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<strong>The</strong> <strong>Express</strong> - WINTER SPORTS - THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2010 - 2<br />
2010-11 WINTER SPORTS COVER STORY<br />
Welcome Back to BEA<br />
Butterworth returns to the<br />
court after short abscence<br />
By TOM FOX<br />
tfox@lockhaven.com<br />
WINGATE — <strong>The</strong> decision was<br />
tough for Bill Butterworth.<br />
Sounds crazy, but it was tough<br />
and easy at the same time.<br />
“I never really wanted to leave,<br />
but I had an outstanding opportunity<br />
with my job and I couldn’t turn<br />
down the advancement,” he said.<br />
“<strong>The</strong> first year away, I had a lot of<br />
free time<br />
on my<br />
h a n d s<br />
and it<br />
was nice<br />
to catch<br />
up on<br />
s o m e<br />
t h i n g s .<br />
But as<br />
the time<br />
w e n t<br />
along, I<br />
g o t<br />
b o r e d BILL<br />
and I BUTTERWORTH<br />
started to<br />
miss being around the kids and<br />
being around the game. I love it. I<br />
love coaching, and I love <strong>basketball</strong>.”<br />
Butterworth and his famed<br />
“Coach Bill” towel returns back to<br />
the sidelines of Bald Eagle Area<br />
this season. He takes the place of<br />
Brian Stover, who coached for the<br />
two seasons while Butterworth was<br />
away.<br />
Away from the sidelines, but not<br />
from the game.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re was “Coach Bill” running<br />
the time clock.<br />
“It was sometimes frustrating<br />
because I wanted to see those boys<br />
win,” he said. “I enjoyed my time<br />
off, but I knew that I wanted to get<br />
back into it. I just enjoy teaching<br />
the game. But it’s tough to keep<br />
your mouth shut from the sidelines.<br />
I didn’t want to discourage anyone.”<br />
Anyone who knows Butterworth<br />
clearly understands his love for<br />
Bald Eagle Area.<br />
If you would slit his hand just a<br />
bit, you would see the colors blue<br />
and gold flowing through his veins.<br />
He grew up an Eagle.<br />
He played on the hardwood<br />
courts as an Eagle. “I wasn’t very<br />
good. I was a defensive player<br />
because I wasn’t a good shooter. I<br />
worked hard, and was pretty<br />
quick,” he smiled.<br />
And he knows coaching is his<br />
passion.<br />
In fact, he led Bald Eagle to a 24-<br />
6 record and a District VI Class AA<br />
championship in 2005-2006<br />
where he had talented players like<br />
the Boone brothers, Cody and<br />
Cory, on the roster. <strong>The</strong> Centre<br />
County team defeated<br />
Burgettstown in the PIAA opener,<br />
but fell in the second round to<br />
WPIAL school Bishop Canevin.<br />
“<strong>The</strong> late Howie Chambers got<br />
me into coaching, and I started at<br />
the junior high and elementary levels,”<br />
he said.<br />
“Things just kept progressing for<br />
me, and I happened to go all the<br />
way to the varsity level. I’ve just<br />
been blessed to continue here at<br />
Bald Eagle.<br />
“When I wanted to get back into<br />
coaching, I looked at some different<br />
options. I applied at some<br />
schools, and it just didn’t pan out<br />
for me. I kept saying that it just<br />
wasn’t meant to be. Even when I<br />
applied for the job again at Bald<br />
Eagle, I didn’t know what to expect<br />
because you didn’t know the direction<br />
the school district wanted to<br />
go. I know that I will work as hard<br />
as I can to make Bald Eagle a successful<br />
program, you just don’t<br />
know.”<br />
It’s a year of change throughout<br />
the program.<br />
Butterworth returns back to the<br />
sidelines.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Eagles are scheduled to<br />
begin play inside a new gymnasium<br />
sometime this season.<br />
“I was planning on running the<br />
clock inside the new gym anyway,”<br />
he said. “When you look at it, it’s<br />
such a beautiful gym. I’m just honored<br />
that I get to be the first boys’<br />
head coach in the new facility. It’s<br />
truly an honor.”<br />
NATE WILSON/THE EXPRESS<br />
Bald Eagle Area boysʼ <strong>basketball</strong> coach Bill Butterworth talks to his team at a practice in<br />
Wingate. Butterworth was the head coach two years ago, and has returned to take over<br />
the program once again.<br />
Bald Eagle Area will also jump<br />
up to compete in the District VI<br />
Class AAA playoffs. Of course,<br />
that means going through a pretty<br />
talented Greater Johnstown team<br />
every season in addition to perennial<br />
foes like Bellefonte and Indian<br />
Valley.<br />
“It’s going to be a challenge,<br />
there’s no doubt about that because<br />
there are some pretty good Triple-<br />
A teams in the district,”<br />
Butterworth said. “But you know,<br />
Double-A was pretty strong as<br />
well. Like I told the kids, no matter<br />
where we play, every team, every<br />
game will be a test.”<br />
As Butterworth gathered his team<br />
together prior to the opening practice,<br />
he laid out one specific goal.<br />
Be .500. Qualify for the postseason.<br />
Of course, you can imagine the<br />
look he got. BEA only won four<br />
games last season.<br />
“I told the kids that I wanted at<br />
least nine wins, and I wanted to get<br />
into the playoffs,” he said. “I told<br />
them I would love to win every single<br />
game because I am a competitor.<br />
I hope the kids thought it was a<br />
realistic goal because I feel that it<br />
is. My last year, we only had six<br />
wins. I know how important it is to<br />
be .500 because when you get into<br />
that bracket, the records don’t matter.<br />
It’s one game at a time. Every<br />
See COURT, Page 16
CENTRAL MOUNTAIN<br />
Boys Basketball<br />
Girls Basketball<br />
12/13 Central (Martinsburg) 7:30 pm<br />
12/10 AT Bishop McCort 3:00 pm<br />
12/15 AT Dubois 7:30 pm<br />
12/11 AT TBA TBA<br />
12/16 AT Philipsburg-Osceola 7:30 pm<br />
12/15 AT Central (Martinsburg) 7:30 pm<br />
12/22 AT Altoona 7:30 pm<br />
12/17 AT Philipsburg Osceola 7:30 pm<br />
1/3/11 AT State College 7:30 pm<br />
12/22 AT Huntingdon 7:30 pm<br />
1/5 AT Tyrone 7:30 pm<br />
12/28 AT Shikellamy 6:30 pm<br />
17 Clearfield 7:30 pm<br />
12/29 AT TBA TBA<br />
1/10 Bellefonte 7:30 pm<br />
1/3/11 Tyrone 7:30 pm<br />
1/12 AT Indian Valley 7:30 pm<br />
1/6 AT Clearfield 7:30 pm<br />
1/14 Penns Valley 7:30 pm<br />
1/8 Williamsport 7:30 pm<br />
1/19 AT Juniata 7:30 pm<br />
1/11 AT Bellefonte 7:30 pm<br />
1/25 AT Bald Eagle Area 7:30 pm<br />
1/13 Indian Valley 7:30 pm<br />
1/27 AT Central (Martinsburg) 7:30 pm<br />
1/15 AT Penns Valley 7:30 pm<br />
1/29 Indian Valley 7:30 pm<br />
1/18 Juniata 7:30 pm<br />
2/1 AT Jersey Shore 7:30 pm<br />
1/20 AT Lewistown 7:30 pm<br />
2/2 Philipsburg-Osceola 7:30 pm<br />
1/26 Bald Eagle Area 7:30 pm<br />
2/7 Williamsport 7:30 pm<br />
1/28 Central (Martinsburg) 7:30 pm<br />
2/9 Tyrone 7:30 pm<br />
2/1 Philipsburg-Osceola 7:30 pm<br />
2/11 AT Clearfield 7:30 pm<br />
2/3 Huntingdon 7:30 pm<br />
2/8 AT Tyrone 7:30 pm<br />
2/10 Clearfield 7:30 pm<br />
2/17 AT Jersey Shore 7:30 pm<br />
3 - <strong>The</strong> <strong>Express</strong> - WINTER SPORTS - THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2010<br />
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<strong>The</strong> <strong>Express</strong> - WINTER SPORTS - THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2010 - 4<br />
Dec. 10-11 Top Hat Tournament TBA<br />
Dec. 14 Bellefonte 7:00 pm<br />
Dec. 17-18 King of the Mountain 8:30 am<br />
Dec. 22 at Philipsburg-Osceola 7:00 pm<br />
Jan. 4 Clearfield 7:00 pm<br />
Jan. 8 Cedar Cliff Duals at Camp Hill 8:00 pm<br />
Jan. 13 at Lewistown 7:00 pm<br />
Jan. 14-15 Escape the Rock Tournament TBA<br />
Jan. 19 Hollidaysburg 7:00 pm<br />
Jan. 22 Bald Eagle Area 7:00 pm<br />
Jan. 25 at Shikellamy 7:00 pm<br />
Jan. 29 at State College 6:30 pm<br />
Feb. 1 at Indian Valley 7:00 pm<br />
Feb. 5 District 6 Tournament at Tyrone 8:00 pm<br />
Feb. 11-12 Team States at Hershey TBA<br />
Feb. 17 Jersey Shore 7:00 pm<br />
Fb. 25-26 Individual Dist. at Altoona TBA<br />
Mar. 4-5 Individual Reg. at Altoona TBA<br />
Mar. 10-11 Individual States at Hershey TBA<br />
Good Luck To Central Mountain<br />
from everyone at<br />
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Central Mountain<br />
High School<br />
Mill Hall, Pa.<br />
WRESTLING<br />
TOM FOX/THE EXPRESS<br />
Pictured above are the returning letterwinners for the 2010-11 Central Mountain wrestling team.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y are, front row from left, Joey Miller, Cole Hanley, Logan Bechdel and Dillion Gavlock; back<br />
row, Blaze Buckwalter, Brian Brill, Zach Corl and Tyler Buckwalter.<br />
A new look for defending champs<br />
By TOM FOX<br />
tfox@lockhaven.com<br />
MILL HALL — It’s a different feeling<br />
when you walk inside the Central<br />
Mountain wrestling room.<br />
After four seasons of seeing Andrew<br />
and Dylan Alton, Jordan Rich, Bryant<br />
Vannoy and Dylan Caprio run around<br />
the room, those athletes have all moved<br />
on to college.<br />
“Just the whole atmosphere is a little<br />
different right now,” Central Mountain<br />
head coach Doug Buckwalter said.<br />
Last year was a dream season for<br />
Central Mountain and its faithful followers<br />
that packed home and away<br />
gymnasiums all season.<br />
Tournament titles like King of the<br />
Mountain.<br />
An epic PIAA Class AAA Team<br />
Dual semifinal with Central Dauphin<br />
that will live in the history of<br />
Pennsylvania wrestling forever.<br />
A team championship in March with<br />
several state champs and place-winners.<br />
Yet, Buckwalter believes his<br />
Wildcats will still be competitive when<br />
matches kick into full gear this weekend.<br />
“<strong>The</strong>y understand the circumstances<br />
coming in,” the head coach said. “At<br />
the beginning of the year, I handed out<br />
goal sheets to each one of the kids so<br />
we can find out what they want this<br />
year. We want to see what their goals<br />
are — as an individual and for the<br />
entire team. When they came back to<br />
us, they looked very similar to the ones<br />
we had last year. <strong>The</strong>y want to keep<br />
accomplishing the same things.<br />
“We have a lot of talent. Going into<br />
some dual meets last year, you knew<br />
you probably had 18 to 24 points right<br />
off the bat. I don’t know if we have that<br />
luxury this year, but we are going to<br />
send a solid group and a solid person at<br />
each weight class. Hopefully, they will<br />
be able to perform.”<br />
No doubt, Central Mountain is talented<br />
Ṡenior heavyweight Zach Corl is<br />
ranked in the top 20 in the nation at this<br />
weight. He was a PIAA Class AAA<br />
runner-up to Abington Heights’ Evan<br />
Craig last year at heavyweight.<br />
See LOOK, Page 6<br />
Head Coaches<br />
Boys’ Basketball: Scott Baker<br />
Girls’ Basketball: Mike Gentzel<br />
Wrestling: Doug Buckwalter<br />
Swimming: Carol Matheney<br />
BOYS’ BASKETBALL<br />
Baker has high<br />
hopes despite<br />
‘youthful’ squad<br />
By TOM FOX<br />
tfox@lockhaven.com<br />
MILL HALL — Scott Baker sets up for an upcoming<br />
scrimmage inside Central Mountain’s gymnasium, and the<br />
first person on the court is sophomore Cole Renninger.<br />
<strong>The</strong> CM boys’ head coach gives a little smile.<br />
“He’s the first one in the gym and last one out,” Baker<br />
said of his sophomore. “And if you remember, that’s the<br />
same way Scott Zuback was last year. Cole is the same<br />
way. He bleeds <strong>basketball</strong>. From a skill standpoint, he’s a<br />
workaholic.”<br />
Renninger is the Wildcats’ lone letterman returning from<br />
a 13-10 team last season that gave district champ<br />
Hollidaysburg a serious scare in the semifinals.<br />
Gone are players like Zuback, Harley Sellinger and Luke<br />
Welshans — who combined for more than 65 percent of<br />
the offense last year. Zuback, <strong>The</strong> <strong>Express</strong>’ Male Athlete of<br />
the Year, averaged 16 points each night. Sellinger was a<br />
double-double man, and Welshans a sharp-shooter from the<br />
perimeter.<br />
Everyone is gone, with the exception of Renninger —<br />
who averaged 5.1 points as a freshman on varsity.<br />
“It was a deep class. Eight of our top 9 are gone, but I like<br />
the fact that the kids we have this year played together as a<br />
group last year,” Baker said. “<strong>The</strong>y were together at the<br />
junior-varsity level. <strong>The</strong>y understand each other, and<br />
