Linksters

At Rich Maiden

1. (140) - Duke Pototsky 100-(-30)-70, Stiney Kruel 84-(-14)-70.

2. (142) - Frank Bartosic 80-(-13)-67, Rich Rohrer 97-(-22)-75.

3. (147) - Frank Hlavaty 94-(-14)-80, Dave Fogarty 91-(-24)-67.

4. (148) - Tony Previte 91-(-23)-68, Mick Mazzoni 110-(-30)-80.

5. (152) - Gary Leibensberger 92-(-22)-70, George Blum 103-(-21)-82.

Hole-in-one: Duke Pototsky, No. 8.

Closest to pin: Stiney Kruel, No. 4; Dave Fogarty, No. 6; Gary Leibensberger, No. 12; Dave Fogarty, No. 14; Frank Hlavaty, No. 17.

Blind holes: Stiney Kruel, Frank Bartosic, 27.

A week after the Jerry Sandusky verdict, the dust has settled a little and Bellefonte is apparently back to its normal, sleepy self.

But while the trial and 45 guilty verdicts may have dispensed justice and a sense of closure to some of the victims, the truth is that there still remain a whole lot of unanswered questions.

Some of these may be addressed in the coming months, with the trial of former Penn State athletic director Tim Curley and senior vice president for finance and business Gary Schultz, who oversaw the university police department. They are charged with perjury and failure to report child abuse for their testimony to the grand jury investigating the incidents.

But there are some questions which may never get answered, unless Sandusky himself decides to answer them in some form. There no doubt will be a slew of books written and documentaries filmed on the case, and it will be interesting to see how available Sandusky, his family, the victims and others will make themselves to persons writing those books and filming those documentaries and news stories.

For example, in news coverage postmortems about the trial, in print, on air, and online, it seemed that many, if not most, of the talking/writing/blogging heads were assuming that Sandusky formed The Second Mile charity for the purpose of scouting out and grooming potential victims. That seems a rather egregious case of jumping to conclusions.

Sandusky originally formed The Second Mile in 1977. All of the charges Sandusky was found guilty of occurred some time after 1998. There have been published accounts of some victims being abused as early as 1992 and speculation that Sandusky was involved in pedophilic behavior as early as the mid-1980s.

But only Sandusky can shed light on what his real purposes were for The Second Mile. There will be a large percentage of people who will never believe anything he says regarding the charity. But a huge question remains - when did Sandusky begin to act out on his pedophilic impulses? Did he form The Second Mile to procure victims, or was his behavior an outgrowth of his involvement with so many young, impressionable boys? If the answer is the former, then he truly is the monster everyone has been calling him. If it's the latter, he's a walking (hopefully talking) petri dish to persons who study pedophilia.

But Sandusky is still reportedly claiming total innocence. Those who study pedophiles say it is common for them to disassociate themselves from their actions. To their way of thinking, they did nothing wrong - they were simply showing affection for their victims.

But Sandusky's insistent denials have to make you wonder if something more isn't going on. Perhaps he's actually suffering from multiple personality disorder and part of him isn't even aware of the behavior. It's just a theory, but it seems as plausible as any in this sordid story.

Then there is Dottie Sandusky. She has been called everything from an enabler to an outright accomplice in her husband's crimes and the more virulent talking heads have been asking for her head, too. Someone wrote that she will "rot in hell along with her husband."

Besides being rather presumptive. that seems a bit harsh.

There's little doubt that Mrs. Sandusky, and probably the rest of her family, has been in some form of denial, and probably for some time, about her husband and their (adoptive) father. But for God's sake, she was married to the man for 46 years and presumably loves him, or at least loved him. Put yourselves in her shoes for about 10 minutes, and you'd probably feel the weight of the world on your shoulders. The rest of her life, no matter what her role was, will likely be a living hell.

There are all the unresolved questions about the Penn State/University Park/State College/Second Mile community. Who knew what and when? No matter what steps Penn State takes to reach out to the victims and try to cleanse itself, the bottom line is that, as CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin, who has always struck me as fair-minded, said after the verdict, "Penn State has acted abominably."

How else could you put it if it's true, as recent e-mails unearthed by Penn State's own special investigator, former FBI director Louis Freeh, seem to indicate, that Schultz had a thick file of Sandusky's misdeeds and never acted on it, or if former President Graham Spanier wrote that not charging Sandusky "would be the humane thing to do."

How could Sandusky be allowed the access he had to the Lasch Football Building for so many years? How could Sandusky be a guest in the president's box at Beaver Stadium when Joe Paterno broke Eddie Robinson's record for coaching wins, months after the grand jury investigation?

The Penn State administration's behavior is as mind boggling as Sandusky's itself.

Then there is the thorny question of Paterno's role. At this point, it will be surprising if the late icon, who died of lung cancer (and likely heartbreak) five months ago, comes out smelling entirely clean. This is a man who oversaw every facet, every detail, of his phenomenally successful program for 46 years. Remember, Sandusky was his number one assistant, his likely heir apparent, until the latter's unexpected retirement in 1999.

Penn State beat writers always knew there had been some falling out between Paterno and Sandusky but could never place a finger on it. It seems more and more likely that Sandusky's behavior and increasingly bad reputation among his colleagues is the answer.

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT - After months away from the field, several area players wore their high school uniforms one last time during the 22nd annual District 4 North-South All-Star game Friday at South Williamsport's Rodney K. Morgans Stadium.

The South, led by two booming field goals by game MVP Dylan Friday of Danville, a diversified running game and opportunistic passing game, won 29-12.

The South's offense started off by utilizing the versatility of Mount Carmel's Meyrick Lamb, who took home the South's Offensive Player of the Game honors. Teammate Cody Shustack, who had five tackles and one carry for four yards, was the South's Defensive Player of the Game.

Lamb started the South's first offensive series with a run for 10 yards, and then he and quarterback Cam Cassels, of Lewisburg, connected for a 38-yard touchdown pass to put the South up 7-0.

The North's defense took advantage of a bad snap on a punt attempt later by the South to score a safety, and then took the lead when North Penn's Marquis Delgado capped a 42-yard drive with an 11-yard touchdown run.

The South stormed back with an 18-yard touchdown pass between Cassels and Shikellamy's Tyler Pratt.

Friday and Montoursville's Christian Clark traded field goals in the third quarter and start of the fourth. Friday added another 42-yard field goal that was set up by a 25-yard catch by Mount Carmel's Jacob Kleman.

Warrior Run's Austin Oberdorf finished the scoring with a four-yard plunge after Pratt intercepted a North pass.

Probably more than any other season, spring gives us the biggest changes.

The bitter cold March afternoons can turn into sweltering June days. Barren landscapes become flush with life.

Taking a queue from Mother Nature, softball, which has been competitive in this immediate area in recent years, has blossomed into a sport everyone takes notice of.

There are a multitude of reasons that Southern Columbia was at the forefront of that change, and many of those revolve around the Tigers' power-hitting power pitcher Mallory Tomaschik, the 2012 News-Item Player of the Year.

Tomaschik pitched the Tigers to a 23-4 overall record and a silver medal in the PIAA Class A state playoffs. The state medal was a first for any team in the coverage area, and with a total of nine underclassmen on this year's squad, the future is looking bright.

Of the two seniors on the team, North Schuylkill's Cassie Lapotsky is this year's Pitcher of the Year after a season with a 1.35 ERA over 153 innings in which she racked up 184 strikeouts.

The remainder of the team is North Schuylkill's Madison Newhouser, Southern Columbia's Taylor Hoffman, Kirstin Blass and Kayla Lavella, Lourdes' CharLee Rosini, Peyton Klembara and Nikki Komara, Line Mountain's Deidre Long and Shamokin's Olivia Bonshock.

All year, from her first start when she struck out six batters, to her final three-hit performance in the state title game, Tomaschik was a force to be reckoned with.

The Tigers reeled off 14 straight wins to start the season, played in their first-ever district championship game and surged through the state playoffs before losing 1-0 to Fannett-Metal in State College.

All along the way, Tomaschik played as though she was out to prove something.

For the season at the plate, the junior hit .363 with 27 runs batted in and 32 runs scored. But those numbers don't show the sheer power Tomaschik had. She hit seven home runs, or just one less than the entire rest of the All-Area team combined. Tomaschik also had nine doubles and a triple.

