Southern Columbia District Championship Preview

Jim Roth talks about the District IV Championship game with South Williamsport. Southern Columbia won by through the "mercy rule" in the first meeting.

That's a Wrap, the High School Football Season Ends In PA.

Southern Coaching Staff

                                                     

                                                                                    

The long Pennsylvania High School Football season came to an end with one local team making it all the way to Hershey.  Although Southern was an underdog, I thought they had the stuff it takes to win a game like this.  I knew Clairton was going to have a big play or two.  I think the limit was going to be three but 5 plays accounted for 300 yards. 

Lost in a 35-19 score was how tough Southern actually played.  17-10 in first down, nearly 31 out of 48 minutes possessing the ball and 70-39 in plays run.  The only one that does matter is the one on the scoreboard.  Clairton had enough speed to put points on the board.  They also had enough to keep points off the board and dug down deep when they were tired in the 4th quarter.  Tip your hat to the Bears.

All are local teams did well in respect to the season itself.  First of all, the weather was something we haven't seen for almost 40 years.  Due to flooding in the early season, practice and game schedules were turned upside down.  Then add the Halloween snowstorm.  Strange enough the bad weather held out most of November and December.

Southern, Mount Carmel, and Shamokin all have something in common.  They overcame adversity to win their respective district and almost win a state championship. Southern lost 2000 yards from the line of scrimmage in the first 10 minutes of double sessions.  Mount Carmel had to overcome negative press and player suspensions that could have torn a team apart.  Finally, Shamokin pulled itself up and made a strong playoff run which electrified a community. 

Even though these were the headlines that followed the teams most of the season, all three teams saw tremendous player and team improvement from week one until the season was over.  We often see wins, losses and championships as a measure of success.  You may want to add overcoming adversity to mix.

What They Are Saying About Southern and Clairton

Mike White talk about Clairton and maybe the closing of West Catholic.

Keith Barnes talks about the Clairton seniors.

Barnes on Southern.

Dan Stefano puts Clairton in the same class as Braddock.

Bill Bowman calls it when giants collide.

Dan Burda says Thomas may see action on special teams.

Burda's article on Keith Day.

Josh Funk previews Southern for Eastern PA Football.

Funk on the flipside for Clairton.

Joey Weisel previews the game in his blog.

Remembering Southern Assistant Coach, Tim Snyder

Many years ago, I was a young broadcaster and part of my routine was to check out what was going on and talking to some of the coaches during pregame. While doing Southern Columbia games I would talk to Tim Snyder before the game.  Tim was four years ahead of me in school, but he was fierce competitor playing in the line with what today would be considered and undersized frame.  Tim was Shamokin grad and former Ron Raker Award winner and we were able to strike up a conversation.  Saying hello to Tim eventually became part of my routine when covering Southern Columbia.

Ten and half years ago, Tim suffered injuries in a car accident that left him having to be cared for by family members and loved ones.  This past Saturday, Tim passed away peacefully with his family by his side.  At the time of his accident,  I did not know his family before the accident. I met his wife Lynn who turned out to be wonderful caregiver and outstanding mother.  I watched Tim's daughter Brenna grow up into a loving wife and mother to her husband Nate and Tim's grandson, Landon.  Tim's son Colby grew up from an outstanding high school football player to a fine young man.

Over 10 years ago, the family had to say good-bye to their husband and father that they knew.   This week will be the final good-bye until they are all together again.  Tim may have passed for now and his pain is now healed, but his spirit truly lives on. 

Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal. -unknown author

Southern Area vs. Shamokin Area Will Highlight Week 3

This week's Southern-Shamokin game will highlight the Heartland Conference schedule along with Hughesville-Lewisburg game.  I will have interview from both coaches and analysis of what I see will be keys to the game.

Southern Columbia Tradition

With Southern reclaiming the District IV A crown last night, why the picture of the sampling of fare in the Tiger press box? With a controversy brewing of supplying food at the Shamokin Area press-box, this Southern tradition has been going for 15 years according to AD Terry Sharrow, "It started off as something to provide our pressbox workers who were just volunteers and has grown....maybe a little too much." Adding with a smile, "my wife and I donate the items."

If you look at the picture, there are two crocks of sausage and ham, a meat and cheese tray, seven pies, chips, and iced tea. Stadium workers stop in for a quick bite before they man their stations before the big game. For most of the people that visited the press-box, Shamokin Area was the laughing-stock of the area. To the Sharrows, I would like to thank them for their generosity over the years. To Mrs. Sharrow, can I place an order for peanut butter pie?

