T & F Honor Roll Week 2

BOYS
110 Hurdles: Corey Phillips (LAK) 15.7; Bryan Loftus (SP) 15.9; Chris Mecca (DUN) 16.0; Louis Cornacchione (SP) 16.1; Mike Rufus (AH) 16.5; Kyle Canevari (VV) 16.6; Zack Kruger (BR) 16.7.
100:  Matt Talerico (RIV) 11.1; Cody DeBoer (MON) 11.2; Alex St. John (DV) 11.2; Eric Ofharsky (AH) 11.2; Geno Coccetti (VV) 11.2.
1600: Ryne Carney (EL) 4:42; Jake Kanavy (VV) 4:42; Peter Frein (SP) 4:44.2; Randy Kreulen (AH) 4:47.1; Tyler Williams (EL) 4:49.
400: Justin Fowler (DV) 52.2; Ryan Robeson (SP) 52.5; Mike Strein (AH) 52.5; Warren Acker (AH) 52.5; Sean Fricke (LT) 52.7.
300 Hurdles: Louis Cornacchione (SP) 41.9; Corey Phillips (LAK) 42.2;  Kyle Canevari (VV) 42.6; Mike Rufus (AH) 42.7; Zach Kruger (BR) 43.3.
800: Mike Strein (AH) 2:03.4; Victor Costello (NP) 2:04; Steve Hyduchek (WAL) 2:07.2; Tyler Williams (EL) 2:08; Peter Frein (SP) 2:08.4.
200: Alex St. John (DV) 23.1; Corey Mitchko (VV) 23.1; Cody DeBoer (MON) 23.2; Matt Talerico (RIV) 23.3; Sean Fricke (LT) 23.5; Lionel Wilson (HON) 23.5.
3200: Jake Kanavy (VV) 10:13.1; Jordan Siddons (VV) 10:15; Ryne Carney (EL) 10:17; Sam Kuchwara (SP) 10:19; Sean Burke (AH) 10:29.1.
Shot: Jack Rosenstein (DV) 50-5½; Peter Calderone (NP) 46-2; Paul Gaughan (DUN) 44-7¼; Eric Onyon (BR) 44-4½; Al Tuzze (LAK) 44-4; Brandon Mackey (VV) 43-1½.
Discus: Vince Tuzze (LAK) 136-9½; J.R. Refice 136-7; Jack Rosenstein (DV) 132-5; John Price (AH) 127-11; Dalton Derrick (HON) 120-11; Eric Onyon (BR) 120-11.
Javelin: Dominic DeAntonio (CAR) 181-1; Eric Martin (AH) 156-10; Kyle Lutz (DV) 154-10; K. McGarry (WW) 153-1; Robbie Evans (SP) 151-4.
Long: Cody DeBoer (MON) 21-10½; Isiah Slutter (WAL) 19-10¾; Michael Ehnot (DUN) 19-5; Dave Lukeski (VV) 19-3¾; Dennis O’Hara (MV) 19-2¼.
Triple: Steve Pachuta (HON) 42-0; Fabby Desir (SCR) 40-8½; Matt Cunningham (VV) 40-6; Travis Graziano (HC) 40-4½; Tyler Williams (EL) 38-11.
High: Steve Pachuta (HON) 6-3; Kyle Colachino (VV) 6-0; Shane Glacken (SCR) 6-0; Nick Symuleski (LT) 6-0; Jake Padula (DUN) 6-0.
Pole: Jeff Werts (VV) 12-4; Sean Burns (DV) 11-6; Matt Matuszewski (SP) 11-6; Pat Callahan (AH) 11-6; Mike Rihl (MON) 11-6; Tyler Savarese (DV) 11-0; Aaron Barbolish (LT) 11-0.
3200 Relay: Dunmore 8:47; Elk Lake 8:57; Valley View 8:59; Abington Heights 9:00; Honesdale 9:04.3.
400 Relay: Valley View 44.4; Scranton 45.2; Abington Heights 45.6; Scranton Prep 46.3; Lackawanna Trail 46.3; Blue Ridge 46.3.
1600 Relay: Honesdale 3:37.1; Abington Heights 3:37.2; Valley View 3:39; Blue Ridge 3:39.6; Scranton Prep 3:39.9.

