiersten Cain was perfect in the circle, striking out 8 of the 12 batters she faced. In winning her 16th game of the year, Cain set a new record for strikeouts in a season with 182, breaking the old mark held by Stacy Bonner, who fanned 179 in a single campaign.
When Cain came into the season, Kiersten had big shoes to fill, those of the now departed Shawna Walp, last year’s BAL Player of the Year, who helped lead Bristol to the last two district title games with her pitching. Replacing her services would not be easy but Cain has shown that she is more than able.
“When I first started, we were really lucky because we had Shawna and she’s a strikeout pitcher so she was able to get many strikeouts for us throughout the year.
“Kiersten stepped up for us this year and she’s exactly the same.”
Cain has earned the same status as Walp--as BAL Player of the Year for the current campaign.
And when classmate Ashley Cantiello has stepped into the circle, Bristol doesn’t seem to lose a thing. Cantiello has won three of the games that she has started this year.
“Knowing we have two good pitchers in Kiersten (Cain) and Ashley (Cantiello), a good catcher and a good third baseman, it makes us feel that the next couple of years are going to be pretty good years for Bristol softball.”
Offensively, the players pushing runs across the plate in Bristol’s big win over Parkway included Angelica Rodriguez (3), Cantiello (2), Kaley Crohe (2), Kelee Pinto (2), Danielle Reilly (2), Cain, Morgan Cullen, Dougherty, Dugger, Jaeger, Leighann Morris, Alexis Rodriguez, Mariah Strobele and Amanda Weir.
The good news is that all of the above return to the lineup next season except for Pinto, Dougherty and Jaeger. Dugger hit a pair of triples in the contest; Reilly went 2-for-2 on the afternoon.
Jaeger explains a little about the youth movement going on with the Warriors.
“A lot of these girls have been playing travel ball for years, which makes them really good competitors,” stated Jaeger.
“When they came up, we never expected them to be exactly what we needed but they turned out to be great athletes, contributing to the team so much.
“They turned out to be a really good asset; without them, our team is not complete.”
Though they’ve won 19 games thus far, the Warriors’ season got off to a rough start on the injury front as Bristol began the current campaign without the services of Nicole Adamson and Sam Dougherty.
“We really missed Nicole’s bat in the lineup and also Sam Dougherty--she’s a very good slapper that we missed in the lineup,” stated Jaeger.
“Having them back has been such a great boost to the team.”
Both players were first team All-BAL last season and replacing Adamson at catcher would be no easy task. But freshman Kaley Crohe stepped into the lineup and forced Lalli to make a spot for her in the lineup. The coach did, positioning Adamson at DH and in the outfield upon her return and leaving Crohe stationed behind the plate.
“When Nicole got hurt, we realized we needed somebody to come in and fill that gap quickly,” explained Jeager. “Kaley ended up stepping up and doing a great job.”
“When coach put Kaley in, he realized that she was just as big a competitor and could do a good job behind the plate and batting in the lineup as a slapper,” explained Jaeger.
“Leaving her there tells him that for the next couple of years, he’s going to have a really good catcher behind the plate.”
While this group of seniors will eventually depart from the hallways of Bristol High and also the fields that line Jefferson Ave., you get the feeling the program is left in good hands.
***
NOTES: The May 28 win over Parkway West was Lalli’s 400th coaching triumph.

Labels: Bristol, Bristol Softball, softball