Rookie racer Cale Grimes, 8, of Vienna, clinched the championship in the BeaveRun Karting Series this past weekend.
Grimes swept all 4 heat races and took the checkered flag in the 2 feature races at the racing complex in Wampum. The series still has 2 more races to go.
In his first year of racing, Grimes has won 13 of 18 heats and 7 of 9 features. Grimes, who races for engine builder Zero Error Racing of Sharon, attended the 2009 Kid Kart Nationals in Pevely, Missouri, on July 24-26.
Grimes won the heat and took 2nd in the feature race. His exhaust vibrated loose and he was disqualified. It was his first national event and only the 2nd track he has ever raced on.
His competitors during the Kid Kart Nationals featured past champions and drivers with 25 or more races under their belts.
Grimes will race in the Great Lake Sprint Series next month and starts quarter midget racing in Columbus at the Buckeye Indoor Winternationals in Nov.
ä The re-scheduled “Faster Pastor IV” race will be held on Saturday at Sharon Speedway. The special race will feature 10 area clergy, who will race stock cars to see who will earn bragging rights as the fastest pastor in the region.
Another highlight for Saturday’s action in Hartford is that the Big-Block Modified class has lost 3 races due to rain this season, so the race will be worth double points, along with the race on Aug. 29.
Rob Kristyak holds a slim 1-point lead over defending champion Dave Murdick. Rob Curtis is only 7 points behind Kristyak.
ä The Pennsylvania Football News has released its 2009 Resource Guide, which is filled with historical data and plenty of statistics.
One of the notable lists in the book is all the players that have reached 4,000 rushing yards and up.
The Herald’s all-time leading rusher is Sharon’s T.J. Phillips (1999 grad) with 6,241 yards. He stands 17th all-time on the list. Marko Jackson, who played at both Sharon and Glen Mills (1995) had 5,223 yards, good for 36th on the list.
Here are The Herald’s other all-time top rushers with their all-time list number in parantheses:
Joe Korcinsky of Greenville 1997, 5,197 yards (38th); Mike Archie of Sharon 1990, 5,136 yards (40th); Justin Napotnik of Sharpsville 1999, 4600 yards (76th). Others that have reached 4,000 yards include: Ron Park of Reynolds 1987, 4,537 yards; Blair Sweet of Wilmington 1988, 4,451 yards; Lee Plotts of Kennedy Catholic 2006, 4,307 yards; Carmone Parchman of Sharon 2000, 4,224 yards; Lee Plotts of KC 2006, 4,207 yards; Chris Burns of Wilmington 2007, 4,043 yards; Ross Gargano of KC 2006, 4,028 yards and Deke Ison of Lakeview 2001, 4,008 yards.
´´ Another interesting notation in the book is the list of Pa. prepsters who have played at least 1 game in the NFL. George Blanda of Youngwood High tops the list with 340 games played.
The District 10 leaders are Cathedral Prep’s Mark Stepnoski (Dallas Cowboys) with 194 games and Tech Memorial’s Fred Biletnikoff (Oakland Raiders) with 190.
ä High-tech swimsuits have been banned for teams in the PIAA. The National Federation of State High School Association made the move at a recent board meeting in Indianapolis.
The controversy erupted during the Swimming World Championships in Rome when records seemed to be set after each and every race. Michael Phelps’ coach, Bob Bowman, even threatened to withhold Phelps from competing in international events.
The ban is against the expensive nylon and polyurethane suits that help with body compression and buoyancy.
Rob Malsom is a sports writer for The Herald
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Tidbits: Vienna's Grimes captures BeaveRun Karting Series championship
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WM baseball, Sharpsville and Wilmington softball playing for D-10 titles
Sharpsville and Wilmington softball teams and the West Middlesex baseball squad return to the diamond today to compete for District 10 championships.
SOFTBALL
Class A Championship
Coach Bob Zikovich's Sharpsville Blue Darlings (15-2) battle a tough Saegertown (18-2) squad at 2 p.m. today at Penn State-Behrend in Erie. -
PIAA Track Notebook: KC's Wareham made round trips to "The Ship"
The most impressive race during this weekend’s PIAA Track & Field Championships did not take place at Shippensburg University, nor will you read its results in any newspaper on or any web site.
To be sure, it was a race against time, but not in the sense of being defined by a coach’s hand-held device, nor Seth Grove Stadium’s scoreboard clock. -
Hickory girls grab PIAA Class AA Track team title
SHIPPENSBURG — This news bulletin just in: Mercer County athletes dominated during this weekend’s PIAA Track & Field Championships.
Nothing new there, you say? Well, perhaps you’re correct, considering how well the area aggregation annually accounts itself on Memorial Day Weekend at Shippensburg University. Therefore it was not surprising how much hardware was hauled home — once again. -
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! - More Sports Headlines
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