understand each other’s role. That’s going to help us quite<br />
a bit.<br />
“<strong>The</strong> jayvees were successful. You always look at it and<br />
ask if it matters what happens at that level — or even in<br />
junior high. What happens, I think, is you gain confidence<br />
in yourself and in your teammates. <strong>The</strong>y have to raise it up<br />
to the next level. You are going to see the best every single<br />
night. For the most part, we will be OK.”<br />
Athletes like Richie Lasalle, Cameron Blazina, Connor<br />
Garbrick and Cole Fenton — all seniors — will be asked<br />
to take a leadership role.<br />
Lasalle is coming off a nice season at the jayvee level last<br />
year where he was a constant double-double threat. Blazina<br />
and Garbrick are both nice point guards with a touch from<br />
the 3-point stripe, while Fenton’s length could provide<br />
some problems for the opposition.<br />
“Richie Lasalle needs to be that complimentary scorer for<br />
Cole, so we can have a nice inside-outside game. He has<br />
some nice moves, and he’s relentless on the boards,” Baker<br />
See SQUAD, Page 6<br />
5 - <strong>The</strong> <strong>Express</strong> - WINTER SPORTS - THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2010
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Express</strong> - WINTER SPORTS - THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2010 - 6<br />
Classmate Tyler Buckwalter is being<br />
recruited by several Division I institutions.<br />
Junior Brian Brill is coming off a fifthplace<br />
finish last year at 140 — although<br />
he’s expected to bump up to 152 this season.<br />
Three quality kids, no doubt.<br />
In addition, Central Mountain returns<br />
lightweights Cole Hanley and Logan<br />
Bechdel, middle weights Joey Miller and<br />
Dillion Gavlock and 189-pounder Blaze<br />
Buckwalter.<br />
Logan Struble, after years of wrestling the<br />
Altons at practice, is expected to be in the<br />
LOOK<br />
Continued from Page 5<br />
lineup, while tailback Rocco Vuocolo<br />
returns to the Resilite for his senior year after<br />
taking some time away.<br />
“We have some guys that have leadership<br />
skills,” Doug Buckwalter said. “Guys that<br />
have been part of the program that we will<br />
have an opportunity to shine on the mat this<br />
year. A good example is a person like Logan<br />
Struble. He’s pushed our guys every single<br />
day in practice for the past few seasons, and<br />
now, this is his chance to be a leader out<br />
there. And there are several guys in our program<br />
like that.”<br />
GIRLS’ BASKETBALL<br />
TOM FOX/THE EXPRESS<br />
Pictured are the seniors on the Central Mountain boysʼ <strong>basketball</strong> team<br />
this year. <strong>The</strong>y are, from left, Connor Garbrick, Richie Lasalle, Cameron<br />
Blazina and Cole Fenton.<br />
said. “We are going to ask a<br />
lot out of our seniors. We<br />
need them to lead us<br />
through the tough times on<br />
the court, and at times, step<br />
up in key situations.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> real wildcard is the<br />
addition of pure athlete Von<br />
Walker.<br />
Walker, a two-sport star<br />
at Central Mountain, will<br />
hit the hardwood for the<br />
first time in high school.<br />
He’s already had a successful<br />
stint on the gridiron as a<br />
tailback-quarterback and<br />
batted nearly .500 as a<br />
freshman on the diamond in<br />
2010.<br />
SQUAD<br />
Continued from Page 5<br />
“He’s going to help us in<br />
the full court and on the<br />
boards,” Baker said of<br />
Walker. “<strong>The</strong> problem we<br />
had last year was guarding<br />
the four man. When we<br />
tried to put a big on him, he<br />
had success outside. And<br />
when we put a guard on<br />
him, he would work on the<br />
inside and beat up one of<br />
our smaller guys. We think<br />
that Von will be able to<br />
handle that, and really,<br />
could be the answer to that<br />
problem.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> schedule before<br />
Christmas is light, but challenging.<br />
Despite only playing<br />
five games before Santa<br />
Claus rolls down the chimney,<br />
they are tough with<br />
playoff squads like Central<br />
Martinsburg, Huntingdon<br />
and Altoona. <strong>The</strong> first game<br />
of 2011 sees the Wildcats<br />
traveling to State College.<br />
“We have five games<br />
before Christmas, and I<br />
kind of like that,” Baker<br />
said. “In the past, we would<br />
have eight or nine games in<br />
and you don’t have time to<br />
work on things. It seems<br />
like half of the schedule is<br />
done, and you don’t have<br />
time to correct any mistakes.”<br />
TOM FOX/THE EXPRESS<br />
Above are the returning letterwinners for the CM girlsʼ <strong>basketball</strong> team.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y are, front row from left, Rimma Heverly, Hayley Lowery and Kara<br />
Heckman; back row, Johnna Garbrick, Hannah Royer and Kendra Heckman.<br />
Missing from the photo is Kaylin Smith.<br />
Heverly, three other starters<br />
back for Lady Wildcats<br />
By TOM FOX<br />
tfox@lockhaven.com<br />
MILL HALL — For the first time in a<br />
few seasons, Mike Gentzel can finally use<br />
the word “experienced” to describe his<br />
Central Mountain Lady Wildcat <strong>basketball</strong><br />
team.<br />
Rimma Heverly, Kaylin Smith and<br />
Hayley Lowery have started since their<br />
freshman seasons, while Johnna Garbrick<br />
returns from a solid freshman campaign in<br />
2009-10.<br />
Yes, Gentzel returns four starters from<br />
last year’s 5-18 squad.<br />
Yes, he can see those girls maturing from<br />
two years of tough play in the Mountain<br />
League.<br />
“We did a lot of team stuff in the summer,”<br />
Gentzel said. “We played in a spring<br />
and summer league. We went to a team<br />
camp. We played in a fall league. We had<br />
like 30-plus games in the offseason. Our<br />
captains are learning about leadership and<br />
what it really means to be a captain and<br />
how to lead a team. With our experience<br />
and getting some maturity, we will have<br />
better leadership. I believe you need players<br />
on the team that have that type of direction.”<br />
For the Lady Wildcats, it all starts with<br />
Heverly.<br />
<strong>The</strong> junior comes into the season with<br />
more than 330 points in her career. As a<br />
sophomore, she averaged nearly 13 points<br />
each night, and always showed the ability<br />
to take the big shot in key situations.<br />
Could this be the breakout year for the<br />
junior?<br />
“I think it could be,” Gentzel said. “She<br />
took a step forward in the fall league. <strong>The</strong>re<br />
See BACK, Page 16
Fri 12/10<br />
Sat 12/11<br />
Tue 12/14<br />
Fri 12/17<br />
Tue 12/21<br />
Wed 12/29<br />
Thu 12/30<br />
Tue 1/4<br />
Fri 1/7<br />
Tue 1/11<br />
Fri 1/14<br />
Tue 1/18<br />
Fri 1/21<br />
Wed 1/26<br />
Sat. 1/29<br />
Tue 2/1<br />
Wed 2/2<br />
Sat 2/5<br />
Wed 2/9<br />
Sat 2/12<br />
Mon 2/14<br />
Wed 2/16<br />
JERSEY SHORE<br />
2010-2011 Boys Basketball<br />
at Troy Tip Off Tournament<br />
at Troy Tip Off Tournament<br />
vs. Montgomery High School<br />
vs. Hughesville High School<br />
at Shikellamy High School<br />
at Montoursville Christmas Tournament<br />
at Montoursville Christmas Tournament<br />
at Milton High School<br />
vs. Shamokin Area MS/HS<br />
vs. Midd-West Jr/Sr HS<br />
at Selinsgrove Area High School<br />
vs. Danville High School<br />
at Mifflinburg Area Senior High School<br />
vs. Shikellamy High School<br />
vs. Milton High School<br />
vs. Central Mountain School<br />
at Shamokin Area MS/HS<br />
at Midd-West Jr/Sr/ High School<br />
vs. Selinsgrove Area High School<br />
at Danville High School<br />
at Indian Valley Senior High School<br />
vs. Mifflinburg Area Senior High School<br />
Rt. 150 between Woolrich & Avis<br />
570-769-7377 or 1-800-477-0636<br />
Hours: Monday-Thursday 9 am-5 pm; Friday 9 am to 8 pm; Saturday 9 am-3 pm<br />
Fri 12/10<br />
Sat 12/11<br />
Wed 12/15<br />
Fri 12/17<br />
Mon 12/20<br />
Wed 12/22<br />
Mon 1/3<br />
Wed 1/5<br />
Sat 1/8<br />
Wed 1/12<br />
Fri 1/14<br />
Mon 1/17<br />
Wed 1/19<br />
Fri 1/21<br />
Tue 1/25<br />
Fri 1/28<br />
Tue 2/1<br />
Fri 2/4<br />
Mon 2/7<br />
Fri 2/11<br />
Tue 2/15<br />
Thu 2/17<br />
2010-2011 Girls Basketball<br />
at Montgomery Tip Off Tournament<br />
at Montgomery Tip Off Tournament<br />
vs. Mount Carmel Area Jr/Sr High School<br />
at Sullivan County Jr/Sr High School<br />
vs. Hughesville High School<br />
at Shikellamy High School<br />
at Williamsport High School<br />
at Midd-West Jr/Sr High School<br />
vs. Danville High School<br />
at Selinsgrove Area high School<br />
at Shamokin Area MS/HS<br />
vs. South Williamsport High School<br />
vs. Milton High School<br />
vs. Montoursville Area Senior High School<br />
vs. Shikellamy High School<br />
vs. Midd-West Jr/Sr High School<br />
at Danville High School<br />
vs. Selinsgrove Area High School<br />
vs. Shamokin Area MS/HS<br />
at Milton High School<br />
at Montourville Area Senior High School<br />
vs. Central Mountain School<br />
Good Luck Bulldogs!<br />
BUTTORFF’S<br />
HARDWARE<br />
111 Bridge Street, Jersey Shore<br />
398-0385<br />
Fri 12/10<br />
Sat 12/11<br />
Tue 12/14<br />
Fri 12/17<br />
Sat 12/18<br />
Tue 12/21<br />
Thu 12/23<br />
Tue 1/4<br />
Thu 1/6<br />
Thu 1/13<br />
Thu 1/15<br />
Tue 1/18<br />
Thu 1/20<br />
Thu 127<br />
Wed 2/2<br />
Sat 2/5<br />
Tue 2/8<br />
Tue 2/15<br />
Thu 2/17<br />
Fri 2/25<br />
2010-2011 Wrestling<br />
at Top Hat Tournament<br />
at Top Hat Tournament<br />
at State College Area High School<br />
at King of the Mountain<br />
at King of the Mountain<br />
vs. Shamokin Area MS/HS<br />
vs. Montoursville Area Senior High School<br />
at Williamsport High School<br />
vs. Milton High School<br />
at Selinsgrove Area High School<br />
vs. Jersey Shore Duals<br />
at Hollidaysburg Area High School<br />
vs. Midd-West Jr/Sr High School<br />
at Mifflinburg Area Senior High School<br />
vs. Shikellamy High School<br />
at District Team Duals AAA<br />
vs. Bald Eagle Area Jr/Sr High School<br />
vs. Bellefonte Area High School<br />
at Central Mountain School<br />
vs. District IV AAA Wrestling Championships<br />
Steve Yost<br />
PH: (570) 753-8688 • (570) 398-9832 after 5:00<br />
FAX: (570) 753-8680<br />
5 EAST CENTRAL AVE. • AVIS, PA 17721<br />
7 - <strong>The</strong> <strong>Express</strong> - WINTER SPORTS - THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2010<br />
FREE<br />
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PACKAGE EXPRESS<br />
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56 EAST THIRD STREET, WILLIAMSPORT, PA<br />
322-5361 800-692-6314<br />
www.susquehannabus.com
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Express</strong> - WINTER SPORTS - THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2010 - 8<br />
Jersey Shore<br />
High School<br />
Jersey Shore, Pa.<br />
Butch Barnhart returns as<br />
boys’ coach at Jersey Shore<br />
By KIM<br />
MOERSCHBACHER<br />
kim@lockhaven.com<br />
JERSEY SHORE — It<br />
didn’t take long for Butch<br />
Barnhart to settle into his<br />
new position as the head<br />
coach of the Jersey Shore<br />
boys’ <strong>basketball</strong> team.<br />
Barnhart, a coach for the<br />
girls’ squad a few years ago,<br />
will return to the hardwood<br />
this year with hopes of getting<br />
the Bulldogs back to<br />
championship form.<br />
Jersey Shore was 12-12<br />
last season after winning its<br />
first-round playoff game<br />
against Milton before falling<br />
to Shamokin.<br />
Upperclassmen will dot<br />
the roster this season with<br />
only two seniors and several<br />
juniors on the squad.<br />
“Mainly, our team is made<br />
up of two seniors. Out of the<br />
eight juniors, we’re probably<br />
going to have six of them on<br />
the varsity team,” Barnhart<br />
said. “I have one sophomore,<br />
and I did move up two<br />
freshmen to the JV team so<br />
they will play this year to try<br />
and develop a little bit.<br />
“<strong>The</strong> two juniors we have,<br />
we will look to for leadership.<br />
<strong>The</strong> junior class we<br />
have is very athletic, and I<br />
think I have eight juniors on<br />
the roster. We’ll be looking<br />
for those guys, especially<br />
Tellef Notevarp and Caleb<br />
Barnhart, who have varsity<br />
experience, to pick it up with<br />
the other guys.”<br />
Notevarp and Caleb<br />
Barnhart are the Bulldogs’<br />
lone two returning letterwinners,<br />
and have had the most<br />
time on the court.<br />