GIRLS
100 Hurdles: Krista Matsko (AH) 15.7; Vanessa Munley (RIV) 16.4; Hannah McMinn (LT) 16.5; Megan Coccio (DV) 17.0; Shayna Miller (SCR) 17.2.
100: Jordan Hoyt (AH) 12.3; Julia Koloski (MON) 12.5; Lauren Ellsworth (LT) 12.9; Caitie Good (EL) 13.1; Sarah Dubravcak (VV) 13.1.
1600: Brittney Martin (AH) 5:29.3; Rachel Schmalzle (WAL) 5:45; Corina Robbins (HON) 5:45; Lizzy Dougherty (SP) 5:46.0; Allison Hall (BR) 5:47.
400: Lauren Ellsworth (LT) 1:00; Nicole Smith (AH) 1:00.2; Allison Hall (BR) 1:00.9; Lauren Findley (BR) 1:02; Ashley Holgate (DV) 1:02.4.
300 Hurdles: Krista Matsko (AH) 46.8; Hannah Tuffy (LAK) 49.3; Shayna Miller (SCR) 49.7; Sarah Wildenstein (WW) 50.7; Megan Boccio (DV) 51.1.
800: Allison Hall (BR) 2:27; Erin Craig (HON) 2:30.7; Erika Ogozaly (CAR) 2:36; Stephanie Lalos (AH) 2:32.8; Kim Caines (EL) 2:37.
200: Jordan Hoyt (AH) 24.9; Julia Koloski (MON) 26.0; Jordyn Horning (DV) 26.7; Lauren Ellsworth (LT) 26.8; Jana Wilson (HON) 27.1.
3200: Rachel Schmalzle (WAL) 12:05.3; Chandler Karoscik (VV) 12:50; Maria Trowbridge (EL) 12:52; Sierra George (HON) 12:58; Sam Cudo (MON) 13:04.
Shot: April Doyle (LAK) 40-4; Kaitlyn Roberts (AH) 35-11½; Kaylea Zick (LT) 34-6¾; Jess Grunza (VV) 33-4; Hannah Price (SUS) 31-6.
Discus: April Doyle (LAK) 113-9; Kaylea Zick (LT) 96-9; Keri Recipko (CAR) 94-5; Kaitlyn Roberts (AH) 91-4; Cynthia Timmins (SCR) 90-11.
Javelin: Kaitchen Dearborn (BR) 130-7; Sarah Teeple (LAK) 101-6; Kaitlyn Roberts (AH) 100-5; Kaitlyn Turi (HC) 99-2; Kelsey Sheridan (HON) 93-4.
Long: Julia Koloski (MON) 16-11½; Kaitchen Dearborn (BR) 15-11¼; Emily Yarosheski (VV) 15-8; Sarah Teeple (LAK) 15-7; Witney Vargas (WAL) 15-5½; E. Clauss (WW) 15-5¼.
Triple: Courtney Kromko (WW) 35-9¼; Meghan Ragard (BR) 34-5; Leseana Colvin (SCR) 34-2; Vanessa Munley (RIV) 33-7; Sarah Kimsey (MON) 32-5½; Ashley Townsend (LT) 32-5½.
High: Sarah Kimsey (MON) 5-2; Kara Brussell (HON) 5-0; Ashley Rossi (VV) 4-10; Tori Doyle (LAK) 4-10; Kaitchen Dearborn (BR) 4-10; Courney Kromko (WW) 4-10; Amanda Krenitsky (WW) 4-8; Maggie Fruehan (AH) 4-8.
Pole: Vanessa Munley (RIV) 9-0; Kelsey Kimble (DV) 9-0; Katie Drake (BR) 8-3; Regina Ryan (LAK) 8-0; Kayla Valentine (SUS) 8-0; Alyssa Allis (MON) 8-0; Liz Heesh (HON) 8-0.
3200 Relay: Blue Ridge 10:24; Honesdale 10:33; Valley View 10:35.6; Abington Heights 11:06; Elk Lake 11:09.
400 Relay: Scranton 51.9; Montrose 52.8; Abington Heights 52.9; Honesdale 53.2; Western Wayne 54.3; Valley View 54.3.
1600 Relay: Blue Ridge 4:14.8; Abington Heights 4:21.4; Valley View 4:29.9; Scranton 4:30; Lakeland 4:31

NOTE: All times rounded up to the tenth and must be performed in an LTC division meet. Only first-place marks and an athlete’s top performance is listed. Crossover meet and invitational marks not included.