But it was in the circle that Tomaschik, who also was the Player of the Year as a freshman, really shined in the Tigers' playoff run. For the season overall, Tomaschik was the only Tiger to throw a pitch. She logged 170 innings, with a miniscule 1.27 ERA and 189 strikeouts.

Even though the Tigers make the jump to Class AA next year, they'll have their ace back to guide them toward possibly more state appearances.

The Spartans' Lapotsky, on the other hand, will be taking her more than 500 career strikeouts to University of the Sciences in Philadelphia to pitch for the Devils. It's the second time Lapotsky has been named Pitcher of the Year and fourth overall selection to the All-Area team, and she's leaving big cleats to fill for North Schuylkill. The senior also drove in 16 runs on offense and had three doubles, a triple and a home run to go along with her .234 average.

The remainder of the team is:

Madison Newhouser, sr.

North Schuylkill

The only other senior on the team will also be playing softball in college. Newhouser clobbered opposing pitching this year for a .577 average with five doubles, three triples, 21 runs scored and 18 runs batted in. Besides the offensive production, the Spartans will miss her slick glove at shortstop, as well as her versatility and tenacity. Newhouser, who had more than 100 career hits, will be playing college ball at Goldey Beacom College.

CharLee Rosini, jr.

Lourdes

Lourdes qualified for the District 4 playoffs for the first time since 1992 and Rosini was a big part of that. She was the Red Raiders' most dangerous hitter with a .507 average with seven doubles, five triples, 17 runs and 25 RBIs. She was also in charge on the mound with 135 innings pitched, a 2.38 ERA and 84 strikeouts in an extremely challenging Schuylkill League Division I.

Kayla Lavella, jr.

Southern Columbia

Lavella made it back to the diamond this year after missing all of 2011 while recovering from a knee injury and she bolstered the middle of the Tigers' lineup with a .482 average with eight doubles, a triple and three home runs. Lavella also scored 31 runs and drove in 29.

Kirstin Blass, jr.

Southern Columbia

The Tigers' spark plug at the top of the lineup, Blass hit .494 with five doubles and four triples. Last year's Player of the Year also scored an area-high 34 runs and had 15 RBIs. Her production at the leadoff spot helped set the tone for Southern's early-inning success all season.

Nikki Komara, jr.

Lourdes

Komara played multiple positions for the Red Raiders this season - catcher, second base, left field and shortstop. A .393 average with two doubles made her impossible to take out of the lineup.

Olivia Bonshock, so.

Shamokin Area

Bonshock tried to stoke an anemic Shamokin offense and at times succeeded. The sophomore is making her first appearance on the All-Area team after leading the Indians in extra-base hits. Bonshock cranked four doubles and two triples.

Peyton Klembara, so.

Lourdes

Another leadoff hitter and shortstop extraordinaire, Klembara hit .400 and scored 27 runs for the Red Raiders. She also had four doubles, three triples and 14 RBIs. With Klembara among the core of key returnees for Lourdes, don't expect this season to be an aberration.

Deidre Long, fr.

Line Mountain

Long was the Eagles' most consistent performer as a freshman. The future looks bright for her after a rookie season in which she hit .333 with a double, a triple and a pair of RBIs. Most importantly, she led the team in runs (9) and tried to generate more offense with three steals.

Taylor Hoffman, fr.

Southern Columbia

A key component for any freshman who wants to contribute is to play within yourself and figure out what you do best. What Hoffman does best is hit, and hit she did. The Tigers' freshman had a .494 average with an area-high 14 doubles, a triple and four home runs of her own. She scored 22 runs and had 29 RBIs. Teams later in the postseason grew wise and tried to pitch around her, but Hoffman showed remarkable patience at the plate for a freshman.

WWE announced this past week that it has secured an agreement with the Ion television channel to broadcast a Wednesday evening wrestling program called WWE Main Event beginning on Oct. 3 with a starting time of 8 p.m.

While speculation is that it would likely be a Superstars-like show taped either Monday before Raw or Tuesday after Smackdown rather than taped on a separate night to save on production costs, the greater conjecture with the announcement would likely center around what is up with the network the company has been threatening to launch.

NXT tapings are already taking place at Full Sail University every other Thursday. It would almost look like the network idea went out the window except that reports of people being hired for it and word that a commercial for it was filmed recently, say otherwise.

Clearly, it isn't as easy as many people might think to launch a new network. If the network does get launched in the not-too-distant future, wouldn't it make sense that a lot of this programming would be content most appropriate for it? Granted, there is always the old territory film, WCW and ECW shows that have been running on Classics on Demand and the promised first run programming of things like the Wrestling House reality show.

As part of the lead-up to the 1000th episode of Raw slated for July 23, WWE has been bringing back big names from the past for a quick cup of coffee. A couple of Mondays ago, it was Vader and he got a big crowd reaction live. This past Monday, Heath Slater was out bragging that "he ruled the world" - the perfect cue for Psycho Sid's entrance. Slater took another loss to a former major star, though he paid a higher physical price in putting over Vader than he did Sid, but Sid looked like he has kept himself in much better shape than Leon White has since the glory days.

In matches that would seem to matter, it was the same old story. Daniel Bryan's took advantage of his turn to get a win over WWE champ C.M. Punk in a non-title three-way with Kane just seconds after Punk had pinned the Big Red Monster after that hussy A.J. (who had a big win later in a swimsuit battle royal) came out to skip around ringside and distract whoever noticed. Over the past two months or more, Punk, Bryan and Kane have been wrestling each other or any combination thereof virtually every Raw and every pay-per-view.

Chris Jericho returned from suspension and immediately looked to start a feud with John Cena. A match was made and Cena won via disqualification when Big Show came out to interfere. It would seem like that whole group might be headed to the Money In the Bank ppv. At both Raw and Smackdown, where Vickie Guererro was guest G.M., we also got a continuation of the Dolph Ziggler chase after Sheamus and the world title with Alberto Del Rio back from Concussionville to rejoin the fray.

Teddy Long is expected to be back as guest G.M. this coming week, Rey Mysterio is expected back soon and Randy Orton is already being advertised for shows right around SummerSlam. There is a desperate need for some fresh new faces and rivalries, but there doesn't seem to be any on the horizon. Brodus Clay is not an answer. Antonio Cesaro has potential, but needs to be booked as something special right away. Brock Lesnar will be returning soon and he needs to go over HHH at SS to be viewed as a real threat to Undertaker or the Rock for Mania, whoever they ultimately decide will be his opponent.

TNA had the tag team titles change hands on this past Thursday's Impact with Christopher Daniels and Kazarian defeating Kurt Angle and A.J. Styles in a rematch from the recent ppv. Samoa Joe picked up a Bound For Glory tournament victory over Bully Ray in a solid match. This coming week there will be a bout between James Storm and Jeff Hardy on Impact as part of the tournament to determine a challenger for the champ at BFG.

BLOOMSBURG - Shamokin-Mount Carmel's Major Division All-Stars were knocked out of the District 13 Little League Tournament Saturday with a tough 4-2 loss to Berwick in an elimination game at Bloomsburg's Town Park.

Berwick took a 3-0 lead in the second inning off losing pitcher Maura Fiamoncini. Pernell Guevara singled and Matt Bower bunted safely for a single. Denver Knorr followed with a run-scoring single, and he and Bower each advanced a base on an error. Leadoff hitter and winning pitcher Jared Marshman then delivered his second hit, a two-run single, scoring Bower and Knorr.

Shamokin-Mount Carmel picked up a run in its half of the second. Anthony Moser singled, one of two Shamokin-Mount Carmel hits, advanced bases on a wild pitch and a groundout, and scored on an error.

Berwick added a run in the sixth, loading the bases on a walk, an error and a bunt single. Dane Campbell was called out on a controversial infield fly call on a ball he hit over second base, but Trevor Welsh was allowed to score from third on the play. After Marshman got his second intentional walk, relief pitcher Matthew Ziv struck out the next two batters to end the damage.

Shamokin-Mount Carmel got its second run in the bottom of the sixth. Tallon Strausser and Anthony Moser walked, but Walter Kalinoski struck out and Strausser was thrown out trying to take third on the play.

But Moser came home on an error, and Nathan Freed reached base on an infield single before Berwick reliever Knorr struck out Cameron Britt to end the game.