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Now for the game. With Southern's 37-14 win over Line Mountain last night, the Tigers reclaim the district title, their 17th in the last 18 years. In what may have been a team record BJ Snyder kicked 3 field goals in one of half of 35, 29, and 35 yards and Joe Admire added a 51-yard punt return. Count them, four scores on special teams. The defense came up just as big pitching a shutout in the second half and limiting the Eagles to under 60 yards of total offense.

Line Mountain will be back. The Eagles graduate 8 seniors. With only 5 juniors on the roster, the rest of the Line Mountain squad is made up of 18 sophomores and 19 freshman. The Eagles may have more talent in 2009 and be younger than 2008. Stay tuned.

Early indications are the Southern-Riverside clash will be played at Valley View in Peckville. No date or time has been selected. By the way, the roster of each team will have a common denominatior. Each team has a player named Joe Klebon.

End of Another Year on the Local High School Scene

With last week's PIAA Track and Field Championships and the local schools bowing out of District IV postseason baseball and softball. it is time for the readers to reflect on their favorite sports moment of the year. The moment could range from the hiring or firing of a coach, a team that came out of nowhere, or game with a dramatic ending. Here are two of my favorites to start:

1.) Shamokin Boys Bastketball winning the Schuylkill League title coming from behind in their final year in the league. Also losing the District IV semifinal with a half-court buzzer-beater.

2.) The recruitment of Terrelle Pryor of the Jeannette Jayhawk's and his decision to leave PA. We haven't seen recruiting in PA like this since Ron Powlus nearly 15 years ago.

Anything that happened in PA High School Sports is fair game.

Season Ends for Lourdes, Shamokin and Southern

District IV's appearance was a short one for the most teams with only Hughesville, North Penn, Northeast Bradford and East Juniata moving to the next round.

Around the area, Lourdes boys and girls probably had the best chance to advance, but turnovers and poor foul shooting plagued them both. Shamokin girls and Southern boys both ran into teams that have been traditional powers in their divisions.

A mild surprise was that Selinsgrove's boys and girls games weren't even close. One of the main things noticed in the state playoffs the last few years is the ability to get good shots and the field goals to turnover ratios. Area teams have been making too many turnovers and many unforced. (See Shamokin Area boys early exit).

INJURY BUG??

The injury bug hit early and often for most area teams. Not only was it a problem on the high school level, but also on local college.

Bucknell Men - played 5 games this season to date with full roster.

Susquehanna - lost Landmark Conference leading scorer Josh Robinson late in the season.

Milton - lost all time leading scorer Anthony Fannick in District IV Quarters.

Lourdes - lost tough rebounder Tyler Reichwein late in the season.

Southern Area - lost Colin Klebon through much of of the first half of the league schedule.

All we could do is get healthy, stay there and go at again next season.

Southern Columbia's Colby Snyder named to Dream Team

Southern Columbia's Colby Snyder is a memeber of the 2007 WNEP Dream Team.

Klebon's Return has Tiger's back in the hunt!

The Southern Columbia basketball engine is starting to rev it's engine with Colin Klebon back on the court. Look at the damage he and Foster Renn did last night.

Bucknell continues to struggle with their offense doing a Houdini act at critical junctures of games. Jason Vetgotsky and Darren Mastropaolo did return to the lineup.

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I have been busy like everyone around the holidays, got to watch a few bowl games (what a joke), and even did some ice skating (and lived to tell about it.)

Will someone step up and finally have a playoff in college football in the last division that doesn't? Ohio State (not making Big Ten excuses) played their last game on November 17th and are expected to be sharp on January 7th. By the way, January 7th is almost a full week later than the traditional New Year's Day end to college football.

Best games? Penn State and A & M, or Michigan and Florida.

Did anyone notice Penn State won their bowl game and weren't ranked in the Top 25? Did that ever happen?

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A book that should be required reading for the new year. Read Breaker Boys by Dave Fleming. You will receive a local and sports history lesson all rolled into one.

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POLITICS

2008 promises to be an interesting year both in Pennsylvania and national politics. In Pennsylvania, 2008 promises to be the year of smoke. First addressing the Clean Indoor Air Act and blowing smoke about possible reform in state government aka open records. Look for a completly gutted bill by the time it reaches Governor Rendell. We don't want to offend those casino owners. Keep that property rebate coming.

