The Herald, Sharon, Pa.

Sports

December 3, 2009

FAIRWAY SHOTS: Lucas Clarke wins tourney in Germany; Roskos has banner year

By Lynn Saternow

Herald Sports Editor



LEN CLARKE was a long-time golf and basketball coach at Grove City High School. His grandson Lucas Clarke apparently doesn’t need much of his proud grandpa’s coaching on the links.

Lucas, who was one of the top scorers on the basketball team at Mercer last season, is a junior at Heidelberg (Germany) High School where he is expected to start on the hoops team this coming season. But he is already making a mark on the golf courses.

Lucas this fall won the DODDS-Europe Golf Tournament in Wiesbaden, Ger. It was a two-day tourney using modified Stableford scoring.

But while he has obviously acquired some of grandpa’s golf skills, he is following in the footsteps of his dad Tom, a lieutenant colonel stationed in strategic command in Germany. Tom held the hoops scoring records at Grove City High for 13 years before it was broken by Mike Johnson.

Tom, who is married to the former Julie Erb of Mercer (also a standout athlete) graduated from West Point in 1985 and has continued a brilliant career in the military. He performs highly classified work in Germany.

Lucas’s sister MacKenzie, a sophomore who played basketball at Mercer last year, will compete on the girls team as well in Germany. Younger brother Logan is a top football player in middle school.

They are the grandchildren of local residents Len and Joyce Clarke and Jim and Jan Erb.

ä Oak Tree Country Club pro Tom Roskos had another great year in long-drive competitions.

Roskos, former Sharpsville High athletic standout, competed in his 8th Re/Max World Long Drive Finals recently. He placed 9th out of 144 competitors from 30 countries.

His longest drive was 396 yards in Round 11. His 9th- place finish left him one place out of the final 8 for the ESPN telecast on Dec. 20. However, Tom did several interviews and he was filmed competing, so he may get some air time on the telecast.

Last year Tom also did a 45-second commercial for the new driver produced by Adams, his sponsor.

The 9th-place finish earned Tom an exemption for the 2010 world finals.

“My wife Leah and my parents have been huge supporters the past few years as well as Denny Dolci,” said Tom. ”I have received great support from Oak Tree Country Club, Dr. Mike Namey, Kurt Gramley, Harry Toscano and Chris Carfangia.”

He competed in about 30 power golf shows this past year as well as two other competitions. He finished 3rd in the RE/MAX of Texas Shootout in June, hitting the longest drive in tournament history, 450 yards. He also tied for 5th in August at the Duel in the Desert at Mesquite, Nev., with a long drive of 421.

Those finishes helped Tom move into 6th on the all-time money list in Long Drivers of America history. He continued a streak of placing in the top 8 for 15 tournaments in a row in the LDA Tour events.

Tom took over as head golf pro at Oak Tree in April and gave Oak Tree General Manager Bob Collins credit for working with him and allowing him to compete at a high level. “My staff did a great job helping me out while I was traveling some 80 days this past year,” said Tom. “I’d like to thank them as well — Mike Zaborowski, Mike Waechter, Eli Deflin, Duncan Wingard, Ronnie Gaines, Jared Daley, Diane Pressnar, Jim Dunkerly, Lou Mastrian, Rob Curry, Ryan Spear, Josh Vass, Kyle Gregorich, Hanna Gaines, Ryan Shugarts and John Dyll.”

ä The annual Penn-New York Cup event was played at the Greens of Greenville this year. It is a competition that involves scramble, best-ball and singles competitions.

The Triple Creek Golf Club of Nunda, N.Y., edged the local team this year, 9-7.

The Greens jumped to a 3-1 lead in scramble matches, with the duos of Scot Wells-Steve Surano, Bo Artman-Bob Uber and Fred Graham-Josh Castiglione grabbing victories.

In best-ball, Wells-Surano notched a win, while Graham-Castiglione earned a tie.

Local singles winners were Kirt Gasaway and Artman, while Surano earned a tie. Club pros Dan McMillen of Greenville and Brian Tolnar of Turtle Creek also competed.

Text Only
Sports
  • Marina Wareham Roundup: Sharpsville tops Sharon; KC's Wareham hits 1,000 career points

    The Duke University Blue Devils men’s basketball team has nothing on its namesake, the Sharpsville High girls.
    Duke drained 14 three-point field goals in rallying past Atlantic Coast Conference arch-rival North Carolina Wednesday night, and 24 hours later the Blue (Darlings) Devils did likewise.

    February 10, 2012 1 Photo

  • Justin Rhodes Reynolds drops opener to Boiling Springs in Hershey

    HERSHEY — One of the problems with the PIAA State Dual-Meet Championships is that there is no true seeding. That’s why two of the state’s top ranked Class AA teams — Reynolds (3rd) and Boiling Springs (4th) — had to meet in the opening round.
    But, of course you throw ranking and seeding out the window anyhow in the 3-day tourney in Hershey.

    February 10, 2012 1 Photo

  • Heavy lifting 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.

    February 9, 2012 1 Photo

  • Anthony Derrick 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.

    February 8, 2012 1 Photo

  • Janayia Chester, Brooklyn Taylor 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.

    February 7, 2012 1 Photo

  • Lynn Saternow 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.

    February 7, 2012 1 Photo

  • Jennifer Free, Morgan Richards 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.

    February 6, 2012 1 Photo

  • Dylan D'Urso 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.

    February 5, 2012 1 Photo

  • McKenzie Popatak 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.

    February 5, 2012 1 Photo

  • Dallas Klenke 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.

    February 4, 2012 1 Photo

Published Magazines
Twitter Updates
Follow us on twitter
Follow me on Twitter
Facebook