.

Refice walking on at PSU

BY JOBY FAWCETT, Staff Writer

Valley View lineman J.R. Refice is going to fulfill a dream by accepting a preferred walk-on at Penn State University.

Last season, Refice earned honorable mention all-star honors in the Lackawanna Football Conference Division II. He helped the Cougars to the District 2 Class AA playoffs.

A standout in track and field as well, Refice is a bit undersized at 6-2, 260 pounds. That however will not deter him.

"I know being a preferred walk-on is going to be 10 times harder than anyone else on the team. Working to get there is worth it all.

"I’ve always wanted to work hard. If the chips don’t fall your way, that’s all right. I would love to see the field, but I just want to help out and work hard."

Refice's grandfather, Ray Alberigi, played for the Nittany Lions in the 1950s.

On the Radio

FRIDAY'S IN THE ZONE

Hosted by Joby Fawcett

5:00 p.m.

Tonight Joby and broadcast partner in crime Marty Myers will be joined by Eric "The Prospector" Logan in the studio as Dave Mehall is vacationing in Florida.

We will start the show with a guest, Wallenpaupack track and field coach John Tintle, who will be hosting the annual Icebreaker Relays on Saturday morning.

SEGMENT 2 beginning at 5:25 p.m.

• Guest:  Valley View senior Kyle Colachino will join us. He earned the MVP honors for the victorious Blue Team in the annual Lackawanna League senior all-star game held at his home gym.

SEGMENT 3 beginning at 5:40 p.m.

• Guest: Big Country Chad Jennings, right, will give us a live report from spring training, getting us up to date with all the moves surrounding the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees.
• We will congratulate Chad on his Missouri Tigers advancing into the Elite 8.

NCAA Tournament fun, a look ahead to the weekend and a lot more on ESPN RADIO 630-1240 AM and 96.1 FM

Track and Field Honor Roll

BOYS

2009 Track and Field season set to start

BY JOBY FAWCETT, Staff Writer

I am really looking forward to this track and field season.

There are a lot of top-notch athletes returning in all three divisions in boys and girls track and field.

It's clear that Abington Heights is loaded in both the boys and the girls. And it is clear that Valley View's boys are loaded in the sprints and in the distance events. Will be hard to pick against the Cougars in Division II and they will be the overwhelming favorite at Jordans and the District 2 Class AA championship meets.

Here's a list of some of the athletes to keep an eye on this spring:

Division I -- FAVORITE: Abington Heights
Hurdles: Justin Passetti, Abington Heights, left
Hurdles: Louis Cornacchione, Scranton Prep
Sprint: Eric Ofcharsky, Abington Heights
Sprints: Alex St, John, Delaware Valley
Jumps: Steven Pachuta, Honesdale
Distance: Peter Frein, Scranton Prep
Throws: Jack Rosenstein, Delaware Valley
Throws: Vince Tuzze, Lakeland

GIRLS -- FAVORITE: Abington Heights
Hurdles: Krista Matsko, Abington Heights
Sprints: Jordan Hoyt, Abington Heights
Sprints: Danielle Wasilewski, Abington Heights
Mid-Distance: Nicole Smith, Abington Heights
Distance: Rachel Schmalzle, Wallenpaupack
Throws: April Doyle, Lakeland

Division II -- FAVORITE: Valley View
Hurdles: Kyle Canevari, Valley View
Sprints: Matt Talerico, Riverside
Sprints: Corey Mitchko, Valley View
Sprints: Geno Coccetti, Valley View
Sprints: Cleve Cook, Scranton
Distance: Jordan Siddons, Valley View
Distance: Brent Lane, Riverside
Mid-distance: Brian Connors, Dunmore
Throws: J.R. Refice
Jumps: Cody DeBoer, Montrose

