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HEADLINES: PIAA
Adds Classification In Baseball, Softball When Blue Ridge attempts to defend its Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association softball title next spring, it will attempt to become one of four state champions. The Lady Raiders captured one of three state championships in softball this spring. The PIAA is adding a fourth classification in both baseball and softball for the 2005 season. The additions of a class in both baseball and softball create the biggest change in classifications for the PIAA entering the newest two-year enrollment cycle. Teams have been placed in new classifications, where necessary, for the start of the fall sports season. All changes remain in effect for two school years. The new baseball classifications move Elk Lake, a 2003 state Class A finalist, to Class AA. Elk Lake and Mountain View each move up to Class AA where they join Montrose in both baseball and softball. Blue Ridge, Forest City and Susquehanna remain in Class A. Blue Ridge is Class AA in both boys' and girls' basketball, along with Elk Lake, Montrose and Mountain View. Forest City and Susquehanna are in Class A. The classifications are different from sport to sport because a different number of PIAA schools sponsor each sport and the state does its best to split the classifications equally. Montrose and Susquehanna are each in Class AA in football, the only other four-classification sport. Elk Lake and Montrose are the only two county schools to sponsor boys' tennis, girls' tennis and field hockey. They are in Class AA, the lower of two classifications, in all three. Each of the county schools except Forest City sponsor boys' track, girls' track and wrestling. The five teams are all in Class AA, which is again the lower of two classifications in those sports. All six county schools are Class AA in the two-class system for both boys' and girls' cross country. Elk Lake is the only school in boys' and girls' swimming and competes in Class AA in both. Boys' soccer has three classifications. Montrose is in Class AA while Blue Ridge, Elk Lake, Forest City and Mountain View are in Class A. Fall girls' soccer has two classes, leaving Blue Ridge, Forest City, Montrose and Mountain View in Class AA. Elk Lake is Class AA in a three-class system in girls' volleyball. Blue Ridge, Forest City, Mountain View and Susquehanna are each in Class A. WEEK IN REVIEW David Wright, the star third baseman of the Class AA Binghamton Mets to start the season, made an early arrival at Shea Stadium Wednesday when he was called up to the New York Mets from Class AAA Norfolk. Wright, 21, is considered one of the top prospects in all of baseball. He was batting .363 with 10 home runs and 40 RBIs at Binghamton before being moved up to Norfolk in June. "We're in the hunt and if he's going to make us better, let's do it," Mets manager Art Howe told the New York Post. THE WEEK AHEAD Montrose's Jon Rounds and Greg Honeychuck are on the City team for the 70th Scranton Lions Club Dream Game, which will be played August 3 at Lackawanna County Stadium. Rounds is a quarterback/defensive back and Honeychuck is a two-way tackle. They will be trying to help the City repeat last year's 27-10 victory over the County. The Meteors had a big impact in that game when Dave Van Nort led the team in tackles and Joe Cosmello was the second-leading rusher. Dan Snee also played effectively in the game. Running back Tristan Tarbox and linebacker Erik Hines of Susquehanna were also selected for the City roster. The County holds a 34-31-4 lead in the series. TOM ROBINSON writes a weekly local sports column for the Susquehanna County Transcript. He can be reached on-line at RobbyTR@aol.com.
BUSCH Gets Second Win Of Season Loudon, NH – Kurt Busch won Sunday’s NASCAR Nextel Cup Siemen’s 300 at New Hampshire International Raceway. The win was his second of the year, and it helps solidify his position as a contender for this year’s championship. The other victory came March 28 at Bristol, TN. Having to start the race from the 32nd position meant that Busch had to work his way up through the field in his No. 97 Irwin Tools Ford. Polesitter, Ryan Newman was strong during the first half of the race and led until he lost the lead to Busch on lap 172 of the 300 lap race. "We’re happy with the way everyone ran today," said team owner Jack Roush. "This business has highs and lows, and right now Kurt and this team are about to go back to another high." There was a caution flag with seven laps remaining after Rusty Wallace hit the outside wall in turn three. On the restart with three laps to go, Busch pulled away from the second-place driver Jeff Gordon to win by five car-lengths. "I know there are several more weeks to go before we get started for the championship, but I thought we had to apply pressure this week," said Busch. "We didn’t qualify well, but the car was good on long runs. "It feels wonderful to get this car back in victory lane." The win was Roush Racing’s fifth win of the season. The other wins were by Matt Kenseth (2), and Mark Martin (1). Jeff Gordon, who started 24th, was second, followed by polesitter, Ryan Newman, Matt Kenseth, and Tony Stewart. Injured Dale Earnhardt Jr. started the race but turned over his No. 8 Budweiser Chevrolet to Martin Truex Jr. during a caution period after lap 61. The transition of drivers was smooth, and when Truex returned to the track he was the last car on the lead lap. A few laps later, however, he had a run-in with Ken Schrader on the track and had to pit several times for the team to correct the steering. Dale Jr. received credit for finishing 31st, two laps down. Dale Jr. still remains second in the points, 165 behind Jimmie Johnson. Top ten finishing order: 1. Kurt Busch, 2. Jeff Gordon, 3. Ryan Newman, 4. Matt Kenseth, 5. Tony Stewart, 6. Michael Waltrip, 7. Jamie McMurray, 8. Kasey Kahne, 9. Dale Jarrett, 10. Jeremy Mayfield. Chase For The Championship Contenders – 1. Johnson-2850, 2. Earnhardt Jr.