KIM MOERSCHBACHER/THE EXPRESS<br />
<strong>The</strong>re are only two returning letterwinners for<br />
the Jersey Shore boysʼ <strong>basketball</strong> team this year.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y are, from left, Tellef Notevarp and Caleb<br />
Barnhart.<br />
<strong>The</strong> two averaged over 12<br />
points per game combined<br />
and scored 270 points in 24<br />
games. Caleb Barnhart, the<br />
football team’s quarterback,<br />
didn’t get to the foul line<br />
much but was consistent<br />
when he did, shooting 67<br />
percent.<br />
Blake Musser, part of the<br />
talented junior class, averaged<br />
3.2 ppg and made over<br />
half his free-throw attempts.<br />
For coach Barnhart, it’s<br />
about starting from the<br />
beginning and working to<br />
the top.<br />
He hopes to hammer down<br />
the fundamentals first, then<br />
work up from there as his<br />
kids go through the rigors of<br />
a tough Heartland<br />
BASKETBALL<br />
By KIM MOERSCHBACHER<br />
kim@lockhaven.com<br />
JERSEY SHORE — Greg Bruce has an<br />
upbeat tone when he talks about his Jersey<br />
Shore Lady Bulldogs <strong>basketball</strong> team.<br />
<strong>The</strong> first-year head coach might still be<br />
getting to know some of the girls, but so<br />
far, he’s pleased with the progress he sees<br />
them making.<br />
“We started with open gyms in<br />
September. We started out with five or six<br />
girls coming in, and it kept building until<br />
we had 15 or 16 at the last one,” he said.<br />
Head Coaches<br />
Boys’ Basketball: Butch Barnhart<br />
Girls’ Basketball: Greg Bruce<br />
Wrestling: Shawn Weaver<br />
Swimming: Lee Thompson<br />
KIM MOERSCHBACHER/THE EXPRESS<br />
Pictured are the returning letterwinners for the Jersey Shore girlsʼ <strong>basketball</strong><br />
team. <strong>The</strong>y are, front row from left, Kayla Allen and Brianna<br />
McCloskey; back row, Courtney Smith, Vanessa Martin and Corissa Gehr.<br />
Two seniors will lead Lady<br />
Bulldogs’ hoops team<br />
“A lot of them that did come to practice<br />
that were in the open gym have done fine.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y are working hard and putting in the<br />
time. We do a lot with fundamentals.<br />
That’s where you have to start at. We have<br />
very few upperclassmen. <strong>The</strong>y are trying to<br />
help the underclassmen along. We keep the<br />
kids moving at practice, and they seem to<br />
like it.”<br />
It was a rough season for the girls in<br />
orange and black last year, despite a trip to<br />
See COACH, Page 9 See LEAD, Page 9
WRESTLING<br />
KIM MOERSCHBACHER/THE EXPRESS<br />
Pictured are the returning letterwinners for the Jersey Shore wrestling team. <strong>The</strong>y are, front row<br />
from left, Cody Ulmer, Kelob Herman, MacKenzie Kershner, Dylan Shields and Elliott Packer; back<br />
row, Ryan Spangler, Jake Caputo, Colton Thompson and Mike Kershner.<br />
Bulldogs come back with experience<br />
By KIM<br />
MOERSCHBACHER<br />
kim@lockhaven.com<br />
JERSEY SHORE — At<br />
this time last year, Shawn<br />
Weaver wasn’t sure how<br />
things might pan out.<br />
<strong>The</strong> leader of the Jersey<br />
Shore wrestling team had a<br />
plethora of young faces with<br />
little experience on the<br />
Resilite.<br />
One year later, the<br />
Bulldog head coach still has<br />
those younger kids in the<br />
lineup, but now, they have<br />
the mat time.<br />
“Looking back, I think<br />
there are 16 guys on our roster<br />
that have had varsity<br />
experience. So, we actually<br />
have a pretty experienced<br />
group of guys even though<br />
they are still pretty young,”<br />
Weaver said. “We had five<br />
freshmen last year that had<br />
varsity experience, and<br />
hopefully, that will pay off.<br />
We are still young in a lot of<br />
areas. Hopefully, last year<br />
was something to build upon<br />
and we can go out this year<br />
and wrestle well.<br />
“Practices have been real<br />
good. <strong>The</strong> attitude has been<br />
real good and the work ethic<br />
is tremendous. Everything<br />
I’ve seen is where it needs to<br />
for this time of year. Guys<br />
just come into the room<br />
every day and want to get<br />
better. It’s very encouraging<br />
from that standpoint. I think<br />
if we keep doing what we<br />
are doing now, we’ll be<br />
fine.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> Bulldogs went 10-7<br />
in dual meets last season,<br />
but struggled a bit late after<br />
tough meetings with Big 7<br />
schools Bald Eagle Area,<br />
Bellefonte and Central<br />
Mountain, which was<br />
nationally-ranked at the<br />
time.<br />
It left the orange and black<br />
banged up late in the year.<br />
Unfortunately for Weaver,<br />
those woes are hitting the<br />
team early this season.<br />
“We’re kind of bunched<br />
up in there (middle to lower<br />
weights). We’re hoping to<br />
get some guys in there to<br />
move around to other<br />
weights,” the head coach<br />
said. “<strong>The</strong>re are some guys<br />
that are out of our lineup that<br />
are very tough. We’ll move<br />
some guys down and they<br />
are working hard to get<br />
there. As of right now, we<br />
don’t have a 103 pounder.<br />
We have four guys at 112<br />
and nobody at 103. We are<br />
banged up which has<br />
thinned us out a little bit. We<br />
still have some guys that are<br />
bunched up in there. I think<br />
we have the chance to be<br />
pretty good.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> Bulldogs started nine<br />
underclassmen in their lineup<br />
last season, and some of<br />
those kids will again be<br />
called upon.<br />
Dylan Shields is the lone<br />
returning district champion<br />
as he captured the 145-<br />
pound crown last season.<br />
Graduating seniors Taylor<br />
Stabley and Cody Mason<br />
were also crowned champs.<br />
Cody Ulmer, Kelob<br />
Herman and Elliott Packer<br />
were all Northeast Regional<br />
Class AAA qualifiers earlier<br />
this year, so the experience<br />
Weaver spoke of is certainly<br />
there.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Bulldogs will kick off<br />
their season tomorrow at the<br />
Top Hat Tournament in<br />
Williamsport, where local<br />
teams Central Mountain and<br />
Bald Eagle Area will also<br />
travel to. An away meet with<br />
State College is nestled in<br />
between the prestigious<br />
King of the Mountain<br />
Tournament, held the weekend<br />
before Christmas.<br />
Conference Division I<br />
schedule.<br />
“My hopes are to focus on<br />
the fundamentals with these<br />
kids and focus on a <strong>basketball</strong><br />
system,” Butch<br />
Barnhart said. “We want to<br />
develop a system where they<br />
know what they are doing<br />
on offense. <strong>The</strong>y are supposed<br />
to be running good<br />
offensive sets and playing<br />
good defense. maybe not<br />
just trying to fastbreak the<br />
ball all the time.<br />
“We want to get more<br />
rebounds and those kind of<br />
things. That’s what I would<br />
like to focus on as a coach.<br />
We mainly have guards<br />
because we don’t have<br />
height there. We are going<br />
to try and spread it out a little<br />
bit and use our guards<br />
that can step up.<br />
“I think practices are<br />
going pretty well. I’ve really<br />
been emphasizing the fundamentals<br />
with these kids and<br />
trying to slow things down<br />
COACH<br />
Continued from Page 8<br />
LEAD<br />
Continued from Page 8<br />
on offense a little bit. It is<br />
more of trying to take care<br />
of the ball a little bit and<br />
slowing things down rather<br />
than pressing as hard. We<br />
are really emphasizing the<br />
defense. I think that’s really<br />
important as well. That’s<br />
where our main concentration<br />
is now, just trying to get<br />
the kids to play defense. I<br />
have a lot of athletes on the<br />
team. I think we can do<br />
things if we start playing<br />
together and playing as a<br />
team.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> Bulldogs will start off<br />
with the Troy Tip-Off<br />
Tournament Friday — an<br />
event which they won last<br />
year after defeating North<br />
Penn and host Troy.<br />
<strong>The</strong> team’s first conference<br />
game will be on the<br />
road against Shikellamy on<br />
Dec. 21 before the orange<br />
and black travel to the<br />
Montoursville Christmas<br />
Tournament Dec. 29 and<br />
Dec. 30.<br />
the District IV playoffs. Shore went 0-23 one year after<br />
winning five games the previous season. <strong>The</strong> Lady<br />
Bulldogs haven’t had a winning record since the 2006-07<br />
season when they won 11 games.<br />
But, Bruce doesn’t want to focus on any of that.<br />
Instead, he’s challenging his girls to work hard and have<br />
a fun season, letting the wins fall where they may.<br />
His squad will consist of mostly underclassmen, including<br />
a slew of freshmen. Only two seniors will dot the roster,<br />
those being Vanessa Martin and Corissa Gehr. Both are<br />
returning letterwinners for the team.<br />
Also lettering were Kayla Allen, Brianna McCloskey and<br />
Courtney Smith.<br />
“We’re trying not to worry about the youth. We haven’t<br />
talked much about that,” Bruce said. “<strong>The</strong>y know there are<br />
only a few seniors back. A lot of sophomores are going to<br />
see a lot of playing time. But they are all getting along, and<br />
they are all working together.<br />
“<strong>The</strong> sophomores have a lot of talent. <strong>The</strong> freshmen<br />
group that is here now are pretty good. <strong>The</strong>y played in 8th<br />
grade and did pretty good. <strong>The</strong>y didn’t want to tell me what<br />
their record was, but they said they won a lot of ballgames.<br />
Coach (John) Dick has them working hard and is doing a<br />
lot of fundamentals with them. All the freshmen are going<br />
to be on the JV team.<br />
“All the upperclassmen, which I include the sophomores<br />
with them, are going to be on varsity. That’s how we split<br />
it up. We do have two varsity players that are going to play<br />
some JV to get them more experience. We are depending<br />
on the girls that were here to give us information on teams<br />
that we don’t know about. <strong>The</strong>y know the teams they<br />
played. We are looking to them for the leadership. <strong>The</strong>y<br />
have the experience and we have to lean on them a little<br />
bit.”<br />
9 - <strong>The</strong> <strong>Express</strong> - WINTER SPORTS - THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2010
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Express</strong> - WINTER SPORTS - THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2010 - 10<br />
BUCKTAIL<br />
2010-2011 Boys Basketball<br />
Fri. 12/10 at Galeton Area School 5:00 pm<br />
Fri. 12/10 at Cowanesque Tournament 5:15 pm<br />
Sat. 12/11 at Cowanesque Tournament TBA<br />
Tue. 12/14 at Elkland Area High School 7:30 pm<br />
Thu. 12/16 vs. St. John Neumann Reg Academy 7:30 pm<br />
Sat. 12/18<br />
at Benton Area Middle School/High School7:30 pm<br />
Tue. 12/21 at Austin Area High School 7:30 pm<br />
Thu. 12/23 at Sullivan County Jr/Sr High School 8:00 pm<br />
Tue. 12/28 at Coudersport Tournament 7:30 pm<br />
Wed. 12/29 at Coudersport Tournament TBA<br />
Wed. 1/5 vs. Benton Area Middle/High School 7:30 pm<br />
Fri. 1/7 at Columbia-Montour AVTS 7:30 pm<br />
Mon. 1/17 vs. Muncy Junior/Senior High School 7:30 pm<br />
Wed. 1/19 at Montgomery Senior High School 7:30 pm<br />
Mon. 1/24 at St. John Neumann Reg Academy 7:30 pm<br />
Tue. 1/25 vs. Northeast Bradford Jr/Sr High School 6:30 pm<br />
Thu. 1/27 at Millville Area Jr/Sr High School 7:30 pm<br />
Sat. 1/29 vs. Coudersport Area Jr/Sr High School 7:30 pm<br />
Mon. 1/31 vs. Sullivan County Jr/Sr High School 7:30 pm<br />
Thu. 2/3 at Muncy Junior/Senior High School 8:00 pm<br />
Tue. 2/8 vs. Elkland Area High School 7:30 pm<br />
Sat. 2/12 vs. Liberty Junior/Senior High School 2:15 pm<br />
Wed. 2/16 vs. Columbia-Montour AVTS 7:30 pm<br />
2010-2011 Girls Basketball<br />
Fri. 12/10 at Liberty Tournament 7:30 pm<br />
Sat. 12/11 at Liberty Tournament 12:00 pm<br />
Mon. 12/13 vs. St. John Neumann Reg Academy 7:30 pm<br />
Wed. 12/15 at Muncy Junior/Senior High School 8:00 pm<br />
MAXWELL<br />
FUNERAL HOME<br />
205 Fifth St., Renovo<br />
923-0228<br />
DEAN K. WETZLER, JR.<br />
FUNERAL HOME<br />
320 Main Street<br />
Mill Hall, PA 17751<br />
726-4991<br />
Good Luck To Central Mountain<br />
from everyone at<br />
Fri. 12/17 vs. Austin Area High School 7:30 pm<br />
