By Ed Farrell
Herald Assistant Sports Editor
THIEL COLLEGE football once again will be broadcast on NewsTalk 790, WPIC AM.
Hugh Ringer returns to call the Tomcats’ play-by-play, and this year will be assisted by Rod Wilt’s color commentary. Thiel commences the campaign 1 p.m. Saturday, hosting Geneva College at Alumni Stadium, Greenville. The pre-game show will air 12:30 p.m., and the game also will be streamed on www.790PIC.com and www.MSN.com, according to Ringer.
The Tomcats of 7th-year taskmaster Jack Leipheimer ended 5-5 a year ago, including a 7-0 season-opening win over Geneva in Beaver Falls. The Golden Tornadoes of head coach Gene DeMarco were 4-5 last year. In a series that began in 1899, Geneva leads Thiel 20-9-3.
Geneva is in the process of transitioning from the NAIA to the NCAA Division III Presidents’ Athletic Conference, but is not yet eligible for postseason play.
ä Grove City College’s first foray into night football at refurbished Robert E. Thorn Field is set for Sept. 22 when the Wolverines welcome Waynesburg for a 7 p.m. PAC contest. A fireworks display by Zambelli Internationale of New Castle will precede at 6:30 p.m. (rain date, Oct. 5).
“We’re very excited about playing at night,” said veteran GCC head coach Chris Smith. “Everyone that I speak with asks about the night game. It’s generating a lot of excitement with our players, alumni and the college. It should be a great night.”
According to GCC sports information director Ryan Briggs, the school added lights to Thorn Field during the summer of ’06 as part of the facility’s renovation. The college’s campus community was afforded recreational evening use during the fall (except for 6 p.m. Thursday football practices during the ’06 season) and spring, and Grove City also played its intra-squad scrimmage under the lights last year. Also, Grove City High played a night game at Thorn Field after Forker Field flooded last October.
ä Dean Toth, a Kennedy Catholic High product, is preparing for his junior season for the California University (Pa.) soccer squad. Toth is listed as a 5-foot-10, 180-pound defender from Farrell. According to a university press release, he is referred to as “ ... among the returnees pushing for starting jobs on defense this season.”
Cal is coming off a 7-10-3 overall, 6-7-3 Pa. State Athletic Conference campaign, and the Vulcans of 22nd-year mentor Dennis Laskey (185-185-28) have won 4 of the past 7 conference regular-season crowns, including an ’05 NCAA tourney appearance.
ä Chad Fitzgerald, a Hickory High product (’03), has been added to the Heidelberg College baseball coaching staff of head coach Matt Palm. Heidelberg captured the ’07 Ohio Athletic Conference regular-season crown. Fitzgerald, Hermitage, is a Seton Hill University (’07) graduate with a degree in marketing and human resource management.
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COLLEGIATE NOTEBOOK: Thiel games on radio; GCC plans night football
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HIGH SCHOOL WINTER SPORTS: Lakeview, GC matmen win
Lakeview and Grove City mat teams notched victories Wednesday night over West Middlesex and Sharon respectively.
Mercer bowed to Redbank Valley.
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Roundup: Sharpsville tops Lakeview in OT; GC rolls over Franklin; Titusville upsets Hickory
While the Sailors were sleeping, Luchey was laying out for the lid.
Tyler Luchey’s court-length layin at the buzzer Tuesday night staked Sharpsville High boys’ basketball team to a 58-56 District 10 Region 2-AA overtime win over Lakeview. -
Roundup: Hickory girls beat Franklin in battle of 5-AAA leaders
Knowing its male counterparts upset Franklin 48 hours earlier, the Hickory High girls basketball team was not to be outdone.
Forcing Franklin into a substandard shooting performance, the Lady Hornets harvested a 53-42 District 10 Region 5-AAA win Monday night. -
SPORTVIEW: Reynolds, Greenville are 2 of state's historic programs
CONGRATULATIONS TO the Reynolds High wrestling program which became the fastest Class AA team in the history of the state to reach 700 wins last weekend.
The program, which began in 1960-61 under coach Dick Sherwood, has set a torrid pace for winning since that 4-4 season.
Ironically, the school’s 700th victory came Saturday in the District 10 Dual Meet Championships against long-time rival Greenville, which went over the 700-win plateau in 2009. Greenville is believed to be the first AA team to reach 700 wins, while Reynolds did it in the shortest time. -
Hickory soccer standouts Free, Richards to Ashland University
Hickory High girls’ soccer coach B.J. Rudge believes the bar has been elevated, and his Lady Hornets have helped hoist it.
“In general, soccer has grown in this area ... and what our girls have accomplished is a reflection of the whole (Shenango) Valley,” Rudge recently observed. -
Ft. LeBoeuf beats Reynolds at D-10 AA Team Duals
EDINBORO — The Reynolds Raiders notched the school’s 700th victory in the semifinals of the District 10 Dual Meet Championships Saturday afternoon. Unfortunately for the Raiders, No. 701 will have to come later.
The Raiders topped long-time rival Greenville, 51-16, in the semis to become the first Class AA school in Pennsylvania history to 700 wins. However, in the D-10 finals at Edinboro University’s McComb Field House, the Raiders fell to familiar foe Fort LeBoeuf, 31-28. -
Roundup: Popatak hits 1,000; Hickory, Farrell, Sharon boys win 6-AAA contests
ä Hickory 64, Franklin 52 — At “The Castle” in Franklin, the Knights (9-3, 15-3) led 28-21 at halftime, but coach Nick Cannone’s Hornets (11-2, 13-5) came storming back and outscored the hosts 24-9 in the 3rd quarter and 19-15 in the 4th to win a key Region 6-AAA clash.
Vinnie Mastrian rifled in a career-high 28 points to lead Hickory while Matt Votino scored 22. -
Roundup: WM, Sharpsville, Lakeview grab region wins
When in doubt, defer to Dogan.
West Middlesex High junior point guard Matt Dogan dominated the 2nd half of Friday night’s District 10 Region 1-A contest with visiting VisionQuest.
Dogan deposited 18 of his game-high 27 points after intermission, converting 12 of 16 free-throw attempts, leading the Big Reds to their 9th consecutive conquest, 56-41. -
Greenville's Zahniser headed to St. Francis
Nico Zahniser believes four years of scholastic football prepared him for the next level — and learning how to win and lose was only part of the process.
The Greenville High senior committed to St. Francis University of Loretto earlier this week, where he hopes to become part of a Red Flash resurgence under coach Chris Villarrrial. -
Belichick: Indy friendlier after failed '09 call against Colts
Coach Bill Belichick jokes about the welcome he has gotten since arriving in Indianapolis -- where Colts fans are less-than-friendly toward his New England Patriots -- for Super Bowl XLVI.
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