A "no brainer" would be to pass the Colon Cancer Screening Bill or SB 146.

Maybe the biggest sporting event of the year will be the 2008 presidential election. After two primaries, the nomination in both parties is still up for grabs. There are a couple of things I did like about the primaries:

- the voters got involved and big money took a backseat. Hillary(100 million in the warchest) got hammered in Iowa while McCain almost broke won NH.

- pollsters were duped (this is a good thing)

- the journalism that came out of NH was awful. The pundits got hammered.

With Rudy wanting an English test required for citzenship this has to be the funniest ad of the campaign so far (look what's airing in Florida).

All I Want for Christmas is Jim Roth!!!!

In a letter to the editor published in the Daily-Item on December 17th, the writer wants Shikellamy to return to the Braves pre-1984. Here is the letter:

Waiting patiently

Once a upon a time, great teams froms schools like Carlisle, Governor Mifflin, Hazleton, Berwick Pottsville and Mount Carmel would come into our area to play an SHS team with a bruising running game and slick quarterbacks who had the Wing-T offense down to a science. More often than not, the games were played before crowds that were packed 10 deep in the end zone. SHS was victorious or at least competitive against all of them. Believe it or not, the SHS was not Selinsgrove.
Suddenly in 1984, a curse descended upon the Shikellamy football program. For over two decades now, Friday nights during football season have become 48 minutes of anguish and dashed hopes for the players and fans alike. Every season begins with guarded optimism only to culminate on a November night with tears of frustration and longing for that breakout season, which never comes.
There are many talented and eager young men in the Shikellamy football program who do have the desire and dedication to win. Please, Jim Roth, return home to your alma mater and start these young men on that magic carpet ride that Southern Columbia has enjoyed for so many seasons. Shikellamy players and fans have been waiting patiently for a very long time.

Robert Sowers,
Sunbury

Joe Klebon

Look for Joe Klebon to get his 500th win as a basketball coach for an additional Christmas present during the annual Shamokin K of C tournament.

Villanova gets credit for Eagles' win

Philadelphia coach Andy Reid credited Michael Westbrook's stop at the goal line on Sunday as a credit to his "Villanova Education". My wife and Father Peter Donahue will like the reference.

Bush loves Breaker Boys

I know what your thinking but author Dave Fleming has received a hand-written note from the White House. Read the Republican's account below.

‘Breaker Boys’ author surprised by hand-written note from White House
BY STEPHEN J. PYTAKSTAFF WRITERspytak@republicanherald.com
12/19/2007

President Bush called David Fleming’s book on the 1925 Pottsville Maroons “illuminating” in a surprise hand-written letter to the author dated Dec. 12 and delivered Tuesday.

“I just finished ‘Breaker Boys.’ You were correct. I did enjoy the book. You are a fine writer. And your history of the Maroons was illuminating,” Bush said in the letter sent to Fleming’s Davidson, N.C., home.

After opening it Tuesday morning, the author said he found the “rather thoughtful” letter in blue pen on White House letterhead.“The way this book has gone so far, nothing surprises me anymore,” said Fleming, a writer for ESPN: The Magazine who was greeted by long lines and signed thousands of copies of “Breaker Boys: The NFL’s Greatest Team and the Stolen 1925 Championship,” while promoting the book in Pottsville in October and earlier this month.

Fleming started an online petition Oct. 16 to encourage the NFL owners to return the 1925 championship to the legendary team. It’s received a total of 10,275 signatures as of 11 p.m. Tuesday.

He said the president’s comments will become “more ammunition for supporters. If people run across a skeptic, or somebody who just wants to say ‘it’s 82 years ago, let’s let it go,’ it’s pretty nice to say to the commissioner of the NFL ‘the president of the United States begs to differ.”

The president’s letter impressed Mayor John D.W. Reiley.

“How about that. It shows that the book’s getting around, from the streets of little ol’ Pottsville all the way up to the White House. And I think the president’s comments are pretty consistent with what other people are saying about the book. All the comments are favorable,” Reiley said.

Alex Conant, a White House spokesman, said Bush is a “voracious reader.”“He reads a lot of books. And typically the White House doesn’t do book and movie reviews, but I will check out to see if I can find out anything more about this letter,” Conant said.

No further comment was made by late Tuesday.