Mon, 12/20 at Montgomery Senior High School 7:30 pm<br />
Tue. 12/21 vs. North Penn Senior HS (Blossburg) 7:30 pm<br />
Thu. 12/23 vs. Millville Area Jr/Sr High School 7:30 pm<br />
Tue. 12/28 at Benton Tournament 7:30 pm<br />
Wed. 12/29 at Benton Tournament TBA<br />
Mon. 1/3 at St. John Neumann Reg Academy 7:30 pm<br />
Sat. 1/8 vs. Candon Junior/Senior High School 7:30 pm<br />
Mon. 1/10 vs. Muncy Junior/Senior High School 7:30 pm<br />
Thur.1/13 vs. Curwensville Area High School 7:30 pm<br />
Fri. 1/14 at Columbia-Montour AVTS 7:30 pm<br />
Tue. 1/18 at Millville Area Jr/Sr High School 7:30 pm<br />
Sat. 1/22 vs. Benton Area Middle/High School 7:30 pm<br />
Sat. 1/29 at Elkland Area High School 7:30 pm<br />
Sat. 2/5 at Sullivan County Jr/Sr High School 8:00 pm<br />
Mon. 2/7<br />
at Northwest Brandford Jr/Sr High School 6:30 pm<br />
Fri. 2/11 vs. Columbia-Montour AVTS 7:30 pm<br />
Thu. 2/17 vs. Sullivan County Jr/Sr High School 7:30 pm<br />
2010-2011 Wrestling<br />
Sat. 12/11 at Portville- Invitational TBA<br />
Wed. 12/22 at Sullivan County Jr/Sr High School 6:00 pm<br />
Thu. 12/30 at CMVT Tournament 10:00 am<br />
Tue. 1/11 vs. Loyalsock Township High School 6:00 pm<br />
Tue. 1/18 at South Williamsport Area High School 6:00 pm<br />
Thu. 1/20 vs. Oswayo Valley High School 6:00 pm<br />
Sat. 1/22 at South Williamsport Tournament 9:30 am<br />
Fri. 1/28 vs. Sugar Valley Rural Charter School 6:00 pm<br />
Sat. 2/5 vs. Coudersport Area Jr/Sr High School 9:00 am<br />
Sat. 2/5 vs. Bucktail Wrestling Tournament 10:00 am<br />
Tue. 2/8 at Northern Cambria High School 5:30 pm<br />
Sat. 2/19 at West Sectional Tournament TBA<br />
BOARD CERTIFIED<br />
PRIMARY CARE<br />
7133 Nittany Valley Dr.<br />
Box 157<br />
Mill Hall, PA 17751<br />
HOURS BY APPOINTMENT<br />
CHARTERS • TOURS • SCHEDULE SERVICES<br />
PACKAGE EXPRESS<br />
401 EAST CENTRAL AVENUE, AVIS, PA 753-5125<br />
56 EAST THIRD STREET, WILLIAMSPORT, PA<br />
322-5361 800-692-6314<br />
www.susquehannabus.com
Bucktail Area<br />
High School<br />
Farwell, Pa.<br />
WRESTLING<br />
Ransom likes how lineup, weights are spread out<br />
PHOTO BY KEVIN RAUCH<br />
<strong>The</strong> 2010-11 version of the Bucktail wrestling team is, first row from left, Aaron Cohick, Shawn Lovett, Josh Maar, Jonathen<br />
Probst, Kevin Probst and Anthony Intallura; middle row, Mike Adams, Brian Long, Sean Barr, Mike Sharp, Dalton Louey and<br />
Colton Calhoun; third row, Brad Shearer, Steffan Reeser, Jarrett Davis, Richie Eldred, Mike Brady, Mathew Horton and Darrin<br />
Coleman.<br />
By TOM FOX<br />
tfox@lockhaven.com<br />
FARWELL — Bruce Ransom is<br />
optimistic heading into every season,<br />
whether it is on the gridiron or<br />
slapping the Resilite mat.<br />
This year, though, the excitement<br />
in his voice is more so than normal.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Bucktail wrestling head<br />
coach knows this could be a pretty<br />
special season.<br />
How special, in fact?<br />
“We have just as much experience<br />
as the 2006 season when we began<br />
that season,” he said. “That year, we<br />
put together a pretty nice dual-meet<br />
squad and finished with 10 wins on<br />
the season. It’s been quite a few<br />
years where we’ve had our weights<br />
spread out, but that’s what we have<br />
this year.<br />
“I think we are going to have a<br />
pretty good squad. A lot of the kids<br />
on our team, the underclassmen,<br />
they were young last year and they<br />
took some lumps. Now, we have a<br />
year of varsity experience under our<br />
belts.”<br />
At a small Single-A school, you<br />
always worry about depth.<br />
Ransom, though, is pretty happy<br />
with numbers, mentioning that as<br />
many as 18 kids could make the<br />
varsity lineup this season.<br />
“We’re going to make some decisions<br />
here soon with the freshmen,”<br />
Ransom said. “<strong>The</strong> good thing is we<br />
have a lot of younger kids, and I<br />
think the seniors on the team are<br />
going to provide valuable leadership.”<br />
Leadership.<br />
It’s a key word in Ransom’s<br />
vocabulary. <strong>The</strong> Bucks lost senior<br />
standout, 215-pounder Dylan Hand,<br />
Head Coaches<br />
Boys’ Basketball: Dave Pentz<br />
Girls’ Basketball: Carl Gentzyel<br />
Wrestling: Bruce Ransom<br />
last year. This year, the senior leadership<br />
will need to come from seniors<br />
Brad Shearer and Mike Brady.<br />
Shearer will grapple at 152, while<br />
Brady is hoping to make the cut to<br />
215.<br />
“Dylan was a leader, and we’re<br />
going to miss him because he was a<br />
great leader in the room,” Ransom<br />
said. “Dylan took that role and ran<br />
with it. <strong>The</strong> good thing is all the<br />
younger kids saw how he handled it<br />
and how important it is to have a<br />
GIRLS’<br />
HOOPS<br />
Lady<br />
Bucks<br />
look to<br />
improve<br />
By KEVIN RAUCH<br />
For <strong>The</strong> <strong>Express</strong><br />
FARWELL — Last year,<br />
Carl Gentzyel’s Lady Bucks<br />
went just 3-19 despite having<br />
the school’s second female<br />
1,000-point scorer in<br />
Rebecca Grenell. Grenell<br />
dominated the paint, but the<br />
rest of the team was young,<br />
led by a trio of sophomores.<br />
This year’s team could not<br />
look any more different than<br />
last year’s squad. Now juniors,<br />
the speedy yet small trio<br />
of guards Karlye Gentzyel,<br />
Trish Gentzyel and Cassidy<br />
Cowfer look to lead the team<br />
defensively in hopes they are<br />
typically the fastest team on<br />
the court.<br />
With two completely different<br />
seasons unfolding, the<br />
hope in Bucktail this year is<br />
that the team’s record will<br />
also take a dramatic shift.<br />
“We have a lot of experience<br />
coming back,” head<br />
coach Carl Gentzyel said right<br />
before Monday’s scrimmage<br />
against Galeton. “It’s true,<br />
this year we don’t have that<br />
big player inside that we can<br />
feed all game, but we have a<br />
team of girls that can all<br />
shoot, inside and out.<br />
“It’s not going to be a secret<br />
how we plan to win this year.<br />
We’re going to give up a lot of<br />
See RANSOM, Page 12 See LADY, Page 12<br />
11 - <strong>The</strong> <strong>Express</strong> - WINTER SPORTS - THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2010
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Express</strong> - WINTER SPORTS - THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2010 - 12<br />
height, but we plan on playing solid<br />
defense. It’s what we’ve built ourselves<br />
around. We’re going to hustle and we’re<br />
going to score points off of our defensive<br />
skills.”<br />
In addition to the guards, the Lady Bucks<br />
return two other letterwinners in seniors<br />
Natalie Cool and Roxanne Donley. Cool<br />
will be asked to take the bulk of the action<br />
inside as the team’s only experienced player<br />
at that position. A surprise for the team<br />
has been senior Maggie Clemente’s play<br />
inside, as she will join Cool in the underneath-the-rim<br />
chores.<br />
Taylor Stevens is the team’s fourth senior<br />
RANSOM<br />
Continued from Page 11<br />
strong leader on the team.”<br />
Bucktail is young, no<br />
doubt.<br />
As many as six of the projected<br />
starters are sophomores<br />
or freshmen.<br />
Three of the sophomores<br />
— Brian Long (135), Matt<br />
Horton (140) and Sammy<br />
Gingrich (152-160) —<br />
were on the varsity team last<br />
season.<br />
Lightweight 103-pounder<br />
Aaron Cohick had a quality<br />
year at junior high where he<br />
placed high in several tournaments,<br />
while freshman<br />
Brad Kyle is expected to<br />
hold down that 119-pound<br />
spot. In addition to Shearer<br />
and Brady, two juniors will<br />
also be counted on.<br />
Ransom described 145-<br />
pounder Steffan Reeser as a<br />
tremendous athlete “with the<br />
potential to have a strong<br />
season,” while classmate<br />
Richie Eldred is expected to<br />
jump into the heavyweight<br />
spot.<br />
“Richie has some athletic<br />
ability, and I think he is<br />
LADY<br />
Continued from Page 11<br />
going to be a nice heavyweight<br />
wrestler,” Ransom<br />
said.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Bucks will open the<br />
season at the Portville<br />
Invitational where they<br />
placed ninth last year.<br />
In addition to dual meets<br />
with Sullivan County,<br />
Loyalsock and South<br />
Williamsport, Ransom and<br />
his boys will take part in the<br />
Columbia-Montour Vo-<br />
Tech Christmas Tournament<br />
and host the annual Bucktail<br />
Tournament.<br />
PHOTO BY KEVIN RAUCH<br />
Returning lettermen for the Lady Bucksʼ <strong>basketball</strong> team are, from left,<br />
Karyle Gentzyel, Cassidy Cowfer, Natalie Cool, Trish Gentzyel and<br />
Roxanne Donley.<br />
and will also likely find time at the forward<br />
spot.<br />
<strong>The</strong> three junior guards have played<br />
together since the seventh grade and may<br />
best be described in a word: Hustle. <strong>The</strong> two<br />
Gentzyels and Cowfer will be asked to create<br />
many turnovers in the season’s defensive<br />
scheme.<br />
“This year’s bunch is certainly one of the<br />
most enthusiastic teams that we have had<br />
here, they get along and play together,”<br />
Gentzyel said. “We’re going to crank up the<br />
defense and look for good shots, no matter<br />
where we are on the court. We plan on<br />
being a handful for anyone that we play.”<br />
BOYS’ BASKETBALL<br />
PHOTO BY KEVIN RAUCH<br />
<strong>The</strong> returning lettermen for the 2010-11 version of the Bucktail Bucksʼ<br />
<strong>basketball</strong> team are, from left, Ryan McGregor, Zach Stewart, A.J. Morgan<br />
and Brad Pedokus.<br />
New look for Bucktail boys<br />
By KEVIN RAUCH<br />
For <strong>The</strong> <strong>Express</strong><br />
FARWELL — Most<br />
years can be considered<br />
rebuilding seasons in<br />
small school varsity <strong>basketball</strong>.<br />
In Farwell this season,<br />
there is nothing short of a<br />
new look as Bucktail<br />
hopes to get back on the<br />
winning side of things<br />
with a roster of new players.<br />
Junior A.J. Morgan is<br />
the only starter back from<br />
last season’s 8-12 team<br />
where he started as a sophomore.<br />
After that, coach Dave<br />
Pentz and his assistant Jim<br />
Morgan will see how<br />
things develop this weekend<br />
when the Bucks start<br />
their season at the<br />
Cowanesque Valley Tip-<br />
Off Tournament.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re is one common<br />
thread that is typical of<br />
recent years of Bucktail<br />
<strong>basketball</strong>.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y are small and they<br />
will look to the defense to<br />
lead the way in any win<br />
that they get.<br />
“For sure, this is nothing<br />
new. This is the same<br />
story every year,” Jim<br />
Morgan said.<br />
“We’re never going to be<br />
the biggest team on the<br />
court. We have to win by<br />
running.”<br />
In fact, at 6-foot-1 and<br />
less than 150 pounds, junior<br />
Zach Stewart will be<br />
the go-to guy underneath<br />
the rim with help from<br />
sophomore Ryan Bratton.<br />
By no means, however,<br />
is anyone on the 12-man<br />
Bucktail team looking at<br />
their faults. <strong>The</strong> speed and<br />
athleticism is as obvious<br />
as their lack of size.<br />
A.J. Morgan scored 297<br />
points last season and<br />
Stewart led the team with<br />
130 rebounds even as he<br />
was coming off of the<br />
bench.<br />
Although A.J. Morgan<br />
will be asked to drive to<br />
the hoop often, the coaches<br />
say that it will actually<br />
be his passing back out to<br />
senior Brad Pedokus and<br />
sophomore Ryan<br />
McGregor and their shots<br />
that will open the inside<br />
the later the games get.<br />
“We will need Brad and<br />
Ryan to make shots consistently<br />
and make big<br />
shots,” the assistant coach<br />
said. “Teams will be<br />
expecting A.J. to drive to<br />
the hoop. It will be the<br />
outside shots that will<br />
make the difference.”<br />
Younger players will be<br />
asked to give quality minutes.<br />
Sophomore Colton<br />
Risley will be developed<br />
as a big man while freshmen<br />
Chuckie Probst and<br />
Trent Risley are expected<br />
to give quality minutes.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Bucks will hit the<br />
road hard in December, as<br />
the first month of the season<br />
will see them home<br />
just once when they host<br />
St. John Neumann on Dec.<br />
16.