GIRLS -- FAVORITE: Western Wayne
Hurdles: Lyndsay Barna, Western Wayne
Hurdles: Sarah Wildenstein, Western Wayne
Sprints: Julia Koloski, Montrose, right
Sprints: Rebecca Farrell, Western Wayne
Mid-distance: Courtney Kromko, Western Wayne
Jumps: Sarah Kimsey, Montrose
Pole vault: Christy DiMichele, Montrose

Division III-- FAVORITE: Mid Valley
Sprints: Jason Karlavige, Mid Valley
Distance: Matt Skrobiewszewski, Mid Valley
Mid-distance: Jake Bucklaw, Carbondale
Jumps: Dennis O'Hara, Mid Valley
Jumps: Nick Symuleski, Lackawanna Trail

GIRLS -- FAVORITE: Blue Ridge
Hurdles: Hannah McMinn, Lackawanna Trail
Sprints: Caitie Good, Elk Lake
Sprints: Lauren Findley, Blue Ridge, left
Distance: Maegan Lewis, Blue Ridge
Throws: Kaylea Zick, Lackawanna Trail
Jumps: Kaitchen Dearborn, Blue Ridge

2009 Times-Tribune Boys Basketball All-Region

PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jeff Madrak
Elk Lake
Height: 6-3 Year: Senior
A closer look: Lackawanna Division III coaches’ Player of the Year. ... Helped lead the Warriors to a second straight Lackawanna Division III championship and a 20-win season. ... Career 1,000-point scorer. ... Averaged 19.9 points per game and shot .822 from the free-throw line to rank second in the division in both categories. ... Scored 20 points or more in nine regular-season games. ... Scored a season-high 36 points in a win over Lackawanna Trail. ... Three-time Lackawanna Division III first-team all-star.

Eric Hardaway
Abington Heights
Height: 6-5 Year: Senior
A closer look: Lackawanna Division I coaches’ Player of the Year. ... Helped guide the Comets to their third straight Division I championship in his first year as a starter. ... Averaged 13.4 points per game on a balanced scoring team to finish sixth in the division. ... Scored a regular-season high of 22 points in a win over West Scranton that clinched a tie for the second-half title for the Comets, who won 22 straight games. ... Scored in double figures in 11 of 14 regular-season games. ... Averaged 11.8 points per game in the postseason for the Comets.

Mark Bevacqua
Holy Cross
Height: 6-6 Year: Junior
A closer look: Lackawanna Division II coaches’ Player of the Year. ... Played a big role in the Crusaders defending both their Division II and District 2 Class AA championships. ... Averaged 11.3 points per game in the regular season. ... Had a season-high 23 points in a win over Valley View in regular season. ... Averaged 17.3 points in playoff games, including 23 against Dunmore in the Lackawanna Division II all-season championship game. ... Finished with 185 rebounds and 37 blocks. ... Two-time All-Region selection.

Pat Mineo
Scranton Prep
Height: 6-0 Year: Senior
A closer look: Lackawanna Division I coaches’ first-team all-star. ... Helped lead the young Cavaliers, who replacved all five starters from last season’s team to a 15-win season. ... Led Division I in scoring, averaging 17.4 a game. ... Also led the division, averaging 3.3 3-pointers a game. ... Scored in double-figures in 13 of 14 league games and had a season-high 30 in a win over Delaware Valley when he set a record with eight 3-pointers. ... Finished the season with 20 points against Wallenpaupack, 26 against Delaware Valley and 22 in playoff loss to Pittston Area.

Tom Horan
West Scranton
Height: 6-3 Year: Junior
A closer look: Lackawanna Division I coaches’ first-team all-star. ... Was the driving force behind the Invaders improving from a 5-9 league mark and a 9-16 overall record in 2007-08 to a 17-7 mark this season. ... Averaged 17.1 points per game to rank second in Division I. ... Had a stretch where he scored 20 or more points in five of six games during the regular season and finished with six 20-point games in regular season. ... Scored season-high 23 points against Scranton and North Pocono in league games.