“Somebody from the White House had contacted ESPN looking for my address. So I felt something was going on, but I was expecting like a stamped photo, not expecting a hand-written note that he had actually read it and enjoyed it,” Fleming said.

Fleming said he isn’t sure how the president received a copy of the book, but believes it was sent by someone who attended a book signing in Pottsville.“I remember the first time I was in Pottsville, somebody in one of the long lines had me sign a copy for him. And they explained that either they worked in D.C. or knew somebody who worked in D.C., I don’t remember exactly who it was. But my guess is that’s how it got to him,” Fleming said.

Reiley said he does not know who sent the book to the president, though City Administrator Thomas A. Palamar thought it could be U.S. District Judge John E. Jones III, a Pottsville native.

But when contacted in Harrisburg Tuesday, Jones said it wasn’t him.

The president ended his letter to Fleming stating: “I appreciate having an inscribed copy of the book. With best wishes, George Bush.”

Chuck Souders hits a home run!!!!!!

In today's News-Item, sportswriter Chuck Souders writes Coaches can't make everyone happy. The article hits the nail on the head about being a head coach in this day and age especially football.

The News-Item sums up in today editorial the appreciation of Southern Columbia's football accomplishments.

LINE MOUNTAIN - BLOOMSBURG

With the weather expected to be cold and blustery. The key match up for tonight's game will be the play of Line Mountain's Coty Rusinko and Aaron Sheibelhut, the Eagles' center and fullback respectively against the defensive line of Bloomsburg's Mike Schlauch and Marc Francola. The winner of the game will probably be whoever wins this match up. Interestingly, the Line Mountains seniors were members of different teams last year. Rusinko was at Lourdes Regional last year while Sheibelhut was a member of Williams Valley.

BOB BAUN AWARD

Who is Bob Baun? Baun scored the game winning goal in overtime for the Detroit Red Wings in game 6 of the finals against Toronto with a broken ankle. It is why we see hockey players continue in the playoffs often ignoring serious injury to this day. Baun's legend has become the standard.

Last week, Lourdes Regional's QB Brian Dunleavy was not hit and thought he suffered a cramp or calf pull. The staff heavily taped his leg and Dunleavy quarterbacked the rest of the way. He often looked like Robbie Boscoe of BYU in the 1984 NCAA championship for the Cougars in their Holiday Bowl win over Michigan. Lourdes lost 8-7 when a 21-yard field goal was blocked. Either way the season was over for Dunleavy. After the game, the injury was diagnosed as a broken leg. Hopefully, Dunleavy could make the comeback like Mount Carmel quarterback Marcus Wasilewski did last season and compete in basketball.

Jim Roth Discusses Line Mountain

Well before you get to Southern Line Mountain, a picture of Colby Snyder of Southern and Andrew Shoop last week in Danville.

Since a 16-0 loss to Rochester in the 2001 PIAA final, Southern Columbia has won 26 consecutive playoff games. That 2001 Tiger squad was 14-0 going into that state final. This week's district playoff with Line Mountain lost some luster when the Eagles lost to a very good Millersburg team 14-12 and now have to travel to Southern Area. While many believe this may be the Line Mountain's year, I believe two things will favor a Southern Columbia victory in the end.

Southern and Line Moutain have one common opponent in Lewisburg. It is a wash. The Twin Valley had six teams make the playoffs if you include 1-9 Upper Dauphin. One has to believe Southern's schedule with Shamokin, Mount Carmel, and Bloomsburg was more physical. Throw in Hughesville, Warrior Run, Lewisburg, and Danville and the Tigers had to battle week in and week out.

With Line Mountain scoring 31 points on Southern last year, logic is to expect the Eagles to duplicate that effort or come close. In observing both the Eagles and Tigers this year, an edge in speed would have to Southern.

Line Mount will do there best, but I believe the speed and strength of Southern's schedule will equate into a two touchdown difference in favor of the Tigers.

MCA

The Montoursville vs. Mount Carmel game is easy. The Red Tornadoes will go as far as far as their rush defense and rush offense will take them this Friday. Montoursville is usually very well coached and does not commit to many penalties. Lately, it is Montoursville with more proven playoff experience. Between the running game, rush and pass defense, Mount Carmel has too many questions. In a battle, look for the Warriors to score late to secure a two touchdown win.

Are Two Justin Knoebels Better Than One?

