Hard to believe, but the 2008-09 Lancaster-Lebanon League season is winding down … only a few teams left in the District 3 and/or PIAA playoffs. The last day of the state playoffs is June 12, and that’ll be here before we know it.
Here are a few items to chomp on …
STREAKING - Had a good time following Manheim Township’s girls’ soccer team around the last couple of weeks. Saw them win the L-L League title and the District 3 Triple-A crown, and then win a game in States. But all good things must come to an end, and the Blue Streaks’ magical season came to a screeching halt Friday night when Township dropped a 2-1 gut-wrencher to Hershey in a PIAA Triple-A state quarterfinal in Hersheypark Stadium. After the game, the Streaks gathered in a semi-circle down on the turf and soaked it all in – the 22-2-1 season, the 22 wins in a row, and, unfortunately, the final game for the seniors. Always tough watching the tears flow, but this team should be proud, what with the hardware it earned – particularly the first district championship trophy in school history. Hats off. … While Township went down, three other L-L League girls’ soccer teams advanced to the PIAA Final Four: Hempfield in Triple-A and Donegal and Lancaster Mennonite in Double-A are still alive. Mennonite is out to defend its state title from last spring. That threesome will be in action next Tuesday.
Another Division I signing to pass along …
Elizabethtown senior stud Shane Rosenberry has accepted a scholarship to wrestle for Northern Illinois University, which competes in the Mid-American Conference along with Kent State, Central Michigan, Ohio, Buffalo and Eastern Michigan.
Rosenberry, who was an all-star selection in football last fall, finished fifth in the PIAA wrestling tournament this past winter, and he finished his mat career with 130 victories – most in E-town history.
There is a press release on Northern Illinois’ Web page about Rosenberry and the rest of the Huskies’ wrestling recruits. You can read that here.
Thought I heard through the grapevine that Rosenberry might try and walk-on to the football team. Couldn’t get that confirmed. But he’ll definitely wrestle for NIU.
BLAST FROM THE PAST – Just one basketball coaching opening in the L-L League, and one of the folks up for the Columbia girls’ varsity job might surprise you.
Gary Sutton, who coached the Crimson Tide’s boys’ team to the PIAA Double-A state championship in 1987, is on the short list of candidates to replace Lisa Tomsheck as Columbia’s next girls’ coach.
Tomsheck resigned her post after three seasons after Columbia finished just 2-21 this past season, and a couple of little birdies told me that Sutton, who has remained in the game as a television analyst during the PIAA finals and as an assistant in York County, could be in line to snag the Columbia gig.
I should know more in, oh, a week or so. Sit tight.
Friendly reminder - Trying to map out a vacation for later on in June. Considering a trip to Las Vegas, actually. Planning on taking the trusty laptop along to send you postcards from the road. I’ll let you know …