Marshman gave up just one hit in 4 2/3 innings, struck out eight and walked three to earn the win.

The game, set for a 7:30 start, didn't start until 8:15 because the first game of the doubleheader went long, with Bloomsburg defeating Millville-Benton, 12-8.

For football fans, Friday night's District 4 All-Star game was a lot like meeting your favorite actor on the streets of New York without the benefit of makeup or scripted lines.

It wasn't ugly, but not what we'd grown used to during the regular season, either.

The game looked like what it was - an exhibition, a culmination of a week of practice sixth months after the season for kids now squeezing it in between work and vacation, some going on to play in college, some deliberating about walking on somewhere and some knowing this was the last time they'd wear pads unless they dress up for Halloween.

The game was played because it had to be, but for the players it was very much about a week of camaraderie.

Tom Schetroma played at Southern Columbia and will be joining his brother, Ken, on the defensive line at Susquehanna University this fall, but this week was a welcome reminder what waits for him there. Although this week had much less pressure.

"I definitely enjoyed the week of practice," Schetroma said. "It wasn't as tough as what I was used to at Southern; it was more laid back. We pulled a lot of pranks during the week. If I could do it all over again I would."

A total of 12 area players suited up for the South side in the 22nd annual game sponsored by the South Williamsport Lions club, and it was different for all of them.

"It was a lot of fun and different from what we're used to - playing with the same kids for seven or eight years," Schetroma said. "I'm not saying I hated playing with the same kids, but it was nice to mix things up a little bit."

A one time opponent, Mount Carmel's Jacob Kleman, who is entertaining thoughts of trying to walk on at West Chester University, thought of something Red Tornadoes' head coach Carmen DeFrancesco has told him.

"Like Coach Carm says, 'It's the journey,'" Kleman said. "Not exactly the game on Friday night, but the journey makes everything a lot of fun."

The journey for many of the players involved missing a week of summer work, carpooling to practice and finally playing on a day when the temperature nearly reached 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

"The week was so much fun," Kleman said. "Most of these guys you only ever hear about in the newspaper every week, but practicing and being around them, they're a great group of guys. We had a lot of fun, and we came out and played well."

And the game featured enough oohs and ahs to still remind fans of who they were watching. But nothing perhaps beat Tyrell Thomas' return to actual game action.

While Thomas did get on the field for extra-point attempts in Southern Columbia's loss to Clairton in the state finals last December, this was his first real chance to test the surgically repaired knee that cost him his senior season before he heads to Bloomsburg University to continue his career.

"It felt great playing with these guys from other schools and also my own teammates," Thomas said. "It was really fun."

So maybe Friday night wasn't the polished performance that earned many of the All-Stars a slew of postseason awards. Instead, it was one last improvised Friday night curtain call.

Blane Heimbach of Selinsgrove passed Cody Keller late in the race to win the Firecracker 30 for the 358 sprint cars at Selinsgrove Speedway on Saturday night.

Heimbach's second win of the season and 35th of his career at the Snyder County oval was worth $2,000. He made the winning pass of Keller in turn two with only five laps remaining. Keller, T.J. Stutts, Josh Beard and Bob Beidleman completed the top five.

Pat Cannon set fast time with a lap of 17.773 seconds. He was leading the feature after passing Keller, but stopped with a flat tire on lap 22. This gave the lead back to Keller with Heimbach in second.

Carlisle's Jason Shultz won the Mach 1 Chassis Mid-Atlantic Championship series event for the 360 sprints at Selinsgrove on Friday night.

Jeff Rine of Danville won his fourth race of the season in the 25-lap main event for the late models. It was his 76th career win and increased his point lead.

Hayes Mattern of Beavertown won his fourth pro stock feature of the season and Brian Johnson of Ashland won the 12-lap roadrunner feature.

Selinsgrove presents a regular show on Saturday night followed by the Pa. Sprint Speed Week finale on Sunday night.

Brian Montieth is on a hot streak in sprint car racing. He won his second straight feature at Williams Grove on Friday night.

He was back in victory lane on Saturday night at Lincoln Speedway in the Kevin Gobrecht Memorial, which was the opener for Pa. Sprint Car Speed Week. The wins were worth more than $12,000.

Speed Week continues Tuesday night at Grandview Speedway, near Pottstown, before heading to Hagerstown, Md., on Wednesday night. Williams Grove will host the series for two straight nights on Thursday and Friday. Port Royal hosts the series on Saturday before it concludes at Selinsgrove next Sunday.

Kyle Larson, one of the hottest young drivers in the country, will run the entire Speed Week series. He is a coming off a 10th place finish in his NASCAR Camping World Truck series debut on Thursday night in Kentucky.

The 19-year-old had a rough start at Lincoln as a heat race crash took him out of contention for the evening.

Racing Recap

Friday

Big Diamond Speedway

358 modifieds, 25 laps: 1. Meme DeSantis. 2. Jeff Strunk. 3. Ray Swinehart. 4. Duane Howard. 5. Craig VonDohren. 6. Ricky Yetter. 7. Kevin Albert Jr. 8. Gary Hager. 9. Gary Wagner. 10. Dale Hartz.

Sportsman modifieds, 20 laps: 1. Shawn Fitzpatrick. 2. Ray Woodall Jr. 3. Brad Brightbill. 4. Mike Lisowski. 5. Rocco Infante. 6. Kevin Beach Jr. 7. Heath Metzger. 8. Doug Hendricks. 9. Mike Lyons. 10. Wayne Witmer.

Roadrunners, 20 laps: 1. Marc Berzowski. 2. Jeremy Becker. 3. Joey Brennan. 4. TJ Fitzpatrick. 5. Chip Kennedy.

Selinsgrove Speedway

358/360 sprints, 25 laps: 1. Jason Shultz. 2. Blane Heimbach. 3. Nate Snyder. 4. Jessica Zemken. 5. Davie Franek. 6. T.J. Stutts. 7. Mark Smith. 8. Matt Heimbach. 9. Brian Leppo. 10. Jessica Anderson.

Williams Grove Speedway

Sprints, 25 laps: 1. Brian Montieth. 2. Brent Marks. 3. Danny Dietrich. 4. Greg Hodnett. 5. Cory Haas. 6. Chad Layton. 7. Lance Dewease. 8. Don Kreitz Jr. 9. Tyler Walker. 10. Davey Sammons.

358 sprints, 25 laps: 1. Eric Tomecek. 2. Ryan Wilson. 3. Adrian Shaffer. 4. Kevin Nouse. 5. Brian Garland. 6. Jay Galloway. 7. Nate Hammaker. 8. Rocky Magaro. 9. Dale Hammaker. 10. Todd Berkheimer.

Saturday

Lincoln Speedway

Pa. Sprint Speed Week opener

Sprints, 30 laps: 1. Brian Montieth. 2. Jim Siegel. 3. Cory Haas. 4. Brent Marks. 5. Fred Rahmer. 6. Alan Krimes. 7. Daryn Pittman. 8. Danny Dietrich. 9. Gerard McIntyre Jr. 10. Bill Dietrich.

Selinsgrove Speedway

358 Sprints Firecracker 30: 1. Blane Heimbach. 2. Cody Keller. 3. T.J. Stutts. 4. Josh Beard. 5. Bob Beidleman. 6. Jason Shults. 7. Pat Cannon. 8. Tim Berkheimer. 9. Eric Tomecek. 10. Colby Womer.

Late models, 25 laps: 1. Jeff Rine. 2. Jim Bernheisel. 3. Tony Adams. 4. Steve Campbell. 5. Dylan Yoder. 6. Chad Davis. 7. Ken Trevitz. 8. Donnie Schick. 9. Bryan Bernheisel. 10. Dave Zona.

Pro Stocks, 15 laps: 1. Hayes Mattern. 2. Kyle Bachman. 3. Jason Smith. 4. AJ Hoffman. 5. Derrick Garman.

Roadrunners, 12 laps: 1. Brian Johnson. 2. Bob Bussey. 3. Dennis Conrad. 4. Curtis Lawton. 5. Brandon Shultz.

Kulpmont Football/Baseball Association

Meetings, first Wednesday of each month at 7:30 p.m.

