TORNADO SPORTS WATCH

For Alumni

by Jose Gonzalo, Class of '64

It is hoped that Tornado Sports Watch for Alumni will be a three-time per year report of the sports programs at Mount Carmel Area High School. Editions in January, March and June are planned.

SPRING 2009: Volume IX 

BOYS BASEBALL

 Coach Joe Varano's nine qualified for a District IV playoff spot with an exciting 7-6 victory over previously undefeated Loyalsock Township . The Defenders (14-1) were riding a 25 game win streak back to last year and are the defending PIAA State Champions. Kevin Demko delivered the game-winning hit in the bottom of the 7th. Tornado baseball won the 600th game in MCA history with a win over Lourdes Regional .

The Tornadoes finished the regular season with a fine 13-7 record and qualified for District IV play as the 7th season. They would open up play with rival Southern Columbia (2-seed) and, in an exciting game that went down to the last pitch, would go down by a 3-2 score. Because of some changes made by Coach Varano, the Tornado nine would become one of the best teams in the area at the end of the season. Joe would improve his overall three year record to 31 - 28 with 2 District playoff appearances.

Matt Moroz paced the Tornadoes with a .456 average, followed by Tom Gallagher with a .451 - Jeremy Yacobacci hit 5 home runs, while Moroz was goof for 5 pitching wins. Gallagher and Marcus Wasilewski were named to first team in Division 2 by the Heartland Conference, while Yacobacci, Moroz, and Jared Morgan were given second team spots.

GIRLS SOFTBALL

The girls would struggle through a  1-19 season, with their only victory coming at the hand of old rival Lourdes Regional. Although the record doesn't show it, the girls improved tremendously as the season progressed. It was a very young team with freshmen and sophomores manning most positions. There were no seniors listed on the official roster. The end of the season saw 21 year veteran coach Mike Trocki resign as the leader of the Lady Tornadoes. Trocki's most successful campaign was in 1992 when his girls won their first and only District XI title, defeating state powerhouse Minersville. Michael will be missed by many, and remembered fondly by many of the girls he has coached over the years. Mike had an overall record of 132 and 272 Some thumbnail sketches of this years notable players:

 Sami Spieller - 2nd Base – Sophomore

Led team in:  Games Played - 20      At Bats - 57    Runs - 9   Hits - 14 Stolen Bases - 6    Fewest Strikeouts - 7  Batting Avg. - .246         Fewest Errors - 7 in 64 chances   24 Assists(3rd)  33 Putouts(5th)

 Felicia Hughes - Catcher – Sophomore

Led team in Extra Base Hits - 3 and  Rbi's - 5

 Maura Frasch - 1st Base – Freshman

Led team in Put Outs - 107 in 116    chances  Top Fielding Avg - .931  2nd on team in least errors - 8

 Valerie Bendas - The glue of the infield - 3rd Base – Junior

Led in Assists - 57    Put Outs - 43(2nd)

 GIRLS TRACK

 The girls, under head coach Angela Farronato enjoyed a very competitive season in the first year as members of the Heartland Conference. The girls went 4-3 in dual meets. The girls did manage a 5th place finish in the Breslin Relays with Marissa Farronato and Cassie Mace winning the discus with a combined toss of 196-10. Girls would combine for a 2nd in the 400 relay, 6th in the 800 relay, 4th in the 1600 relay. 4th in the shuttle hurdles, 5th in the long jump, 6th in the triple, and 4th in the pole vault.

 The girls would also come through with a 5th place finish in the Heartland Conference Freshman/Sophomore meet. Heather Bolick would win the javelin with a throw of 106'10", while Megan VanDoren would place first in the high jump with a height of 4'8".VanDoren would add a third in the hurdles, 5th in the triple, and 2nd in the long jump. Bolick added a second in the discus. Other place winners were Rachel Fletcher in the 800(4th), C. Sinopoli in the jav (4th),  and Sam Bressi in the long(3rd).

 In varsity competition, Danielle Lawler would step up and win the 400 meter in 59.89 seconds at the Coaches Invitational. It was good enough for a new school record. for meters. Lawler would add a fifth in the 200. Carissa Cichon took an 8th in the 100 meter hurdles. Christine Mrozek added a 5th in the shot, while the 1600 meter relay team of Lawler, Alyssa Butkiewicz, Brigid Demko, and Brittany McAndrew placed 6th and 3200 meter relay team of Rachel Fletcher, Emily Skonecki, Cara Sinopoli, and Ali Singh place 7th.

 In the District IV meet at Shikellamy, the girls would place 10th out of 20 teams. Lawler took the only championship with her win in the 400(100.11). She added a 4th in the 200 (26.79). Carissa Cichon place 7th in the hurdles while the 400 meter relay squad of Sam Bressi, Cassandra Niglio, Sam Ortona, and Kirsten Sinopoli would come in 8th (52'85). Marissa Farronatao would add a 6th in the discus(99.5) and Danielle Bernini would place 5th in the high jump(4'10"). The 3200 meter relay team of Fletcher, Singh, C, Sinopoli,  and Skonecki would  place 7th.