2010-2011 Boys Basketball<br />
Fri. 12/10 at Mifflinburg 7:30 pm<br />
Sat. 12/11 at Mifflinburg Tournament TBA<br />
Tue. 12/14 at Bellefonte Area High School 7:30 pm<br />
Thu. 12/16 vs. Indian Valley High School 7:30 pm<br />
Tue. 12/21 at Lewistown High School 7:30 pm<br />
Wed. 12/29 at Lewistown Holiday Tournament 5:30 pm<br />
Thu. 12/30 at Lewistown Holiday Tournament TBA<br />
Mon. 1/3 vs. Mount Union High School 7:30 pm<br />
Wed. 1/5 vs. Juniata High School 7:30 pm<br />
Fri. 1/7 at Penns Valley High School 7:30 pm<br />
Mon. 1/10 at Central High School 7:30 pm<br />
Wed. 1/12 vs. Tyrone High School 7:30 pm<br />
Fri. 1/14 at Huntingdon High School 7:30 pm<br />
Mon. 1/17 vs. Cambria Heights 7:30 pm<br />
Wed. 1/19 vs. Philipsburg-Osceola 7:30 pm<br />
Fri. 1/21 at Clearfield High School 7:30 pm<br />
Tue. 1/25 vs. Central Mountain High School 7:30 pm<br />
Thur. 1/27 vs. Bellefonte Area High School 7:30 pm<br />
Wed. 2/2 at Indian Valley High School 7:30 pm<br />
Fri. 2/4 vs. Lewistown High School 7:30 pm<br />
Wed. 2/9 at Juniata High School 7:30 pm<br />
Fri. 2/11 vs. Penns Valley High School 7:30 pm<br />
2010-2011 Girls Basketball<br />
Fri. 12/10 at Moshannon Valley 7:30 pm<br />
Wed. 12/15 vs. Bellefonte Area High School 7:30 pm<br />
Fri. 12/17 at Indian Valley High School 7:30 pm<br />
Wed. 12/22 vs. Lewistown High School 7:30 pm<br />
Tue. 12/28 at Midd-West Holiday Tournament 6:00 pm<br />
Thu. 12/30 at Midd-West Holiday Tournament 4:30 pm<br />
Tue. 1/4 at Juniata High School 7:30 pm<br />
Thu. 1/6 vs. Penns Valley High School 7:30 pm<br />
Fri. 1/7 vs. Saltsburg High School 7:30 pm<br />
Tue. 1/11 vs. Central High School 7:30 pm<br />
Thu. 1/13 at Tyrone High School 7:30 pm<br />
Sat. 1/15 vs. Huntingdon High School 7:30 pm<br />
Tue. 1/18 at Philipsburg-Osceola High School 7:30 pm<br />
Thu. 1/20 vs. Clearfield 7:30 pm<br />
Fri. 1/21 vs. Moshannon Valley High School 7:30 pm<br />
Mon. 1/24 vs. Belleville Mennonite School 7:00 pm<br />
Wed. 1/26 at Central Mountain High School 7:30 pm<br />
Fri. 1/28 at Bellefonte Area High School 7:30 pm<br />
Tue. 2/1 vs. Indian Valley High School 7:30 pm<br />
2010-2011 Wrestling<br />
Fri. 12/10 at Top Hat Tournament 5:00 pm<br />
Sat. 12/11 at Top Hat Tournament 10:00 am<br />
Tue. 12/14 vs. Tyrone High School 7:00 pm<br />
Fri. 12/17 vs. Clearfield High School 7:00 pm<br />
Tue. 12/21 at Bellefonte Area High School 7:00 pm<br />
Wed. 12/29 at Manheim Tournament 10:00 am<br />
Thu. 12/30 at Manheim Tournament 10:00 am<br />
Tue. 1/4 vs. Altoona Area High School 7:00 pm<br />
Tue. 1/11 at Hollidaysburg High School 7:00 pm<br />
Wed. 1/12 vs. Philipsburg-Osceola High School 7:00 pm<br />
Fri. 1/14 at Escape the Rock TBA<br />
Sat. 1/15 at Escape the Rock TBA<br />
Tue. 1/18 vs. State College 7:00 pm<br />
Sat. 1/22 at Central Mountain High School 7:00 pm<br />
Wed. 1/26 at Lewistown High School 7:00 pm<br />
Sat. 1/29 at Shikellamy High school 2:30 pm<br />
Tue. 2/8 at Jersey Shore Area High School 7:00 pm<br />
Tue. 2/15 at DuBois High School 7:00 pm<br />
Thu. 2/17 vs. Indian Valley High School 7:00 pm<br />
Fri. 2/25 at District VI Individual Tournament TBA<br />
Sat. 2/26 at District VI Individual Tournament TBA<br />
Fri. 3/4 at PIAA Northwest Regional Tournament TBA<br />
Sat. 3/5 at PIAA Northwest Regional Tournament TBA<br />
Thu. 3/10 at PIAA State Championships TBA<br />
Fri. 3/11 at PIAA State Championships TBA<br />
Sat. 3/12 at PIAA State Championships TBA<br />
13 - <strong>The</strong> <strong>Express</strong> - WINTER SPORTS - THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2010<br />
Fri. 2/2 at Lewistown High School 7:30 pm<br />
Tue. 2/8 vs. Juniata High School 7:30 pm<br />
Thu. 2/10 at Penns Valley High School 7:30 pm<br />
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<strong>The</strong> <strong>Express</strong> - WINTER SPORTS - THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2010 - 14<br />
Bald Eagle Area<br />
High School<br />
Wingate, Pa.<br />
Butterworth looking to<br />
return Eagles to prominence<br />
NATE WILSON/THE EXPRESS<br />
Pictured above are the returning letterwinners<br />
for the Bald Eagle Area boysʼ <strong>basketball</strong> team.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y are, from left, Kyle Kinley, Tyler Bennett<br />
and Patrick Crowley.<br />
By TOM FOX<br />
tfox@lockhaven.com<br />
WINGATE — Break out<br />
the towel, Bill Butterworth<br />
is back on the sidelines for<br />
the Bald Eagle Area boys’<br />
<strong>basketball</strong> team.<br />
It’s been a challenge at<br />
the beginning, though, for<br />
the veteran coach.<br />
“We had 27 kids come<br />
out, and we got it down to<br />
20,” Butterworth said.<br />
“That was tough. We’ve<br />
just started to put some of<br />
our offensive and defensive<br />
schemes in. For these<br />
kids, it’s a new offense and<br />
a new defense. It’s going<br />
to take some time for them<br />
to pick up on it.”<br />
Butterworth takes the<br />
reins from Brian Stover,<br />
who coached the Eagles<br />
the last two seasons.<br />
His last year on the BEA<br />
bench was 2007-08 where<br />
the team finished with a<br />
record of 6-18.<br />
Bald Eagle Area did win<br />
a district title in 2005-06<br />
after going 24-6 and<br />
reaching the second round<br />
of states.<br />
“A lot of these kids, I<br />
coached at a younger age,”<br />
Butterworth said. “<strong>The</strong>y<br />
had a feel for me coming<br />
in, and kind of understand<br />
what I like to run. We’re<br />
still going to be an up-anddown<br />
team, but I want<br />
them to be more disciplined<br />
with some of our<br />
shots. We still want to run,<br />
but I want them to take the<br />
best first opportunity.”<br />
It’s a mixure on the BEA<br />
roster.<br />
Butterworth has four seniors<br />
— which includes<br />
leading scorer Justin<br />
Taylor returning.<br />
Taylor, coming off a successful<br />
season as quarterback<br />
of the football team,<br />
averaged close to 15<br />
points, was a 76 percent<br />
free-throw shooter,<br />
grabbed nearly 60<br />
rebounds and dished out<br />
50 assists last year for<br />
BEA, which finished 4-17.<br />
Taylor was selected to<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Express</strong>’ all-star team<br />
last season.<br />
Ty Bennett also returns<br />
after a season where he<br />
See EAGLES, Page 15<br />
BASKETBALL<br />
Head Coaches<br />
Boys’ Basketball: Bill Butterworth<br />
Girls’ Basketball: Brandy Preslovich<br />
Wrestling: Steve Millward<br />
NATE WILSON/THE EXPRESS<br />
<strong>The</strong> Bald Eagle Area girlsʼ <strong>basketball</strong> team returns eight letterwinners.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y are, front row from left, Allie Simpson, Brittany Butterworth, Ang<br />
Hewitt and Chelsey Poorman; back row, Marissa Ward, Abby Gettig, Anne<br />
Hoover and Maggie Meek.<br />
Talent pool deep for BEA<br />
By KIM MOERSCHBACHER<br />
kim@lockhaven.com<br />
WINGATE — <strong>The</strong> last few years, the<br />
Bald Eagle Area girls’ <strong>basketball</strong> team<br />
has started something positive.<br />
Two seasons ago, the Lady Eagles went<br />
to the District VI Class AA playoffs and<br />
turned in an upset of Penn Cambria, a win<br />
that vaulted the girls to the quarterfinals<br />
of the tournament.<br />
Getting that far was a big step for the<br />
program, and they continued that with<br />
another postseason appearance last season.<br />
It’s something that Brandy Preslovich<br />
would like to see her team do each year,<br />
taking steps to possibly get a chance to<br />
play for a coveted district title.<br />
<strong>The</strong> talent is there for the Wingate<br />
squad.<br />
Everyone, including Preslovich, is<br />
excited to see what the Lady Eagles can<br />
do this season.<br />
Returning are eight letterwinners for the<br />
Lady Eagles, including <strong>Express</strong> all-star<br />
Marissa Ward, who averaged six points<br />
per game as a freshman and was a solid<br />
72 percent free-throw shooter.<br />
See TALENT, Page 15
WRESTLING<br />
NATE WILSON/THE EXPRESS<br />
Pictured are the returning letterwinners for the Bald Eagle Area wrestling team. <strong>The</strong>y are, front row<br />
from left, Jake Taylor, James Grieb, Matt Dillon, Justin Giedroc, Tyler Baney and Jason Sherry; back<br />
row, Vaughn Holderman, Caleb Daye, Coleman Hoffman, Nick Taylor, Dustin Coakley and Garren<br />
Kunes.<br />
Numbers up on the mats for Bald Eagle<br />
By JOHN DIXON<br />
For <strong>The</strong> <strong>Express</strong><br />
WINGATE — <strong>The</strong>re’s good news<br />
and bad news for the 2010-11 edition<br />
of Bald Eagle Area wrestling<br />
that begins the season at the prestigious<br />
Top Hat Tournament on Dec.<br />
10.<br />
<strong>The</strong> bad news first. <strong>The</strong> Eagles<br />
lost two wrestlers to graduation in<br />
Jon Gingrich and Brandon Coakley.<br />
Gingrich placed fourth at the PIAA<br />
tournament in Hershey and finished<br />
the season with a 33-8 record.<br />
Coakley’s season ended in the consolations<br />
at the Northwest Regional<br />
tourney in Altoona at 171 pounds<br />
and he had a 21-14 mark.<br />
<strong>The</strong> good news. BEA returns 12<br />
lettermen for third-year coach Steve<br />
Millward.<br />
“Right now, we are working with<br />
25 kids in our wrestling room —<br />
which is a big improvement from<br />
the previous two years,” Millward<br />
said. “My goal is to keep them all<br />
out (wrestling) by March. I would<br />
like to see the ones that aren’t breaking<br />
into the lineup to stick around<br />
but they are a big help in our room.”<br />
While the numbers are heading in<br />
the right direction for the Eagles, the<br />
loss of a grappler the caliber of<br />
Gingrich is tough to replace both on<br />
and off the mat.<br />
“To say you are going to replace<br />
someone like that, that’s difficult to<br />
say because our team counted on<br />
him a lot,” said Millward of<br />
Gingrich’s graduation.<br />
“Our team relied on him a whole<br />
bunch last year and I think the group<br />
of kids that we are working with,<br />
including the seven seniors, each of<br />
them are going to have to take a little<br />
piece of what he (Gingrich) took<br />
with him. When he left, the team<br />
now has to contribute instead of<br />
putting so much on Jon’s (Gingrich)<br />
shoulders to pull us out of situation<br />
after situation.”<br />
While Gingrich will be hard to<br />
replace, that’s not to say that the<br />
Eagles left in the hallowed wrestling<br />
room aren’t capable of filling the<br />
vacated leadership role this season.<br />
“<strong>The</strong> group of seniors I’ve been<br />
with since they were in 10th grade,<br />
that group has no one that seems to<br />
want to speak up and take the leadership<br />
role,” Millward said. “<strong>The</strong>y<br />
are all content in just being somewhere<br />
in the middle. <strong>The</strong>y are not a<br />
real outspoken group. But our team<br />
leader who’s had the most success is<br />
Coleman (Hoffman). He may be the<br />
quietest kid when you look at a kid<br />
that’s counted on, not just for our<br />
program but for football and baseball<br />
that also counts on his athletic<br />
ability a lot. He takes it as it comes<br />
and doesn’t say much about it.<br />
“<strong>The</strong> other kids, some of them are<br />