Coal Runnings

Running club, meets at 5:30 p.m. each Monday at Shamokin Area's Kemp Memorial Stadium parking lot. Open to runners of all ages. More on Facebook at coalrunnings.

MCA Youth Track and Field Camp

Hosted by the Mount Carmel Area track and field team July 16-19 at the Silver Bowl. Camp will be in operation 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., July 16-17-18, and on July 19, a mini meet will be held for all participants starting at 9 a.m. Camp cost is $40 and includes a t-shirt. Applications are available at the MCA elementary school office or on the track team website. For information, call Ana Ditchey at 570-817-0524. Application deadline is July 1. Applications received after that will not guarantee a t-shirt.

Shamokin Area Football Reserved Seats

Cost for five home games is $27.50. Senior citizen discount for five home games is $10. Those interested should call 648-5731, ext. 3533.

SCA Basketball Camp

Southern Columbia boys and girls basketball camp will be held July 9-12 from 8 a.m.to noon each day. Camp is for students entering second through ninth grades. Cost is $85. For more information contact Dave Yost (854-2908) or Kevin Collins (933-0305).

ASA Class B Tournament

The Susquehanna Fast Pitch Umpires Association will host an ASA Class B tournament for U12, U14, U16 and U18 age groups in the Milton area July 14-15. Please call Bill Ditchey at 570-847-8863 or e-mail to svumpires@gmail.com for more information.

MCA Track and Field Banquet

To honor senior team members and state qualifiers, July 19, 6:30 p.m. at the Mount Carmel Elks. Team members receive complimentary tickets. Parents and other family members can purchase tickets at a cost of $11. Contact Coach Ditchey or Coach Farronato to RSVP by July 10.

Soccer Team Seeks Players

Shamokin based (BDSC) U-13 girls travel soccer team will hold tryouts for the fall season. Practices are held at the Elysburg fields next to McDonald's. Players interested should contact Connie at 570-648-1465.

Shamokin Cardinals Football

Annual swim party, July 6, 5-8 p.m. at the Edgewood pool. New registrations are welcome at this time. For more information, call George at 648-1947.

Shamokin Area Summer Basketball Camp

For any boys and girls, July 23-26 from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Shamokin Area High School. Camp t-shirts, awards and lunch available and camp is run by boys coach Chris Zimmerman. Cost is $65 and checks can be made payable to the Bucket Club. For more information, call Zimmerman at 570 850-9687.

North Schuylkill Sports Physicals

Saturday, July 28 at the high school, beginning at 8 a.m. The schedule is: junior high girls basketball, 8 a.m.; girls volleyball, 8:30; junior high football cheerleading, 8:45; varsity football cheerleading, 9 a.m.; junior high cross country, 9:15; varsity cross country, 9:45; girls soccer, 10 a.m.; boys soccer, 10:30; golf, 10:45; junior high football, 11 a.m.; junior varsity and varsity football, 11:45. There will be a $10 cost per physical and the fee must be paid before an athlete can receive the physical.

Shamokin Area Sports Physicals

Wednesday, Aug. 8 at the high school. The schedule is: junior high, junior varsity and varstiy football, 2:30 p.m.; girls soccer, 2:45; boys soccer and volleyball, 3 p.m.; junior high and varsity cross country, 3:15; golf and junior high softball, 3:30; cheerleaders and any additional sports, 3:45. Physicals will be administered by Dr. Miller and cost $20. Only cash will be accepted. All forms, which can be picked up at the high school or downloaded from the school website, need to be completed by a parent or guardian prior to physical.

Red Tornado Touchdown Club Meeting

Mandatory meeting for all parents of the varsity, junior varsity and freshman football player, Tuesday, July 10, 7 p.m. in the high school LGL. Fundraisers for the upcoming football season will be handed out at this time. Fundraisers are mandatory to benefit the whole team. Please be there to represent your student-athlete.

MCA Elementary Wrestling Picnic

Sunday, Aug. 5, noon, at Locust Lake State Park, Site 262. Call Coach Besser at 274-3281 to RSVP.

Mount Carmel Jets

Football registration, Sunday, July 15, 6 p.m. in the old Mount Carmel Area gym, Fourth and Vine streets, for boys entering grades 1 through 8 for the 2012 school year. Registration fee is $40. Insurance information must be provided. All players must provide a copy of their birth certificate. Equipment distribution will be Sunday, July 22 at the same location. A and B teams will receive equipment at 4 p.m., the C team will receive equipment at 6 p.m. Any player who has not provided a copy of their birth certificate must do so at this time.

Nicholas Girolami Golf Benefit set

The 14th annual Nicholas Girolami Memorial Golf Benefit will be held at Indian Hills Golf and Tennis Club July 15, starting at 9 a.m. For more information on playing or sponsorships, contact the Indian Hills Pro Shop or call Don Spieller at 570-644-1972. Donations may be sent to Joseph and Sabrina Girolami, 4129 State Route 61, Paxinos, Pa., 17860-7542.

MCA Youth Cheerleading Clinic

The 15th annual Mount Carmel Area "Just Gotta Cheer" youth cheerleading clinic will be held July 9-11 fro 9 a.m.-1 p.m. each day. Cost is $40 (family discounts available). The clinic is open to any student entering first through eighth grades. Applications are available at the high school and elementary school principal's offices. For more information, contact Eve Lyash at 339-1094. Deadline for registration is July 7.

Shamokin AYSO Soccer Swim Party

Thursday, July 12, 5 p.m.-close at Knoebel's Crystal Pool. Rain date is Thursday, July 19. Free admission for any children who played fall 2011-spring 2012. Pizza will be provided. U-6 players are asked to donate drinks, U-8 players snacks, U-10 and U-12 players paper products (plates, cups, or napkins), and U-14 desserts.

Shamokin-Coal Township Little League Awards Day

Saturday, July 14 at 10 a.m. at Ferndale Field.

Mount Carmel Jr. Baseball meeting

Thursday, July 5, 7:30 p.m. at the Anthracite Fire Co. All teams are requested to be present.

Little Shamokin Indians registration

Little Shamokin Indians football and cheerleader registration for children six years old to sixth grade. Fee is $30 single, $50 family. Copy of child's birth certificate must be presented. For registration information, call Wes Tillett (898-6378) or Nicole Bozza (847-0371). The organization will be ordering new helmets and cheerleading warmup gear for the season. Monthly meeting July 8, at O'Brien's Pizza at 7 p.m.

Marion Heights baseball tournament

Marion Heights 11-and-under baseball tournament, July 13-15, double elimination. Entrance fee $100. For more information call Barry Elliot at 205-7394.

Phoenixville's Brian Montieth is perfect so far in Pennsylvania Sprint Car Speed Week competition and heads into tonight's race at Grandview Speedway, near Pottstown, with the point lead.

Montieth won the series opener at Lincoln Speedway on Saturday night in the Kevin Gobrecht Memorial and earned $7,000. He took the lead from Jim Siegel on lap 15 and went unchallenged from there. Siegel, Cory Haas, Brent Marks and Fred Rahmer completed the top five.

His hot streak continued on Sunday night at Big Diamond Speedway as he started on the pole and led all 30 laps for the $5,000 victory. It was his first career Big Diamond victory in his first start at the track.

Danny Dietrich chased Montieth for the entire distance at Big Diamond. Dietrich would close in lapped traffic, but caution flags would slow the field and give Montieth a clear track and allow him to pull away again. Daryn Pittman, Lance Dewease and Alan Krimes completed the top five.

Montieth also won at Williams Grove Speedway on Friday night (not a Speed Week race) giving him a clean sweep of last weekend's sprint car racing.

He earned over $17,000 for those three victories and has eight wins this season in a car owned by Hanover's Jerry Parrish. He now owns four wins in the Speed Week series.

The series heads to Hagerstown (Md.) Speedway on Wednesday night before a two-night stand at Williams Grove Speedway, near Mechanicsburg. The Friday night race at Williams Grove will be the Mitch Smith Memorial and pay $10,000 to win and $5,000 for second.

The series moves to Port Royal Speedway on Saturday night and concludes at Selinsgrove Speedway with the Jan Opperman Memorial on Sunday. Other than the Smith Memorial at the Grove, the races pay $5,000 to win.