 At the state meet, Lawler would run a fine 100:14 and finish 14th in the state and gain valuable experience for next year. Lawler and Freshman Magan VanDoren were named to the News Item All Area Team .Marisa Faronatto, Carissa Cichon, and Alyssa Butkiewicz were given honorable mention.            Lawler would lead the team in scoring with 80.25 team points followed by VanDoren with 75.5.

BOYS TRACK

 Mike Farronato would complete his 10th year at the helm of Tornado Boys Track and would improve his overall record to 76-14-1 - - - 53-4 over the last 6 years. The boys first year as a member of the Heartland Conference saw them very competitive with a fine 6-1 record, losing only to an outstanding Milton squad.

In a sign of the future, the boys won the Freshman - Sophomore meet scoring 100 points by winning the 3200 meter relay, Meyrick Lamb in the 100, Mike Hause in the 800, and A. Zsido in the pole vault. The boys took fourth in the Breslins with only one win by the 4 x 400 relay (Justin Pellowski, James Goins, Julius Demetrius and Josh Maloney). Places were earned in the 3200 meter relay, Medley relay, Distance medley, Shuttle hurdles, shot, discus, jav, triple, and pole vault.

The boys placed 7th at Heartland Conference Meet with the only win coming from 4 x 100 meter relay in 43:99 - The 3200 meter relay team of Chris Monahan, Shane Fletcher, Dylan Lawrence, and Mike Hause placed  7th, Bill Ditchey took 4th in the discus, while Josh Maloney placed 2nd in the 100 and 3rd in the 200.

The District IV meet found the Tornadoes with a fine 4th place finish thanks to the effort of Josh Maloney, Maloney won the 100 in 10.95, the 200 in 22.59 and anchored the 4 x 100 to a 43.66 along with Pellowski, Goins, and Demetrius. Pellowski would ad a 6th in the 100 and Demetrius would place 3rd in the 200 and 300 intermediates. Zach Luts would ad a 7th in the shot while the 4 x 400 of Maloney, Ed Stuart, Hause, and Luke Vaughan would add a second to also qualify for states.

The state meet would be a learning experience for Maloney, who is only a sophomore attending Lourdes Regional, and running for MCA as part of the co-op agreement. He would make the semi's in the 100 and help the 4 x 100 to a 16th place finish. The 4 x 400 would finish 22nd.Maloney, Billy Ditchey, Justin Pellowski, Julius Demetrius, Chris Monahan, and Mikael Hause were named to the News Item All Area Team. James Goins, Ed Stewart and Luke Vaughn were given honorable mention.

Malonmey was named to first team Heartland Conference in the 100 and was part of the first team 4 x 100 along with Goins, Demetrius and Pellowski, Maloney (200) and Billy Ditchey (Javelin) were given second team spots, as well as, the 3200 meter relay team of Fletcher, Hause, Matalavage, and Lawrence, and the 1600 meter relay team of Stewart, Maloney, Vaughan, and Hause.

Maloney would lead the team in scoring with 177 team points, followed by Ditchey's 92.

YEAR END WRAP

  ROTARY STUDENTS OF THE MONTH

September - Marcus Wasilewski

October - Chrissy Candelora

November - Colin Menapace

December - Laura John

January - Erin Shamansky

February - Deborah Burge

March - Stephanie Pollock

April - Kevin Demko

May - Paige Schoffler

ED ROMANCE ATHLETES OF THE MONTH

September - Marcus Wasilewski

October - Colin Menapace

November - Jenelle Williams

December - Matt Koveleski

January - Kyle Higgins

February - Chris Steck

March - Tom Gallagher

April - Julius Demetrius

May - Matt Moroz

EXTRA

 Recent 2009 MCA graduates, Chris Steck and Marcus Wasilewski were chosen to play in the New Jersey versus the Northeast All Star Classic at Rutgers University on June 7 - The game was won by New Jersey on the last play of the game when a player from NJ picked off a Wasilewski pass after it was tipped and ran it back 74 yards for the winning score (13-7) Wash was 18 of 23 and 150 yards - 1 TD and 1 Int.

Steck was also chosen to play in the Football Coaches Annual East-West Game at Altoona and was chosen captain by his teammates.

Ken Schetroma, a senior throwing for Southern Columbia would earn a 5th place finish in the shot at the state meet. He is the grandson of Ken "Flea" Schetroma and Maxine Woznicki Schetroma - both 1963 grads of MCA.

 2003 MCA graduate David Shinskie has accepted a football scholarship to Boston College . David was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in 2003 and has been playing professional baseball with the Twins and Toronto Blue Jays, making it to the AA level with both teams. He will matriculate at BC this summer and will attempt to be the next Chris Weinke - Florida 's national championship QB in 1999, who joined the Gators after 6 years in baseball. Best of luck to Dave!

 Don't forget to check out the Mount Carmel Area Education Foundation website to find out how you can help MCA remain competitive in the future!

Past Editions of Sports Watch

Volume 8 (Winter 2008)

Volume 7 (Fall 2008)

Volume 6 (Spring 2008)

Volume 5 (Winter 2007-2008)

Volume 4 (Fall 2007)

Volume 3 (Spring 2007)

Volume 2 (Winter 2006-2007)

Volume 1 (Fall 2006)