See MATS, Page 16<br />
TALENT<br />
Continued from Page 14<br />
Twice she scored over 10 points in a game last season,<br />
including a 14-point outing against Tyrone and a 22-<br />
point showing against Philipsburg-Osceola.<br />
She helped the team average almost 45 ppg and will be<br />
a solid asset on the hardwood for Bald Eagle.<br />
Preslovich will look to four seniors for leadership —<br />
including Ang Hewitt, Brittany Butterworth, Maggie<br />
Meek and Anne Hoover.<br />
Hoover paced the team in scoring during the 2009-10<br />
season, netting 8.9 ppg. Beyond the arc belonged to<br />
Butterworth and Meek, who combined for 14 treys during<br />
the year.<br />
Other returning letterwinners include Allison Simpson,<br />
Chelsey Poorman and Abby Gettig.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Lady Eagles will begin their Mountain League<br />
games early this season. <strong>The</strong> girls will open with a nonconference<br />
contest against Moshannon Valley before<br />
hosting Bellefonte on Wednesday in Wingate. Indian<br />
Valley and Lewistown are also on the slate before the<br />
girls travel to the Midd-West Holiday Tournament. In<br />
the past, Bald Eagle Area has hosted a tournament during<br />
the Christmas season, but that has changed for this<br />
year.<br />
Non-conference games include Saltsburg on Jan. 7,<br />
Mo Valley for the second time on Jan. 21 and a meeting<br />
with Belleville Mennonite on Jan. 28.<br />
Bald Eagle is scheduled to round out their season on<br />
Feb. 10 on the road against fellow Centre County school<br />
Penns Valley.<br />
EAGLES<br />
Continued from Page 14<br />
threw in close to 10 points and hit more than 60 percent<br />
from the charity stripe.<br />
“Those two are going to be important for us,”<br />
Butterworth said. “<strong>The</strong>y both shot a lot of 3’s last year,<br />
so we are trying to emphasize the importance of the big<br />
man as well. If we can include our post guys in the game,<br />
it’s going to give those two more open looks from the<br />
perimeter.<br />
“I do like the look of our team. We have five juniors,<br />
six sophomores and seven freshmen. I guess you can say<br />
that it’s kind of a rebuilding year, but hopefully, we will<br />
be improved from last year. I just don’t want anyone to<br />
get discouraged, and no one can get down on anyone.<br />
We are going to make mistakes.<br />
“Even the most experienced teams make mistakes. By<br />
the end of the year, I think we are going to be a good<br />
<strong>basketball</strong> team. But it’s important that we involve<br />
everyone in the offense. If you don’t, then you have to<br />
work harder to get shots.”<br />
BEA will be challenged in the early going, which<br />
includes possible games against Mifflinburg and<br />
Hughesville in the tip-off tournament.<br />
“I heard Mifflinburg is going to have a solid team, and<br />
Hughesville is always strong. <strong>The</strong>y always seem to be a<br />
contender for that Double-A title,” Butterworth said.<br />
“West Perry is also at the tip-off tournament, and I heard<br />
that they have a lot of size on their team. In the Mountain<br />
League itself, it’s going to be tough. You know that<br />
teams like Tyrone, Lewistown and Indian Valley are<br />
always a challenge. We open up with our rival<br />
Bellefonte, and Scott (Baker) does a nice job down at<br />
Central Mountain.<br />
“<strong>The</strong> key for us is to win our home games. It’s always<br />
tough to win on the road in our league. If you want to<br />
make the playoffs, you have to defend your home court.”<br />
15 - <strong>The</strong> <strong>Express</strong> - WINTER SPORTS - THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2010
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Express</strong> - WINTER SPORTS - THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2010 - 16<br />
Do you have a score to report?<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Express</strong> sports staff would like to hear from<br />
you. Report your team’s results by calling (570)<br />
748-6791, ext. 128, or by emailing the results to<br />
sports@lockhaven.com.<br />
a bit squirrelly. We had a<br />
real good week of practice.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y are working<br />
hard, they are doing what<br />
we ask them to do. That’s<br />
nice to see. We’ve just<br />
been having good workouts.”<br />
Of the returning grapplers<br />
for BEA this season,<br />
at this point of the year no<br />
one looks to be in the<br />
mold of former Eagle<br />
greats.<br />
At least not yet.<br />
“We don’t have one guy<br />
that’s heads above the<br />
rest, a superstar you want<br />
in the room,” Millward<br />
said. “<strong>The</strong>n again, Jon<br />
(Gingrich) wasn’t outspoken<br />
either. He came to<br />
practice and did his thing<br />
and the rest of them just<br />
followed. Without speaking,<br />
he led. He was one of<br />
those type of leaders. He<br />
led by example.”<br />
Heading into his third<br />
preseason, Millward is<br />
finding things are a little<br />
different from when he<br />
was an assistant under the<br />
legendary Dick Rhoades.<br />
“I haven’t been in this<br />
position the last two years<br />
to look at where we are in<br />
Day 2 of practice, Day 3<br />
of practice, Day 4 of practice,”<br />
Millward said. “I’m<br />
thinking, ‘Wow these guys<br />
are picking things up.’<br />
“<strong>The</strong> things we’ve been<br />
doing for the past two<br />
years. You tell them what<br />
to do and you watch them<br />
do it.<br />
“You polish a few things<br />
here and there, but<br />
wrestling is so much of<br />
you have to feel stuff. It’s<br />
hard to tell them what they<br />
need to do. You can do<br />
that, but until they feel<br />
how it’s suppose to be<br />
MATS<br />
Continued from Page 15<br />
when they are doing it<br />
that’s something that you<br />
only get through repetition.<br />
“We are now starting to<br />
see that. <strong>The</strong>y are starting<br />
to be smooth from transition<br />
from this position to<br />
the next. It’s nice to see<br />
that. It’s been very pleasant<br />
to see that transformation<br />
in the room.”<br />
Starting with a highlytouted<br />
wrestling tournament<br />
that is the Top Hat<br />
Tournament<br />
in<br />
Williamsport has its good<br />
points as well as bad when<br />
dealing with a team highlighted<br />
by 13 letterwinners<br />
but untested with a<br />
outspoken leader.<br />
“It gives us a lot of<br />
wrestling in a few days<br />
and that’s the good thing<br />
about it,” said Millward of<br />
the Top Hat. “Some kids<br />
will adjust better than others<br />
on the team. We will<br />
be wrestling two or three<br />
matches in a short period<br />
of time. I like it just<br />
because it gives us a lot of<br />
wrestling in two days. You<br />
find out quickly where<br />
you are at that point of the<br />
season and what you have<br />
to work toward. We have<br />
three dual meets between<br />
Top Hat and the Manheim<br />
Holiday Tournament, but<br />
we aren’t looking past any<br />
of those dual meets at all. I<br />
just think the tournaments<br />
will give us a nice gauge<br />
of where we at and what<br />
we need to work on and be<br />
able to make the adjustments.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> early season tournaments<br />
are also a plus for<br />
the Eagles in that it gives<br />
the coaching staff an idea<br />
of which direction BEA is<br />
headed.<br />
“I think just to get the<br />
ball rolling and know that<br />
we will be seeing teams<br />
from outside of our area so<br />
we will be able to judge<br />
ourselves throughout the<br />
state of where we are and<br />
what we need to improve,”<br />
Millward<br />
said.<br />
“December, obviously, we<br />
do not want to be at our<br />
peak. We want to be at our<br />
best and be healthy at the<br />
end of the year.<br />
“We know we have a<br />
tough December. We open<br />
with two tournaments and<br />
three dual meets in<br />
December. In a short period<br />
of 15 days, we have<br />
that stuff and then we<br />
come back after Christmas<br />
break and have a few dual<br />
meets.<br />
<strong>The</strong>n, we go to another<br />
tournament (Escape the<br />
Rock), and try and see<br />
how we are at the end of<br />
January, see how healthy<br />
we are and hope we can go<br />
to the district tournament<br />
(Feb. 25-26) and have<br />
success there.<br />
“At that point, I want the<br />
kids to be at their best for<br />
themselves and the team<br />
stuff at that tournament.<br />
You know how it is, it will<br />
take care of itself. If you,<br />
as an individual wrestle<br />
well, the team stuff will<br />
come.”<br />
Millward wrestled for<br />
and coached with legendary<br />
coach Rhoades and<br />
knows the times have<br />
changed and the athletes<br />
of today are certainly different.<br />
“I don’t know if I’ve<br />
bought into philosophy,”<br />
said Millward on the way<br />
Rhoades coached and<br />
taught wrestling at BEA in<br />
the glory days when the<br />
Eagles were national<br />
champions.<br />
“It’s different. It’s hard<br />
to compare generation to<br />
generation. It’s so different<br />
than when I was here<br />
as a wrestler, it’s different<br />
than when I was here as<br />
with Dick. I don’t know if<br />
... the kids are different.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y are a lot different<br />
than what I remember<br />
from my teammates and<br />
other teams that I coached<br />
back 10-15 years ago. It’s<br />
just the way it is, I guess.”<br />
Taking a look around the<br />
area, Millward knows it’s<br />
a hot bed for wrestling and<br />
always a tough test on any<br />
given night.<br />
“Obviously, there’s<br />
rivalries there just because<br />
of the close proximity to<br />
one another,” Millward<br />
said. “Bellefonte, I’ll<br />
never underestimate<br />
Bellefonte, Mike (Maney,<br />
former BEA state champ)<br />
knows what he’s doing. He<br />
always has his wrestlers<br />
prepared to wrestle, it’s<br />
always a good match.<br />
“Obviously, people want<br />
to look at the scoreboard<br />
and judge their program by<br />
what that scoreboard has<br />
to say at the end of dual<br />
meet, which is, I guess,<br />
why we wrestle.<br />
“But we are going to<br />
approach each of them<br />
(dual meets) with the same<br />
intensity that we try to<br />
win. <strong>The</strong>se kids are to a<br />
point that they care and I<br />
see that in their workouts<br />
and when they are given<br />
directions.<br />
“<strong>The</strong>y listen. <strong>The</strong>y’ve<br />
invested hours in training<br />
and working out. It does<br />
matter to them. And now<br />
we will just have to see<br />
what the result will be.”<br />
COURT<br />
Continued from Page 2<br />
BACK<br />
Continued from Page 6<br />
team is 0-0 at that point.<br />
That’s why they call it<br />
March Madness.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> future looks bright for<br />
BEA, according to<br />
Butterworth.<br />
He has 13 underclassmen<br />
(six sophomores and seven<br />
freshmen) on the roster this<br />
season, in addition to good<br />
numbers at the junior-high<br />
level.<br />
“<strong>The</strong> sophomore class has<br />
some nice size. That’s<br />
