CYAN YELLOW MAGENTA BLACK
THE WEEK IN SPORTS By DAVID B. CORBIN
Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times
Westfield High School Head Coach Tom Hornish has high expectations for his girls cross country team and the feeling seems to be mutual among the girls. The Blue Devils’ previous achievements have been outstanding; however, a very strong nucleus of talents returns.
Finishing with a 70 dual meet record, the Blue Devils boosted their undefeated season streak to five and extended their undefeated meet record to 47. The Blue Devils have virtually owned the Watchung Conference and Union County titles and, last year, won the Group 3 Section 2 crown. All those achievements were accomplished despite the late season absences of Maura McMahon, Adrianne Blauvelt and Rachel Ackerman due to serious injuries.
McMahon, a senior, was the 1998 Watchung Conference Champion
prior to sustaining her injury. Blauvelt, a senior, and Ackerman, a junior, were among the topten Blue Devil runners.
“All of these young women are healthy and have a solid preseason training record which should find them ready to make up for their absence at the end of 1998,” pointed out Hornish.
Also returning with plenty of talent are seniors Heather Dennis, Tanya Tran and Aubrey McGovern and juniors Alexis Anzelone and Kyle Legones. Tran and Dennis will share responsibilities with McMahon as team captains.
Dennis, a celebrity in her own right, recently bicycled across the United States and appears to be in superb condition early. Anzelone, Tran, McGovern and Legones, who were always in the top group of runners in Union County, will push the Devil girls to their higher heights.
“They have seriously discussed their wanting to establish a team goal of 100 minutes for the front five (runners) at Warinanco Park and to average 20: 20 or better at Holmdel (Group Championships),” stated Hornish of his top runners.
The Blue Devils “Pac” will also receive added strength from veteran sophomores Jackie Cusimano, Sarah Maharan, Martta McGlynn, Theresa Murphy and Melanie Totams.
Hornish concluded, “The team is talented and there is depth which historically is an important asset. However, we are cognizant of the fact that our group is dominated by traditional powerhouses such as Ridgewood, Shawnee and Randolph.”
DIFRANCESCO SIZZLES, VANDERHEYDEN HOMERS
St. Joseph Jumps to Finals; Repels St. Jude’s Surge, 97
By DAVID B. CORBIN
Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times
Intensity and excitement was bubbling over in the Angels Division title game of the St. Bartholomew’s Oldtimers Softball League at Jerseyland Field in Scotch Plains on September 1. Topseeded St. Joseph held off a seventh inning rally from secondseeded St. Jude, wining 97.
St. Joseph slugger Marc DiFrancesco sizzled with the “thunder stick”, going threeforthree and scoring three runs. St. Jude “hammer man” Pete Vanderheyden created much excitement as he pounded a tworun home run in the third inning.
Right off the bat, in the top of the first, the excitement level intensified when dangerous Tom Straniero of St. Jude jolted a shot to right field. Straniero rounded first and bolted toward second. The throw from St. Joseph outfielder Pete Chemidlin was on the money and Straniero was called out on an extremely close play.
The “Joe” boys approached the plate in the bottom of the inning and left with a 10 lead. DiFrancesco
drilled a double to left and Dave Rothenberg ripped an RBI single to center. Further runs were prevented when Straniero initiated a smooth shorttosecondtofirst double play.
After St. Jude had a moment of silence in the second, the “Joe” boys roared with three more runs. Chemidlin chopped a single past short and Frank Pepe reached first on an infield error. Chemidlin scored as Joe Matuska reached safely on an error. Matuska then scored when Al Antoine reached first on a throwing error, then Bob Brennan bashed an RBI single to left.
The comfort level for St. Joseph was diminished when St. Jude jumped forward with three runs in the third. Bill Canata looped a single to left, then Vanderheyden thrashed his tworun shot down the third baseline. After a robust discussion as to the proper position of the foul pole, Rick Wustefeld whacked a single over the second baseman. Tony Perfilio ricocheted a single off the first baseman’s glove, then fielding confusion ensued. In the confusion, Wustefeld slithered home.
