Sports
Related Photos
Discussion
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.
- Sports
-
-
COLLEGIATE NOTEBOOK: Woods has banner year throwing shot
KRISTY WOODS of the University of Buffalo boasted a banner 2010 season for the Bulls’ track & field team.
The former Grove City High standout and multiple PIAA placewinner and gold-medalist improved as the season progressed in Mid-American Conference, NCAA and ultimately, national-caliber competition.
-
Landino, Gramley qualify for Kings finals
Hickory High student-athlete Olivia Landino and Sharon resident Brendan Gramley have qualified for the annual Kings Family Restaurants/Tri-State PGA’s Junior golf tourney player of the year championships.
-
AUTO RACING NOTEBOOK: Mike Lutz is chip off the old (engine) block
A FEW WEEKS ago I wrote about racing legend Lou Blaney and his sons, Dave and Dale, who followed him into the sport.
Another local legend is Andy Lutz — and his son is also making his mark on area dirt tracks. Mike Lutz, 40, who was born in Hermitage and currently lives in Mercer, has been around racing his whole life and has racked up 87 career wins in 24 years of racing. -
Grove City Senior LL All-Stars earn berth in state tourney
Grove City Senior Division Little League All-Stars are headed back to the state championships for the second straight year.
The locals scored 10 runs in the 4th inning and went on to defeat Woodland Hills, 13-9, in the Section 2 title game Sunday at Grove City.
The state senior tournament is being held for a 35th straight year in Emporium. At 1 p.m. Thursday, Grove City will play Section 1 winner DuBois. -
Outdoors: Paddling into the Allegheny River headwind
The deep gorge of the Middle Allegheny River evolved from glacial action thousands of years ago, but Mother Nature still plays tricks out there today. Such as the surprising and powerful upstream headwinds that five of us encountered last Saturday in Warren County during a 10-mile float for smallmouth bass.
-
SPORTVIEW: Greenville B&I Day features long-drive event as part of 60th anniversary
THE USUAL COMMENT about golf is: “Drive for show, putt for dough.” Then again there are those who drive for show and dough.
And local golf fans will have a chance to see them up close and personal on Aug. 2 during the 1st Northwest Pennsylvania Long Drive Classic which marks the 60th anniversary of Greenville Business & Industry Day.
-
Donofrio heads up Kennedy Catholic football
Rumors circulating about Kennedy Catholic High not being able to field a football team this fall are unfounded.
“This is not only about a program, but for the school to have a strong football program so that everybody in the whole school will have pride in that football program,” explained new head coach Archie Donofrio. -
Little League All-Star action
Sharpsville All-Stars will open play in the Section Senior/Junior (14-under) tournament in Swissvale today.
In Major Division (11-12) sectional action recently, Hermitage was eliminated by two close losses, falling to Bullskin Township, 7-6, and West Point-Greensburg, 2-1.
-
Necastro golf event will continue 1 more year for the kids
THEY SAY that “All good things must come to an end.” Even so the annual Nicky Necastro Memorial Fund Golf Tournament.
Tony Necastro, who founded the benefit event in behalf of his late wife Nicky 14 years ago, made a sad announcement at the conclusion of this year’s tourney at Avalon Golf and Country Club’s Squaw Creek layout Friday: “One more time!” -
EDITOR'S NOTEBOOK: Cleveland fans need to realize about LeGone: It's not a tragedy!
FANS of the Cleveland Cavaliers and other teams need to put their love of the sport back into perspective.
There was far too much hoopla this week over the announcement by LeBron James that he is leaving the Cavs to play for the Miami Heat.
Understandably, Youngs-town-area TV stations interviewed fans after LeBron’s hour-long special on ESPN Thursday night.
One woman actually shed tears.
Another fan said it was “the worst thing that ever happened” in his life.
Really? I’m glad he’s never been injured or ill or jobless or hungry or grieved for a loved one. - More Sports Headlines
-