Montieth has earned 337 out of a possible 370 points. He leads Pittman by 77 headed into the six straight nights of racing. Pittman finished seventh at Lincoln and third at Big Diamond. Krimes ranks third in points with 254. He has finished sixth and fifth thus far. Dietrich is fourth in points with a runner-up at Big Diamond and an eighth at Lincoln. Marks rounds out the top five in points with 233. He was fourth at Lincoln and 11th at Big Diamond.

Speed Week Points with two races completed:

1. Brian Montieth 337; 2. Daryn Pittman 260; 3. Alan Krimes 254; 4. Danny Dietric 245; 5. Brent Marks 233; 6. Fred Rahmer 220;

7. Chad Layton 216; 8. Lance Dewease 190; 9. Aaron Ott 175; 10. Cory Haas 144.

Speed Week Schedule

Tuesday: Grandview

Wednesday: Hagerstown (Md.)

Thursday: Williams Grove

Friday: Williams Grove

Saturday: Port Royal

Sunday: Selinsgrove

MILTON - Shamokin-Mount Carmel 11-year-old All-Stars have advanced to the unbeaten bracket of the District 13 Little League tournament after their 21-4 win over Juniata on Monday night.

Shamokin-Mount Carmel will play the other unbeaten team, Berwick, Sunday at 1 p.m. at Milton's Mary Byers Complex.

Logan Wills and Max Tillet each had four singles, Tommy Reisinger had three singles and John Ayres hit a grand slam home run in the win over Juniata.

Ayres and Reisinger combined for the pitching duty.

Jacob Carpenter had a triple, and Matt Dimmick, Jack Chapman, Quinn Rollman and Avery Demko all had singles.

Payne Shirk had two singles for Juniata, which had four different pitchers.

Mount Carmel Junior Baseball

VFW 6, Anthracite 2

W: Thomas Shultz. L: Tallon Strausser.

VFW - Tyler Seltner, triple; Shane Weidner, triple; Jack Chapman, double; Jeff Weidner, double; Michael Balichik, single; Shultz, single; Brandon Shustack, single; Brock Evert, single; Elijah Brzowtski, single. Anthracite - Strausser, double, single; Tanner Karycki, single; Walter Kalinoski, single.

Kulpmont Football/Baseball Association

Meetings, first Wednesday of each month at 7:30 p.m.

Coal Runnings

Running club, meets at 5:30 p.m. each Monday at Shamokin Area's Kemp Memorial Stadium parking lot. Open to runners of all ages. More on Facebook at coalrunnings.

MCA Youth Track and Field Camp

Hosted by the Mount Carmel Area track and field team July 16-19 at the Silver Bowl. Camp will be in operation 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., July 16-17-18, and on July 19, a mini meet will be held for all participants starting at 9 a.m. Camp cost is $40 and includes a t-shirt. Applications are available at the MCA elementary school office or on the track team website. For information, call Ana Ditchey at 570-817-0524. Application deadline is July 1. Applications received after that will not guarantee a t-shirt.

Shamokin Area Football Reserved Seats

Cost for five home games is $27.50. Senior citizen discount for five home games is $10. Those interested should call 648-5731, ext. 3533.

SCA Basketball Camp

Southern Columbia boys and girls basketball camp will be held July 9-12 from 8 a.m.to noon each day. Camp is for students entering second through ninth grades. Cost is $85. For more information contact Dave Yost (854-2908) or Kevin Collins (933-0305).

ASA Class B Tournament

The Susquehanna Fast Pitch Umpires Association will host an ASA Class B tournament for U12, U14, U16 and U18 age groups in the Milton area July 14-15. Please call Bill Ditchey at 570-847-8863 or e-mail to svumpires@gmail.com for more information.

MCA Track and Field Banquet

To honor senior team members and state qualifiers, July 19, 6:30 p.m. at the Mount Carmel Elks. Team members receive complimentary tickets. Parents and other family members can purchase tickets at a cost of $11. Contact Coach Ditchey or Coach Farronato to RSVP by July 10.

Soccer Team Seeks Players

Shamokin based (BDSC) U-13 girls travel soccer team will hold tryouts for the fall season. Practices are held at the Elysburg fields next to McDonald's. Players interested should contact Connie at 570-648-1465.

Shamokin Cardinals Football

Annual swim party, July 6, 5-8 p.m. at the Edgewood pool. New registrations are welcome at this time. For more information, call George at 648-1947.

Shamokin Area Summer Basketball Camp

For any boys and girls, July 23-26 from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Shamokin Area High School. Camp t-shirts, awards and lunch available and camp is run by boys coach Chris Zimmerman. Cost is $65 and checks can be made payable to the Bucket Club. For more information, call Zimmerman at 570 850-9687.

North Schuylkill Sports Physicals

Saturday, July 28 at the high school, beginning at 8 a.m. The schedule is: junior high girls basketball, 8 a.m.; girls volleyball, 8:30; junior high football cheerleading, 8:45; varsity football cheerleading, 9 a.m.; junior high cross country, 9:15; varsity cross country, 9:45; girls soccer, 10 a.m.; boys soccer, 10:30; golf, 10:45; junior high football, 11 a.m.; junior varsity and varsity football, 11:45. There will be a $10 cost per physical and the fee must be paid before an athlete can receive the physical.

Shamokin Area Sports Physicals

Wednesday, Aug. 8 at the high school. The schedule is: junior high, junior varsity and varstiy football, 2:30 p.m.; girls soccer, 2:45; boys soccer and volleyball, 3 p.m.; junior high and varsity cross country, 3:15; golf and junior high softball, 3:30; cheerleaders and any additional sports, 3:45. Physicals will be administered by Dr. Miller and cost $20. Only cash will be accepted. All forms, which can be picked up at the high school or downloaded from the school website, need to be completed by a parent or guardian prior to physical.

Red Tornado Touchdown Club Meeting

Mandatory meeting for all parents of the varsity, junior varsity and freshman football player, Tuesday, July 10, 7 p.m. in the high school LGL. Fundraisers for the upcoming football season will be handed out at this time. Fundraisers are mandatory to benefit the whole team. Please be there to represent your student-athlete.

MCA Elementary Wrestling Picnic

Sunday, Aug. 5, noon, at Locust Lake State Park, Site 262. Call Coach Besser at 274-3281 to RSVP.

Mount Carmel Jets

Football registration, Sunday, July 15, 6 p.m. in the old Mount Carmel Area gym, Fourth and Vine streets, for boys entering grades 1 through 8 for the 2012 school year. Registration fee is $40. Insurance information must be provided. All players must provide a copy of their birth certificate. Equipment distribution will be Sunday, July 22 at the same location. A and B teams will receive equipment at 4 p.m., the C team will receive equipment at 6 p.m. Any player who has not provided a copy of their birth certificate must do so at this time.

Nicholas Girolami Golf Benefit set

The 14th annual Nicholas Girolami Memorial Golf Benefit will be held at Indian Hills Golf and Tennis Club July 15, starting at 9 a.m. For more information on playing or sponsorships, contact the Indian Hills Pro Shop or call Don Spieller at 570-644-1972. Donations may be sent to Joseph and Sabrina Girolami, 4129 State Route 61, Paxinos, Pa., 17860-7542.

MCA Youth Cheerleading Clinic

The 15th annual Mount Carmel Area "Just Gotta Cheer" youth cheerleading clinic will be held July 9-11 fro 9 a.m.-1 p.m. each day. Cost is $40 (family discounts available). The clinic is open to any student entering first through eighth grades. Applications are available at the high school and elementary school principal's offices. For more information, contact Eve Lyash at 339-1094. Deadline for registration is July 7.

Shamokin AYSO Soccer Swim Party

Thursday, July 12, 5 p.m.-close at Knoebel's Crystal Pool. Rain date is Thursday, July 19. Free admission for any children who played fall 2011-spring 2012. Pizza will be provided. U-6 players are asked to donate drinks, U-8 players snacks, U-10 and U-12 players paper products (plates, cups, or napkins), and U-14 desserts.

Shamokin-Coal Township Little League Awards Day

Saturday, July 14 at 10 a.m. at Ferndale Field.

Mount Carmel Jr. Baseball meeting

Thursday, July 5, 7:30 p.m. at the Anthracite Fire Co. All teams are requested to be present.