Despite the steaming cloud of confusion obstructing their vision, after
the first two batters made outs, the “Joe” boys loaded the bases with singles from Al Weber, Ed Marchelitis and DiFrancesco. St. Jude escaped the inning when Rothenberg grounded out.
St. Jude knotted the score, 44, in the fourth. Steve Ferro hopped a single past third and Straniero scribbled a single past the second baseman. Mike Brennan drilled a shot into the glove of the pitcher. When the pitcher fired to first in an attempt to catch Straniero off base, Ferro streaked home.
St. Joseph regained its senses and scored twice in its half of the inning. Charlie Kreyer claimed first on an error and Chemidlin bounced a single through the hole at second. Pepe pranced to the plate and whizzed an RBI single to left. Pepe got a hand in the action again when Straniero, at short, fielded a grounder, stepped on second for the force out and fired the ball into the hand of the sliding Pepe. In the meantime, Chemidlin scored.
In the sixth, the comfort level heightened for the “Joe” boys when they took a 94 lead. Weber, Marchelitis and DiFrancesco all singled, then Rothenberg rattled his
GIACONE WILL LEAD THE OFFENSE
Blue Devils Show New Look on Football Field
By DAVID B. CORBIN
Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times
With the exception of one, the Westfield High School Football team will field an entirely new squad of starters. After graduating 24 seniors, it could be said that the Blue Devils are on the threshold of a rebuilding season. In addition, the Blue Devils have returned to Group 4 status.
Last year, the Blue Devils had a stellar season and became one of only a handful of teams to earn the right to take the glorious trip to Giants Stadium to play for a championship.
“From the game at Giants Stadium, we have one returning starter in Josh Ray,” said Head Coach Ed Tranchina. “So we are trying to put together a
major puzzle, but we have a lot of very willing and capable kids.”
Numbers they have! “The good news is, we have the best turnout that we’ve ever had with 62 kids, plus another thirty some freshmen,” pointed out Tranchina. “We had a lot of juniors last year who, in normal years, would have played but because we had such a fine senior class they did not really get their chance. So now, they are really looking forward to their opportunity to play. It’s their year now!”
Assuming the responsibilities as team captains are Chris Giacone, Joey Saunders and Pat Tuohy.
“We have good leadership in the
Raider Soccer Boys Consider Possibility of State “3Peat”
By DAVID B. CORBIN
Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times
After the Scotch PlainsFanwood High School boys soccer team defeated the Delsea Crusaders last November 20 for their seventh Group 3 title, the word “Dynasty” had been hinted. There is good reason to believe that.
With their fifthstraight appearance, the Raiders have been to the state finals 10 times in the last 14 years.
When the Raiders won the title in 1997, they graduated 13 seniors and everybody had questions about their ability to repeat. They did, and this time, they graduated only five seniors.
“We have approximately seven starters returning and on some occasions eight,” said Raider Head Coach Tom Breznitsky, in his 25th season and with 392 career victories. “Really! Tafarie Laing, Pete Kobliska and Todd Moser were the only real seniors who started regularly last year.”
Veteran seniors Jeff Fiorino and Eugene Ferrara and junior Brad Lowyns will share the responsibilities as team captains.
“We have strong leadership in these guys,” commented Breznitsky. “We
have only four seniors on this team, but Ferrara and Fiorino have been fouryear varsity players.”
As a sophomore goalie last year, Lowyns recorded 18 shutouts and exhibited some phenomenal leaping, diving and kicking abilities. This summer, while training with the Manchester United (England), he fractured his wrist and may miss the first month of the season.
“I felt very, very confident in havMCMAHON,
DENNIS, TRAN LEAD “PAC”
Lady Devils Heighten XCountry Expectations
CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 CONTINUED ON PAGE 12
ing Brad returning and allowing less than one goal a game,” expressed Breznitsky. “Unfortunately, what took place with him, there is nothing we can really do about that, but hopefully we can get him back sometime in the month of October.”
While Lowyns is out, junior Robbie Bugg will be taking over at goalkeeper.