Going into Friday's game with Danville, Justin Knoebel's playing status was a question mark. As the game with Danville progressed and Steve Roth was picking up some big yards on the ground there was the familiar #60 getting off the bottom the pile. Roth started to pick up huge chunks of yardage from the second quarter until the final whistle. Broadcasting the game, we noticed Roth picked up the yardage from the left side and we viewed #60 opening up huge holes on the left side. One thing we didn't do is look for two number 60's.

In my weekly interview with Southern head coach Jim Roth, I told him I thought Justin Knoebel had a great game on the left side opening up some big holes for the running game. Broadcasting my first Southern game since week one, I knew Knoebel was teamed with Tyler Wilson on the right side, but injuries change the line composition over a course of the season. I assumed Knoebel was moved to the left for a reason.

Roth let me know that wasn't Justin Knoebel at left guard. The player in question happened to be Joe Picarelli who normally wears #86 and play defensive end and the second tight end when the Tigers go to a "double tight" formation. "Joe is one of our better blockers and we wanted to work him into the interior," said Jim Roth. "Knoebel adds so much as a leader to our line, it was good to have him back in there." In asking how many games Picarelli was at guard, Roth said, "it was his first." The PIAA does have some jersey rules. "The PIAA requires that the interior linemen wear 50-79, but it doesn't matter what name is on the back."

In this case, two Justin Knoebels were better than one.

Poll Results and Colby Snyder

Well the poll results are in for Selinsgrove-Mount Carmel game. By a 61-57 count, Selinsgrove will be the winner. On other polls I conducted, if there was a 60/40 split. The game was won handily by the one picked in the poll. This poll is nearly down the middle, but you can't tell what demographic voted. If it holds true to earlier polls, this game should be close.

Colby Snyder

Almost silently last week, Colby Snyder became the all time reception leader at Southern with 70 catches passing the mark of 68 set by Matt Murdock (2000-02). Snyder's 1209 career receiving yards ranks him just behind Sean Connaghan(1998-2000) who had 1363 for a career. With 14 career receiving touchdowns, Snyder is tied with Andy Helwig (1993-95). Snyder who currently has 36 receptions this season needs 12 more to tie the single season mark of 48 held by Murdock.

RADIO

Listen to tonight's Southern-Danville game on BILL 95.3. It will be streaming at billcountry.com.

Jim Roth Discusses the Upcoming Game with the Danville Ironmen

This week Southern plays at Danville for final time in a series that will take a break with the introduction of the Heartland Conference next season. The Tigers lead the series 21-20-1 dominating the last 20 or so years. Danville's last win came in 1999 with 31-27 thriller over Southern at the old F.Q. Hartman Stadium. For the Hartman namesake, thank goodness the Ironmen no long play there.

WHAT'S AT STAKE

Danville comes in with passing attack led by Andrew Shoop and with a victory over Southern should qualify for the District IV AA playoffs. Southern with a win still need some help to host a playoff game. A Line Mountain loss could drop them to third. Bloomsburg could snare the top seed with a win and an Eagle loss. If Line Mountain, Bloomsburg and Southern all win. Southern will be at Bloom next week with a week 2 rematch and Line Mountain will host Canton. On any given weekend District IV probably has three out the top five teams in the East. Unfortunately, only one will continue into the state playoffs.

Selinsgrove vs. MCA

Two weeks ago, this game was a "must win" if you were a Mount Carmel Red Tornado. With a big win over Pottsville on Saturday, Mount Carmel punched a spot in the District IV playoffs. This week's game will only count toward seedings for the Red Tornadoes and a possible home game in the first round. While every new edition of Mount Carmel is compared to champions of yesteryear, this team continues to make strides every week. At 6-3 after nine weeks, throw the Chichester game away. The other losses to Lancaster Catholic and Southern Columbia now have a combined record of 16-2.

From what I have seen this season, Mount Carmel in some shape or form will give up 14 points to Seals. The Red Tornadoes have had problems at Selinsgrove not winning there since 1997 and have only beat Selinsgrove once since 1999. For some reason, the "35" defense of Selinsgrove has given Mount Carmel fits especially trying to establish a consistent ground game. Defensively, the Seals rely on Nate Gingrich, Matt Ritter, and Bryce Auker. In the game against Shamokin the Seals were bringing 4 or 5 on the rush with little success. Marc Persing nearly set a Shamokin school record for passing. Selinsgrove though have proved they could win in a shootout or when they were statistically dominated like against Montoursville.