Little Shamokin Indians registration

Little Shamokin Indians football and cheerleader registration for children six years old to sixth grade. Fee is $30 single, $50 family. Copy of child's birth certificate must be presented. For registration information, call Wes Tillett (898-6378) or Nicole Bozza (847-0371). The organization will be ordering new helmets and cheerleading warmup gear for the season. Monthly meeting July 8, at O'Brien's Pizza at 7 p.m.

Marion Heights baseball tournament

Marion Heights 11-and-under baseball tournament, July 13-15, double elimination. Entrance fee $100. For more information call Barry Elliot at 205-7394.

IRVING, TX - Former King's College football standout Jordan Haddock has received numerous awards for his outstanding performance in the classroom. Five weeks after graduating from King's, he has earned another.

Haddock, a Shamokin Area High School graduate, has been named to the prestigious Hampshire Honor Society by the National Football Foundation, in recognition of "superior academic performance and excellence in intercollegiate football".

Haddock enjoyed a stellar academic career at King's, graduating with a 3.847 overall grade-point average as a biology major with a minor in neuroscience. He earned dean's list honors all eight semesters and was inducted into King's Aquinas Honor Society. He was named to the 2011 Capital One District 4 All-Academic Football Team was additionally honored as the Middle Atlantic Conference Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year. He graduated from King's after being named the college's Senior Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

Haddock was a three-year member of the King's football team where he was a two-year starter at fullback. As a senior, he rushed for 121 yards on 22 carries, averaging 5.1 yards each attempt. He also was second on the team with 24 pass receptions for 144 yards out of the backfield. In two years at fullback he caught 41 passes for 243 yards.

Club head speed is the key to greater distance and solid ball striking, but where does swing speed really come from? Here are a few tips to keep in mind next time your practicing to improve both distance and ball striking.

A faster golf swing almost always starts with a proper grip. Both hands need to work together through the entire motion of the swing. The "V's" between the thumb and forefingers of both hands should point toward your back shoulder. Next, make sure you grip the club lightly. One of my favorite professionals of all time, Sam Snead, always said, "Grip the club like you are holding a bird, strong enough to keep hold of the bird but soft enough to not hurt it." Gripping too tightly is the number one reason most average golfers struggle club head speed.

Next, extend your arms through the impact area. As you feel the club head strike the ball your arms should be fully extended at impact. Most golfers tend to pull the club in toward their body at impact. This actually slows your swing down, leading to distance loss and plenty of mis-hits.

Finally, fast club head speed always results from correct hip rotation through the down swing. As the front hip clears correctly during the downswing, the golf club acts as a slingshot, releasing energy with great force down the line. So next time you're practicing, or out with your friends, focus on this simple check list and I guarantee it will increase your club head speed and you will hit a lot more solid golf shots.

1. Start with the proper grip, just enough pressure to hold onto the club with both hands working together.

2. Beginning from the top of your backswing, feel your arms starting to straighten out, fully extended at impact.

3. On the downswing, as you feel your weight start shifting, let your front hip open as fast as possible. This move will encourage your hands to naturally release the club head during impact.

Over the years, as I followed this great sport of racing, whether it be dirt tracks, drag racing, racing museums or whatever, many of my non-racing friends have asked me why I have a such a passion for this sport.

I was born a fan first and foremost, and as years progressed I followed my journalistic and photographic skills through many pit gates, which has also led me into the officiating side of the sport. Saturday nights or on special events, I serve as the race director at Selinsgrove Speedway, along with a few promotional efforts during the season at the Snyder County oval. Other times I can be found chasing races throughout central Pennsylvania, New York and Maryland with my camera in my hand and a mindset to take notes and memories for future bench racing sessions.

Talking with drivers, car owners and crew members with whom I have developed a strong friendship throughout the years is always enjoyable, along with sharing tips, and occasional camera equipment, with a few fellow photographers, makes my visits to local tracks all the more enjoyable.

I consider myself lucky to have formed the friendships that I have through racing and look forward to many more for years to come.

Ironically, I was contacted by a gentleman from the area a short time ago, and while I didn't know him, I am friends with his daughter, Annlouise and his two sons, Jim and Tom - accomplished drag racing chauffeurs at Numidia Dragway and other quarter-mile tracks along the east coast.

The man, Jim Zimmerman, was looking for a safe haven basically for an attic find he and his wife, Janice, had come across. Jim offered me a box of Open Wheel magazines, along with some other items of interest added in the box. Lo and behold some of the special items of interest included many early 1980s Super Stock and Drag Illustrated magazines, along with numerous copies of Popular Hot Rodding and Car Craft. I jumped at the offer and have really enjoyed digging through my new treasure find, enjoying flashbacks to the "old days."

But two items that really interested me the most were a 1983 Syracuse Super Dirt Week program and a 1985 World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series program from Selinsgrove Speedway. The programs are really cool as Jim kept great records of any race he was at, and relating to the drivers and times that they were turning then, as compared to today, is neat. Another interesting side note is to see that drivers who were on top of their respective game then are still hard to beat today. A youthful Steve Kinser and Donnie Kreitz Jr. grace the front cover, while a jet-black haired, 35-year-old Keith Kauffman sits along the Hamilton Motorsports No. 77. Kauffman just defeated the best of Pa. Wednesday night at Hagerstown Speedway during their Pa. Speedweek show, at the ripe age of 62.

Brothers Jeff and Sammy Swindell, along with Rocky Hodges, Brad Doty, Bobby Davis Jr., Tim Gee, Ronnie Shuman and Shane Carson are other names that highlight the May 29, 1985 visit to the Selinsgrove Speedway.

When I made the stop to gather my treasure from the Zimmermans, I really enjoyed the bench racing with his family, and the only thing that made me have to leave was the fact I was heading to Selinsgrove Speedway.

I am really happy to have added another racing friend to my circle - and Jim I will be back soon, bearing a Schuylkill County-bred gift for you.

Plenty of current local racing action is slated for the weekend. Big Diamond Speedway promoters will present twin-20's for the 358 modifieds, along with the sportsman and roadrunners tonight as part of the Georgie Stevenson Memorial. Williams Grove Speedway holds its second of back-to-back shows of the Pa. Speedweek Series with the $10,000-to-win event tonight.

A full plate of action in also on tap for Saturday. Lincoln Speedway hosts the 305 and 358 sprint cars and limited late models. The Pa. Sprint Car Speedweek Series stops at Port Royal Speedway with the late models on the card as well. Grandview Speedway hosts the Firecracker 40 for the limited late models and 358 modifieds. Hagerstown Speedway hosts the 31st Annual Hub City Classic for the AMA Grand National flat track motorcycles, and Selinsgrove Speedway will host a four-division show of 358 sprint cars, late models, pro stocks and roadrunners.

Selinsgrove will return to action on Sunday night for the final leg of the 2012 Pa. 410 Sprint Car Speedweek Series show. The Jan Opperman Memorial will pay $5,000 to the winner of the 30-lap feature event. Time trials, qualifying heats and consolation events will set the field for the 30-lap feature. The winged super sportsman are also on the card for Sunday night's show, competing in a 20-lap feature after qualifying events determine their starting spots.

This marks the second visit of the season by the 410 sprinters. Daryn Pittman won the March 11 season opener and the May 27 show was a victim of rain showers.

By the way, the winner of the 1985 World of Outlaws visit to Selinsgrove Speedway was Steve Kinser. Bobby Allen, Keith Kauffman, Van May and Jeff Swindell completed the top five.

It's been nearly a week since the 2012 News-Item All-Area softball team was announced, and in that week my funny bone has been tickled.

Most of the jokes I know are not fit for print, but as a guy who considers himself to have a pretty good sense of humor, this one always gets me, as it does most sports writers:

A parent of a marginally gifted high school athlete proclaims their progeny is deserving of a Division I scholarship in a particular sport.

When it comes down to it, this is most likely a pipe dream.

That said, there is nothing wrong with dreams. In fact, I'll share one of mine: I hope to be a published novelist some day. It may be a long shot, and there are a few of you guffawing at the notion as you read and proclaim to those around you, "Get a load of this jerk." But I have taken all the necessary steps, have written diligently and gone to school in pursuit of this dream. I do not have a publishing deal, nor an agent, but keep working at it.

Writing is a lot like fielding ground balls, sometimes you play the hop, and sometimes the hop plays you.