“He is a good goalkeeper,” said Breznitsky of Bugg. “But, you know Lowyns is exceptional.”
The Raiders have great team speed, size and plenty of scoring threats.
Ferrara has been a tremendous scoring threat and offers the same zing. Always with aces up his sleeve, Breznitsky did not exactly reveal his
full use of Ferrara. “With Brad coming off, we are experimenting with what we are going to do,” answered Breznitsky. “He will be in the middle but not necessarily as a true centermidfielder. He may be more of a roving centermidfielder in the system we are thinking of going with.”
Threetime varsity starter junior Mike Zotti will be a scoring terror to opponents. Last year, Zotti zipped around and through defenders like a mongoose through a confused cobra.
Fiorino and junior Dave Sigmon as midfielders both have tremendous ball skills and are great distributors. Because of their fine skills, the Raider strikers will score many goals.
Defensively, the Raiders have ample beef in juniors Mike Franzone, Andrew Babicz, Dave Bell and senior Antonio Dopazo who are all
MENDE’S TWORUN HOMER IN 5TH LIFTS THE “PATS”
St. Patrick and Mende Skins St. Michael, 43, in Playoffs
By DAVID B. CORBIN
Specially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times
Karl Mende provided the proper touch with a tworun home run in the bottom of the fifth inning to lift secondseeded St. Patrick over thirdseeded St. Michael, 43, in the Saints Division of the St. Bartholomew’s Oldtimers Mens Softball League playoffs at Jerseyland Field in Scotch Plains on August 31. The “Pats” advanced to have a rematch with the firstseeded St. James “Gang” on September 1.
It was quite obvious that both teams were geared to win. The defensive concentration and intensity was definitely superior as compared with the regular season games. Although there were many fine plays, no less than eight fielding plays were brilliant.
Dan Perrine was the only St. Michael batter to reach base in the top of the first with a single to left.
With Perrine on second, St. Patrick first baseman Mike Michalisin prevented any scoring with a fine scoop for the third out.
With one out in the bottom of the first, Bob Guy thumped a triple to deep rightcenter, but St. Patrick left home base without a footprint. St. Michael was silenced in the second, thanks to a splendid fielding play by St. Pat’s third baseman Steve Pietrucho.
Home plate endured just one footprint in the bottom of the second but more runs could have been scored. After St. Michael second baseman Nick Litterio made a spectacular div ing grab of a grounder off the bat of
Don Rowbotham and threw it to first for the out, Pat Luongo hopped a single past the shortstop. Jerry Baker followed with a single over short and Mende mashed an RBI single to left.
Back came St. Michael in the third to tie the game, 11. Ron DelPrete pummeled a triple to rightcenter then scored on John Chupko’s sacrifice fly to right. Joe Murano dropped a single into right, but St. Pat’s third baseman Wayne Morse made a slick play to close the inning.
Two fantastic fielding plays held the Pats scoreless in the bottom of the
CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 CONTINUED ON PAGE 13 David B. Corbin for The Westfield Leader and The Times WESTFIELD HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL TRICAPTAINS… Pictured, left to right, are seniors Joey Saunders, Pat
Tuohy and Chris Giacone. The Blue Devils have a great turnout with 62 players on their roster (grades 1012) and 30 on the freshman squad.
David B. Corbin for The Westfield Leader and The Times HE’S OUT AT FIRST BASE!… St. Jude first baseman Jim Steger motions the out signal after tagging Al Antoine of St. Joseph in the fourth inning. Antoine singled but stretched a little too far beyond the bag in the Angels Division championship game.
David B. Corbin for The Westfield Leader and The Times NO INTENTION OF STOPPING… St. Patrick slugger Lee DiDonato touches third and heads home. Frank Chupko watches the ball sail into foul territory.
David B. Corbin for The Westfield Leader and The Times RAIDER SOCCER TRICAPTAINS… Pictured, left to right, are: Jeff Fiorino, Brad Lowyns and Eugene Ferrara. Once again, the Raider boys appear to be an ominous soccer force.
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