On the defensive side, the Red Tornadoes have been vulnerable to the deep pass all season long. The Seals have a good fullback in Seth Lauver, but injuries have hurt the tailback spot. Quarterback Eric Deckard is emerging from a slump and Matt Ritter could catch anything up for grabs in Snyder County. Still, I believe the Seals will manage two scores.

So here is the outlook. Mount Carmel has enough on the defensive side of the ball to win. It will depend on how the Red Tornadoes handle the "35" defense of Selinsgrove once again. Mount Carmel can't get down early. The Seals defense usually play at their best when they are ahead best. The five linebackers cause the most havoc in this situation. Selinsgrove have four really good seniors in Auker, Deckard, Gingrich and Ritter. Will it be enough? I think the X and O's are the same along with the Jimmy's and Joe's. Look for the Seals to come out on top in a close one at home with the four seniors leading the way.

BUCKNELL FOOTBALL

With one home game left on November 10th with Lehigh, Southern Columbia's Ryan Slater didn't have a bad game against the pass happy Holy Cross Crusaders. The senior had nine tackles, a sack and interception.

COLORADO ROCKIES

Who said the couch isn't good for anything. While flipping through some channels the other night on television, I tuned into the ninth inning of the Colorado-Expos game on April 9th, 1993 at Mile High Stadium on ESPN Classic. I remember a friend and contemporary in my youth baseball days played for the Expos in 1993. Frank Bolick of Mount Carmel came up with the Expos in 1993 with a wealth of other talented players like Mike Lansing, Sean Berry and Greg Colbrunn. Although I only watched the ninth inning, I pulled the box score from the Rockies first win as a franchise. I was interested in seeing if Bolick had played earlier in the game. Bolick was 1 for 4 at the plate, but had three errors in the field. A box score won't say if the errors led to any runs, but with an 11-4 win by the Rockies you can say Bolick may have a hand in the Colorado win that day.

All joking aside, Bolick went on to have 15 seasons in professional baseball and had his best professional years in Japan from 1999 to 2002. In 1998, Bolick resurrected his career by making the roster of the Anaheim Angels as a non-roster invitee to spring training that season.

A little side note to this game was that Pottsville's Chris Nabholtz was also in the stadium that day.

Week 9 Wrap

Some hard decisions were made this past weekend weather to play on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. The result is four days of high school football. There will still be a few games contested tonight.

BLUE MOUNTAIN AT SHAMOKIN

The Indians came out and had everyone shaking their heads why this team was 0-8? Shamokin went right down the field on their first possession and put up 8. Just as quickly the Indians reminded their fans why they are 0-8 giving up two touchdown in a little over a minute. Shamokin fell behind and the Eagles played a "38" defense with 8 backs in the secondary. Give the Eagles credit, they did a better job than Selinsgrove and Pottsville in the two weeks previous.

POTTSVILLE AT MCA

This game had playoff implications and Mount Carmel secured a spot in the 8-team AA District 4 field. In the end, Mount Carmel's weakness (defense) held up to Pottsville's strength (rushing attack).

FAREWELLS CONTINUE

With the Heartland Conference coming in 2008, several rivalries were ended in the last few weeks. Shamokin with Pottsville and Blue Mountain and Mount Carmel with Pottsville. This week brings the end of the Danville-Southern rivalry. Hopefully the division difference won't be enough to keep these schools apart for too long.

CANCEL OR NOT

When you play outside, the elements can come into play. Shamokin chose to play on Friday. It was an interesting call. It was senior night. The band wasn't there and neither was the crowd. The band and football boosters rely on revenue from only 5 home games to support their operations. Also, Shamokin had over 450 passing the last two weeks. In the end, the Indians were left without a passing attack, no revenue for their band or football boosters and no one played and no one sang the national anthem. Thanks for the help.

MERCY RULE

As Shamokin enters the final week of the season winless, a meaningless stat may come into play. Since the advent of the "Mercy Rule", has there been a winless team make it through the season without having the "Mercy Rule" applied? I don't believe Shamokin will get beat by Shikellamy, let alone by the "Mercy Rule". I did run across this on the Southern Columbia website. In 1979, Southern went 0-11. They however would not have been "mercy ruled". The Tiger's defense only gave 18 points a game and no one scored over 30. Five games were decided by a touchdown or less.