COACH OF THE YEAR
Tony Lacertoso
Dunmore
Guided the Bucks to 21 wins after they started the year 0-3 when the football players had not yet started to play. ... Helped lead his team through the loss of returning second-team all-star Pat Ross, who was injured after the first game and missed 10. ... Won the second-half title in the Lackawanna Division II handing Holy Cross its only defeat in the league. ... Played in the championship game of the Lynett Memorial Tournament and placed third in the District 2 Class AA tournament. ... Was the only team to win a PIAA first-round game when the Bucks defeated Saint Pius X.

Board of Control sllices golf proposal

BY MARTY MYERS, TIMES-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

A proposal to change the way the state golf championships are contested was voted down by the PIAA Board of Control on Thursday evening.

On the second reading to consider a change in format, the Board voted 17 to 13 against alterations to the current method of determining individual and team champions. Two proposals were being considered, each of which called for splitting the tournament into two classifications.

PIAA associate executive director Robert Lombardi responded to an e-mail from The Times-Tribune moments after the board's vote.

To pass, a proposal needs to be read and approved three times by the Board of Control.

Football changes clear second hurdle

Still a long way to go

BY JOBY FAWCETT, Staff Writer

A proposal to increase the number of classifications from four to six and reduce the season from 16 to 15 weeks in football passed a second reading Thursday night at the PIAA Board of Directors meeting in State College.

District 2 chairman Frank Majikes, when reached by phone, said that the motion passed with 17 affirmative votes. In order to be adopted for the 2010-2011 school year, it would need a two-thirds majority vote of the board or 21 affirmiative votes.

Clearly, with only 17, which is one less than it had at the first reading, the proposal would need at least four voters to change their minds at the next meeting scheduled for May 20-21 at The Four Points Sheraton in Chambersburg.

This is a long way from being over.

Gerek in line at West

BY JOBY FAWCETT, Staff Writer

As was reported yesterday, it appears as though Joe Gerek will be the next head football coach at West Scranton High School.

The entire process of replacing former coach Michael DeAntona got very complicated in February when the Scranton School Board asked that the first interview process conducted by the appointed athletic panel be reviewed for any impropriety and that it followed proper procedure, a second round of interviews were ordered.

Those were conducted Monday and Gerek came out as the recommendation.

Contractually, the school board is obligated to hire the recommendation. But again, acting superintendent Bill King said nothing is official until the April 6 meeting.

However, he did say that he felt that the panel conducted very fair interviews.

So who is Joe Gerek.

He is a graduate of West Scranton High School, having played on the 1974 Eastern Conference playoff team that tied Lourdes Regional.

He served as a graduate assistant at Mansfield before becoming the head coach at Pocono Mountain. He also was an assistant coach for Joe DeAntona and Ron Moschorak at West Scranton, with a focus on defense.

Gerek is the second new coach in the Lackawanna Football Conference. Steve Jervis is the new coach at Lackawanna Trail.

District 2 meeting this afternoon

BY JOBY FAWCETT, Staff Writer

The District 2 Committee will conduct its monthly meeting today at SCRANTON HIGH SCHOOL at 4:30 p.m. and the Lakeland School District will learn if it will be slapped with a penalty for withdrawing from the boys and girls open basketball tournaments.

According to District 2 chairman Frank Majikes, school superintendent Dr. Margaret Billings-Jones and school principal Joseph Hanni are expected to be in attendance to explain why the school board forced the boys and girls programs to forferit their District 2 play-in games on the day they were scheduled to be played.

Schools have the opportunity to withdraw from the tournament without penalty by sending a certified letter to basketball chairman Frank Victor by Feb. 11. Lakeland did not send a letter and showed no indication that it would not participate.

On the day before the scheduled games, the school board met and ordered the administration to forfeit the boys game against West Side CTC and the girls game against Blue Ridge. Both Lakeland teams were 0-14 in the Lackawanna Division II, and school board officials indicated that the reason was that the teams were not prepared to play in a competitive tournament.

The decision set off a tidal wave of emotion from players, parents, fans and graduates of the school.

At the time, Majikes said that the school would be asked by the committee for reasons why.

Later, the Lakeland School Board is scheduled to hold its monthly meeting at the Mayfield Elementary School at 8 p.m.