The odds of publishing a book that doesn't involve vampires are probably about the same as getting a Division I scholarship - slim.

Let's take softball for instance. There are just eight D-I programs in Pennsylvania, with about 18-21 players per roster. That's a maximum total of 168 spots, and of those only 34 players are from the state. Looking further at the numbers, just one player among those 34 is from District 4.

One in 168. That player is former Jersey Shore pitcher Brooke Koch, whom I have seen first hand and can attest to how hard she threw. In her freshman season at St. Francis, Koch had a 6.35 ERA and only 22 strikeouts in 50 innings, and as a sophomore this season, lowered her ERA to 2.45 in 117 innings with 72 strikeouts.

Koch can be best described as a special pitcher in high school (she was the AAA All-State pitcher of the year in 2010) and no one, among the five softball teams I've covered, comes close. Coaches around here know this, and, more importantly, the players generally know this.

Further evidence suggests the odds of cracking a lineup at a good softball school are even tougher.

Among the top 25 D-I softball teams in the country, only three women are from Pennsylvania, and like Koch, they are very special athletes.

To the parents who insist their daughters are being looked at by such prestigious softball (or basketball) schools - give it a rest.

I know a thing or two about parental inflation of facts, and it's not helping your child actually get a scholarship.

What it's doing is causing rifts on the team, jealousy among girls who should be enjoying the spring weather and playing a game. And if a Division I, II or III school comes calling, even better.

And lastly, save the jokes for the professionals.

An interesting Raw, the return of the Great American Bash for a live Smackdown and TNA's Destination X pay-per-view are major topics this week as the summer weather and pro wrestling really begin to heat up as we roll into July.

A.J. became a main focus at Raw again this week when she had backstage episodes with Bryan, Punk and Eve, and in-ring escapades before eventually creating havoc in the main event. When Bryan picked up a rose that just happened to be available in the hallway and gave it to her, she deftly accused him of having an ulterior motive since she was designated the guest referee for the upcoming title match he was in at the next ppv.

She teamed with Sheamus against Dolph Ziggler and Vickie Guererro and got the pin after nailing Vickie with a shining wizard. When she returned to the backstage area beaming, she spotted Punk on a phone and was bitterly disappointed that he did not see her momentous victory as he claimed he had been on the phone with his sister. She dissed Eve backstage in another segment before seemingly threatening to throw herself through a table from the ring post when she interjected herself in the tag team main event bout with Cena and Punk going up against Jericho and Bryan.

When Punk and Bryan noticed her poised to do herself in, they both tried to talk her out of the precarious leap and Punk climbed up to stop her, but she kissed him and then shoved him down onto Bryan, who had moved in front of the table to catch her, but ended up catching Punk and both of them crashed through the table to end the show.

Earlier in the program, Kane, Cena, Jericho and Big Show were all out to stake their claim as likely winner of the upcoming Money in the Bank event. Also, Paul Heyman appeared via satellite to say that Brock Lesnar will formally answer Triple H's challenge for SummerSlam on the 1000th episode of Raw on July 23. Lots of big names from the past are expected to be on hand for that one.

This week, Heath Slater got Doink the Clown (Brooklyn Brawler Steve Lombardi version) as his big name opponent from the past. Somewhat surprisingly, Slater pinned Doink, but his celebration was short-lived as Diamond Dallas Page came out to nail Slater with a Diamond Cutter.

Big Show defeated Kane in a no-disqualification match after a chokeslam and Tyson Kidd upset Tensai, though Tensai gave Kidd a post-match beatdown in the locker room area. All in all, it was a pretty solid show and there were just enough curves to keep it interesting.

Tuesday night we had a live Smackdown dubbed the return of the Great American Bash - one of Dusty Rhodes' finest inventions. Twenty-five years ago on July 4, the first War Games were held during the Great American Bash tour and while the events then were a series of true supercards in the NWA, it was still fun to see the name return if not exactly the same concept.

Zack Ryder was an upset winner of the 20-man battle royal to determine who is guest general manager for Raw and Smackdown this coming week. Sgt. Slaughter and Hacksaw Jim Duggan, who has a new book out that sounds promising, teamed with Santino Marella to upend Hunico, Camacho and Drew McIntyre in six-man tag team action. Kane magically lit the barbeque grill for the party, which saw Eve get doused with the punch from a punch bowl thrown at someone else.

A.J. was interviewed and kissed both Bryan and Punk, before skipping away. Ryback destroyed Curt Hawkins with a Samoan Drop and continues to play the Goldberg role. Alberto Del Rio repeatedly slammed Sheamus with the hood of one of his expensive automobiles to get his undivided attention for their upcoming bout at the next ppv.

TNA offers Destination X on ppv tonight with Austin Aries having vacated the X-division title in order to challenge Bobby Roode for the TNA heavyweight crown in what should be an excellent match. Samoa Joe battles with Kurt Angle and A.J. Styles gets Christopher Daniels in a Last Man Standing bout. Those are three pretty good reasons to check out the show. One name not appearing on the show would be Angelina Love, who has reportedly been released from her TNA contract.

Bruno Sammartino has declined another WWE invitation to be inducted into its Hall of Fame on the eve of next year's WrestleMania. Festivities are to be held at the Garden and Triple H apparently was the emissary sent by Vince to see if he could talk Bruno into doing something he has repeatedly vowed not to do. While Sammartino had nice things to say about Helmsley, it did not change the Living Legend's stance on the subject.

Austin Hornberger didn't do his damage on the baseball field with a bat.

Instead, he did it to the bats. Well, at least the opposition's bats.

Hornberger was one of the leading forces that allowed North Schuylkill to be the only local team to qualify for postseason play, ultimately reaching the District 11 Class AAA semifinals before falling to Blue Mountain.

The senior righthander had a dominating year on the mound and has been rewarded by being named the 2012 News-Item Player of the Year.

Appearing in 10 games, Hornberger put together a 6-2 record, adding one save into the mix.

In 59.2 innings pitched, he struck out 76 hitters, while allowing a paltry 13 walks. His earned run average was a miniscule 1.76 at a time when aluminum bats make ERAs under 2.0 almost unheard of.

Opponents struggled to a .159 aggregate batting average when Hornberger was on the mound. Their on-base percentage was only .259.

To top it off, only six of the 47 hits he allowed during the season went for extra bases.

The remainder of the 2012 News-Item All-Area Baseball Team is comprised of:

Dan Adams Sr., Line Mountain

The Eagles' centerfielder, Adams really stepped up his game during his senior season. After struggling to bat .200 as a junior, Adams turned in a 23 for 68 performance this year, batting .338. He hit three doubles, three triples and led the Eagles with 25 runs scored. He also had a team-leading 16 stolen bases and knocked in 11 runs.

Steve Bressi Sr., Shamokin Area

Very solid behind the plate as the Indians' catcher, Bressi was also an offensive force, batting .310 with 18 hits and eight runs batted in.

Ryan Burns Sr., Shamokin Area

Burns was valuable to the Indians in a number of different ways, contributing as a pitcher, first baseman and outfielder on the defensive side. He was the Indians leading hitter with a .338 average that included 23 hits in 68 at-bats. He belted four doubles and a triple, knocking home nine runs and scoring 17 times.

Austin Fry Jr., Shamokin Area

As a pitcher, Fry posted a 3-2 mark with a 2.29 earned run average and 43 strikeouts. Also an outstanding shortstop, he batted .322 with seven doubles and two home runs. An extremely good eye at the plate allowed Fry to walk 14 times while striking out only six times during the 20-game season. He knocked in 18 runs and scored 16 times.

Nate Hunter So., Southern Columbia

One of two talented Tigers' sophomores named to the all-area team, Hunter was stout defensively behind the plate while providing outstanding offense. His 21-for-49 performance at the plate was good for a .429 average and included seven doubles and four home runs. Hunter knocked in 21 runs and scored 17 times.

Matt Klock Jr., Southern Columbia

In holding opposing hitters to a .189 batting average, Klock posted a 4-2 record with a 2.58 earned run average and recorded 22 strikeouts.

Chris Kovalewski Sr., North Schuylkill

An outfielder for the Spartans, Kovalewski batted .353 with 24 hits in 68 at-bats. He scored 23 runs and had 11 runs batted in.