Lourdes Regional Saga Finally Over

Dave Schweitzer between drills on Tuesday

How does a team with 24 players and a 6-1 record become so controversial and maligned? Once again as this football season winds down, Lourdes Regional finds itself at 6-1 and challenging for a post season birth. The double edge sword for Lourdes is the post season. If the Red Raiders qualify for district and opt out, they are ducking the competition. If they accept the district bid, their schedule doesn't measure up to any of the teams that qualified or got displaced.

This past Tuesday, I made my way up to Lourdes Regional and asked coach Mike Klembara about his teams post season plans. "It is easy," said Klembara. "The PIAA made the decision for us." "The way the class system is structured right now on the state level, there is no way we could compete." Klembara indicating about the PIAA possibly moving to six classes in the future. "As athletic director, I have to look at what is best for the kids not only in football, but all sports."


Head Coach Jim Roth of Southern Columbia(he has mentioned this to me long before the current situation) along with the PSFCA have long advocated a six class system for football. For the most part, it would move the super schools into a 6A class. The bottom schools population wise would move into the 1A class. The remaining four classes would be divided up among the remaining four classes. Part of the hang up is the local districts loosing control of a playoff format. With 25 to 30 teams in 6A and 1A the 12 district structure isn't really needed. The biggest disparity in Pennsylvania high school football are small quad A's trying to compete with the big boys and small single A's competing with the top of class A.


Looking at the Lourdes situation right now, they have not had a freshman in over 20 years. They cannot commit to a JV schedule due to numbers. On the bright side, the Red Raiders are getting contributions from the basketball team. The first eight players on the basketball team are playing football. Also, the football team competes with soccer and golf for able bodies.


Charlie Roth of the News-Item has a good take on the situation here. Harod Raker of the Daily Item has his take here. 24 student-athletes at Lourdes Regional don't need to apologize to anyone.

Dave Zielinskie discusses Monday's JV game @ SCA

In last Monday's junior varsity contest with Southern Columbia, Shamokin Area head coach Dave Zielinskie was whistled for two, 15-yard penalties and ejected from the game. For many area fans Zielinskie carries some baggage and a bad reputation from his earlier stint as Indians coach. One of the main plays from years ago was a game with Pottsville where a player tried to run with an onside kick and his leg was broke. The Tide ended the series with the Indians shortly thereafter. I got to meet and talk to the player in question year later. He and I shared college alma maters. He said is mistake was trying to advance the ball. Nothing was dirty about the play.



(NOTE: I WAS AT MONDAY'S GAME AS A CASUAL FAN WITH BOTH OF MY SONS AGES 8 AND 5. WE LEFT SHORTLY AFTER A SOUTHERN PLAYER WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL. FOR HIS FAMILY, THE SOUTHERN TEAM AND COMMUNITY, I WILL KEEP HIM IN MY PRAYERS. THROUGHOUT THE GAME ZIELINSKIE WAS ON THE SIDELINE, BUT DIDN'T INTERACT WITH ANYONE AND WAS USUALLY 20 YARDS OR MORE AWAY FROM HIS COACHES.)



Coach Zielinskie told me he was standing near the 10-yard line early in the game when the official asked if he was a coach or coaching. Zielinskie said he wasn't coaching, but watching his son play. (NOTE: JV sideline rules are very relaxed. Southern had students sitting between the 30 and goal line which no one really cared. Zielinskie who didn't know the referee assumed the referee knew he was indeed the head coach.)



Flash forward to the 4th quarter. Zielinskie said a run was coming right at him and he was about 4 yards from the sideline. The side judge ran up the side on the flat away from the crown and tripped over Zielinskie. The official, not too happy, asked Dave to stay behind the line. Southern's field isn't marked except from the 30's. Zielinskie asked, "What line." The official again said to stay behind the line. Zielinskie responded, "Show me the line." The official responded by throwing a flag for unsportsmanlike. The official asked, "Who are you?" Zielinskie indicated that he was the head coach of Shamokin. The official threw a second flag for lying about coaching the first time and ejecting him. (NOTE: ZIELINSKIE HAD LITTLE INTERACTION ON THE FIELD THE WHOLE GAME.)

Zielinskie at that point sat on the bench then decided to sit in the stands and never said another word. The officials huddled and asked that he leave the stadium. At this point we laughed. Zielinskie made the big mistake of assuming the official knew who he was in the first place. Zielinskie is also not allowed at the next JV game for Shamokin.

Is this more of the Zielinskie reputation? A big misunderstanding? "Shooter" from Hoosiers? You be the judge.