where our post men are<br />
going to come from,”<br />
Butterworth said. “<strong>The</strong> juniors,<br />
they have some pretty<br />
nice athletes in that class.<br />
And I think that our freshmen<br />
are going to continue to<br />
push our upperclassmen to<br />
improve their games. <strong>The</strong><br />
future at BEA is bright. And<br />
I have high hopes for this<br />
season as well.<br />
“I’m sure the first few<br />
games are going to be<br />
stressful. But I honestly<br />
believe we are going to be a<br />
better team come January<br />
and February. If we don’t<br />
get our back broke early in<br />
the season, we’ll be OK.”<br />
were times where she was nearly unstoppable. I think she<br />
has a good supporting cast around her and enough<br />
weapons that can beat team. It’s not like teams can just<br />
focus on shutting Rimma down. That won’t be the case.<br />
We have enough balance. We are doing some new things<br />
offensively. Some things are set up for her, while some of<br />
our newer offensive schemes will be effective with some<br />
other players.”<br />
In addition to Smith, Lowery and Garbrick — three<br />
guards — also back are the Heckman sisters, Kendra and<br />
Kara, Hannah Royer and the addition of a talented freshman,<br />
Sarah Jensen.<br />
“It’s been a hectic preseason, but having that experience<br />
does help,” Gentzel said. “We have four starters back, but<br />
there is some good competition at practice. Everyone is<br />
pushing everyone to crack that starting lineup. One of our<br />
two freshmen, Sarah, did well in our first scrimmage. We<br />
were without Rimma that day, so it was nice to see her<br />
play the way she did offensively. We’ll just continue to<br />
work throughout the season.<br />
“I feel we are a little behind on defense, but we focused<br />
a lot on it in the preseason. I just haven’t liked the way<br />
we’ve been playing. That’s one of the areas we’ll continue<br />
to address.”<br />
It’s an interesting schedule to say the least.<br />
Central Mountain’s first seven games are on the road —<br />
including a tip-off tournament in Hollidaysburg, a<br />
Christmas tournament in Lewistown and road trips to<br />
Philipsburg, Huntingdon and Central Martinsburg.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Lady Wildcats, though, do have the luxury of playing<br />
nine of the final 15 games inside their home gymnasium.<br />
<strong>The</strong> tip-off tournament will be a test, opening up with<br />
Bishop McCort. <strong>The</strong> next game will see CM play either<br />
Tyrone or Hollidaysburg.<br />
“We are going to learn early how we can be a good road<br />
team,” Gentzel said. “As a coach, I didn’t like the last few<br />
years where we opened up with a league game. If you<br />
want to win a league title, it’s tough to open up with a<br />
league game where your opponent has already played<br />
two. That’s what happened to us the last few years. In the<br />
last two years, we’ve lost close games the last two years.<br />
<strong>The</strong>n, you put yourself at a disadvantage because you lost<br />
an important league game. This year, we have an opportunity<br />
to go to a quality tournament. We start with Bishop<br />
McCort and they are decent. We’re going to see some<br />
strong play in that tournament.”
Boys Basketball<br />
Tue 12/14 vs. Bald Eagle Area Jr/Sr 7:30 pm<br />
Thu 12/16 at Lewistown Area High School 7:30 pm<br />
Wed 12/22 vs. Juniata High School 7:30 pm<br />
Thu 12/23 at DuBois Area Senior High School 7:30 pm<br />
Tue 12/28 at Wellsboro Holiday Tournament 4:30 pm<br />
Wed 12/29 at Wellsboro Holiday Tournament TBA<br />
Mon 1/3 at Cambia Heights High School 7:15 pm<br />
Wed 1/5 at Penns Valley High School 7:30 pm<br />
Fri 1/7 vs. Indian Valley High School 7:30 pm<br />
Mon 1/10 at Central Mountain High School 7:30 pm<br />
Wed 1/12 vs. Clearfield High School 7:30 pm<br />
Fri 1/14 at Tyrone Area Senior High School 7:30 pm<br />
Wed 1/19 vs. Huntingdon Area High School 7:30 pm<br />
Fri. 1/21 at Philipsburg Osceola Area 7:30 pm<br />
Mon 2/24 vs. Central High School- Martinsburg 7:30 pm<br />
Thu 1/27 at Bald Eagle Area Jr/Sr 7:30 pm<br />
Sat 1/29 at Marion Center High School 2:30 pm<br />
Wed 2/2 vs. Lewistown Area High School 7:30 pm<br />
Fri 2/4 at Juniata High School 7:30 pm<br />
Mon 2/7 vs. Marion Center High School 7:30 pm<br />
Wed 2/9 vs. Penns Valley High School 7:30 pm<br />
Fri 2/11 at Indian Valley High School 7:30 pm<br />
Girls Basketball<br />
Fri 12/10 at Our Lady Lourdes Regional<br />
School Tournament<br />
5:30 pm<br />
Sat. 12/11 at Our Lady Lourdes Regional<br />
Tournament<br />
TBA<br />
Wed 12/15 at Bald Eagle Area Jr/Sr High 7:30 pm<br />
Fri 12/17 vs. Lewistown Area High School 7:30 pm<br />
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Wed 12/22 at Juniata High School 7:30 pm<br />
Mon 12/27 at Montoursville Tournament 7:30 pm<br />
Tue 12/28 at Montoursville Tournament TBA<br />
Tue 1/4 vs. Penns Valley High School 7:30 pm<br />
Thu 1/6 at Indian Valley High School 7:30 pm<br />
Tue 1/11 vs. Central Mountain High School 7:30 pm<br />
Thu 1/13 at Clearfield High School 7:30 pm<br />
Fri 1/14 vs. Tyrone Area Senior High School 7:30 pm<br />
Tue 1/18 at Huntingdon Area High School 7:30 pm<br />
Thu 1/20 vs. Philipsburg Osceola Area 7:30 pm<br />
Wed 1/26 at Central High School- Martinsburg 7:30 pm<br />
Fri 1/28 vs. Bald Eagle Area Jr/Sr 7:30 pm<br />
Tue 2/1 at Lewistown Area High School 7:30 pm<br />
Fri 2/4 vs. Juniata High School 7:30 pm<br />
Tue 2/8 at Penns Valley High School 7:30 pm<br />
Thu 2/10 vs. Indian Valley High School 7:30 pm<br />
Sat 2/12 at Marion Center High School 1:30 pm<br />
Mon 2/14 vs. Williamsport Area Senior High 7:30 pm<br />
Wrestling<br />
Tue 12/14 at Central Mountain High School 7:00 pm<br />
Thu 12/16 vs. Philipsburg Osceola Area 7:00 pm<br />
Fri 12/17 at King of the Mountain 11:00 am<br />
Sat 12/18 at King of the Mountain 11:30 am<br />
Tue 12/21 vs. Bald Eagle Area Jr/Sr 7:00 pm<br />
Wed 12/29 at Powerade Tournament TBA<br />
Thu 12/30 at Powerade Tournament TBA<br />
Tue 1/11 at Clearfield High School 7:00 pm<br />
Thu 1/13 at Indian Valley High School 7:00 pm<br />
Tue 1/18 vs. Shikellamy High School 7:00 pm<br />
Sat 1/22 vs. Bellefonte Duals 9:00 am<br />
Fri 1/28 at New Oxford Tournament 4:00 pm<br />
Sat 1/29 at New Oxford Tournament 9:00 am<br />
Tue 2/1 vs. Lewistown Area High School 7:00 pm<br />
Thu 2/3 vs. State College Area High School 7:00 pm<br />
Wed 2/9 at Hollidaysburg Area High School 7:00 pm<br />
Tue 2/15 at Jersey Shore High School 7:00 pm<br />
Fri 2/25 at District 6 Tournament TBA<br />
Sat 2/26 at District 6 Tournament TBA<br />
Fri 3/4 at NW Regional Tournament TBA<br />
Sat 3/5 at NW Regional Tournament TBA<br />
Thu 3/10 at PIAA State Tournament TBA<br />
Fri 3/11 at PIAA State Tournament TBA<br />
Sat. 3/12 at PIAA State Tournemnt TBA<br />
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17 - <strong>The</strong> <strong>Express</strong> - WINTER SPORTS - THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2010
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Express</strong> - WINTER SPORTS - THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2010 - 18<br />
WRESTLING<br />
Bellefonte Area<br />
High School<br />
Bellefonte, Pa.<br />
NATE WILSON/THE EXPRESS<br />
Above are the returning letterwinners for the Bellefonte wrestling team.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y are, kneeling, Leo Wortman and Nick Shawley; back row, Jake<br />
Perryman, Brad Grieb, Kyle Phillips and Garrett Poorman. Not pictured are<br />
Brandon Grau and Tom Traxler.<br />
Raiders have tough senior class<br />
By JOHN DIXON<br />
For <strong>The</strong> <strong>Express</strong><br />
BELLEFONTE — It is hard to believe<br />
that it has been nine months since<br />
Bellefonte’s Mitchell Port walked off the<br />
mats at Hershey’s Giant Center as the Red<br />
Raiders’ 8th state champion by defeating<br />
Nazareth’s Zach Horan, 6-3 for the title.<br />
With his title, Port became the program’s<br />
8th state champion, joining a group that also<br />
includes Tom Riglin (1948), Joe Masullo<br />
(1949), Tom Musser (1950), Dave Adams<br />
(2, 1951-53), Ken Moyer (1953), Ron<br />
Pifer (2, 1957-58) and Jim Thal (1991).<br />
That was then, but now, its back to the<br />
mats and daily workouts for the returning<br />
Bellefonte grapplers, led by coach Mike<br />
Maney, to begin the long trek in an attempt<br />
to get back to the mats in Hershey.<br />
“We had a good group of juniors that are<br />
now seniors so we are going to look for their<br />
leadership throughout the beginning part of<br />
the season into the latter part of the season.<br />
I know our schedule at the beginning has<br />
some tough tasks so that experience is going<br />
to help what they gained last year,” Maney<br />
said.<br />
Headlining the returning wrestlers for the<br />
Red Raiders is junior Tom Traxler, a fifthplace<br />
finisher at 112 pounds at last year’s<br />
Head Coaches<br />
Boys’ Basketball: Danny Miller<br />
Girls’ Basketball: Darin Hazel<br />
Wrestling: Mike Maney<br />
Swimming: Randy Pollick<br />
BOYS’ BASKETBALL<br />
A young team for Miller<br />
By TOM FOX<br />
tfox@lockhaven.com<br />
BELLEFONTE —<br />
Rebuilding.<br />
It’s a term that’s used so<br />
often in the sports world<br />
after a team loses an exceptional<br />
group of experienced<br />
talent.<br />
Danny Miller, though,<br />
just laughs when he hears<br />
the term.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Bellefonte boys’ <strong>basketball</strong><br />
head coach might<br />
have your classic case of<br />
“rebuilding” if you can<br />
deem it that.<br />
“We had an exceptional<br />
group of seniors last season,<br />
and they just seemed<br />
to fit each other’s style so<br />
well,” he said. “<strong>The</strong>y<br />
played together for a long<br />
time, and really, just gelled<br />
and meshed over the<br />
years.”<br />
Miller lost people like<br />
Billy Nadolsky, Ethan<br />
Kline, Logan Strouse, Zach<br />
Tressler, to just name a<br />
few.<br />
Five starters are gone.<br />
A new start, per say, for<br />
Bellefonte.<br />
“That’s the beauty of<br />
high school sports,” Miller<br />
said.<br />
“Every year, a new group<br />
of athletes that they have<br />
important roles now turn<br />
into the go-to guys.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> Red Raiders have<br />
three core seniors on the<br />
2010-11 team: Robbie<br />
Proper, Corey Strouse and<br />
Zach Moerschbacher.<br />
All three were key cogs<br />
off the bench on last year’s<br />
15-8 team that qualified for<br />
the District VI Class AAA<br />
playoffs.<br />
Proper is a spot-on shooter<br />
from the outside.<br />
Strouse is a floor general<br />
NATE WILSON/THE EXPRESS<br />
<strong>The</strong> Bellefonte boysʼ <strong>basketball</strong> team returns<br />
three letterwinners. <strong>The</strong>y are, from left, Corey<br />
Strouse, Robbie Proper and Zach<br />
Moerschbacher.<br />
with good speed and ball<br />
control.<br />
Moerschbacher patrols<br />
the paint.<br />
“I hope they are ready,<br />
and I think they are,” Miller<br />
said. “I have all the confidence<br />
in the world in those<br />
three young men. This year<br />
is their year to be go-to<br />
guys. <strong>The</strong>y’ve done a nice<br />
job in our practices, and<br />
hopefully, that will translate<br />
