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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PIAA Track: Hickory's Bell, Lubarski, Regginello grab gold
SHIPPENSBURG — There’s a big difference between being seeded 1st and finishing 1st — Matt Bell can attest to that.
After settling for silver last year, the Hickory High senior put the shot 59 feet, 6 3/4 inches Friday afternoon to garner gold at the annual PIAA Track & Field Championships at Shippensburg University. -
WM to play for D-10 baseball title; GC, Sharon, Sharpsville lose
Four area baseball teams were in action on Friday in the District 10 semifinals as the squads battled to compete for District 10 championships on Monday.
West Middlesex rolled past error-prone Linesville, 8-0, in Class A action at Slippery Rock University’s Jack Critchfield Park.
In Class AA, both Sharon and Sharpsville suffered 2-1 losses. The Tigers fell to Saegertown at Ainsworth Field in Erie while the Blue Devils lost to Titusville at SRU.
In Class AAA, the Grove City Eagles were denied the chance to defend their D-10 crown after suffering a 6-3 loss to Warren at SRU. -
Farrell volleyball falls in D-10 semifinals
The Farrell High boys volleyball team suffered a 2-0 (25-15, 25-12) loss to Saegertown on Thursday night in the District 10 semifinals at Meadville Area High’s “House of Thrills.”
“This was the first year we made it out of the first day (pool play) of the playoffs,” said Steelers’ coach Dan Dragicevic. “I’d like to cite my seniors (Eric Demus, Anthony Perkins, Jaylen Chambers and Lawrence Hughes). -
Locals ready to go for gold at Shippensburg
Now that Mercer County is on the map, it’s incumbent upon the area aggregation to chart a course for the ultimate destination — Seth Grove Stadium’s medals stand — during this weekend’s PIAA Track & Field Championships.
Led by West Middlesex High sprinter Clay Allen, many Mercer Countians are seeded at or near the top of their respective events for the annual 2-day marathon at Shippensburg University, which commences 9 a.m. Friday. It will continue beginning 9 a.m. Saturday. -
D-10 Playoffs: Local teams go 6-for-6
ä Grove City 1, Harbor Creek 0 — At Slippery Rock University’s Jack Critchfield Park, what the Grove City Eagles couldn’t accomplish themselves, the Harbor Creek Huskies unwittingly did for them.
Unable to plate runs themselves, Torin Smith scored the Eagles’ only run when teammate Tyler Devine’s seeming inning-ending pop-up to left field was dropped by Harbor Creek’s Chris Merritt in the bottom of the 7th inning of Tuesday’s tourney opener. -
Great year for WM track; local qualifiers listed
It’s been a big year for the Big Reds.
Though there’s no official documentation, the 2011-12 academic year may be the most successful in West Middlesex High’s athletic annals. -
SPORTVIEW: Local names Kroko, Lutz, Kareklas in news elsewhere
IT’S ALWAYS GOOD to hear of former area people who have gone on to athletic success in other areas, or the family of former area residents. Following are a few of those stories:
ä Bob and Betty Kroko of Sharon are avid followers of professional baseball. No, not necessarily the Pittsburgh Pirates or Cleveland Indians like many local fans.
The Krokos keep a close eye on the Austria Major League! -
Petty an all-around great athlete in track and gymnastics
When Mercer County’s contingent convenes at the annual PIAA Track & Field Championships this weekend, it will be well represented
Clay Allen, Matt Bell, John Yohman, Johnathan Jacoway, Jeremy Jansco, Nico Zahniser, DeShawn Coleman, Dan Jaskowak, et all, should haul home some hardware. But with all due respect, the aforementioned young men may or may not be best athletes in the area’s aggregation that will assemble this weekend at Shippensburg University. -
Lubarski, Richards, Petty, Allen shine at D-10 Track Championships; Hickory girls, WM boys team champs
Hickory High’s high-jump state champion Lauren Lubarski suffered a severe blow to open her competion at the annual District 10 Class AA Track & Field Championships Saturday at Hickory HIgh Stadium.
She failed to qualify for state in the event she had won the previous year. -
Baseball, softball D-10 playoff pairings
The District 10 pairings for the baseball and softball playoffs have been released. Five area baseball teams and four (possibly 5) softball squads have qualified.
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