-2685, 3. J. Gordon-2648, 4. Stewart-2548, 5. Kenseth-2481, 6. Busch-2396, 7. B. Labonte-2390, 8. Sadler-2370, 9. Harvick-2353, 10. Newman-2348. How Silly Is "Silly Season" – Each year about this time, we begin to hear about NASCAR driver and team changes. Just last week, it was announced that Ricky Craven would not be in Cal Wells’ No. 32 Tide machine next season. His leaving is only the latest in a series of driver/team member changes. There are various reasons that people leave one team in favor of another, but rarely do either benefit from the move. And what happens to the team when a veteran employee moves on? Andy Belmont is a seasoned ARCA Re/Max Series driver/owner that operates several teams. He has a nice business (Andy Belmont Motorsports) and also builds cars for other teams. He spoke out on his web site, after one team member, very unceremoniously packed up and left. "Part of being a small company in the wacky world of big time auto racing is dealing with the day to day shenanigans," said Belmont. "In between sponsor calls and meetings, press releases and media relations, there is also a little issue of getting full bodied stock cars ready to race. "What prompted this was a phone message this morning. ‘Hey Andy, this is Brian. Timmy brought the dually back and I am going to work for …... Thanks for everything.’ "Now what troubles me is the mindset. First and foremost, I have never stood in the way of someone bettering themselves. Most of them are pretty raw, but we take them in and train them. They work for what we can afford and they get an education. "Reality is that you have to send a guy on the road, but have a little respect. Drive my hauler while you are on the job picking up cars and fill out a job application? It never ceases to amaze me. "I have faith that the players that own these companies wouldn't want to be treated this way nor would they expect it from their own employees. It is a small world and what goes around comes around. "Just last week I had this conversation with another employer in our sport. He was lamenting about the same thing. The name was different, but the circumstance was the same. "In between teaching him the proper way to install a gear or transmission or pack a bearing, you have to deal with the personal issues. Racing has come between him and his new wife. He gets phone calls and emails from the wife, and Certified Letters at our office. It was okay when you needed a place to live and we provided that. It was okay when you cried about your kids and we consoled you. It was okay that you wrecked our company truck and never paid for the damage. "Good Luck! I am certain that your new employer won’t put up with it." This is one of the examples of why it is called, "Silly Season." OTHER RACING KENSETH Wins Loudon Busch Race – The top ten results of the Busch Series Siemens 200, run Saturday at Loudon, NH: 1. Matt Kenseth, 2. Tim Fedewa, 3. Jason Leffler, 4. Kasey Kahne, 5. Kevin Harvick, 6. Ron Hornaday, 7. Kenny Wallace, 8. Stacy Compton, 9. Bobby Hamilton Jr. 10. Mike Wallace. Top-10 Busch points leaders: 1. Truex-2993, 2. Busch-2899, 3. Hornaday-2655, 4. Leffler-2609, 5. D. Green-2595, 6. Keller-2589, 7. Biffle-2565, 8. Hamilton Jr.-2531, 9. Bliss-2299, 10. Waltrip-2293. WEEKEND RACING All three of NASCAR’s major series will be at different venues. The Nextel Cup teams are at Pocono Raceway, Long Pond, PA. The Busch drivers are racing at Pikes Peak in Colorado, and the Craftsman Trucks will be at Brooklyn, MI. Saturday, July 31, Craftsman Truck Line-X Truck Bedliners 200, race 13 of 25, 100 laps/200 miles, 1 p.m. TV: Speed Channel. Busch Series Colorado 250, race 21 of 34, 250 laps/250 miles, 3:30 p.m. TV: TNT. Sunday, August 1, Nextel Cup Pennsylvania 500, race 20 of 36, 200 laps/500 miles, 1 p.m. TV: TNT. Racing Trivia Question: Terry Labonte made his 800th career start this past Sunday. Who is the all-time leader for NASCAR starts? Last Week’s Question: Which team is Jimmy Spencer currently driving for? Answer. He drives the Nextel Cup No. 4 Morgan/McClure Chevrolet. If you would like to read additional racing stories by Gerald Hodges/the Racing Reporter, go to www.race500.com.
Local Pitcher Helps Team Win Tourney Brian Brozonis, who just turned 13 years old and is about to enter eighth grade at Mountain View High School, helped his Wayne County North baseball team win an elimination game in the Pennsylvania 13-year-old Babe Ruth tournament by striking out the last batter in the seventh (last) inning in a toughly contested game against Perry-Juniata on Sunday, April 18. Brian is a pitcher on the North team, filling in at shortstop and left field when necessary. He has been playing baseball since the age of four, and his pitch has been clocked at speeds of 75 miles per hour! He has been chosen to play on multiple all-star travel teams and has been picked to attend baseball camp at Cooperstown the last two years in a row. Brian enjoys spending time with his younger brothers, Dalton and Wyatt as well as hunting, fishing, archery and riding his four-wheeler. His biggest fans are his parents, Dawn and Tom Brozonis, of Clifford, PA who have gone to extremes to make it possible for Brian to do what he loves best... "play ball." The North team lost, 5-4 in a very tough match against the Penn State team, Tuesday, April 20.
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