Danny Lesko Jr., Mount Carmel Area

One of the area's best catchers, Lesko had a potent .395 batting average. He belted six doubles, a home run and knocked home 13 runs.

Mason Peters So., Southern Columbia

The area's leading hitter, Peters batted at an even .500 clip with 34 hits in 68 trips to the plate. He had four doubles, one triple, scored 28 times, knocked home 16 runs and stole nine bases.

Jake Rakowsky Sr. North Schuylkill

Rakowsky, the shortstop for the District 11 Class AAA semifinalists, had a strong season at the plate with a .357 batting average that included 30 hits in 84 at-bats. He scored 25 runs.

Cody Shustack Sr., Mount Carmel Area

An outfielder for the Red Tornadoes, Shustack had a team-leading .418 batting average. He belted two home runs, stole eight bases in nine attempts and had a team-high 15 walks.

Erik Smeltz Jr., Line Mountain

A shortstop in the past, Smeltz made the switch to the outfield and was also a valuable member of the Line Mountain pitching staff. He had a team-leading .453 batting average, knocking out 29 hits in 64 at-bats. Smeltz had four doubles, one triple, one home run, 14 stolen bases and knocked home 11 runs.

Austin Snyder Jr. Line Mountain

A righty who doesn't throw hard, but mixes pitches and hits spots well, Snyder posted a 4-1 record with a 3.17 earned run average. He struck out 18.

Kulpmont Football/Baseball Association

Meetings, first Wednesday of each month at 7:30 p.m.

Coal Runnings

Running club, meets at 5:30 p.m. each Monday at Shamokin Area's Kemp Memorial Stadium parking lot. Open to runners of all ages. More on Facebook at coalrunnings.

MCA Youth Track and Field Camp

Hosted by the Mount Carmel Area track and field team July 16-19 at the Silver Bowl. Camp will be in operation 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., July 16-17-18, and on July 19, a mini meet will be held for all participants starting at 9 a.m. Camp cost is $40 and includes a t-shirt. Applications are available at the MCA elementary school office or on the track team website. For information, call Ana Ditchey at 570-817-0524. Application deadline is July 1. Applications received after that will not guarantee a t-shirt.

Shamokin Area Football Reserved Seats

Cost for five home games is $27.50. Senior citizen discount for five home games is $10. Those interested should call 648-5731, ext. 3533.

SCA Basketball Camp

Southern Columbia boys and girls basketball camp will be held July 9-12 from 8 a.m.to noon each day. Camp is for students entering second through ninth grades. Cost is $85. For more information contact Dave Yost (854-2908) or Kevin Collins (933-0305).

ASA Class B Tournament

The Susquehanna Fast Pitch Umpires Association will host an ASA Class B tournament for U12, U14, U16 and U18 age groups in the Milton area July 14-15. Please call Bill Ditchey at 570-847-8863 or e-mail to svumpires@gmail.com for more information.

MCA Track and Field Banquet

To honor senior team members and state qualifiers, July 19, 6:30 p.m. at the Mount Carmel Elks. Team members receive complimentary tickets. Parents and other family members can purchase tickets at a cost of $11. Contact Coach Ditchey or Coach Farronato to RSVP by July 10.

Soccer Team Seeks Players

Shamokin based (BDSC) U-13 girls travel soccer team will hold tryouts for the fall season. Practices are held at the Elysburg fields next to McDonald's. Players interested should contact Connie at 570-648-1465.

Shamokin Area Summer Basketball Camp

For any boys and girls, July 23-26 from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Shamokin Area High School. Camp t-shirts, awards and lunch available and camp is run by boys coach Chris Zimmerman. Cost is $65 and checks can be made payable to the Bucket Club. For more information, call Zimmerman at 570 850-9687.

North Schuylkill Sports Physicals

Saturday, July 28 at the high school, beginning at 8 a.m. The schedule is: junior high girls basketball, 8 a.m.; girls volleyball, 8:30; junior high football cheerleading, 8:45; varsity football cheerleading, 9 a.m.; junior high cross country, 9:15; varsity cross country, 9:45; girls soccer, 10 a.m.; boys soccer, 10:30; golf, 10:45; junior high football, 11 a.m.; junior varsity and varsity football, 11:45. There will be a $10 cost per physical and the fee must be paid before an athlete can receive the physical.

Shamokin Area Sports Physicals

Wednesday, Aug. 8 at the high school. The schedule is: junior high, junior varsity and varstiy football, 2:30 p.m.; girls soccer, 2:45; boys soccer and volleyball, 3 p.m.; junior high and varsity cross country, 3:15; golf and junior high softball, 3:30; cheerleaders and any additional sports, 3:45. Physicals will be administered by Dr. Miller and cost $20. Only cash will be accepted. All forms, which can be picked up at the high school or downloaded from the school website, need to be completed by a parent or guardian prior to physical.

Red Tornado Touchdown Club Meeting

Mandatory meeting for all parents of the varsity, junior varsity and freshman football player, Tuesday, July 10, 7 p.m. in the high school LGL. Fundraisers for the upcoming football season will be handed out at this time. Fundraisers are mandatory to benefit the whole team. Please be there to represent your student-athlete.

MCA Elementary Wrestling Picnic

Sunday, Aug. 5, noon, at Locust Lake State Park, Site 262. Call Coach Besser at 274-3281 to RSVP.

Mount Carmel Jets

Football registration, Sunday, July 15, 6 p.m. in the old Mount Carmel Area gym, Fourth and Vine streets, for boys entering grades 1 through 8 for the 2012 school year. Registration fee is $40. Insurance information must be provided. All players must provide a copy of their birth certificate. Equipment distribution will be Sunday, July 22 at the same location. A and B teams will receive equipment at 4 p.m., the C team will receive equipment at 6 p.m. Any player who has not provided a copy of their birth certificate must do so at this time.

Nicholas Girolami Golf Benefit set

The 14th annual Nicholas Girolami Memorial Golf Benefit will be held at Indian Hills Golf and Tennis Club July 15, starting at 9 a.m. For more information on playing or sponsorships, contact the Indian Hills Pro Shop or call Don Spieller at 570-644-1972. Donations may be sent to Joseph and Sabrina Girolami, 4129 State Route 61, Paxinos, Pa., 17860-7542.

Shamokin AYSO Soccer Swim Party

Thursday, July 12, 5 p.m.-close at Knoebel's Crystal Pool. Rain date is Thursday, July 19. Free admission for any children who played fall 2011-spring 2012. Pizza will be provided. U-6 players are asked to donate drinks, U-8 players snacks, U-10 and U-12 players paper products (plates, cups, or napkins), and U-14 desserts.

Shamokin-Coal Township Little League Awards Day

Saturday, July 14 at 10 a.m. at Ferndale Field.

Little Shamokin Indians registration

Little Shamokin Indians football and cheerleader registration for children six years old to sixth grade. Fee is $30 single, $50 family. Copy of child's birth certificate must be presented. For registration information, call Wes Tillett (898-6378) or Nicole Bozza (847-0371). The organization will be ordering new helmets and cheerleading warmup gear for the season.

Marion Heights baseball tournament

Marion Heights 11-and-under baseball tournament, July 13-15, double elimination. Entrance fee $100. For more information call Barry Elliot at 205-7394.

Hunter Safety Class

Saturday, Aug. 11 and Sunday, Aug. 12 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day at the Zerbe Township Rod and Gun club.

Lourdes Volleyball Open Gym

Anyone interested in playing during the upcoming season in encouraged to attend at Lourdes' gym Mondays and Wednesdays from 4 to 5:30 p.m. For more information, contact Tom O'Brien at 847-1936.

MILTON - Henry Novicki had a double and a single, and Ian Kishbaugh two singles to lead Berwick past Shamokin-Mount Carmel, 5-2, Sunday in the undefeated game of the Little League District 13 10-11-year-old division.

Shamokin-Mount Carmel will now play in the elimination bracket in the double elimination field and will play its next game on Tuesday at Milton.

Tommy Reisinger had two singles for Shamokin-Mount Carmel, Jacob Carpenter had a triple, and Matt Grabowski a double. Matt Dimmick, Jack Chapman and Logan Wills all singled.

Mark McCracken had a double for Berwick.

Dimmick and John Ayres shared pitching for Shamokin-Mount Carmel. Alec Markel and Novicki shared the pitching for Berwick.