to the games.<br />
“Losing five senior<br />
starters is difficult. But<br />
those three have filled in,<br />
and stepped up. <strong>The</strong>ir work<br />
ethic is outstanding.”<br />
It’s a pretty safe bet to<br />
say those three will start.<br />
<strong>The</strong> other two spots are<br />
up for grabs.<br />
“Right now, we are just<br />
trying to run some different<br />
combinations in practice to<br />
see what meshes and what<br />
works together,” Miller<br />
said. “With a limited<br />
amount of practices before<br />
See TOUGH, Page 19 See TEAM, Page 19
GIRLS’ BASKETBALL<br />
NATE WILSON/THE EXPRESS<br />
<strong>The</strong> returning letterwinners for the Bellefonte girlsʼ <strong>basketball</strong> team are,<br />
from left, Sara Day, Brooks Young, Jillian Musser and Liz Wortman.<br />
Youth will dominate Bellefonte<br />
By KIM MOERSCHBACHER<br />
kim@lockhaven.com<br />
BELLEFONTE — Tough-nosed defense<br />
has always been a staple of Darin Hazel’s<br />
<strong>basketball</strong> programs.<br />
<strong>The</strong> offense will settle into place, but<br />
always play tough defense.<br />
That won’t change in 2010 despite losing<br />
seven key seniors from last year’s state<br />
playoff team.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Lady Raiders went 16-9 last year,<br />
which included a District VI Class AAA<br />
runner-up finish and a trip to the first round<br />
of states.<br />
“We have to do things a little differently<br />
because of our lack of height,” Hazel said.<br />
“We’re not as tall as we were in the past.<br />
That will be our biggest adjustment we have<br />
to make this year. We’ll have smaller guards<br />
so that means shifting things up. We just<br />
try to stress the man-to-man, physical<br />
defense.<br />
“We’ll have to rely on our speed a lot.<br />
We’ll have to do that in the open floor with<br />
quick buckets. In our half-court set, we’ll<br />
focus on ball control and try to get the kids<br />
good, solid shots. We also have to stress<br />
shooting better. We may not be able to get<br />
as many easy points as we did in the past<br />
with Jena (Matter). We’ll have to shoot the<br />
ball better from the 3. We’re practicing<br />
that aspect of the game.”<br />
Matter, who is currently doing her part to<br />
help the Mansfield women’s <strong>basketball</strong><br />
program get off to a solid start, was a big<br />
presence for Bellefonte. Stationed under<br />
the hoop, she was an easy find and sure<br />
bucket most of the time despite being targeted<br />
in games.<br />
Hazel knows his girls — who are youthful<br />
and lack some experience — will have<br />
to find some new ways to score buckets.<br />
Four Lady Raider letterwinners from last<br />
season’s team will return to the hardwood<br />
for Hazel.<br />
“We have four returning letterwinners.<br />
We have Sara Day and Liz Wortman, who<br />
were both in the backcourt for us. We<br />
know we are in good hands with those<br />
two,” the head coach said. “Brooks Young<br />
lettered, as well as Jillian Musser. We’ll<br />
relay on those two for experience. It’s nice<br />
for the coaching staff because we don’t<br />
have to break them in at the point position.<br />
We have that experience there. We’re<br />
expecting big things from Brooks and<br />
Jillian. In other places, we’ll have to relay<br />
on the young kids who have some inexperience.<br />
We try to teach them to work hard and<br />
teach them the fundamentals. We’re taking<br />
it one day at a time.”<br />
Wortman averaged eight points per game<br />
last season, and was second in scoring<br />
behind Matter with 149 points. She netted<br />
17 3-pointers and was a 41 percent freethrow<br />
shooter. Defensively, she had a teamhigh<br />
51 assists and pulled down 55<br />
rebounds.<br />
the season starts, you just try to work<br />
through it and find a combination. It may<br />
take the first part of the season before your<br />
offense really starts to click.<br />
“We are asking the kids to make plays,<br />
and occasionally, take a chance. You want<br />
them to feel comfortable and show what<br />
they can do on the court. I guess you can<br />
say that everyone has the green light right<br />
now to show us what they are capable of.<br />
I’m happy with how practice has gone,<br />
and I know the kids are working hard.”<br />
With the new set-up in the Mountain<br />
League, Bellefonte now finds itself<br />
aligned with Bald Eagle, Penns Valley,<br />
Indian Valley, Juniata and Lewistown.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y play each of those teams twice and<br />
PIAA tournament.<br />
“Our numbers are in the<br />
mid-20’s and we’ve had a<br />
few injuries to start the season<br />
from the fall sports,”<br />
said Maney of his roster<br />
size. “We want to continue<br />
to build our program. One<br />
of my goals for the program<br />
is to increase numbers<br />
and that starts with the<br />
youth program and carries<br />
into junior high and just try<br />
to get kids out so we will<br />
take 25. We would like to<br />
get that number into the<br />
30’s.”<br />
With the loss of Port, the<br />
Red Raiders will have to<br />
look at others to provide<br />
the leadership on and off<br />
the mat for this season’s<br />
edition of Bellefonte<br />
wrestling.<br />
“He (Port) was a big<br />
leader and he led by example<br />
in the practice room,”<br />
Maney said of Port. “Now<br />
we are looking to Nate<br />
Alterio and Brad Grieb.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y kind of took on that<br />
leadership role. As seniors,<br />
we are going to call on<br />
those two guys to lead by<br />
example, but also kind of<br />
talk amongst the team and<br />
keep them in line and that<br />
sort of thing.”<br />
Other seniors expecting<br />
to make an impact this season<br />
for the Red Raiders are<br />
Brandon Grau-Reish, Tyler<br />
Lucas, Andy Orr, Jake<br />
Perryman, Kyle Phillips<br />
and Eric Regel. And, obviously<br />
with his success last<br />
season, Bellefonte will<br />
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TOUGH<br />
Continued from Page 18<br />
look to Traxler on and off<br />
the mat to assist in that role<br />
as a team leader.<br />
One thing about the Red<br />
Raiders’ 2010-2011 edition<br />
is they will find out<br />
quickly what needs to be<br />
done on and off the mat by<br />
opening the season against<br />
Central Mountain Dec. 14<br />
followed by a visit from<br />
Philipsburg-Osceola Dec.<br />
16.<br />
Despite losing two state<br />
champions in Andrew and<br />
Dylan Alton, Central<br />
Mountain still has enough<br />
firepower this season to be<br />
a threat within District VI.<br />
“<strong>The</strong>y are going to be<br />
pretty solid,” Maney said<br />
of the Wildcats. “We open<br />
with Central Mountain in<br />
Mill Hall and then host<br />
P h i l i p s b u r g - O s c e o l a ,<br />
which did beat us last year,<br />
when we started out 0-3.<br />
We face the same three<br />
teams and if we aren’t<br />
ready to go we could end<br />
up in the same position we<br />
were last year. On top of<br />
that, two of the tougher<br />
tournaments in the state<br />
with the King of the<br />
Mountain and the<br />
POWERade offers a pretty<br />
challenging second half of<br />
December. You do those<br />
type of tournaments to prepare<br />
yourself for the postseason.<br />
And we look forward<br />
to those challenges.”<br />
Class AAA in District VI<br />
has seen the addition of<br />
Westmont-Hilltop to the<br />
mix and a team that should<br />
play the Allegheny Division foes once.<br />
<strong>The</strong> non-conference slate is also challenging<br />
with a home-and-home with<br />
Marion Center and road games at DuBois,<br />
Cambria Heights and two at a holiday<br />
tournament in Wellsboro.<br />
“It’s your typical Mountain League<br />
schedule which provides a challenge<br />
every night,” Miller said. “<strong>The</strong> non-league<br />
games are also going to be difficult. Just<br />
like every season, we are going to take it<br />
one at a time and it begins with Bald Eagle<br />
on Dec. 14. You know that’s going to be<br />
an exciting one with the rivalry and the<br />
return of Bill back to their bench. Like I<br />
tell the guys, we just have to worry about<br />
ourselves and playing our game.”<br />
make the 2010-2011 season<br />
just a little more interesting.<br />
“With Westmont-Hilltop<br />
in the district will be interesting,”<br />
Maney said. “And<br />
Central Mountain, obviously,<br />
is going to be the<br />
frontrunner but all the other<br />
teams have a bunch of good<br />
individuals back and will<br />
put some solid dual meet<br />
teams on the mat. So, other<br />
than Central Mountain, I<br />
think the others are wide<br />
open and will offer some<br />
competitive dual meets.”<br />
With the 26 grapplers<br />
listed on the Red Raiders’<br />
roster, the starting lineup<br />
appears to be wide open<br />
with eight seniors, eight<br />
juniors, six sophomores<br />
and four ninth graders<br />
competing for positions.<br />
“<strong>The</strong> key is to get guys<br />
spread out (throughout the<br />
lineup) with a bunch of<br />
guys bunched up and get<br />
them to the right weights so<br />
I think our team will be a<br />
work in progress throughout<br />
the season,” Maney<br />
said of the proposed lineup.<br />
“We will focus on the season<br />
to get the guys at their<br />
final weights for the postseason.<br />
And our leadership<br />
is coming from the experienced<br />
wrestlers that are in<br />
the upper weights so,<br />
depending on where the<br />
dual meets start, we are<br />
going to rely on those guys<br />
to either get the match<br />
going or solidify a win at<br />
the end.”<br />
19 - <strong>The</strong> <strong>Express</strong> - WINTER SPORTS - THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2010
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Express</strong> - WINTER SPORTS - THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2010 - 20<br />
HIGH SCHOOL SWIMMING<br />
Shore to return 10<br />
letterwinners<br />
Pictured are the returning letterwinners<br />
for the 2010-11 edition of the Jersey<br />
Shore swim team.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y are, front<br />
row from left,<br />
Alaniah<br />
Rosencrance, Ian<br />
Endersen, Maddi<br />
Thompson,<br />
Addison Crawley<br />
and Jamie Mason;<br />
back row, Mac<br />
Thompson,<br />
Kiersten<br />
Kemmerer, Gabi Rossman, Lindsay Dudek<br />
and Katie Flook. <strong>The</strong> Bulldogs are under<br />
new direction this year, with Lee<br />
Thompson taking over the reigns for longtime<br />
coach Lou Anne Gasperine. <strong>The</strong><br />
team will open the season Friday with a<br />
home meet against Towanda.<br />
KIM MOERSCHBACHER/THE EXPRESS<br />
CM dives in<br />
with experience<br />
To the right are the returning letterwinners for<br />
the Central Mountain<br />
swimming team. <strong>The</strong>y<br />
are, from left, Autumn<br />
Shultz, Brennan<br />
Register, Hannah<br />
Williams, Phil Rodo,<br />
Rachel Salmon and<br />
Sydney Foster. <strong>The</strong><br />
Wildcats are coached<br />
by Carol Matheney. <strong>The</strong><br />
team holds their home<br />
meets at Lock Haven<br />
Universityʼs Zimmerli Pool.<br />
TOM FOX/THE EXPRESS